Comparison of Short-Term Results of Laparoscopy and Open Surgery for Colorectal Cancer: A Single-Center Experience

Objective: Although laparoscopic colon cancer surgeries have increased in recent years, their oncological competence is questioned. In our study, we aimed to evaluate oncological competence by comparing laparoscopic and open surgery. Material and Methods: The study was planned retrospectively. A total of 94 patients were included in the study, 42 of whom underwent laparoscopy, and 52 patients underwent open surgery. Both groups were compared in terms of demographic characteristics, staging, number of benign/malignant lymph nodes, histological findings and complications. Result: The final pathology report of all patients was adenocarcinoma. The median number of dissected lymph nodes was 20.9 in the open group (8-34) and 19.46 in the laparoscopy group (7-31) (p=0.639). The median number of dissected malignant lymph nodes was 1 (0-13) in the open surgery group and 3.1 (0-8) in the laparoscopy group (p=0.216). The laparoscopy group exhibited a longer operation time (281.2±54.2 and 221.0±51.5 min, respectively; P=0.036) than the open surgery group, but a shorter intensive care unit(ICU) discharge, quicker initiation oral feeding, and shorter length of hospital stay (4.0±0.9 vs. 5.7±2.0 days, respectively; P<0.001). Discussion: Laparoscopic surgery elicits many benefits such as less wound infection, lower requirement for blood transfusion, shorter hospitalization, quicker initiation of oral feeding and mobilization. Our study has shown that laparoscopic surgery provides quite adequate lymph node dissection when compared with oncological surgery, which is viewed with suspicion in the light of these benefits of laparoscopy.

Decreasing Postoperative Pulmonary Complication Following Laparoscopic Surgery in Elderly Individuals with Colorectal Cancer: A Competing Risk Analysis in a Propensity Score–Weighted Cohort Study

Advanced age is a risk factor for major abdominal surgery due to a decline in physical function and increased comorbidities. Although laparoscopic surgery provides good results in most patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), its effect on elderly patients remains unclear. This study aimed to compare the short- and long-term outcomes between open and laparoscopic surgeries in elderly patients with CRC. Total 1350 patients aged ≥75 years who underwent curative resection for stage I–III primary CRC were enrolled retrospectively and were divided into open surgery (846 patients) and laparoscopy (504 patients) groups. After propensity score weighting to balance an uneven distribution, a competing risk analysis was used to analyze the short-term and long-term outcomes. Postoperative mortality rates were lower in the laparoscopy group, especially due to pulmonary complications. Postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group than in the open surgery group. Overall survival, disease-free survival, and competing risk analysis showed no significant differences between the two groups. Laparoscopic surgery for elderly patients with CRC significantly decreased pulmonary-related postoperative morbidity and mortality in this large cohort study. Laparoscopic surgery is a favorable method for elderly patients with CRC than open surgery in terms of less hospital stay and similar oncological outcomes.

P-BN02 Experience in Transitioning From Laparoscopic to Robotic-Assisted ParaEsophageal Hernia Repair - A Single Centre Experience

Background Paraesophageal hernias (PEH) constitute only 5% of hiatal hernias. They may give rise to significant post-prandial symptoms, acute episodes of obstruction or gastric ischaemia and patient mortality. Surgical repair of symptomatic PEHs is the current standard of care. This study explores our centre’s experience with the introduction of Robotic Assisted PEH (RA-PEH) repair in comparison to our longer established technique of laparoscopic repair. Methods Retrospective review of all laparoscopic and robotic PEH repair using the DaVinci Xi between January 2017 and May 2020 by a single surgeon in 2 institutions. A total of 27 cases were included in our review. An analysis of patient demographics, operative time and approach, morbidity and mortality was performed. Results Sixteen patients underwent laparoscopic repairs and 11 underwent elective robotic repair. Fundoplication was performed in both groups while mesh repair was used in 18% of the laparoscopy group. Type IV hiatal hernia was found in 50% and 37% in the laparoscopy and RA-PEH groups, respectively. Mean operative time was 144 minutes in the laparoscopy group and 153 minutes for RA-PE (p = 0.07). Median length of stay was 2 days for both groups (p = 0.18). Post-operative morbidity occurred in 37% and 9% in the laparoscopy and RA-PEH groups respectively (p = 0.18). There was 1 case of acute post-operative recurrence and re-operation in the laparoscopy group. Conclusions Minimally invasive surgery is the standard of treatment in PEH repair. The robotic technique is a safe and effective approach when compared to the standard laparoscopic repair. It may have an advantage in reducing reliance on the necessity of having experienced assistance in the operating theatre without utilising more theatre time.

