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To retrospectively evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for the management of osteoblastic-related metastatic vertebral lesions.A total of 31 patients with 58 osteoblastic-related metastatic vertebral lesions underwent PKP were reviewed. The clinical efficacy was assessed based on parameters including visual analogue scale, Oswestry Disability Index, vertebral body height variation and quality of life. Major and minor complications were systematically evaluated to assess the safety of the procedure.Average follow-up period was 22.5 ± 11.1 months(range, 3 to 46 months). The procedure duration time ranged from 50 to 180 minutes (average 96.8 ± 36.9 minutes). Mean visual analogue scale scores decreased significantly from 6.1 ± 1.8 pre-operatively to 2.7 ± 1.5 at 3 days after PKP (p0.001), and remained largely immutable at 1 month (2.0 ± 0.7; 31 patients; p0.001), 3 months (2.4 ± 1.2; 30 patients; p0.001) and 1 year (3.0 ± 1.0; 27 patients; p0.001). Oswestry Disability Index scores and vertebral body height variation also changed after the procedure, with significant differences between pre-operative scores and at each follow-up examination (p0.001). Mean quality of life scores were 90.8 ± 12.9 pre-operatively and improved to 99.5 ± 12.1(27 patients, p0.001) at 1 year after PKP. The only minor encountered complication was bone cement leakage, which was seen in 6.5%(2 of 31) of patients. None of the patients experienced major complications.PKP is a safe and effective treatment strategy for osteoblastic-related metastatic vertebral lesions from a variety of tumor etiologies.

Background: In contrast to adults, in whom cardiac rhythm disorders are mainly conditioned by coronary artery disease, in children, arrhythmias are most often associated with inherited heart disorders. Catheter ablation (CA) has an important role in the management of cardiac arrhythmias, in adults and children. The aim of the study was to assess and compare the efficacy and safety of CA in children and adults with preexcitation syndrome. Methods: The study population comprised 43 adults and 43 children diagnosed with a Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). The mean age of the study population was 41 ± 15 years for adults and 14 ± 2.5 years for children. In all patients, an electrophysiological study and CA were performed. Analysis with respect to the procedure duration, fluoroscopy exposure time, location of accessory pathways (AP), immediate success rate and complications were performed. Results: Electrophysiological study revealed the most frequent presence of left-sided AP (56% in children and 70% in adults). The mean procedure duration was 96 ± 36 min and 106 ± 51 min in children and adults, respectively (p = NS). The mean fluoroscopy duration was 8.5 ± 4.3 min and 5.9 ± 5.8 min in children and adults, respectively p < 0.05. The CA procedure was successful in 40 out of 43 (93%) adults and in 36 out of 43 (83.7%) children (p = NS). In 2 (4%) children minor complications occurred. Conclusions: Ablation in children and adults are equally effective with respect to short-term clinical observation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Thoracotomy is the foremost choice of giant esophageal lipomatous tumors in previous studies, but it is highly traumatic and possibly diminishes the quality of patients' lives. To minimize such impacts, a minimally invasive method without loss of curability is desirable for giant lipomatous tumors of the esophagus. With recent progress in endoscopic techniques and devices, endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been successfully used to remove esophageal or gastric submucosal tumors. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical impact of ESD for giant esophageal lipomatous tumors. METHODS Design, single-center, retrospective study; setting, academic medical center; patients, six patients with six giant lipomatous tumors of the esophagus between February 2013 and December 2020; interventions, ESD; and main outcome measurements, procedure duration, en bloc resection rate, complications, local recurrence, and distant metastases. RESULTS Endoscopic en bloc resections of esophageal lipomatous tumors were successfully performed in all patients, with a mean duration of 56.5 ± 26.0 min. All en bloc resection lesions showed both lateral and deep tumor-free margins. The average maximum diameter of the esophageal lipomatous tumors was 171.7 ± 66.2 mm. No complications such as bleeding and perforations happened during hospitalization with 4.0 ± 1.6 days. Besides, local recurrence and distant metastasis have not occurred during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS Endoscopic submucosal dissection is a safe and effective way to dissect giant lipomatous tumors of the esophagus thoroughly.

BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to investigate the P-wave changes in intracavitary electrocardiography (IC-ECG) during catheterization with a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) in order to provide guidance for the accurate localization of the tip of the PICC. METHODS: A total of 106 newborns who needed a PICC were randomly divided into two groups—a study group and a control group—using a random number table, with 53 cases in each group. In the study group, the ECG monitor was connected after the successful puncture and insertion of the PICC into the right sternoclavicular joint, and the position of the catheter tip was determined according to the P-wave changes on the IC-ECG. Localization X-rays were taken at the same time. In the control group, after the successful routine puncture and insertion of the PICC into the location to a predetermined length, localization X-rays were taken. The accuracy, procedure duration, and cost of the two localization methods were evaluated. RESULTS: The accuracy of the localization in the study group was 92.5%, but the difference was not significant when compared with the control group (P>0.05). The duration of the procedure in the study group was 5.12±1.57 minutes, and the cost was 7.12±0.56 yuan, both of which were significantly different when compared with the control group (P

Distal transradial access (dTRA) has several advantages compared with proximal transradial access (pTRA) for cerebral angiography. The learning curve for transitioning from pTRA to dTRA has not been described.Retrospective analysis of the first 75 diagnostic cerebral angiograms performed with dTRA by a single operator was performed. Outcomes included time for sheath insertion, sheath to first vessel time, procedure duration, fluoroscopy time, radiation dose, and contrast volume. Their associations with procedure number were evaluated with multivariate linear regressions, segmented linear regression, and locally weighted regression (LOESS).The mean age of patients was 56.1 years and 61.3% were female. Seventy-four of 75 angiograms were successfully completed with dTRA. There were 3 minor and no major complications. After adjusting for covariates, sheath to first vessel time (β = -0.50, P0.001) and procedure duration (β = -0.26, P = 0.002) were associated with procedure number. Time for sheath insertion, fluoroscopy time, radiation dose, and contrast volume were not associated with procedure number. Segmented linear regression identified break-points of 33 for sheath to first vessel time and 11 for procedure duration, which corresponded to the procedure number after which these outcomes trended down. LOESS models for time to sheath placement, procedure duration, fluoroscopy time, and radiation dose predicted minimum values between procedures 40-50.Transitioning from pTRA to dTRA for diagnostic cerebral angiography is feasible and safe. The learning curve is overcome between procedures 11 and 33, and further refinement in performance occurs through procedures 40-50.

OBJECTIVES Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) by cytopathologists during endoscopic ultrasound-fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) of solid pancreatic lesions (SPLs) improves adequacy and diagnostic accuracy while reducing the number of needle passes. We evaluated the usefulness of ROSE performed by the endosonographer. METHODS Patients with an SPL were randomly assigned to EUS-FNA with ROSE or non-ROSE. Procedure duration, number of needle passes, specimen adequacy, and adverse event rates were compared. RESULTS Sixty-five patients were enrolled (33 in the ROSE vs 32 in the non-ROSE group). Both groups were similar in terms of age, sex, size, and location of the lesion. Specimen adequacy rates were high and similar between groups. Mean (standard deviation) procedure duration was shorter in the ROSE versus non-ROSE group (30.0 [11.3] vs 37.0 [7.2] minutes, P < 0.005), as well as the mean (standard deviation) number of needle passes (2.6 [0.8] vs 3.5 [0.8], P < 0.005). Accuracy parameters as sensitivity and accuracy of ROSE by the endosonographer for malignancy were 93% and 88%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS After specific training, the endosonographer can accurately evaluate samples during EUS-FNA of SPL, allowing for a shorter procedure duration and a lower number of needle passes.

Background Permanent cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) are traditionally implanted with the assistance of fluoroscopy. While clinically effective, this technique exposes both patients and providers to radiation which is associated with adverse health effects and represents an occupational hazard. In this study, we investigate the safety and feasibility of permanent CIED placement under the guidance of transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). There is also increasing interest in use of non‐fluoroscopic options for noninvasive cardiac electrophysiologic procedures. Methods Fifteen patients consecutively consented for initial implant of CIEDs, specifically dual chamber pacemakers (DCPM) and dual chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators (DCICDs). Patients were excluded if they had previous implants, abandoned leads, or anatomic anomalies including congenital and known persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). We used TTE to guide and implant atrial and ventricular leads. Results Eleven patients received DCPMs and four patients received DCICDs. The procedure duration was 49.3 min for DCICD and 52.3 min for DCPM, p = .807. The average number of right atrial lead attempts was 1.6 for DCPMs and 1.8 for DCICD, p = .860. The average number of right ventricular lead attempts for DCPMs was 2.2 and 1.0 attempt for DCICDs, p = .044. There were no complications at 90‐day follow‐up. Conclusion We demonstrate the feasibility of TTE‐guided DCPM/DCICD implantation without use of fluoroscopy. We present this method as a safe alternative for permanent CIED placement that may reduce risk of radiation exposure and cost while maintaining safety and efficacy. No operators wore lead aprons during the procedure.

