[Surgical strategy for hiatal hernias]

The indications for surgical treatment of hiatus hernias differentiate between type I and types II, III and IV hernias. The indications for a type I hernia should include a proven reflux disease but the indications for surgical treatment of types II, III and IV hernias are mandatory due to the symptoms with problems in the passage of food and due to the sometimes very severe possible complications. The primary aims of surgery are the repositioning of the herniated contents and a hiatoplasty, which includes a surgical narrowing of the esophageal hiatus by suture implantation. In addition, depending on the clinical situation other procedures, such as hernia sac removal, mesh implantation, gastropexy and fundoplication can be considered. There are various approaches to the repair, all of which have individual advantages and disadvantages. An adaptation to the specific needs situation of the patient and the expertise of the surgeon is therefore essential.

Magnetic sphincter augmentation: laparoscopic or robotic approach?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)-the pathologic reflux of gastric contents into the distal esophagus-is the most common benign disorder of the esophagus. Its incidence is at 10-20% of the Western population and it yearly cost of treatment in the USA in 9.3 billion dollars. Although first line treatment for the disorder is medical therapy with proton pump inhibitors, an estimated 30-40% of patients will continue to experience medically refractory GERD. In this population anti-reflux surgery can be offered. Traditional anti-reflux surgery is done via the Nissen fundoplication, a technically difficult surgery with uncomfortable side effects of bloating and inability to belch. Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) of the lower esophagus via the LINX device was introduced a less technically challenging alternative to the Nissen. The LINX provides fewer side effects of bloating and inability to belch and has been adapted widely to the practice of anti-reflux surgery. In this paper we discuss the progression of surgical practices with the LINX, including an analysis of the laparoscopic and robotic approaches to MSA device implantation.

Robotic-assisted hiatal hernia repair and pulmonary embolism: an institution-based retrospective cohort study

Hiatal hernia (HH) is an abnormal protrusion of components of the abdominal viscera through the esophageal hiatus. The laparoscopic approach is the gold standard for repair with the robotic technique now gaining wide acceptance. Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a well-known post-operative complication but its incidence following robotically assisted HH repairs is not well known. This study provides a descriptive analysis of three patients who developed PE after robotic repairs of their HHs. The incidence of PE in the studied cohort was 2.7% (3 of 112) with a male preponderance (66.7%). The mean age of the patients was 55.3 years with a mean BMI of 32.2 kg/m². The average duration of surgery was 4.2 h with sizes of the diaphragmatic defects ranging from 3 to 6 cm. Confirmatory PE diagnosis was made with a chest CT angiogram and the mean length of hospital stay was 4 days. PE although rare, is a preventable cause of in-patient mortality and morbidity with implications on healthcare costs and hospital resource use. The Caprini model provides a guide to pre-operative patient risk stratification and PE prevention, and the patients in this study were in the moderate to high-risk groups. Risk factors common to all patients were: age > 40 years, BMI > 30 kg/m² and duration of surgery > 2 h with one of the patients having a previous history of PE. There are no established PE chemoprophylaxis guidelines for robotic HH repairs and in this cohort, heparin was commenced 6-8 h post-operatively. Thus, there is a need for a consensus chemoprophylaxis guideline in this subset of surgical patients. PE following robotic HH repair is associated with prolonged hospital stay and increased healthcare costs. Guidelines for effective pre-operative chemoprophylaxis for these repairs are needed to optimize patient outcomes.

Safety of robotic assisted laparoscopic recurrent paraesophageal hernia repair: insights from a large single institution experience

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic repair of recurrent as opposed to primary paraesophageal hernias (PEHs) are historically associated with increased peri-operative complication rates, worsened outcomes, and increased conversion rates. The robotic platform may aid surgeons in these complex revision procedures. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of patients undergoing robotic assisted laparoscopic (RAL) repair of recurrent as opposed to primary PEHs.

METHODS

Patients undergoing RAL primary and recurrent PEH repairs from 2009 to 2017 at a single institution were reviewed. Demographics, use of mesh, estimated blood loss, intra-operative complications, conversion rates, operative time, rates of esophageal/gastric injury, hospital length of stay, re-admission/re-operation rates, recurrence, dysphagia, gas bloat, and pre- and post-operative proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use were analyzed. Analysis was accomplished using Chi-square test/Fischer's exact test for categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous variables.

RESULTS

There were 298 patients who underwent RAL PEH repairs (247 primary, 51 recurrent). They were followed for a median (interquartile range) of 120 (44, 470) days. There were no significant differences in baseline demographics between groups. Patients in the recurrent PEH group had longer operative times, increased use of mesh, and increased length of hospital stay. They were also less likely to undergo fundoplication. There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss, incidence of intra-operative complications, re-admission rates, incidence of post-operative dysphagia and gas bloat, and incidence of post-operative PPI use. There were no conversions to open operative intervention or gastric/esophageal injury/leaks.