Comparison of Staging Laparoscopy for Peritoneal Metastases with or without Pressurized Intra-Peritoneal Aerosol Chemotherapy (PIPAC)

Background Pressurized intraperitoneal aerosol chemotherapy (PIPAC) has been introduced for palliative treatment of peritoneal cancer (PC) and is currently tested also in the neoadjuvant and prophylactic setting. The aim was therefore to compare safety and tolerance of staging laparoscopy with or without PIPAC. Methods This retrospective analysis compared consecutive patients undergoing staging laparoscopy alone for oesogastric cancer with patients having PIPAC for suspected PC of various origins from January 2015 until January 2020. Safety was assessed by use of the Clavien classification for complications and CTCAE for capturing of adverse events. Pain and nausea were documented by use of a visual analogue scale (VAS: 0-10: maximal intensity). Results Overall, 25 PIPAC procedures were compared to 24 in the laparoscopy group. PIPAC procedures took a median of 35 min (IQR: 25-67) longer. Four patients experienced at least one complication in either (p=0.741). No differences were noted for postoperative nausea (p=0.961) and pain levels (p=0.156). Median hospital stay was 2 (IQR: 1-3) for PIPAC and 1 (IQR: 1-2) for the laparoscopy group (p=0.104). Conclusions The addition of PIPAC did not jeopardize safety and postoperative outcomes of staging laparoscopy alone. Further studies need to clarify its oncological benefits.

Extraperitoneal laparoscopy for para-aortic lymphadenectomy in endometrial carcinoma staging: an approach with higher efficiency

Background Removing more inframesenteric nodes is not only significantly increases the likelihood of finding metastasis for endometrial cancer, but also can add survival advantage. As most patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer are overweight or obesity, a high efficiency approach is important. Aim of this study was to compare the surgical outcomes of extraperitoneal laparoscopic, transperitoneal laparoscopic, and laparotomic para-aortic lymphadenectomy in endometrial carcinoma staging. Methods We retrospectively reviewed data of all patients diagnosed with primary endometrial carcinoma who were treated at the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2019. The numbers of para-aortic lymph nodes, surgical time, complications, blood loss and hospital stay were compared. The patients’ medical records and pathological reports were carefully reviewed. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results We retrospectively compared patients who underwent extraperitoneal laparoscopy (Group E, n = 20), transperitoneal laparoscopy (group T, n = 21), and laparotomy (group L, n = 135). The median number of para-aortic lymph nodes was significantly higher in group E than in groups T and L (9.5, 5, and 6, respectively; p = 0.004 and 0.0004, respectively). All patients in group E underwent successfully dissection to the renal vessel level. The median operation time was significantly shorter in group L than in groups T and E (94, 174, and 233 min, respectively; p < 0.0001). The median estimated blood loss volume was higher in group L than in groups T and E (200, 100, and 142.5 ml, respectively; all comparisons p < 0.001), and the length of hospital stay was significantly longer in group L than in Groups T and E (6, 5, and 6 days, respectively; all comparisons p < 0.001). Conclusion The extraperitoneal laparoscopic approach for staging endometrial carcinoma harvested higher numbers of para-aortic lymph nodes which could be considered for endometrial carcinoma staging, especially for para-aortic lymph node harvest.

Assessment of Circumferential Resection Margins (CRM) clearance in Conventional open Versus Laparoscopic Cancer Rectum Resection

