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Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the most common elective abdominal surgery in the USA, with over 750,000 performed annually. Fluorescent cholangiography (FC) using indocyanine green dye (ICG) permits identification of extrahepatic biliary structures to facilitate dissection without requiring cystic duct cannulation. Achieving the "critical view of safety" with assistance of ICG cholangiogram may support identification of anatomy, safely reduce conversion to open procedures, and decrease operative time. We assess the utility of FC with respect to anatomic visualization during LC and its effects on patient outcomes. Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a single academic center from 2013 to 2019. Exclusion criteria were primary open and single incision cholecystectomy. Patient factors included age, sex, BMI, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. Outcomes included operative time, conversion to open procedure, length of stay (LOS), mortality rate, and 30-day complications. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine independent predictors for open conversion. Results: A total of 1389 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. 69.8% were female; mean age 48.6 years (range 15–94), average BMI 29.4 kg/m2 (13.3–55.6). 989 patients (71.2%) underwent LC without fluorescence and 400 (28.8%) underwent FC with ICG. 30-day mortality detected 2 cases in the non-ICG group and zero with ICG. ICG reduced operative time by 26.47 min per case (p < 0.0001). For patients with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, operative duration for ICG vs non-ICG groups was 75.57 vs 104.9 min respectively (p < 0.0001). ICG required conversion to open at a rate of 1.5%, while non-ICG converted at a rate of 8.5% (p < 0.0001). Conversion rate remained significant with multivariable analysis (OR 0.212, p = 0.001). A total of 19 cases were aborted (1.35%), 8 in the ICG group (1.96%) and 11 in the non-ICG group (1.10%), these cases were not included in LC totals. Average LOS was 0.69 vs 1.54 days in the ICG compared to non-ICG LCs (p < 0.0001), respectively. Injuries were more common in the non-ICG group, with 9 patients sustaining Strasberg class A injuries in the non-ICG group and 2 in the ICG group. 1 CBDI occurred in the non-ICG group. There was no significant difference in 30-day complication rates between groups. Conclusion: ICG cholangiography is a non-invasive adjunct to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, leading to improved patient outcomes with respect to operative times, decreased conversion to open procedures, and shorter length of hospitalization. Fluorescence cholangiography improves visualization of biliary anatomy, thereby decreasing rate of CBDI, Strasberg A injuries, and mortality. These findings support ICG as standard of care during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) offers a minimally invasive anti-reflux alternative to fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease. The most common side effect of MSA is dysphagia, which may require dilation or even device removal. The incidence of dysphagia may be reduced by MSA sizing and preoperative motility studies. Multiple rapid swallows (MRS) is a provocative maneuver during high-resolution esophageal manometry (HRM) that assesses peristaltic reserve. We evaluated factors predicting development of dysphagia following MSA. Materials and methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified patients undergoing MSA. Preoperative work-up included barium swallow, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and esophageal manometry. Peristaltic augmentation was defined as a ratio > 1 of the distal contractile integral (DCI) following MRS and the mean DCI of the 10 baseline wet swallows during manometry. Demographics, MSA implant size, and postoperative symptom data were gathered on all patients. Results: Sixty-eight patients underwent MSA. Mean age was 51.7 years, average BMI was 25.8 kg/m2. 15 (22.1%) of patients had severe dysphagia requiring endoscopic dilation. Peristaltic augmentation with MRS was significantly higher in patients without dysphagia (46.1% vs 6.3% p = 0.026). 33.3% of patients requiring dilatation exhibited complete absence of smooth muscle contraction following MRS (DCI = 0). The ratio of the DCI of MRS/wet swallows predicting dysphagia following MSA was 0.56. Patients with a small (12–14 beads) versus a larger MSA implant (15–17 beads) had a significantly higher rate of postoperative dysphagia (58.5% vs 30.0% p = 0.026). Conclusion: Adequate peristaltic reserve and larger device size correlate with decreased incidence of dysphagia following MSA implantation without compromising the anti-reflux barrier. Routine assessment of peristaltic reserve during preoperative HRM should be considered prior to MSA placement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Standard of care for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma is neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCRT) and surgical resection 4–8 weeks after completion of nCRT. It is recommended that the CRT to surgery interval not exceed 90 days. Many patients do not undergo surgery within this timeframe due to patient/physician preference, complete clinical response, or poor performance status. Select patients are offered salvage esophagectomy (SE), defined in two ways: resection for recurrent/persistent disease after complete response to definitive CRT (dCRT) or esophagectomy performed > 90 days after completion of nCRT. Salvage esophagectomy reportedly has higher postoperative morbidity and poor survival outcomes. In this study, we assessed outcomes, overall, and disease-free survival of patients undergoing salvage esophagectomy by both definitions (recurrent/persistent disease after dCRT and/or > 90 days), compared to planned (resection after nCRT/within 90 days) esophagectomy (PE). Materials and methods: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy at a single institution from 2009 to 2019. Esophagectomy for benign disease and patients who did not receive nCRT were excluded. Outcomes included postoperative complications, length of stay (LOS), disease-free survival, and overall survival. Results: 97 patients underwent minimally invasive esophageal resection for esophageal carcinoma. 89.7% of patients were male. Mean age was 64.9 years (range 36–85 years). 