Performing colonoscopy can be technically challenging in female patients. Female patients may prefer having a female endoscopist. This preference, coupled with the fact that there are fewer female endoscopists, may result in gender differences in colonoscopy practice. We hypothesized that the duration of female colonoscopy is longer and that female endoscopists perform a higher proportion of female colonoscopy than male colleagues. We explored the potential revenue implications of gender differences in screening colonoscopy. We analyzed procedure time and gender differences in 16,573 screening colonoscopies performed by 27 male and 7 female endoscopists over a three-year period in one large academic practice. We modeled the potential revenue impacts of differences in procedure duration, proportion of female colonoscopy and the frequency of detected adenomas. We found that screening colonoscopy takes 8.8% more time to complete in female patients compared to male patients for all endoscopists (p

Background The conduction delay and block that compose the critical isthmus of macroreentrant ventricular tachycardia (VT) is partly “functional” in that they only occur at faster cycle lengths. Close-coupled pacing stresses the myocardium's conduction capacity and may reveal late potentials (LPs) and fractionation. Interest has emerged in targeting this functional substrate. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a functional substrate VT ablation strategy. Methods Patients with scar-related VT undergoing their first ablation were recruited. A closely coupled extrastimulus (ventricular effective refractory period + 30 ms) was delivered at the right ventricular apex while mapping with a high-density catheter. Sites of functional impaired conduction exhibited increased electrogram duration due to LPs/fractionation. The time to last deflection was annotated on an electroanatomic map, readily identifying ablation targets. Results A total of 40 patients were recruited (34 [85%] ischemic). Median procedure duration was 330 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 300–369), and ablation time was 49.4 minutes (IQR 33.8–48.3). Median functional substrate area was 41.9 cm2 (IQR 22.1–73.9). It was similarly distributed across bipolar voltage zones. Noninducibility was achieved in 34 of 40 patients (85%). Median follow-up was 711 days (IQR 255.5–972.8), during which 35 of 39 patients (89.7%) did not have VT recurrence, and 3 of 39 (7.5%) died. Antiarrhythmic drugs were continued in 53.8% (21/39). Conclusion Functional substrate ablation resulted in high rates of noninducibility and freedom from VT. Mapping times were increased considerably. Our findings add to the encouraging trend reported by related techniques. Randomized multicenter trials are warranted to assess this next phase of VT ablation.

Patient positioning during gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures has received minimal attention compared with surgical procedures performed in the surgical setting. However, prolonged endoscopic interventions on patients and the increasing requirement for general anesthesia have changed to need for patient positioning guidelines. The objective of this study was to test whether patient positioning guidelines for surgical procedures in surgical suites are suitable for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures without negatively impacting safety and procedure duration. This was an observational feasibility study with volunteers of different body mass index categories. Volunteers were positioned in supine, lateral, and prone positions on an operating table and thereafter on an endoscopy stretcher and asked for comfort levels. Except for arm and head positioning in lateral and prone positions, it was possible to replicate the patient positioning guidelines. Alternative options were explored for the positioning of arms and head to optimize oral access. Besides minor adjustments, we were able to replicate the positioning guidelines and adhere to pressure and nerve injury prevention guidelines. Concept endoscopic patient positioning guidelines were developed. It is recommended to review the "swimmer's" position. Endoscopic patient positioning guidelines should become part of the National Practice Standards and education curriculum of endoscopy nurses.