Background Colon and rectal cancer represent the fourth commonest malignancy worldwide. Globally, colon and rectal cancer make up 9.4% and 10.1% in men and women of all cancers, respectively. Colon and rectal tumors are the third most common malignancy after breast and lung cancer, respectively. The main management of rectal cancer involves a multi-disciplinary team approach and an individually tailored treatment routine. Operative surgery remains the primary and definitive treatment for locally confined rectal adenocarcinoma and is the only historical and current treatment which allows for cure. Resection of the colon and rectal cancer can be done either by open surgical excision or laparoscopically. Aim of the work The objective is to compare the radicality of total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer in both open and laparoscopic surgery through the pathology report. Methods In this multicentric, prospective, comparative study, we included the pathologically established rectal cancer patients from 2 hospitals in Cairo, Egypt, Ain Shams University Hospitals and Maadi Military Hospital, Egypt between 2013 and 2016. The sample size was 40 patients divided into two groups; 20 patients for laparoscopic arm and 20 patients for the open trans-abdominal surgery. Inclusion criteria: histopathology confirmed rectal cancer, patients fit for operative resection, and with T1- T3 grades according to the preoperative evaluation. The exclusion criteria: Patients with T4 stage tumor, patients present as emergency cases and patients present with recurrence of the tumor and synchronous colonic tumors. Results The circumferential resection margins (CRM) of the mesorectum when examined pathologically after resection showed no difference between the two arms of the study with laparoscopic group specimens 3.18±1.16 mm mean, (SD) compared to 3.50±0.45 mm mean, (SD) in the open surgery group with no statistically significant difference. The longitudinal resection margins (LRM) was (5.50±1.98 mean, SD) in the laparoscopic group compared to (5.20±2.28 mean, SD) in the open conventional surgery group with no significant difference found between the two groups. Total operative time was significantly shorter in the trans-abdominal surgery group, while the hospital stay period was significantly shorter in the laparoscopy group. Laparoscopy group also showed significantly time before flatus passage, and the patients in the laparoscopy group started oral intake faster than open surgery group. Conclusion In our study, the radicality of the rectal cancer excision in both laparoscopic and traditional open surgery, showed non inferiority of the laparoscopic technique over open surgery Long-term clinical outcomes of overall survival and recurrence is the foremost parameters which should be taken in consideration for decision for laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. Additional follow-up results from the current trial are presently being developed, beside with records on other secondary end points, like cost effectiveness and quality of life.

No beneficial effect on survival but a decrease in postoperative complications in patients with rectal cancer undergoing robotic surgery: a retrospective cohort study

Background Robotic surgery has been taken as a new modality to surpass the technical limitations of conventional surgery. Here we aim to compare the oncologic outcomes of patients with rectal cancer receiving robotic vs. laparoscopic surgery. Methods Data from patients diagnosed with rectal cancer between March 2011 and December 2018 were obtained for outcome assessment at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. All patients were separated into two groups: a robot group (patients receiving robotic surgery, n = 314) and a laparoscopy group (patients receiving laparoscopic surgery, n = 220). The primary endpoint was survival outcomes. The secondary endpoints were the general conditions of the operation, postoperative complications and pathological characteristics. Results The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) at years 1, 3 and 5 were 96.6%, 88.7%, and 87.7% vs. 96.7%, 88.1%, and 78.4%, and 98.6%, 80.2-, and 73.5% vs. 96.2-, 87.2-, and 81.1% in the robot and laparoscopy groups, respectively (P > 0.05). In the multivariable-adjusted analysis, robotic surgery was not an independent prognostic factor for OS and DFS (P = 0.925 and 0.451, respectively). With respect to the general conditions of the operation, patients in the robot group had significantly shorter operation times (163.5 ± 40.9 vs. 190.5 ± 51.9 min), shorter times to 1st gas passing [2(1) vs. 3(1)d] and shorter hospital stay days [7(2) vs. 8(3)d] compared to those in the laparoscopy group (P < 0.01, respectively). After the operation, the incidence of short- and long-term complications in the robot group was significantly lower than that in the laparoscopy group (15.9% vs. 32.3%; P < 0.001), especially for urinary retention (1.9% vs. 7.3%; 0.6% vs. 4.1%, P < 0.05, respectively). With regard to pathological characteristics, TNM stages II and III were more frequently observed in the robot group than in the laparoscopy group (94.3% vs. 83.2%, P < 0.001). No significant difference were observed in lymph nodes retrieved, lymphovascular invasion and circumferential resection margin involvement between the two groups (P > 0.05, respectively). Conclusions This monocentre retrospective comparative cohort study revealed short-term advantages of robot-assisted rectal cancer resection but similar survival compared to conventional laparoscopy.

Intelligent Algorithm-Based Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Radical Gastrectomy under Laparoscope

The study focused on the influence of intelligent algorithm-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on short-term curative effects of laparoscopic radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. A convolutional neural network- (CNN-) based algorithm was used to segment MRI images of patients with gastric cancer, and 158 subjects admitted at hospital were selected as research subjects and randomly divided into the 3D laparoscopy group and 2D laparoscopy group, with 79 cases in each group. The two groups were compared for operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of dissected lymph nodes, exhaust time, time to get out of bed, postoperative hospital stay, and postoperative complications. The results showed that the CNN-based algorithm had high accuracy with clear contours. The similarity coefficient (DSC) was 0.89, the sensitivity was 0.93, and the average time to process an image was 1.1 min. The 3D laparoscopic group had shorter operation time (86.3 ± 21.0 min vs. 98 ± 23.3 min) and less intraoperative blood loss (200 ± 27.6 mL vs. 209 ± 29.8 mL) than the 2D laparoscopic group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P < 0.05 ). The number of dissected lymph nodes was 38.4 ± 8.5 in the 3D group and 36.1 ± 6.0 in the 2D group, showing no statistically significant difference ( P > 0.05 ). At the same time, no statistically significant difference was noted in postoperative exhaust time, time to get out of bed, postoperative hospital stay, and the incidence of complications ( P > 0.05 ). It was concluded that the algorithm in this study can accurately segment the target area, providing a basis for the preoperative examination of gastric cancer, and that 3D laparoscopic surgery can shorten the operation time and reduce intraoperative bleeding, while achieving similar short-term curative effects to 2D laparoscopy.

