A New Era of Bile Duct Repair: Robotic-Assisted Versus Laparoscopic Hepaticojejunostomy.

BACKGROUND: Despite scientific evidence of the safety, efficacy, and in some cases superiority of minimally invasive surgery in hepato-pancreato-biliary procedures, there are scarce publications about bile duct repairs. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery versus laparoscopic surgery on bile duct repair in patients with post-cholecystectomy bile duct injury. METHODS: This is a retrospective comparative study of our prospectively collected database of patients with bile duct injury who underwent robotic or laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy. RESULTS: Seventy-five bile duct repairs (40 by laparoscopic and 35 by robotic-assisted surgery) were treated from 2012 to 2018. Injury types were as follows: E1 (7.5% vs. 14.3%), E2 (22.5% vs. 14.3%), E3 (40% vs. 42.9%), E4 (22.5% vs. 28.6%), and E5 (7.5% vs. 0), for laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy (LHJ) and robotic-assisted hepaticojejunostomy (RHJ) respectively. The overall morbidity rate was similar (LHJ 27.5% vs. RHJ 22.8%, P = 0.644), during an overall median follow-up of 28 (14-50) months. In the LHJ group, the actuarial primary patency rate was 92.5% during a median follow-up of 49 (43.2-56.8) months. While in the RHJ group, the actuarial primary patency rate was 100%, during a median follow-up of 16 (12-22) months. The overall primary patency rate was 96% (LHJ 92.5% vs. RHJ 100%, log-rank P = 0.617). CONCLUSION: Our results showed that the robotic approach is similar to the laparoscopic regarding safety and efficacy in attaining primary patency for bile duct repair.

Minimally invasive approach (robotic and laparoscopic) to biliary-enteric fistula secondary to cholecystectomy bile duct injury.

Spontaneous biliary-enteric fistula after laparoscopic cholecystectomy bile duct injury is an extremely rare entity. Y-en-Roux hepaticojejunostomy has been demonstrated to be an effective surgical technique to repair iatrogenic bile duct injuries. Seven consecutive patients underwent robotic-assisted (n = 5) and laparoscopic (n = 2) biliary-enteric fistula resection and bile duct repair at our hospital from January 2012 to May 2017. We reported our technique and described post-procedural outcomes. The mean age was 52.4 years, mostly females (n = 5). The mean operative time was 240 min for laparoscopic cases and 322 min for robotic surgery, and the mean estimated blood loss was 300 mL for laparoscopic and 204 mL for robotic cases. In both groups, oral feeding was resumed between day 2 or 3 and hospital length of stay was 4-8 days. Immediate postoperative outcomes were uneventful in all patients. With a median of 9 months of follow-up (3-52 months), no patients developed anastomosis-related complications. We observed in this series an adequate identification and dissection of the fistulous biliary-enteric tract, a safe closure of the fistulous orifice in the gastrointestinal tract and a successful bile duct repair, providing the benefits of minimally invasive surgery.

Laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy after bile duct injury.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of bile duct injuries (BDI) after cholecystectomy, which is a life-threatening condition that has several medical and legal implications, currently stands at about 0.6%. The aim of this study is to describe our experience as the first center to use a laparoscopic approach for BDI repair. METHODS: A prospective study between June 2012 and September 2014 was developed. Twenty-nine consecutive patients with BDI secondary to cholecystectomy were included. Demographics, comorbidities, presenting symptoms, details of index surgery, type of lesion, preoperative and postoperative diagnostic work-up, and therapeutic interventions were registered. Videos and details of laparoscopic hepaticojejunostomy (LHJ) were recorded. Injuries were staged using Strasberg classification. A side-to-side anastomosis with Roux-en-Y reconstruction was always used. In patients with E4 and some E3 injuries, a segment 4b or 5 section was done to build a wide anastomosis. In E4 injuries, a neo-confluence was performed. Complications, mortality, and long-term evolution were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients with BDI were operated. Women represented 82.7% of the cases. The median age was 42 years (range 21-74). Injuries at or above the confluence occurred in 62%, and primary repair at our institution was performed at 93.1% of the cases. Eight neo-confluences were performed in all E4 injuries (27.5%). The median operative time was 240 min (range 120-585) and bleeding 200 mL (range 50-1100). Oral intake was started in the first 48 h. Bile leak occurred in 5 cases (17.2%). Two patients required re-intervention (6.8%). No mortality was recorded. The maximum follow-up was 36 months (range 2-36). One patient with E4 injury developed a hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) stenosis after 15 months. This was solved with endoscopic dilatation. CONCLUSIONS: The benefits of minimally invasive approaches in BDI seem to be feasible and safe, even when this is a complex and catastrophic scenario.

[Transgastric laparo-endoscopic approach for difficult access lesions. Experimental mode]. / Abordaje laparo-endoscópico transgástrico para lesiones de difícil acceso. Modelo experimental.