espanolIntroduccion: El cateterismo derecho es necesario para el diagnostico y evaluacion de la hipertension pulmonar y de valvulopatias mitral y pulmonar. El abordaje venoso para dicho procedimiento puede realizarse a traves de una via venosa central o por las venas anterocubitales. El acceso periferico (anterocubitales) podria constituir una buena alternativa al objeto de disminuir complicaciones potenciales, aportando beneficios al paciente y a los operadores de la sala de hemodinamica por su facil canalizacion, por la reduccion de los tiempos de la intervencion y dosis de radiacion. Objetivos: Observar los beneficios de realizar el cateterismo derecho por abordaje periferico con respecto a la via femoral y remarcar el papel de enfermeria en el abordaje periferico necesario para el cateterismo, asi como resaltar la importancia del personal de enfermeria en la canalizacion del mismo y posterior manejo. Metodologia: Se realizo un estudio observacional descriptivo retrospectivo con muestra de 22 pacientes que se realizaron cateterismo derecho en la sala de hemodinamica del hospital costa del sol en el periodo entre Enero de 2019 a Febrero de 2020 cuyo abordaje venoso se realizo tanto por via periferica o femoral independientemente. Resultados: Se observo que los procedimientos realizados por acceso venoso periferico se reducian los tiempos de hospitalizacion, tiempos de escopia y duracion del procedimiento y consecuentemente reduccion de la dosis de radiacion. Conclusion: Se observo que los cateterismos derechos realizados por acceso venoso periferico presentan beneficios tanto para el paciente como para el desarrollo del procedimiento con respecto al abordaje central, donde enfermeria tiene un papel importante por sus habilidades para la canalizacion del acceso venoso periferico. EnglishIntroduction: Right catheterism is necessary for the diagnosis and evaluation of pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary and mitral valve disease. The venous approach for this procedure can be performed through a central venous line or through the trans-ulnar veins. Peripheral access (anterocubitals) could be a good alternative in order to reduce potential complications, providing benefits to the patient and to the operators of the hemodynamic room due to its easy canalization, due to there duction of intervention times and radiation dose. Objectives: To observe the benefits of performing the right catheterism by peripheral approach with respect to the femoral veins and to enhance the role of nursing in the peripheral approach necessary for catheterism. As well as highlighting the importance of nursing staff in canalization it and subsequent management. Methodology: An retrospective observational study was carried out with a sample of 22 patients who were made right catheterism in the hemodynamic operating room of the Costa del Sol hospital in the period between January 2019 to February 2020 whose venous approach was performed by peripherally and femorally independently. Results: It was observed that the procedures carried out by peripheral venous Access reduced hospitalization times, scopia times and procedure duration, and consequently, reduced radiation dose. Conclusion: The right catheterism performed by peripheral venous Access present benefits for the patient and for the development of the procedure, where nursing has an important role due to its habilities to canalize peripheral venous access.

The purpose of this randomized controlled study was to determine the effect of 3 positions given to preterm infant during heelstick procedure on the pain and durations of crying and procedure. The sample of the study consisted of 90 preterm infants (30 in each group). The heelstick procedure was video recorded. Data from the pain scores, durations of crying, and procedure were collected watching the video recordings. It was determined that the pain mean score of the infants in the control group (supine on the crib) (5.50 ± 2.13) was statistically significantly higher than that of the infants in the positions of upright (3.00 ± 2.17) and supine on the lap (3.20 ± 2.46) (P < .01), and there was no difference between the positions of upright and supine on the lap (P > .05). Giving the positions of upright or supine on the lap during heelstick is effective in reducing pain, shortening the duration of crying, and calming down the infant. Heelstick in the position of upright on the lap shortened the procedure duration and allowed the infants to be subjected to less painful procedure. It is recommended for nurses to take the preterm infants on their laps during heel lancing and give them the upright position, in particular.

The primary aim of this study to comparison of reusable and disposable flexible ureterorenoscope (fURS) efficiency in lower pole renal stone disease management. In addition, the secondary goal of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting stone-free rates (SFR) in lower pole stones. A prospective case–control study utilizing data from 122 consecutive ureteroscopic cases. The patients were divided into two groups according to the ureterorenoscope employed in the surgical intervention as disposable fURS (Group1, n:52) and reusable fURS (Group 2, n:70). Demographic characteristics, stone size, infundibulopelvic angle (IPA), SFR, hospitalization time, intraoperative complication rate (CR), operative time, preoperative or postoperative JJ stenting, and postoperative CR were analyzed. There was no statistical difference between the demographic and renal stone-related data between the groups. Likewise, no difference is observed in term of intraoperative and postoperative outcomes such as fluoroscopy time, CR, and hospitalization time between the groups. Although SFR was higher in the disposable fURS group, there was no difference statistically. However, the operative time was longer in reusable fURS Group (47.02 ± 9.91 min in Group 1, and it was 57.97 ± 14.28 in Group 2) (p: 0.001). The multivariate regression analysis result to evaluate the factors of effect to operative time; the use of disposable fURS was associated with a 10.95-min decrease in procedure duration (p