CONCLUSIONS

Although repair of recurrent PEHs are historically associated with worse outcomes, in this series, RAL recurrent PEH repairs have similar peri-operative and post-operative outcomes as compared to primary PEH repairs. Whether this is secondary to the potential advantages afforded by the robotic platform deserves further study.

Robot-assisted Toupet fundoplication and associated cholecystectomy in symptomatic giant hiatal hernia with situs viscerum inversus-A case report and literature review

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All symptomatic paraesophageal hiatal hernias should be repaired, particularly those with acute obstructive symptoms or which have undergone volvulus.

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Laparoscopic hiatal hernia repair is as effective as open transabdominal repair, with a reduced rate of perioperative morbidity and with shorter hospital stays. It is the preferred approach for the majority of hiatal hernias.

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Robotic Assisted Giant-Paraesophageal Hernia repair remain technically challenging predominantly in the dissecation of the hernia sac from the posterior mediastinum.

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The robotic platform have the same benefits of the laparoscopic approach in terms of complication rate, total surgical time, and hospital length of stay and in particular case is superior.

Introduction

Giant hiatus hernia is defined as migration of >30% of the stomach with or without other intra-abdominal organs into the chest. Situs Viscerum Inversus is a rare congenital condition in which the major visceral organs are reversed from their normal arrangement; they are translated (completely or partially) on the opposite side of the body. Diagnosis is often incidental. We report a Robot-assisted Toupet fundoplication for a giant hiatal hernia with gastro oesophageal reflux disease and cholelithiasis, in a 63-years-old woman with situs viscerum inversus.

Presentation of case

A 63-year-old woman with Situs Viscerum Inversus was diagnosed with giant sliding hiatus hernia. We performed a Robot-assisted procedure of reduction of hiatal hernia in abdomen and Toupet fundoplication with Bio A mesh placement and gastropexy procedure associated to cholecystectomy. The operation time was of 190 min. The patient was discharged on third postoperative day after X-ray check and he tolerated a solid food.

Discussion

Minimally invasive surgery represents, nowadays, the standard approach for hiatal hernia and cholelithiasis.

Conclusion

In challenging cases as the giant hernias ad rare anomaly as situs viscerum inversus, the surgical treatment can be facilitated by the use of robotic technology.

Morbidity and mortality in complex robot-assisted hiatal hernia surgery: 7-year experience in a high-volume center

INTRODUCTION

Published data regarding robot-assisted hiatal hernia repair are mainly limited to small cohorts. This study aimed to provide information on the morbidity and mortality of robot-assisted complex hiatal hernia repair and redo anti-reflux surgery in a high-volume center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients that underwent robot-assisted hiatal hernia repair, redo hiatal hernia repair, and anti-reflux surgery between 2011 and 2017 at the Meander Medical Centre, Amersfoort, the Netherlands were evaluated. Primary endpoints were 30-day morbidity and mortality. Major complications were defined as Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIb.

RESULTS

Primary surgery 211 primary surgeries were performed by two surgeons. The median age was 67 (IQR 58-73) years. 84.4% of patients had a type III or IV hernia (10.9% Type I; 1.4% Type II; 45.5% Type III; 38.9% Type IV, 1.4% no herniation). In 3.3% of procedures, conversion was required. 17.1% of patients experienced complications. The incidence of major complications was 5.2%. Ten patients (4.7%) were readmitted within 30 days. Symptomatic early recurrence occurred in two patients (0.9%). The 30-day mortality was 0.9%. Redo surgery 151 redo procedures were performed by two surgeons. The median age was 60 (IQR 51-68) years. In 2.0%, the procedure was converted. The overall incidence of complications was 10.6%, while the incidence of major complications was 2.6%. Three patients (2.0%) were readmitted within 30 days. One patient (0.7%) experienced symptomatic early recurrence. No patients died in the 30-day postoperative period.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides valuable information on robot-assisted laparoscopic repair of primary or recurrent hiatal hernia and anti-reflux surgery for both patient and surgeon. Serious morbidity of 5.2% in primary surgery and 2.6% in redo surgery, in this large series with a high surgeon caseload, has to be outweighed by the gain in quality of life or relief of serious medical implications of hiatal hernia when counseling for surgical intervention.

Esophageal hiatal hernia: risk, diagnosis and management

Esophageal hiatal hernia involves abnormal abdominal entry into thoracic cavity. It is classified based on orientation between esophageal junction and diaphragm. Sliding hiatal hernia (Type-I) comprises the most frequent category, emanating from right crus of diaphragm. Type-II esophageal hernia engages both left and right muscular crura. Type-III and IV additionally include the left crus. Age and increased body mass index are key risk factors, and congenital skeletal aberrations trigger pathogenesis through intestinal malrotations. Familiar manifestations include gastric reflux, nausea, bloating, chest and epigastric discomfort, pharyngeal and esophageal expulsion and dysphagia. Weight loss and colorectal bleeding are severe symptoms. Areas covered: This review summarizes updated evidence of pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis and management of hiatal hernias. Laparoscopy and oesophagectomy procedures have been discussed as surgical procedures. Expert commentary: Endoscopy identifies untreatable gastric reflux; radiology is better for pre-operative assessments; manometry measures esophageal peristalsis, and CT scanning detects gastric volvulus and associated organ ruptures. Gastric reflux disease is mitigated using antacids and proton pump and histamine-2-receptor blockers. Severe abdominal penetration into chest cavity demands surgical approaches. Hence, esophagectomy has chances of post-operative morbidity, while minimally invasive laparoscopy entails fewer postoperative difficulties and better visualization of hernia and related vascular damages.

