Technical Innovation: Gasless Laparoscopic Hepatectomy Using Self-Designed Abdominal Lifting System

Preliminary study on the application of an umbrella-like abdominal wall-lifting device in gasless laparoscopic surgery

Abstract Background: In laparoscopic surgery with CO2 pneumoperitoneum, serious complications often occur for elderly patients and those who undergo long operations. These complications mainly include respiratory and circulatory system changes. In patients with tumors, release of free tumor cells into the abdominal cavity is believed to be possible. Gasless laparoscopic techniques can avoid these complications of CO2 pneumoperitoneum. Currently, the main shortcoming of gasless laparoscopic techniques is inadequate operative space. Because of this shortcoming, gasless techniques have not been widely applied in clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We herein describe a new technique of gasless laparoscopic cholecystectomy in pigs using a self-designed umbrella-like abdominal wall-lifting device. This device lifts up the anterior abdominal wall by opening the umbrella leaf in the abdominal cavity.

RESULTS

Five pigs underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy using this technique. The operation times were 85, 40, 28, 21, and 24 minutes. The corresponding bleeding volumes were 11, 20, 5, 2, and 8 mL.

CONCLUSIONS

These preliminary outcomes suggest that the umbrella-like abdominal wall-lifting technique is safe and feasible in gasless laparoscopic surgery and can provide sufficient exposure of the operative field. Further study in the form of randomized controlled trials is needed to investigate the advantages of this new technique.

Gasless laparoscopy-assisted surgery for intraabdominal/retroperitoneal tumor of unknown origin: a bridge between total laparoscopic surgery and conventional open surgery

INTRODUCTION

Gasless laparoscopy-assisted surgery has been utilized in many abdominal diseases, and it has been proved to be effective and efficient compared with conventional open surgery. The study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of gasless laparoscopy-assisted surgery in management of intraabdominal/retroperitoneal tumor of unknown origin.

METHODS

From June 2004 to April 2009, nine patients who underwent gasless laparoscopy-assisted surgery for intraabdominal/retroperitoneal tumor of unknown origin were recruited. Intraabdominal/retroperitoneal tumor of unknown origin was defined as (1) diagnosis of enlarged retroperitoneal lymph node; (2) evaluation of peritoneal or mesenteric lesion, or tumor of nondigestive systems; and (3) staging of intraabdominal malignancy.

RESULTS

Four patients underwent gasless laparoscopy-assisted surgery for retroperitoneal enlarged lymph nodes, four for evaluation of intraabdominal lesion, and two for staging of the malignancy. Sufficient tissue was obtained from all patients, and the diagnosis was as follows: three lymphomas, three peritoneal carcinomatoses, two chronic imflammations, and one benign tumor.

CONCLUSIONS

Three purposes can be achieved: a familiar method for the surgeon compared with total laparoscopic surgery, easy accessibility for further oncological management, and intraoperative miniconversion for peritoneal examination. It is a safe and effective way to obtain tissue for pathology and feasible in case of necessary sequential tumor resection.

Gasless laparoscopic aorto-bifemoral bypass grafting using self-designed abdominal lifting system

Severe aorto-iliac occlusive disease can cause disabling symptoms. The treatment of aorto-iliac occlusive disease has dramatically changed with the introduction of endoluminal techniques. However, according to the Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus for severe aorto-iliac disease, aorto-bifemoral bypass remains the therapy of choice. A recent addition to the open repair is laparoscopic-assisted aorto-bifemoral bypass, especially in occlusive arterial disease. In this article, we describe a new technique of performing gasless laparoscopic-assisted aorto-bifemoral bypass grafting with a self-designed abdominal wall-lifting system. We dealt with a patient who had a history of coronary artery disease and poor cardiopulmonary functional reserve. He had disabling symptoms of claudication and rest pain on bilateral lower extremities. Aorto-biliac-femoral occlusive disease was diagnosed in him, and he underwent the gasless laparoscopic-assisted aorto-bifemoral bypass. The total procedure time was 260 minutes. The patient was extubated 5 hours postoperatively. He was discharged home without complications 5 days after the surgery. This procedure is attractive not only to minimize the length of the wound and the time to extubation but also to avoid the possible lethal complications associated with the traditional laparascopic pneumoperitoneum. This device and technique can also provide a bridge for young or less-experienced surgeons to be familiar with total laparoscopic aortic surgery from traditional open repair.