The transfemoral (TF) approach is the gold-standard access route for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Alternative approaches, among which the transcervical (TC) approach, are needed in some patients. We aimed to compare TC-TAVR with TF-TAVR. All patients who underwent TAVR in our institution between 2016 and 2020, using Edwards SAPIEN family balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves, were retrospectively included. Endpoints included 30-day all-cause mortality, procedural complications (according to the VARC-2 criteria), procedure duration, hospital length of stay (LOS) and echocardiographic outcomes. For 30-day all-cause mortality, we furthermore used a Cox proportional-hazards model to adjust for significant between-group differences in baseline characteristics as well as anesthesia modality. TAVR was performed in 306 patients, using a TF approach (n = 255) or a TC approach (n = 51). TC-TAVR was associated with significantly higher STS scores (4.06 [IQR (interquartile range), 2.05, 5.56] vs. 2.97 [IQR, 2.08, 4.88], p < 0.001) and higher prevalence of peripheral artery disease, history of stroke, previous cardiovascular surgery. 30-day mortality (hazard ratio, 0.87 [0.77, 9.77], p = 0.909) and stroke rates (2.0% vs. 1.6%, p = 0.840) were similar, as well as procedural duration (74.0 [53.0, 99.5] vs. 77.0 [58.0, 98.0] minutes, p = 0.370), LOS (6.0 [IQR, 3.0, 8.0] vs. 6.0 [IQR, 4.0, 9.0] days, p = 0.175) and postprocedural mean transvalvular gradient (10.00 [IQR, 8.00, 13.00] vs. 10.00 [IQR, 8.00, 12.00] mmHg, p = 0.724). Despite a higher cardiovascular disease burden in TC patients, TC-TAVR and TF-TAVR yielded similar outcomes. TC-TAVR may be a safe alternative when TF-TAVR is contraindicated.

Purpose The purpose is to identify the impact of operation time length on complications for patients undergoing operative treatment of distal radius fracture. Methods Patients who underwent operative treatments for distal radius fractures were identified in a national database. Data collected include patient demographic information, comorbidities, and complications. Results Operation time was found to be an independent predictor for return to the operating room. Operation time was not found to be a predictor of other postoperative complications. Conclusion Surgeons should work to shorten procedure duration whenever possible to minimize the risks that longer operative times can have on patient outcomes.

Background. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an era upcoming in medicine and, more recently, in the operating room (OR). Existing literature elaborates mainly on the future possibilities and expectations for AI in surgery. The aim of this study is to systematically provide an overview of the current actual AI applications used to support processes inside the OR. Methods. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and IEEE Xplore were searched using inclusion criteria for relevant articles up to August 25th, 2020. No study types were excluded beforehand. Articles describing current AI applications for surgical purposes inside the OR were reviewed. Results. Nine studies were included. An overview of the researched and described applications of AI in the OR is provided, including procedure duration prediction, gesture recognition, intraoperative cancer detection, intraoperative video analysis, workflow recognition, an endoscopic guidance system, knot-tying, and automatic registration and tracking of the bone in orthopedic surgery. These technologies are compared to their, often non-AI, baseline alternatives. Conclusions. Currently described applications of AI in the OR are limited to date. They may, however, have a promising future in improving surgical precision, reduce manpower, support intraoperative decision-making, and increase surgical safety. Nonetheless, the application and implementation of AI inside the OR still has several challenges to overcome. Clear regulatory, organizational, and clinical conditions are imperative for AI to redeem its promise. Future research on use of AI in the OR should therefore focus on clinical validation of AI applications, the legal and ethical considerations, and on evaluation of implementation trajectory.

Background/Aim: Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) training requires varying degrees of staff assistance regarding operation of the fluoroscopy machine via a foot pedal. Efficiency is important to acquire during this training due to radiation risks. In this study, we evaluate the effect of controlling endoscopy and fluoroscopy unit on duct cannulation rates (CRs) and total fluoroscopy time (FT) for fellows in training.Methods: 204 patients undergoing ERCP were randomized to one of two groups: 1) “Endoscopist Driven” group in which the endoscopist controlled the foot pedal for fluoroscopy, and 2) “Assistant Driven” group in which attending or fellow controlled the foot pedal while the other team member controlled the endoscope. Various measures including selective duct CR and total FT were recorded.Results: There was no significant difference in mean procedure duration between the two groups (32 minutes vs. 33 minutes, p=0.70). There was also no statistically significant difference in CR (83.7% vs. 77.4%, p=0.25) or FT (3.27 minutes vs. 3.54 minutes, p=0.48).Conclusions: ERCP is a technically challenging procedure which requires extensive supervision. This study demonstrates that CR and FT are not affected by who controls the fluoroscopy.