Robotic-Assisted Versus Laparoscopic Colectomy Results in Increased Operative Time Without Improved Perioperative Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Interest in robotic technology is burgeoning within the field of colorectal surgery. However, benefits of robotic-assisted colectomy (RAC) compared with laparoscopic colectomy (LC) remain ambiguous.

STUDY DESIGN

Patients who underwent minimally invasive colectomy during 2012-2013 were identified from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Short-term perioperative outcomes were compared between 1:1 propensity-matched groups. A subset analysis was performed among patients who underwent segmental resections.

RESULTS

Among the 15,976 patients included, 498 (3.1 %) colectomies were performed with robotic assistance. After matching for demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics, there were no differences between RAC and LC in complications such as wound infection, urinary tract infection, cardiopulmonary or thromboembolic events, renal insufficiency, anastomotic leaks, transfusions, readmissions, or 30-day mortality (all p > 0.05). However, operative time was markedly higher for RAC (196 vs. 166 min, p < 0.001). Among segmental resections, operative time remained significantly longer for RAC (190 vs. 153 min, p < 0.001) without differences in perioperative outcomes (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In this early experience, RAC resulted in similar perioperative outcomes when compared to LC but was associated with longer operative time. Given the focus on value-based healthcare, utilizing RAC in straightforward colectomies may not be financially justifiable at this stage of adoption.

Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Hiatal Hernia Repair: Promising Anatomical and Functional Results

BACKGROUND

There is no consensus on the optimal technique for hiatal hernia (HH) repair, and considerable recurrence rates are reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perioperative outcomes, quality of life (QoL), and recurrence rate in patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic HH repair.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic HH repair between July 2011 and March 2015 were evaluated. The procedure consisted of hernia sac reduction, crural repair without mesh, and Toupet fundoplication. Postoperative radiological imaging or endoscopy was performed in all symptomatic patients to exclude recurrence. Perioperative results were collected retrospectively from the patient records. QoL was evaluated with Short Form-36 (SF-36), Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQOL), and Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) questionnaires.

RESULTS

A total of 40 patients were identified. The majority (75%) had a type III HH. Median operation time was 118 (62-173) minutes; median blood loss was 20 (10-934) mL, and one procedure was converted to an open procedure. In 6 (15%) patients, postoperative complications occurred, including 2 grade II and 1 grades I, III, IV, and V, according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Median hospital stay was 3 (1-15) days. At a median follow-up of 11 months, radiological imaging was performed on indication in 12 (30%) patients, and 1 recurrence was found. Overall QoL scores were satisfactory, and there was no difference related to the time elapsed since surgery.

CONCLUSION

Robot-assisted laparoscopic HH repair followed by Toupet fundoplication demonstrated a very low short-term recurrence rate. Postoperative morbidity was minimal, and a satisfactory QoL was achieved.

First 101 Robotic General Surgery Cases in a Community Hospital

Background and Objectives:

The general surgeon's robotic learning curve may improve if the experience is classified into categories based on the complexity of the procedures in a small community hospital. The intraoperative time should decrease and the incidence of complications should be comparable to conventional laparoscopy. The learning curve of a single robotic general surgeon in a small community hospital using the da Vinci S platform was analyzed.

Methods:

Measured parameters were operative time, console time, conversion rates, complications, surgical site infections (SSIs), surgical site occurrences (SSOs), length of stay, and patient demographics.

Results:

Between March 2014 and August 2015, 101 robotic general surgery cases were performed by a single surgeon in a 266-bed community hospital, including laparoscopic cholecystectomies, inguinal hernia repairs; ventral, incisional, and umbilical hernia repairs; and colorectal, foregut, bariatric, and miscellaneous procedures. Ninety-nine of the cases were completed robotically. Seven patients were readmitted within 30 days. There were 8 complications (7.92%). There were no mortalities and all complications were resolved with good outcomes. The mean operative time was 233.0 minutes. The mean console operative time was 117.6 minutes.

Conclusion:

A robotic general surgery program can be safely implemented in a small community hospital with extensive training of the surgical team through basic robotic skills courses as well as supplemental educational experiences. Although the use of the robotic platform in general surgery could be limited to complex procedures such as foregut and colorectal surgery, it can also be safely used in a large variety of operations with results similar to those of conventional laparoscopy.