94.8% of patients had adenocarcinoma, with 16 transthoracic and 81 transhiatal approaches. On comparing planned esophagectomy (n = 87) to esophagectomy after dCRT failure (n = 10), no significant differences were identified in overall survival (p = 0.73), disease-free survival (p = 0.32), 30-day or major complication rate, anastomotic leak, or LOS. Similarly, when comparing esophagectomy < 90 days after CRT (n = 62) to > 90 days after CRT completion (n = 35), no significant differences were identified in overall survival (p = 0.39), disease-free survival (p = 0.71), 30-day or major complication rate, LOS, or anastomotic leak rate between groups. In this comparison, local recurrence was noted to be elevated with SE as compared to PE (64.3% vs. 25.0%, p = 0.04). Conclusion: Overall survival and disease-free survival were equivalent between SE and PE. Local recurrence was noted to be increased with SE, though this did not appear to affect survival. Although planned esophagectomy remains the standard of care, salvage esophagectomy has comparable outcomes and is appropriate for selected patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Opioid use in the U.S. has increased dramatically over the last 15 years, recently being declared a public health emergency. Opioid use is associated with esophageal dysmotility lending to a confusing clinical picture compared to true achalasia. Patients exhibit symptoms and elicit diagnostic results consistent with esophageal motility disorders, in particular type III achalasia. Modified therapeutic strategies and outcomes become challenging. Differentiating true achalasia from opioid-induced achalasia is critical. Conventional surgical interventions, i.e., myotomy, are ineffective in the absence of true achalasia. We assess the utility of esophageal muscle layer mapping with endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in distinguishing primary from opioid-induced achalasia. Methods: From 2016 to 2019, patients with abnormal manometry and suspected achalasia underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and EUS mapping of esophageal round muscle layer thickness. Maximum round layer thickness and length of round muscle layer thickness > 1.8 mm were collected and compared between opioid users and non-opioid users using Wilcoxon Rank sum test. Results: 45 patients were included: 12 opioid users, 33 non-opioid users. Mean age 56.8 years (range 24–93), 53.3% male patients. Mean BMI in the opioid-induced achalasia group was 30.2 kg/m2, mean BMI in the primary achalasia group 26.8 kg/m2 (p = 0.11). In comparing endoscopic maximum round layer thickness between groups, non-opioid patients had a thicker round muscle layer (2.7 mm vs 1.8 mm, p = 0.05). Length of abnormally thickened esophageal muscle (greater than 1.8 mm) also differed between the two groups; patients on opioids had a shorter length of thickening (4.0 cm vs 0.0 cm, p = 0.04). Intervention rate was higher in the non-opioid group (p = 0.79). Of the patients that underwent therapeutic intervention, symptom resolution was higher in the non-opioid group (p = 0.002), while re-intervention post-procedure for persistent symptomatology was elevated in the opioid subset (p = 0.06). Patients in the opioid group were less likely to undergo invasive treatment (Heller). As of 2017 all interventions in the opioid group have been endoscopic. Conclusion: Endoscopic ultrasound is an essential tool that has improved our treatment algorithm for suspected achalasia in patients with chronic opioid usage. Incorporation of EUS findings into treatment approach may prevent unnecessary surgery in opioid users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) are commonly performed bariatric procedures in obesity management. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in this population has reported rates of 23-100%. GERD after LSG has been noted with recent studies demonstrating de novo reflux or symptom exacerbation despite weight loss. Fundoplication is not an option, and medically refractory GERD after LSG is usually treated with conversion to RYGB. GERD post-RYGB is a unique entity, and management poses a clinical and technical challenge. We evaluate safety and effectiveness of magnetic sphincter augmentation after bariatric surgery.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed identifying patients that underwent LINX placement for refractory GERD after LSG, LRYGB, or duodenal switch across three institutions. Outcomes included complications, length of stay, PPI use, GERD-HRQL scores, and patient overall satisfaction.Results: From March 2014 through June 2018, 13 identified patients underwent LINX placement after bariatric surgery: 8 LSG, 4 LRYGB, and 1 duodenal switch. The patients were 77% female, with mean age 43 and average BMI 30.1. Average pre-operative DeMeester score was 24.8. Pre-operatively, 5 patients were on daily PPI, 6 on BID PPI, and 1 on PPI + H2 blocker. We noted decreased medication usage post-operatively, with 4 patients taking daily PPI, and 9 off medication completely. A GERD-HRQL score was obtained pre- and post-operatively in 6 patients with average reduction from 25 to 8.5 (p value 0.002). Two patients experienced complications requiring endoscopic dilation after LINX placement. 100% of patients reported overall satisfaction post procedure.Conclusion: LINX placement is a safe, effective treatment option for surgical management of refractory GERD after bariatric surgery. It can relieve symptoms and obviate the requirement of high-dose medical management. Magnetic lower esophageal sphincter augmentation should be another tool in the surgeon's toolbox for managing reflux after bariatric surgery in select patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chronic anemia is a common, coinciding or presenting diagnosis in patients with paraesophageal hernia (PEH). Presence of endoscopically identified ulcerations frequently prompts surgical consultation in the otherwise asymptomatic patient with anemia. Rates of anemia resolution following paraesophageal hernia repair (PEHR) often exceed the prevalence of such lesions in the study population. A defined algorithm remains elusive. This study aims to characterize resolution of anemia after PEHR with respect to endoscopic diagnosis.Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database of patients with PEH and anemia undergoing PEHR from 2007 to 2018 was performed. Anemia was determined by preoperative labs: Hgb < 12 mg/dl in females, Hgb < 13 mg/dl in males, or patients with ongoing iron supplementation. Improvement of post-operative anemia was assessed by post-operative hemoglobin values and continued necessity of iron supplementation.Results: Among 56 identified patients, 45 were female (80.4%). Forty patients (71.4%) were anemic by hemoglobin value, 16 patients (28.6%) required iron supplementation. Mean age was 65.1 years, with mean BMI of 27.7 kg/m2. One case was a Type IV PEH and the rest Type III. 32 (64.0%) had potential source of anemia: 16 (32.0%) Cameron lesions, 6 (12.0%) gastric ulcers, 12 (24.0%) gastritis. 10 (20.0%) had esophagitis and 4 (8%) Barrett's esophagus. 18 (36%) PEH patients had normal preoperative EGD. Median follow-up was 160 days. Anemia resolution occurred in 46.4% of patients. Of the 16 patients with pre-procedure Cameron lesions, 10 (63%) had resolution of anemia. Patients with esophagitis did not achieve resolution. 72.2% (13/18) of patients with no lesions on EGD had anemia resolution (p = 0.03).Conclusion: Patients with PEH and identifiable ulcerations showed 50% resolution of anemia after hernia repair. Patients without identifiable lesions on endoscopy demonstrated statistically significant resolution of anemia in 72.2% of cases. Anemia associated with PEH adds an indication for surgical repair with curative intent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an epidemic in the obese population. Bariatric surgery is known to reverse multiple metabolic complications of obesity such as diabetes, dyslipidemia, and NAFLD, but the timing of liver changes has not been well described.Materials and Methods: This was an IRB-approved, two-institutional prospective study. Bariatric patients received MRIs at baseline and after a pre-operative liquid diet. Liver biopsies were performed during surgery and if NAFLD positive, the patients received MRIs at 1, 3, and 6 months. Liver volumes and proton-density fat fraction (PDFF) were calculated from offline MRI images. Primary outcomes were changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), percent excess weight loss (EWL%), liver volume, and PDFF. Resolution of steatosis, as defined as PDFF < 6.4% based on previously published cutoffs, was assessed. Secondarily, outcomes were compared between patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) versus laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB).Results: From October 2010 to June 2015, 124 patients were recruited. 