Background Subclavian vein puncture is commonly used in the intensive care unit (ICU) but is associated with complications. Objective Our aim was to compare the efficacy and safety of static ultrasound-guided subclavian vein puncture with traditional anatomical landmark-guided subclavian vein puncture in critically ill patients in the ICU. Methods This pilot randomized controlled trial enrolled patients admitted to the ICU and requiring subclavian vein puncture between November 2017 and September 2018. The patients were randomized to ultrasound-guided puncture or anatomical landmark-guided puncture. The primary outcome measure was the puncture success rate. The secondary outcome measures included the number of punctures, rate of success at the first attempt, puncture time (i.e., procedure duration) and incidence of complications. Results A total of 194 patients were included in the analyses. Compared with the anatomical landmarks group, the ultrasound group had a higher puncture success rate (91.7% vs. 77.6%; p = 0.007), lower rate of complications (7.3% vs. 20.4%; p = 0.008), and lower incidence of mispuncture of an artery (2.1% vs. 14.3%; p = 0.002). There were no significant differences in the number of punctures and puncture time between the two groups (both, p > 0.05). Conclusions Static ultrasound-guided subclavian vein puncture is superior to the traditional landmark-guided approach for critically ill patients in the ICU. It is suggested that static ultrasound-guided puncture techniques should be considered for subclavian vein puncture in the ICU. Trial registration ChiCTR1900024051.

Objective While single-use and detachable-tip duodenoscopes have been recently developed to overcome risks of infection transmission, there are no reliable tools to objectively assess their technical performance. We evaluated the reliability and validity of a newly developed tool to assess the technical performance of reusable duodenoscopes. Methods An assessment tool was developed to measure duodenoscope performance based on three distinct criteria: maneuverability, mechanical/imaging characteristics and ability to perform requisite interventions. The assessment tool was tested prospectively on duodenoscopes used in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures at nine academic medical centers over a 6-month period. The main outcome was reliability of the duodenoscope assessment tool, which was estimated using Cronbach's coefficient alpha (α). The secondary outcome was validity of the assessment tool. Results The assessment tool evaluated technical performance of reusable duodenoscopes in 1080 ERCP procedures. Indications were biliary in 92.8% and pancreatic in 7.2% procedures. The overall Cronbach's coefficient α for maneuverability was 0.81, assessment of mechanical/imaging characteristics was 0.92, and ability to perform requisite interventions was 0.87. On multiple linear regression analysis, prolonged procedure duration, older patient age and pancreatic interventions were significantly positively associated with higher (worse) scores. Conclusions The newly developed assessment tool appears reliable and valid for evaluating the technical performance of duodenoscopes. Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04004533.

Background Hybrid endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is increasingly utilized to overcome the complexity of conventional ESD. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy and safety of hybrid ESD for treatment of colorectal lesions. Methods Search strategies were developed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Pooled proportions were calculated with rates estimated using random effects models. Measured outcomes included en bloc resection, procedure-associated complications, recurrence, and need for surgery. Subgroup analyses were performed to compare effectiveness of conventional versus hybrid ESD. Results 16 studies (751 patients) were included with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) lesion size of 27.96 (10.55) mm. En bloc resection rate was 81.63 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 72.07 – 88.44; I2 = 80.89). Complications, recurrences, and need for surgery occurred in 7.74 % (95 %CI 4.78 – 12.31; I2 = 65.84), 4.52 % (95 %CI 1.40 – 13.65; I2 = 76.81), and 3.64 % (95 %CI 1.76 – 7.37; I2 = 15.52), respectively. Mean procedure duration was 48.83 (22.37) minutes. On subgroup analyses comparing outcomes for conventional (n = 1703) versus hybrid ESD (n = 497), procedure duration was significantly shorter for hybrid ESD (mean difference 18.45 minutes; P = 0.003), with lower complication rates (P = 0.04); however, hybrid ESD had lower en bloc resection rates (P 0.05). Conclusion While hybrid ESD was safe and effective for removal of colorectal lesions, with shorter procedure duration, fewer complications, and no difference in recurrence versus conventional ESD, hybrid ESD was associated with a lower en bloc resection rate.