BACKGROUND: Gastric neoplasms can be treated by laparoscopy in a safe and efficient way. Some lesions are not accessible to laparoscopic surgery due to their location. A transgastric approach is proposed as an alternative. OBJECTIVE: Show the results with the application of an endoscopic laparotomy in an animal model that maintains functional anatomy, to resect the posterior gastric neoplasms of the stomach wall, close to the cardia and pre-pyloric region. METHODS: The laparo-endoscopic technique for resection of gastric neoplasms located in the posterior wall was developed in twelve pigs at the Hospital General Gea González from May to December 2011. TECHNIQUE: An endoscopy was performed to establish the site of insertion of intragastric trocars. Three gastrotomies were made in the anterior wall; under endoscopic and laparoscopic vision the trocars were inserted. The stomach was insufflated with CO2. The lesion was resected maintaining a 20 mm circumferencial margin. The gastrotomies were sutured. The statistic analysis was made with t Student and exact Fisher tests. RESULTS: One-hundred percent of resections were achieved in an average time of 102.33 minutes (± 4.50). Two complications and no transoperatory deceases occurred. DISCUSSION: The technique we describe allows an appropriate approach to gastric lesions located in the posterior wall, those near to the esophagogastric juntion and the prepiloric region, due to the excellent exposure managed by working inside the stomach with a laparoscopic vision and the two intragastric movile ports. CONCLUSIONS: The laparoscopic transgastric approach is feasible and safe for the resection of gastric neoplasms located in the posterior wall, those close to the esophago-gastric junction, and the pre-pyloric region.

Antecedentes: las neoplasias gástricas pueden tratarse de forma segura y eficaz mediante laparoscopia. Debido a su localización algunas lesiones son inaccesibles mediante cirugía laparoscópica, como alternativa se propone el abordaje transgástrico. Objetivo: exponer los resultados con la aplicación de una técnica laparo-endoscópica en un modelo animal que mantenga funcional la anatomía, para resecar neoplasias gástricas de la pared posterior del estómago, próximas al cardias y a la región pre-pilórica. Material y métodos: el estudio se efectuó entre los meses de mayo a diciembre de 2011en el Hospital General Gea González y consistió en experimentar en 12 cerdos la técnica laparo-endoscópica para resección de neoplasias gástricas de la pared posterior. La inserción de los trócares intragástricos se realizó mediante endoscopia. Se efectuaron tres gastrotomías en la pared anterior y con visión endoscópica los trócares se introdujeron con el auxilio laparoscópico. El estómago se insufló con CO2. La lesión se resecó manteniendo un margen circunferencial de 20 mm, se suturaron las gastrotomías, se utilizaron la prueba de t de Student y la prueba exacta de Fisher para el análisis estadístico. Resultados: todas las resecciones fueron exitosas y se efectuaron en un tiempo promedio de 102.33 minutos (± 4.50), hubo dos complicaciones y ninguna defunción transoperatoria. Conclusiones: el abordaje laparoscópico transgástrico es factible y seguro para resecar neoplasias de la pared posterior del estómago, próximas a la unión esófago-gástrica y área prepilórica.

Correlation between the gastrojejunostomosis area, documented endoscopically, and the loss of weight in laparoscopic gastric bypass postoperative patients: results of 1 year after surgery.

Laparoscopic Y Roux gastric bypass (YRGB) is the most performed bariatric surgery. There are 3 main techniques in the construction of the gastrojejunostomosis (GJA). The size of the GJA and its relation to the reduction of excess weight has been previously debated. The aim of our study was to determine whether the GJA area in YRGB correlates with the loss of excess weight at 1 year postoperatively. Patients who complied 1 year after YRGB underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Images of the GJA were obtained and the area of the GJA was calculated. A statistical analysis, adjusting for age and body mass index preoperatively obtained an r of -0474 and P=0.032, demonstrating a significant negative correlation between the GJA area and the percentage of excess weight loss. A statistically significant negative correlation between the GJA area and the percentage of the excess weight loss was shown. The number of patients evaluated should be increased for a higher statistical significance to corroborate whether the stoma size influences the loss of weight in YRGB patients.

[Laparoscopic choledochoduodenostomy as an optional treatment choledocholithiasis]. / Coledocoduodenoanastomosis laparoscópica como opción terapéutica en coledocolitiasis compleja.

INTRODUCTION: Choledochoduodenostomy is indicated for unsolved choledocholithiasis and biliary malignant or benign stenosis. This surgical procedure has been feared for its potential complications. This article shows our initial experience with this laparo-endoscopic approach. METHODS: We performed laparoscopic choledochoduodenoastomy in seven elderly patients with recurrent or unsolved choledocholithiasis. Additionally, laparo-endoscopic extraction of gallstones was performed in necessary cases. We gathered and analyzed the demographic data, diagnostic proofs and follow up of the patients. RESULTS: Average age of patients was 71 years, with 57.1% of women in our population. Main omorbidities of our patients included obesity in 71.4%, diabetes mellitus type 2 in 57.4%, and arterial hypertension in 42.85%. Patients had in average 2.7 previous episodes of choledocholithiasis and/or cholangitis and the average diameter of the removed stones was 22.6 mm. Average follow-up was 155 days (range 28 to 420). DISCUSSION: Laparoscopic chooledochoduodenostomy has proved to be safe, effective and be superior to open surgery, as long as an appropriate selection of patients is performed and surgeons with experience on laparoscopic techniques are available. All these factors reduce the long-term complications with which this surgical procedure has been related. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic choledochoduodenostomy is an option for the definitive surgical treatment of "difficult choledocholithiasis" in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities; it also offers the advantages of the minimally invasive approaches.