49 patients (39.5%) completed all five scans. EWL% at 6 months was 55.6 ± 19.0%. BMI decreased from 45.3 ± 5.9 to 34.4 ± 5.1 kg/m2 and mean liver volume decreased from 2464.6 ± 619.4 to 1874.3 ± 387.8 cm3 with a volume change of 21.4 ± 11.4%. PDFF decreased from 16.6 ± 7.8 to 4.4 ± 3.4%. At 6 months, 83.7% patients had resolution of steatosis. Liver volume plateaued at 1 month, but PDFF and BMI continued to decrease. There were no statistically significant differences in liver volume or PDFF reduction from baseline to 6 months between the LSG versus LRYGB subgroups.Conclusion: Patients with NAFLD undergoing bariatric surgery can expect significant decreases in liver volume and hepatic steatosis at 6 months, with 83.7% of patients achieving resolution of steatosis. Liver volume reduction plateaus 1-month post-bariatric surgery, but PDFF continues to decrease. LSG and LRYGB did not differ in efficacy for inducing regression of hepatosteatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Robotic-assisted metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is gaining popularity. Revisional MBS is associated with higher perioperative morbidity compared to primary MBS. The optimal surgical approach to minimize complications in these complex cases is unclear. The goal of this study was to assess robot utilization in revisional MBS and compare laparoscopic and robotic revisional MBS outcomes in the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) database., Methods: A retrospective review of the MBSAQIP database was performed identifying revisional sleeve gastrectomy (SG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) cases from 2015 to 2022. Primary MBS, open/emergent cases, cases converted to another approach, and combined cases other than esophagogastroduodenoscopy were excluded. 30-Day outcomes for laparoscopic and robotic cases were compared using multivariate logistic regression adjusting for patient demographics, comorbidities, and operative variables., Results: 41,404 Cases (14,474 SG; 26,930 RYGB) were identified. From 2015 to 2022, the percentage of revisional SG and RYGB cases performed robotically increased from 6.1% and 7.3% to 24.2% and 32.0% respectively. Laparoscopic SG had similar rates of overall morbidity, leak, bleeding, readmission, reoperation, and length of stay compared to robotic. Laparoscopic RYGB had significantly higher rates of overall morbidity (6.2% vs. 4.8%, p < 0.001, AOR 0.80 [0.70-0.93]), blood transfusion (1.5% vs. 1.0%, p < 0.05, AOR 0.74 [0.55-0.99]), superficial incisional SSI (1.2% vs. 0.4%, p < 0.001, AOR 0.30 [0.19-0.47]), and longer length of stay (1.87 vs. 1.76 days, p < 0.001) compared to robotic. Laparoscopic operative times were significantly shorter than robotic (SG: 86.4 ± 45.8 vs. 113.5 ± 51.7 min; RYGB: 130.7 ± 64.7 vs. 165.5 ± 66.8 min, p < 0.001)., Conclusion: Robot utilization in revisional bariatric surgery is increasing. Robotic surgery has lower postoperative morbidity and shorter length of stay in revisional RYGB when compared to laparoscopic. Robotic platforms may have the capacity to improve the delivery of care for patients undergoing revisional bariatric surgery., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Obesity is an independent risk factor for complications after abdominal hernia repair. Glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists are gaining popularity as pharmacologic weight loss adjuncts and may help patients reach weight loss goals for surgery. We examine our early experience utilizing GLP-1 agonists versus lifestyle modifications alone to achieve weight loss in patients before elective hernia repair., Methods: This single-center, retrospective review identified obese patients who underwent elective hernia repair from 2014 to 2023. Patients were asked to achieve a BMI ≤ 33 kg/m 2 before surgery. Patients who lost weight with GLP-1 therapy in addition to lifestyle changes were compared to a control cohort that achieved similar preoperative weight loss without GLP-1 therapy. Primary outcome was mean time from GLP-1 agonist initiation and initial surgery clinic visit to surgery. Secondary outcomes were 30-day morbidity, mortality, and reoperation rates, and hernia recurrence., Results: Forty-six patients with ventral/incisional, flank, umbilical, parastomal, inguinal, and hiatal hernias were identified (GLP-1 N = 24, control N = 22). 81.8% (N = 18) of controls had a ventral/incisional hernia, compared to 45.8% (N = 11) of GLP-1 patients (p = 0.03). Mean BMI at GLP-1 agonist initiation was similar to mean BMI at initial clinic visit for controls (38.1 ± 4.9 vs 38.2 ± 2.7 kg/m 2 , p = 0.66). Preoperative mean percentage total weight loss (14.9 ± 7.5 vs 12.4 ± 6.9 kg, p = 0.39) and mean BMI reduction (6.0 ± 3.8 vs 4.9 ± 2.3 kg/m 2 , p = 0.43) were similar between groups. The mean time from GLP-1 agonist initiation to surgery was significantly shorter than initial clinic visit to surgery for controls (6.3 ± 4.0 vs 14.7 ± 17.6 months, p = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference in time from initial clinic visit to surgery between groups (7.6 ± 4.4 vs 14.7 ± 17.6 months, p = 0.06). There was no significant difference in 30-day morbidity between groups (8.3 vs 27.3%, p = 0.13)., Conclusion: GLP-1 agonists accelerate preoperative weight loss for obese hernia patients without negatively impacting postoperative outcomes., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Many patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) continue to experience symptoms for weeks to years as sequelae of the initial infection, referred to as "Long COVID". Although many studies have described the incidence and symptomatology of Long COVID, there are little data reporting the potential burden of Long COVID on surgical departments. A previously constructed database of survey respondents who tested positive for COVID-19 was queried, identifying patients reporting experiencing symptoms consistent with Long COVID. Additional chart review determined whether respondents had a surgical or non-routine invasive procedure on or following the date of survey completion. Outcomes from surgeries on patients reporting Long COVID symptoms were compared to those from asymptomatic patients. A total of 17.4% of respondents had surgery or a non-routine invasive procedure in the study period. A total of 48.8% of these patients reported experiencing symptoms consistent with Long COVID. No statistically significant differences in surgical outcomes were found between groups. The results of this analysis demonstrate that Long COVID does not appear to have created a significant burden of surgical disease processes on the healthcare system despite the wide range of chronic symptoms and increased healthcare utilization by this population. This knowledge can help guide surgical operational resource allocation as a result of the pandemic and its longer-term sequelae.