Background and aim Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is emerging as an effective treatment for achalasia in children. Long-term outcomes of POEM and impact of prior treatment are not known in pediatric population. In this study, we aim to evaluate the long-term efficacy of POEM in children with achalasia. Methods Children (≤ 18 years) with achalasia who underwent POEM and completed at least 36 months of follow-up were included in the study. Long-term clinical success (Eckardt ≤ 3) was evaluated and compared between treatment naive versus prior treated cases. Results A total of 53 children underwent POEM at our center during the study period. Of these, 17 children completed at least 3 years of follow-up and were included in the study. Eight children had prior treatment including pneumatic dilatation (6), Heller's myotomy (1) and both Heller's myotomy and pneumatic dilatation (1). POEM was successfully completed in all the children. Median procedure duration was 95.76 ± 47.98 min (38–240 min.). Long-term clinical success was found in 88.2% children. The mean follow-up was 55.06 ± 10.65 months (range 36–67 months). There was no significant difference in the success rate between treatment naive and prior treatment failure cases. Conclusion POEM is a safe, effective and durable treatment for achalasia in children. Prior treatment does not affect the outcomes of POEM in children. Type of study Retrospective comparative study. Level of evidence III.

Background: Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) is an effective treatment for axillary hyperhidrosis (AH) typically applied by multiple injection punctures. Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of two BoNT-A injection techniques for AH. Methods: Randomized, evaluator-blinded trial, in which each axilla of the same patient received 50 U of incobotulinumtoxin A (IncoA; Xeomin), one injected intradermally using multiple punctures, the other subcutaneously by radial approach. Follow-up visits occurred after 30, 120, 180, and 270 days. Outcomes included procedure duration and pain, gravimetry and starch-iodine tests and safety. Results: Twenty-four patients with severe hyperhidrosis were included; 67% were female and mean age was 34.7 years. Radial injection was faster applied than multiple punctures (P

Review the safety, efficacy and cost of robot-assisted sialolithotomy with sialoendoscopy (RASS) for large submandibular gland hilar sialoliths. Retrospective case series. Patients ≥18 years diagnosed with submandibular hilar sialolithiasis between 1/1/2015 and 7/31/2018 who underwent RASS were identified. Procedure success, post-operative complications, procedure duration, and costs associated with the procedure were reviewed. 33 patients fit inclusion criteria. 94% of patients had successful sialolith removal. Mean sialolith size was 8.9 mm. 15.1% had transient tongue paresthesia. 0% had permanent tongue paresthesia compared to a 2% rate of lingual nerve damage cited in the literature for combined approach sialolithotomy (CAS). The average total cost was $16,921. Insurance paid 100%, 90–99%, 70–89.9%, and 40–69.9% of the expected reimbursement in 43.8%, 18.7%, 18.7% and 12.5% of patients respectively. 6% of patients self-paid. Compared to CAS, the cost of reusable robotic arms and drapes totaled $475, though these costs were included in the standardized operative cost per minute and were not forwarded to the patient. The mean procedure time was 62 minutes. Compared to published mean procedure times for CAS, the reduced operative time may account for a savings of $3332–$6069. RASS is a safe modality for submandibular hilar sialolith removal with a high success rate, low risk for temporary tongue paresthesia, and lower rate of permeant lingual nerve damage compared to CAS. Compared with CAS, RASS may result in a net reduction of operative room costs given its shorter procedure time.

Multi-electrode mapping (MEM) is increasingly applied in ablation of complex atrial arrhythmias. This study aimed to evaluate MEM for analysis and treatment of complex macroreentry atrial tachycardia (MAT).Patients with MAT related to scarring, history of heart surgery or atrial linear ablation were studied. Patients were mapped with conventional activation mapping (CAM) or MEM. After characterizing the mechanism of atrial tachycardia (AT), the ablation was performed.The study consisted of 114 eligible patients, 74 in the CAM and 40 in MEM. Compared with CAM, MEM had a shorter procedure duration (156.7 ± 59.1 ms vs. 127.3 ± 59.3 ms, P = 0.003) and mapping duration (62.6 ± 35.7 ms vs. 30.5 ± 15.3 ms, P 0.001) and more mapping points (1364.9 ± 828.7 points vs. 148.3 ± 79.6 points, P 0.001). There were no significant differences between CAM and MEM in acute ablation success rate, complication, postoperative AADs, and ablation duration. The mean disease-free survival time in CAM versus MEM was 20.8 (95% CI: 17.6-24.1) months versus 26.6 (95% CI: 22.7-30.4) months. The median disease-free survival time in the CAM versus MEM was 20.0 (95% CI: 13.9-26.1) months versus 30.0 (95% CI: 26.7-36.3) months. The AT recurrence risk of MEM was 0.522 times that of CAM (HR 95% CI: 0.282-0.968; P = 0.039).MEM is strongly recommended in ablation of complex MAT.