Effectiveness of laparoscopy in management of patients with penetrating and blunt abdominal trauma.

Objectives: To study the role of laparoscopy in reducing the incidence of non-therapeutic Laparotomies in abdominal trauma, and management of penetrating (PAT) and blunt (BAT) abdominal trauma. Study Design: Prospective Experimental study. Setting: Department of Surgery DHQ Hospital Rawalpindi. Period: January 2018 to June 2018. Material & Methods: All Patients (n=50) were admitted through emergency and were allocated to one of two groups Laparoscopy or Laparotomy group (25 in each) by lottery method according to the inclusion criteria of haemodynamically stable patients with systolic BP>90 mm of Hg. Patients in the Laparotomy group were managed according to the conventional protocol and decision of laparotomy was based on clinical examination, imaging and laboratory investigations. Where as in Laparoscopy group after clinical examination and chemical labortary. Reports diagnostic laparoscopy (screening tool) was done to identify injuries and decide whether patient needs laparotomy or not. Forward viewing 0 degree 10 mm laparoscope was used in all the cases following standard protocols for laparoscopy. Data analysis was done by SPSS 20. P-Value was set at 0.05. Results: Out of total 50 selected haemodynamically stable abdominal trauma patients (n=50) there were 77% males and 23% females. Average age of the patients was 37 years. Overall out of total of 50 patients 30 (60%) patients presented with PAT and 20 (40%) patients presented with BAT. Diagnostic laparoscopy was able to identify abdominal injuries in 96% (24 out of 25) patients. There were no missed injuries in both groups. Similarly there were no non-therapeutic laparotomies in Laparoscopy group where as in Laparotomy group 6 (24%) non-therapeutic laparotomies were done. Conclusion: Laparoscopy reduces the incidence of non-therapeutic laparotomies and missed injuries. It correctly identifies the injuries depending upon the experience of surgeon in selected stable trauma patients.

Laparoscopic Radical Hysterectomy Results in Higher Recurrence Rate Versus Open Abdominal Surgery for Stage IB1 Cervical Cancer Patients With Tumor Size Less Than 2 Centimeter: A Retrospective Propensity Score-Matched Study

ObjectiveTo compare the oncologic outcomes between laparoscopic and open radical hysterectomy in patients with stage IB1 cervical cancer lesion less than 2 cm.MethodsPatients diagnosed FIGO (2009) stage IB1 (tumor diameter &lt;2 cm) and underwent radical hysterectomy in our hospital between March 2008 and November 2018 were studied. A propensity-matched comparison (1:2) was conducted to minimize selection biases. Demographic and baseline oncologic characteristics were balanced between groups. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed using the Kaplan–Meier model, along with univariable and multivariable regression analysis.ResultsA total of 261 patients were enrolled in this study after propensity-matching, with 174 in the open group and 87 in the laparoscopic group. Disease relapsed in seven patients in laparoscopy group, and the recurrence rate was 8.0% (7/87). There were eight patients underwent abdominal radical hysterectomy experienced recurrence, and the recurrence rate was 4.6% (8/174). The multivariate analysis model revealed that laparoscopic operation was associated with higher risk of recurrence than abdominal radical hysterectomy (HR, 3.789; 95% CI, 1.143–12.559; p = 0.029). There were five patients or 2.9% (5/174) died in open surgery group and the corresponding percentage in laparoscopy group was 2.3% (2/87). No difference was found in OS between the two groups (HR, 1.823; 95% CI, 0.2673–12.44; log-rank p = 0.5398). All the recurrence occurred within two years after operation in the laparoscopy group, among which pelvic recurrence (85.7%) was dominant.ConclusionTraditional laparotomy radical hysterectomy has a lower recurrence rate when compared with laparoscopic operation in those cervical cancer patients with a foci diameter less than 2 cm. However, no detrimental effect on survival was found in minimal invasive operation group. Further multi-center prospective trials are needed to confirm our results on a large scale.