Background: Percutaneous auricular nerve stimulation (neuromodulation) involves implanting electrodes around the ear and administering an electric current. A device is currently available within the USA cleared to treat symptoms from opioid withdrawal, and multiple reports suggest a possible postoperative analgesic effect. The current randomized controlled pilot study was undertaken to (1) determine the feasibility and optimize the protocol for a subsequent definitive clinical trial; and (2) estimate the treatment effect of auricular neuromodulation on postoperative pain and opioid consumption following two ambulatory surgical procedures., Methods: Within the recovery room following cholecystectomy or hernia repair, an auricular neuromodulation device (NSS-2 Bridge, Masimo, Irvine, California, USA) was applied. Participants were randomized to 5 days of either electrical stimulation or sham in a double-blinded fashion., Results: In the first 5 days, the median (IQR) pain level for active stimulation (n=15) was 0.6 (0.3-2.4) vs 2.6 (1.1-3.7) for the sham group (n=15) (p=0.041). Concurrently, the median oxycodone use for the active stimulation group was 0 mg (0-1), compared with 0 mg (0-3) for the sham group (p=0.524). Regarding the highest pain level experienced over the entire 8-day study period, only one participant (7%) who received active stimulation experienced severe pain, versus seven (47%) in those given sham (p=0.031)., Conclusions: Percutaneous auricular neuromodulation reduced pain scores but not opioid requirements during the initial week after cholecystectomy and hernia repair. Given the ease of application as well as a lack of systemic side effects and reported complications, a definitive clinical trial appears warranted., Trial Registration Number: NCT05521516., Competing Interests: Competing interests: BMI, WBA, BA, JFS, ETS, BA, and JJF—the University of California San Diego has received funding and/or product from the following companies for other research studies of these authors: Epimed International (Dallas, Texas, USA), SPR Therapeutics (Cleveland, Ohio, USA), Infutronix (Natick, Massachusetts, USA), Avanos Medical (Irvine, California, USA), Masimo (Irvine, CA, USA), and Varian Medical Systems (Palo Alto, California, USA). Th remaining authors have no conflicts to disclose., (© American Society of Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Impaired visibility is a challenge in laparoscopic surgery. Frequent scope removal increases operative time, reduces efficiency, and potentially compromises patient safety. We examine our initial experience with a novel cleaning device that applies cold plasma to the scope lens and review current available laparoscope cleaning methods., Methods: The novel device was used in a variety of laparoscopic general surgery cases from April to November 2023. Primary outcome was number of scope removals per case. Secondary outcomes were time spent cleaning and number of times the scope became smudged or dirty with blood/tissue debris (debris events). An existing device that utilizes heated anti-fogging solution was used for comparison., Results: 97 cases were included (31 with novel device and 66 with existing device). Scope removal rate for the novel device was lower compared to the existing device (0.87 ± 1.02 vs 0.97 ± 1.20 removals/case, P = 0.69), but not statistically significant. Average number of debris events was also lower for the novel device, but not statistically significant (0.90 ± 0.94 vs 1.0 ± 1.18 debris events/case, P = 0.69). Average total time spent cleaning per case was similar between devices (16.9 ± 24.0 vs 15.9 ± 18.7 seconds, P = 0.82)., Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a hydrophilic scope cleaning device has comparable performance to heated anti-fogging solution and may reduce scope removals and debris events. Direct comparisons between cleaning products are lacking. Surgeons are most likely to be successful with the cleaning strategy that best suits one's surgical practice., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Drs. Spurzem and Cota have no disclosures. Dr. Broderick is a consultant for Stryker Corporation. Dr. Sandler is a consultant for Intuitive Surgical and Boston Scientific. Dr. Jacobsen is a consultant for Gore Medical and Viacyte. Dr. Horgan is a consultant for Stryker Corporation, Intuitive Surgical, Fortimedix Surgical, and Alume Biosciences.

