Assistive Exoskeleton Control with User-Tuned Multi-Objective Optimization.

Assistive exoskeletons that utilize trajectory following control have been shown to produce stable gait for users. These however, do not allow intuitive tuning to customize gait to users' preferences. When persons walk on their own, they balance a variety of needs such as speed, comfort, and energy. Providing user tuning by optimizing between different gait performance measures gives an intuitive flexibility. We have shown the optimization between natural walking and gait energy produces stable bipedal gait through simulation in a virtual constraint framework. This verification shows validity of the methodology and framework for improving tuning and customization of assistive exoskeletons.

Safety and efficacy of outpatient sleeve gastrectomy: 2534 cases performed in a single free-standing ambulatory surgical center.

BACKGROUND: Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is currently the most widely performed operation for treatment of morbid obesity. SG leads to significant weight loss and reduction in weight related comorbidities. Procedures performed in ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) can provide several advantages over hospital-based surgery. We present results of 2,534 consecutive patients who underwent SG in an ASC. OBJECTIVE: Assess the safety and efficacy of outpatient SG in a freestanding ASC. SETTING: Free-standing ASC, Eviva Bariatrics, Seattle WA. METHODS: Data was collected retrospectively for all patients undergoing SG from January 2008 - January 2018, n = 2,534. Revisional procedures were not excluded from this study. Patients were excluded from the ASC if they weighed >450 pounds, if anticipated surgery time was > 2 hours, if the patient had impaired mobility limiting early ambulation, or if there were medical problems requiring postoperative monitoring beyond 23 hours. RESULTS: Mean age was 45.9 years. Mean preoperative body mass index (BMI) was 41.9. Mean operative time was 70 minutes. 30-day complications included 3 mortalities (0.12%), 60 (2.53%) re-admissions, 35 (1.42%), re-operations, and 31 (1.22%) direct transfers from the ASC to a nearby hospital. There were 25 staple line leaks (0.99%). There were no open conversions. At 6 months average excess body weight loss (EWL) was 56.3% and total weight loss (TWL) was 20.9% (n = 1,758/2,303). At 1 year, EWL was 70.1% and TWL was 26.4% (n = 1,199/2,125). CONCLUSION: With experienced surgeons, appropriate protocols, and a consistent operative team, SG can be performed safely in a free-standing ASC.

Real-time diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus: a prospective, multicenter study comparing confocal laser endomicroscopy with conventional histology for the identification of intestinal metaplasia in new users.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic evaluation with high-definition white light endoscopy and random 4-quadrant biopsy (Seattle Protocol) is the current standard of care for the detection of Barrett's esophagus (BE). Recently, enhanced imaging technologies have become available to provide real-time diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and dysplasia, reducing the need for tissue biopsy. Probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (pCLE) provides dynamic microscopic mucosal views, rapidly capturing digital images that become optical biopsies. This study examined the role of pCLE in BE screening and surveillance as compared to the Seattle Protocol. METHODS: Patients undergoing BE screening or surveillance endoscopy were enrolled at eight US centers. Optical biopsy using pCLE was interpreted in real time. Endoscopists performing pCLE were new users with a median experience of 8.5 months and no formal training in surgical pathology. Seattle Protocol biopsies were then taken. Recorded pCLE images were reviewed by a blinded expert in optical biopsy interpretation. RESULTS: Early pCLE users identified significantly more patients with IM than the Seattle Protocol overall (99/172 vs. 46/172, p < 0.0001). Early users of pCLE also identified significantly more patients with IM than the Seattle Protocol in the patients with visible columnar lined esophagus (75 vs. 31, p < 0.0001), but not in the 76 patients without columnar lined esophagus (24 vs. 15, p = 0.067). There was no statistically significant difference between early pCLE users and expert review. CONCLUSION: Optical biopsy using pCLE technology allows for the real-time evaluation of entire segments of columnar lined esophagus. Consequently, pCLE is considerably more sensitive in the detection of BE than the Seattle Protocol, which leaves a majority of epithelium unexamined. This effect is seen even in new users and increases with experience. Overall, pCLE provides a promising advance in Barrett's detection which will likely result in superior identification of individuals at risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma.

Does the future of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy lie in the outpatient surgery center? A retrospective study of the safety of 3162 outpatient sleeve gastrectomies.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a safe and effective procedure that can be performed as an outpatient procedure. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to determine whether same-day discharge LSG is safe when performed in an outpatient surgery center. SETTING: Outpatient surgery centers. METHODS: The medical records of 3162 patients who underwent primary LSG procedure by 21 surgeons at 9 outpatient surgery centers from January 2010 through February 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Three thousand one hundred sixty-two patients were managed with enhanced recovery after surgery protocol and were included in this analysis. The mean age and preoperative body mass index were 43.1 ± 10.8 years and 42.1 ± 7.1 kg/m2, respectively. Sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, gastroesophageal reflux disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia were seen in 14.4%, 13.5%, 24.7%, 30.4%, and 17.6% patients, respectively. The mean total operative time was 56.4 ± 16.9 minutes (skin to skin). One intraoperative complication (.03%) occurred. The hospital transfer rate was .2%. The 30-day follow-up rate was 85%. The postoperative outcomes were analyzed based on the available data. The 30-day readmission, reoperation, reintervention, and emergency room visit rates were .6%, .6%, .2%, and .1%, respectively. The 30-day mortality rate was 0%. The total short-term complication rate was 2.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Same-day discharge seems to be safe when performed in an outpatient surgery center in selected patients. It would appear that outpatient surgery centers are a viable option for patients with minimal surgical risks.

High acuity sleeve gastrectomy patients in a free-standing ambulatory surgical center.

BACKGROUND: Procedures performed in ambulatory surgical centers (ASC) can provide several advantages over hospital-based surgery. Understandably, concerns have been raised regarding "high acuity" cases in the ASC setting. Recently the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) presented protocols for ASCs to follow, requiring them to perform only "low acuity" cases to be compliant with accreditation. OBJECTIVE: Assess the safety and efficacy of outpatient sleeve gastrectomy (SG) on the "high acuity patient" in a free-standing ASC. SETTING: Free-standing ASC, Eviva Bariatrics, Seattle, Washington. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively for all patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2015, n = 1112. Of those patients, 120 were classified as "high acuity." RESULTS: Mean age was 51.7 years (24-73), mean body mass index was 42.4 (26.2-65.9). Mean operative time was 91 minutes. Five patients (4.2%) were readmitted within 30 days. Causes of re-admission were portal vein thrombosis (n = 2), intra-abdominal abscess (n = 1), infected hematoma (n = 1), and postoperative bleeding (n = 1). One patient (0.83%) was transferred from the ASC to a nearby hospital due to a postoperative bleed. One patient (0.83%) had a re-operation to evacuate a hematoma. One patient had a re-operation to wash out an infected hematoma. There were 0 confirmed staple line leaks. There were no open conversions and no deaths within 30 days or at 1 year. Follow-up was 83% (n = 100) at 6 months, and 65.0% at 1 year (n = 78). CONCLUSION: Criteria such as age, body mass index, or prior bariatric surgery did not reflect worse outcomes in a specialized ASC. With experienced surgeons, appropriate protocols, and a consistent operative team, SG can be performed safely in a free-standing ASC on select "high acuity" patients.