Background: Biosynthetic meshes afford the cost advantages of being made from fully synthetic material, but are also biodegradable, making them a versatile option that can be used in both clean and contaminated cases. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety profile and long-term outcomes of using GORE BIO-A (BIO-A) as an adjunct to abdominal wall reconstruction in all wound classes., Methods: A retrospective review identified patients undergoing abdominal hernia repair using BIO-A from October 2008 to June 2018. The primary outcome was hernia recurrence rate. Only patients with at least 6-month follow-up were included when looking at recurrence rates. Secondary outcomes included 30-day morbidity categorized according to CDC Surgical Site Infection Criteria, return to operating/procedure room (RTOR), 30-day readmission, length of stay (LOS), and mortality., Results: A total of 207 patients were identified, CDC Wound Classification breakdown was 127 (61.4%), 41 (19.8%), 14 (6.8%), and 25 (12.1%) for wound classes I, II, III, and IV, respectively. Median follow-up was 55.4 months (range 0.2-162.4). Overall recurrence rate was 17.4%. Contaminated cases experienced higher recurrence rates (28.8% versus 10.4%, p = 0.002) at a mean follow up of 46.9 and 60.8 months for contaminated and clean patients, respectively. Recurrent patients had higher BMI (32.4 versus 28.4 kg/m 2 , p = 0.0011), larger hernias (162.2 versus 106.7 cm 2 , p = 0.10), higher LOS (11.1 versus 5.6 days, p = 0.0051), and higher RTOR rates (16.7% versus 5.6%, p = 0.053). 51 (24.5%) patients experienced some morbidity, including 19 (9.2%) surgical site occurences, 7 (3.4%) superficial surgical site infections, 16 (7.7%) deep surgical site infections, and 1 (0.5%) organ space infection., Conclusion: This study affirms the use of biosynthetic mesh as a cost-effective alternative in all wound classifications, yielding good outcomes, limited long-term complications, and low recurrence. rates., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Esophageal diverticula were traditionally treated with open surgery, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Management has shifted to minimally invasive approaches with several advantages. We examine outcomes in patients with esophageal diverticula treated with minimally invasive techniques by a multidisciplinary surgical team at a single center. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed for patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery for esophageal diverticula at our institution from June 2010 to December 2022. Primary outcomes were 30-day morbidity and mortality rates. Secondary outcomes were symptom resolution, length of stay (LOS), readmission, and need for reintervention. Results: A total of 28 patients were identified. Twelve patients had pharyngeal diverticula, 7 patients had midesophageal diverticula, and 9 patients had epiphrenic diverticula. Thirty-day morbidity and readmission rates were 10.7% (3 patients), 1 pharyngeal (sepsis), 1 midesophageal (refractory nausea), and 1 epiphrenic (poor oral intake). There were no esophageal leaks. Average LOS was 2.3 days, with the pharyngeal group experiencing a significantly shorter LOS (1.3 days versus 3.4 days for midesophageal, P  < .01 versus 2.8 days for epiphrenic, P  < .05). Symptom resolution after initial operation was 78.6%. Reintervention rate was 17.9%, and symptom resolution after reintervention was 100%. There were no mortalities. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that esophageal diverticula can be repaired safely and efficiently when performed by a multidisciplinary team utilizing advanced minimally invasive endoscopic and robotic surgical techniques. We advocate for the management of this rare condition at a high-volume center with extensive experience in foregut surgery.

Background: Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) is an uncommon variant of chronic cholecystitis which can resemble gallbladder adenocarcinoma (GAC) on preoperative imaging and present technical challenges in the performance of cholecystectomy. We examined our experience with each pathology to identify distinguishing characteristics that may guide patient counseling and surgical management., Methods: A retrospective review of all pathologically confirmed cases of XGC and GAC following cholecystectomy between 2015 and 2021 at a single institution was performed. Clinical, biochemical, radiographic, and intraoperative features were compared., Results: There were 37 cases of XGC and 20 cases of GAC. Patients with GAC were older (mean 70.3 years vs 58.0, p = 0.01) and exclusively female (100% vs 45.9%, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in accompanying symptoms between groups (nausea/vomiting, fevers, or jaundice). The mean maximum white blood cell count was elevated for XGC compared to GAC (16.4 vs 8.6 respectively, p = 0.044); however, there were no differences in the remainder of the biochemical profile, including bilirubin, liver transaminases, CEA, and CA 19-9. The presence of an intraluminal mass (61.1% vs 9.1%, p = 0.0001) and lymphadenopathy (18.8%. vs 0.0%, p = 0.045) were associated with malignancy, whereas gallbladder wall thickening as reported on imaging (87.9% vs 38.9%, p = 0.0008) and gallstones (76.5% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.053) were more often present with XGC. Cases of XGC more often had significant adhesions/inflammation (83.8% vs 55.0%, p = 0.03)., Conclusion: Clinical features that may favor benign chronic cholecystitis over gallbladder adenocarcinoma include younger age, male gender, current or prior leukocytosis, and the absence of an intraluminal mass or lymphadenopathy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe surgical option for equivocal presentations. Intraoperative frozen section or intentional staging of more extensive procedures based upon final histopathology are valuable surgical strategies., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Multidisciplinary approaches to weight loss have been shown to improve outcomes in bariatric patients. Few studies have been performed assessing the utility and compliance of fitness tracking devices after bariatric surgery. We aim to determine whether use of an activity tracking device assists bariatric patients in improving postoperative weight loss behaviors., Methods: A fitness wearable was offered to patients undergoing bariatric surgery from 2019 to 2022. A telephone survey was conducted to elucidate the impact of the device on the patient's postoperative weight loss efforts 6 to 12 months after surgery. Weight loss outcomes of sleeve gastrectomy (SG) patients receiving the fitness wearable (FW) were compared to those of a group of SG patients who did not receive one (non-FW)., Results: Thirty-seven patients were given a fitness wearable, 20 of whom responded to our telephone survey. Five patients reported not using the device and were excluded. 88.2% reported that using the device had a positive impact on their overall lifestyle. Patients felt that using the fitness wearable to keeping track of their progress helped them both to achieve short-term fitness goals and sustain them in the long run. From the patients that utilized the device, 44.4% of those that discontinued felt like it helped them build a routine that they maintained even after they were no longer using it. Demographic data between FW and non-FW groups (age, sex, CCI, initial BMI, and surgery BMI) did not differ significantly. The FW group trended towards greater %EWL at 1 year post-operation (65.2% versus 52.4%, p = 0.066) and had significantly greater %TWL at 1 year post-operation (30.3% versus 22.3%, p = 0.02)., Conclusion: The use of an activity tracking device enhances a patient's post-bariatric surgery experience, serving to keep patients informed and motivated, and leading to improved activity that may translate to better weight loss outcomes., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Post-operative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a significant morbidity following sleeve gastrectomy (SG). We aim to evaluate the incidence and impact within a single center experience., Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed identifying laparoscopic or robotic SG patients. Primary outcomes included weight loss, rates of post-operative GERD (de-novo or aggravated), and re-intervention. Subgroup analysis was performed between patients with (Group 1) and without (Group 2) post-operative GERD. De-novo GERD and aggravated was defined as persistent GERD complaints or new/increased PPI usage in GERD naive or prior GERD patients, respectively., Results: 392 patients were identified between 2014 and 2019. Average demographics: age 42.3 (18-84) years, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) 1.12 (0-10), and body mass index (BMI) 47.7 (28-100). 98% were performed laparoscopically. Average excess weight loss (EWL) was 51.0% and 46.4% at 1 and 2 years post-operatively. Average follow up was 516 (6-2694) days. 69 (17%) patients developed post operative de-novo or aggravated GERD. Group 1 had significantly higher EWL at 9 months (57% vs 47%, p 0.003). 13 (3%) patients required operative re-intervention for GERD and other morbidities: 4 RYGB conversions, 4 diagnostic laparoscopies, 3 HHR, 1 MSA placement. Group 1 had higher rates of post-operative intervention (14% vs 1%, p 0.0001). Subanalysis demonstrated that Group 1 had elevated preoperative DeMeester scores on pH testing (34.8 vs 18.9, p 0.03). De-novo GERD had an elevated post-operative total acid exposure when compared to aggravated GERD (12.7% vs 7.0% p 0.03). No significant differences were found between preoperative endoscopy findings, pre and postoperative total acid exposure, post-operative DeMeester scores, and high-resolution manometry values regarding de-novo/aggravated GERD development., Conclusion: Preoperative DeMeester scores may serve as risk indicators regarding post-operative GERD. Outcomes such as reintervention remain elevated in post-operative GERD patients., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: The legalization of cannabis in several states has led to increased documented use in the population. Bariatric surgery patients are no exception with estimates of anywhere from 6 to 8%. Cannabis is known to be associated with increased appetite, mood disorders, hyperphagia, and rarely, hyperemesis, which can potentially affect post-surgical weight loss. We aim to study the differences in bariatric surgery outcomes between cannabis users and non-users., Methods: A retrospective review identified patients undergoing bariatric surgery. Patients were divided into two groups, cannabis users (CU) and non-cannabis users (non-CU). Cannabis users (defined as using at least once weekly) and a group of non-users were called to obtain additional information. Primary outcome was weight loss. Secondary outcomes included incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV), length of stay (LOS), readmission, and need for additional intervention., Results: A cohort of 364 sleeve gastrectomy patients met inclusion criteria, 31 (8.5%) CU and 333 (91.5%) non-CU. There was no difference in EWL between CU and non-CU at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and 2 years. However, the CU group trended towards greater EWL at 3 years (52.9% vs. 38.1%, p = 0.094) and at 5 years (49.8% vs. 32.7%, p = 0.068). There were no significant differences between CU and non-CU with respect to either incidence or severity of PONV at one year after surgery or longer follow-up., Conclusion: Cannabis users did not experience inferior weight loss after bariatric surgery despite common assumptions that appetite stimulation can lead to suboptimal weight loss outcomes. Our findings add to other work challenging this dogma. Larger, long-term, multicenter studies are warranted., (© 2022. This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply.)

Background: The coronavirus pandemic has caused a worldwide health crisis. Bariatric patients require extensive pre- and post-operative follow-up, which may be less feasible during public health social distancing mandates. We assessed the impact of the pandemic on the behaviors and weight loss outcomes of our pre- and post-operative bariatric patients., Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified patients who underwent either sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) at a single institution between March 2018 and May 2020. A cohort undergoing surgery within 12 months before the pandemic as well as a cohort undergoing a medically supervised diet prior to surgery was surveyed regarding pre- and post-COVID-19 lifestyle habits. Excess weight loss (EWL) outcomes from a group of pre-COVID surgical patients were compared to that of a group of post-COVID surgical patients. Primary outcome was whether the lockdown changed 1-year weight loss outcomes. Secondary outcome was whether patient lifestyle behaviors were changed during the pandemic., Results: There was no difference in 1-year EWL between pre- and post-COVID SG patients (51.7% versus 55.9%, p = 0.35), or between pre- and post-COVID RYGB patients (88.9% versus 80.4%, p = 0.42). Pre-stay-at-home order, 91.8% endorsed physical activity compared to 80.3% post-stay-at-home order (p = 0.0025). Mean physical activity decreased from 4.2 h/week to 2.7 h/week after the stay-at-home order (p < 0.0001). Additionally, 41.3% reported worsened dietary habits post-stay-at-home order., Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted the behaviors of bariatric surgery patients. Despite deterioration of lifestyle habits, 1-year weight loss outcomes after bariatric surgery remained the same before and after the instatement of social distancing measures. In the short term, the biological effect of metabolic procedures may mask the effects of suboptimal diet and physical activity, but more studies are necessary to better assess the impact of COVID-19 on outcomes after bariatric surgery., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Potential complications after inguinal hernia repair include uncontrolled post-operative pain and post-operative urinary retention (POUR). Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to mitigate post-operative morbidity. We study the impact of ERAS measures alongside discharge without a narcotic prescription on post-operative pain and POUR after minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair., Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified patients that underwent minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair at a single institution. Intra-operative data included operative time, narcotic usage, non-narcotic adjunct medication, and fluid administration. Primary outcomes included rates of POUR and uncontrolled post-operative pain. Operations performed after 2018 were included in the ERAS cohort. Uncontrolled post-operative pain was defined as needing additional narcotic prescriptions, admission, or ER visits for post-operative pain. POUR was defined as requiring an indwelling urethral catheter at discharge, admission for retention, or returning to the ER for urinary retention., Results: Between January 2008 and March 2021, 1097 patients who underwent minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair were identified. 91.3% of these procedures were laparoscopic and 8.7% were robotic. Average patient age was 57.4 years, 93% were male. Patients receiving care after initiation of the ERAS protocol were significantly less likely to experience POUR when compared to their prior counterparts (1.4% vs. 4.2% p = 0.01); there was no difference in post-operative pain complications (1.4% vs. 2.9% p = 0.15). Patients who were discharged without a narcotic prescription had 0% incidence of POUR. Significant differences were found between the ERAS and non-ERAS cohort regarding narcotic usage and fluid administration. Age, higher fluid volume, and higher narcotic usage were found to be risk factors for POUR while ERAS, sugammadex, and dexamethasone were found to be protective., Conclusion: Implementation of an ambulatory ERAS protocol can significantly decrease urinary retention and narcotic usage rates after minimally invasive inguinal hernia repair., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Background: Early experience with indocyanine green-based fluorescent cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy suggests the potential to improve outcomes. However, the cost-effectiveness of routine use has not been studied. Our objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of fluorescent cholangiography versus standard bright light laparoscopic cholecystectomy for noncancerous gallbladder disease., Methods: A Markov model decision analysis was performed comparing fluorescent cholangiography versus standard bright light laparoscopic cholecystectomy alone. Probabilities of outcomes, survival, toxicities, quality-adjusted life-years, and associated costs were determined from literature review and pooled analysis of currently available studies on fluorescent cholangiography (n = 37). Uncertainty in the model parameters was evaluated with 1-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses, varying parameters up to 40% of their means. Cost-effectiveness was measured with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio expressed as the dollar amount per quality-adjusted life-year., Results: The model predicted that fluorescent cholangiography reduces lifetime costs by $1,235 per patient and improves effectiveness by 0.09 quality-adjusted life-years compared to standard bright light laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Reduced costs were due to a decreased operative duration (21.20 minutes, P < .0001) and rate of conversion to open (1.62% vs 6.70%, P < .0001) associated with fluorescent cholangiography. The model was not influenced by the rate of bile duct injury. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis found that fluorescent cholangiography was both more effective and less costly in 98.83% of model iterations at a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000/quality-adjusted life year., Conclusion: The current evidence favors routine use of fluorescent cholangiography during laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a cost-effective surgical strategy. Our model predicts that fluorescent cholangiography reduces costs while improving health outcomes, suggesting fluorescence imaging may be considered standard surgical management for noncancerous gallbladder disease. Further study with prospective trials should be considered to verify findings of this predictive model., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study represents a prospective, multicenter, open-label study to assess the safety, performance, and outcomes of poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB, Phasix™) mesh for primary ventral, primary incisional, or multiply-recurrent hernia in subjects at risk for complications. This study reports 3-year clinical outcomes., Materials and Methods: P4HB mesh was implanted in 121 patients via retrorectus or onlay technique. Physical exam and/or quality of life surveys were completed at 1, 3, 6,12, 18, 24, and 36 months, with 5-year (60-month) follow-up ongoing., Results: A total of n = 121 patients were implanted with P4HB mesh (n = 75 (62%) female) with a mean age of 54.7 ± 12.0 years and mean BMI of 32.2 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 (±standard deviation). Comorbidities included: obesity (78.5%), active smokers (23.1%), COPD (28.1%), diabetes mellitus (33.1%), immunosuppression (8.3%), coronary artery disease (21.5%), chronic corticosteroid use (5.0%), hypo-albuminemia (2.5%), advanced age (5.0%), and renal insufficiency (0.8%). Hernias were repaired via retrorectus (n = 45, 37.2% with myofascial release (MR) or n = 43, 35.5% without MR), onlay (n = 8, 6.6% with MR or n = 24, 19.8% without MR), or not reported (n = 1, 0.8%). 82 patients (67.8%) completed 36-month follow-up. 17 patients (17.9% ± 0.4%) experienced hernia recurrence at 3 years, with n = 9 in the retrorectus group and n = 8 in the onlay group. SSI (n = 11) occurred in 9.3% ± 0.03% of patients., Conclusions: Long-term outcomes following ventral hernia repair with P4HB mesh demonstrate low recurrence rates at 3-year (36-month) postoperative time frame with no patients developing late mesh complications or requiring mesh removal. 5-year (60-month) follow-up is ongoing., Competing Interests: Dr. Roth reports a grant and consulting fees from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of this study. Dr. Roth also reports consulting fees (Johnson & Johnson) and stock (Miromatrix) outside of the current work. Dr. Anthone has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to this study. Dr. Anthone reports consulting fees and speaker honoraria (Becton Dickinson (BD)) outside of the current work. Dr. Selzer reports a grant from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study. Dr. Selzer also reports consulting fees (Cook Biotech, Inc.) outside of the current work. Dr. Poulose has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to the current study. Dr. Poulose reports salary support (Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative) and research support (Becton Dickinson (BD) and Advanced Medical Solutions) outside of the current work. Dr. Pierce has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to the current study. Dr. Pierce reports research support (Intuitive Surgical Solutions) outside of the current work and his spouse is a salaried employee of a medical device company (CareFusion) that falls under the overall umbrella of the parent company, Becton Dickinson (BD). Drs. Dunn, Bittner, Linn, Romanelli, and Sandler report a grant from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study but have nothing to disclose outside of the current work. Dr. Hope reports consulting fees and research support from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study. Dr. Hope also reports consulting fees, honoraria, and research support (Intuitive, W.L. Gore, and Medtronic) outside of the current work. Dr. Martindale has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to the current study. Dr. Martindale reports consulting fees (Allergan, C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD), and Nestle) and employment (OHSU) outside of the current work. Dr. Goldblatt reports a grant from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study. Dr. Goldblatt also reports consulting fees (W.L. Gore, Medtronic, and Allergan) and a grant (Medtronic) outside of the current work. Dr. Earle has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to the current study. Dr. Earle reports consulting fees (Becton Dickinson (BD) and Medtronic) and ownership stake/advisory board (Via Surgical) outside of the current work. Dr. Mancini has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to the current study. Dr. Mancini reports consulting fees (Stryker Endoscopy) and speakers’ fees (Gore Medical and Medtronic) outside of the current work. Dr. Greenberg reports a grant from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study. Dr. Greenberg also reports grants (Becton Dickinson (BD) and Medtronic), as well as course registration, travel, and lodging (Intuitive) outside of the current work. Dr. Parra-Davila has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to the current study. Dr. Parra-Davila reports consulting fees (C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD), Intuitive, Auris, Johnson & Johnson, and Titan), board membership (C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD)), and proctoring (Intuitive) outside of the current work. Dr. Deeken reports consulting fees from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study. Dr. Deeken also reports consulting fees from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD), Surgical Innovation Associates, Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative, Colorado Therapeutics, TelaBio, and Aran Biomedical outside the submitted work, as well as grants from Ethicon, Inc. and TelaBio to support a book chapter outside the submitted work. In addition, Dr. Deeken is the owner of Covalent Bio, LLC and holds the following issued patents: 2009293001, 2334257, 2,334,257UK, 602009046407.8, 2,334,257FR, 16/043,849 and 2,737,542. Dr. Verbarg reports consulting fees from C.R. Bard, Inc./Davol/Becton Dickinson (BD) during the conduct of the study. Dr. Verbarg has no other conflict of interest to disclose outside of the current work. Drs. Salluzzo and Voeller have no conflicts of interest to disclose relative to the current study or any other work., (© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of IJS Publishing Group Ltd.)

Introduction: Laparoscopic foregut surgeries are highly complex procedures that carry a high potential for morbidity and mortality should complications should occur. The robotic-assisted platform offers improved visualization of anatomy, optimal fine motor control, and a higher degree of instrumentation range of motion, which may potentially lead to better outcomes. This paper reviews the risks and benefits of the robotic platform in foregut procedures., Evidence Acquisition: A web-based literature search was performed, in August 2016 using Pubmed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar from cited English publications from 1996 to 2016. We included randomized control trials, non-randomized comparison studies, and cohort studies in robotic foregut surgery. Abstracts, letters, editorials, expert opinions, review papers, and meta-analyses with no original statistical analyses were not included., Evidence Synthesis: A total of 619 articles were identified of which 98 articles met the inclusion criteria. The studies were divided into areas of benign and malignant foregut procedures that utilized robotic assistance. Intraoperative complications related to both the surgery itself as well as robotic hardware malfunction, short-term and long-term clinical outcomes were extracted., Conclusions: Intraoperative and postoperative complications of robotic assistance during foregut surgery are comparable or superior to those of traditional laparoscopic techniques. Our review suggests improved outcomes in Heller myotomies, gastrectomies, and esophagectomies.

Robotic-assisted transhiatal esophagectomy (RATE) is a minimally invasive approach to total esophagectomy with less morbidity but equivalent efficacy when compared with the traditional open approach. The robotic platform offers numerous technical advantages that assist with the esophageal dissection, which allows the procedure to be completed without entry into the thoracic cavity. The major criticism of the transhiatal approach is that it forfeits the ability of the surgeon to perform a formal lymphadenectomy, but this does not appear to affect long-term survival., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Morbid obesity continues to increase in prevalence, becoming a major socioeconomic and medical problem. The success in treating morbid obesity with surgery has been well documented. The categories of surgical treatment include restrictive, malabsorptive, and combination operations. Two of the restrictive operations at the forefront of today's treatments are laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic gastric greater curvature plication (LGCP). A literature review has been completed to compare the current technique and results for LSG and LGCP. LSG is a restrictive technique in which reduced gastric volume is achieved by partial greater curvature resection. The benefits of LSG include ease of operation, sustainable weight loss, and low complication rate. The disadvantages include risk for severe complications such as gastric leak and bleeding. LGCP is a novel restrictive technique which reduces gastric volume by plication of the greater curvature; it is still in the investigational stages for use in the United States. A gastric tube is formed with the plication, but no portion of the stomach is excised. The benefits of LGCP include low cost, low risk of complication, such as gastric perforation and bleeding, as well as adequate short term weight loss. The disadvantages include higher risk of nausea and vomiting post-op, a non-zero risk of perforation and bleeding, and likely an unsustainable weight loss. In comparison, LGCP is considered feasible and safe in the short term and especially suited for institutions requiring lower-cost procedures. However, LGCP weight loss may be unsustainable compared to LSG. While LSG complication rates are slightly higher, LGCP is an inferior restrictive procedure for weight loss. Further studies are needed to evaluate the long term outcomes for procedural comparison.

Aim: To determine if esophageal capsule endoscopy (ECE) is an adequate diagnostic alternative to esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in pre-bariatric surgery patients., Methods: We conducted a prospective pilot study to assess the diagnostic accuracy of ECE (PillCam ESO2, Given Imaging) vs conventional EGD in pre-bariatric surgery patients. Patients who were scheduled for bariatric surgery and referred for pre-operative EGD were prospectively enrolled. All patients underwent ECE followed by standard EGD. Two experienced gastroenterologists blinded to the patient's history and the findings of the EGD reviewed the ECE and documented their findings. The gold standard was the findings on EGD., Results: Ten patients with an average body mass index of 50 kg/m(2) were enrolled and completed the study. ECE identified 11 of 14 (79%) positive esophageal/gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) findings and 14 of 17 (82%) combined esophageal and gastric findings identified on EGD. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the findings and no significant difference was found between ECE and EGD (P = 0.64 for esophageal/GEJ and P = 0.66 for combined esophageal and gastric findings respectively). Of the positive esophageal/GEJ findings, ECE failed to identify the following: hiatal hernia in two patients, mild esophagitis in two patients, and mild Schatzki ring in two patients. ECE was able to identify the entire esophagus in 100%, gastric cardia in 0%, gastric body in 100%, gastric antrum in 70%, pylorus in 60%, and duodenum in 0%., Conclusion: There were no significant differences in the likelihood of identifying a positive finding using ECE compared with EGD in preoperative evaluation of bariatric patients.

Background: Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has the potential to decrease the burden of an operation on a patient. Limitations of the endoscopic platform require innovative solutions to provide retraction and create an operation comparable with the gold standard, laparoscopic cholecystectomy., Methods: Four patients underwent transvaginal cholecystectomy. All procedures were performed under laparoscopic vision to ensure safety. The endoscope and a long articulating RealHand instrument were placed via a 15-mm vaginal trocar. A magnetic retraction system was used to retract the gallbladder safely. Laparoscopic clips were used to ligate the cystic duct and artery. All four gallbladders were successfully removed. No complications occurred. The mean operating time was 102 min., Results: All four procedures were completed without complications. The four patients all were discharged shortly after surgery and reported normal sexual activity without pain., Conclusions: Transvaginal cholecystectomy can be completed safely using current technology. Further studies are needed to determine the safety of the procedure and to determine whether it confers any benefits other than cosmesis.