We occasionally encounter situations which requires retraction of the guiding system or administration of vasodilatory agents for mechanically induced vasospasm (MVS). However, whether MVS is associated with postoperative cerebral infarction has not been reported. To explore factors associated with MVS and to verify how MVS influences procedure outcomes, we reviewed consecutive cases of unruptured aneurysms in the anterior circulation treated with coil embolization between January 2017 and February 2020. Collected data included patients' clinical characteristics, devices, vessel tortuosity, severity of MVS, diameter of the parent vessel, and procedure duration. Significant MVS was defined as a condition necessitating a pause in the procedure. We also counted postoperative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) hyperintense spots (DHS). Parameters associated with MVS and postoperative DHS were investigated by multivariate logistic regression. A total of 103 cases met the eligibility criteria, with significant MVS occurring in 21 cases (20.3%), and postoperative DHS (≥3) confirmed in 30 cases (29.1%). Significant MVS was associated only with larger caliber at the tip of the guiding system compared with the parent vessel (p = 0.001). Postoperative DHS was associated with significant MVS (p = 0.002, OR: 5.313; 95% CI: 1.851–15.254). Significant MVS is a predictor of postoperative cerebral ischemia and occurs in patients with smaller caliber of the parent vessel. In patients with high-risk features for MVS, we should avoid navigating the guiding system forcibly through the narrow parent vessel. In other words, it is crucial to place the large-caliber guiding sheath/catheter proximally and only guide distally the intermediate catheter with better trackability.

Background and study aims Endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) is used to achieve R0 resection in difficult situations and as a way to overcome the limitations of endoscopic submucosal dissection. Multiple techniques have been described but adequate tools are still under evaluation. In this study, we evaluated the safety and feasibility of non-exposed endoscopic full-thickness resection using a novel endoscopic suturing device. Materials and methods Full-thickness resections of gastric predetermined lesions were performed on five pigs using the Endomina platform. After creating virtual lesion > 20 mm, sutures were placed around it using this triangulation platform. After tightening the knots, the bulging lesion, internalized into the gastric lumen, was cut with a needle knife. Results R0 resections of large lesions (42 to 60 mm) were achieved in all cases. One perforation occurred and prompted us to improve the procedure by shortening the sutures for more maneuverability and reinforcing the suture line before section. Procedure duration dropped by 50 % between the first case and the fourth case. Histological analysis confirmed successful full-thickness resection of all resected specimens. Conclusion EFTR using this triangulation platform seems feasible for lesions > 20 mm. Additional possible improvements were identified to simplify the procedure before moving to human trials.

Purpose: To compare three 360°-laser retinopexy (LRP) approaches (using navigated pattern laser system, single-spot slit-lamp (SL) laser delivery and single-spot indirect-ophthalmoscope (IO) laser delivery) in regard to procedure duration, procedural pain score, technical difficulties and the ability to achieve surgical goals. Patients and Methods. Eighty-six rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients (86 eyes) were included in this prospective randomized study. Ten patients were underwent scleral buckling procedure, 37 patients were underwent vitrectomy, 7 patients had a combined procedure, and 32 patients had silicone oil tamponade. The mean procedural time, procedural pain score (using 4-point Verbal Rating Scale), number of laser burns, and achievement of the surgical goals were compared between three groups (pattern LRP (NAVILAS laser system), 36 patients; SL-LRP, 28 patients; and IO-LRP, 22 patients). Results. In the pattern LRP group, the time needed for LRP and pain level (12.4 ± 5.4 min and 1.1 ± 0.5 scores, respectively) were statistically significantly lower, whereas the number of applied laser burns (1108.7 ± 345.5) was higher compared to those in the SL-LRP group (21.7 ± 7.6 min, 1.8 ± 0.5 scores, and 714.5 ± 219.8 burns) and in the IO-LRP group (17.0 ± 10.1 min, 1.9 ± 0.5 scores, and 408.1 ± 95.5 burns). In the pattern LRP, SL-LRP, and IO-LRP groups, surgical goals were fully achieved in 28 (77.8 %), 17 (60.7 %), and 13 patients (59.1 %), respectively (p > 0.05). In the pattern LRP, SL-LRP and IO-LRP groups, the mean duration of follow-up after silicone oil removal was 6.6 ± 3.1 months, 8.1 ± 4.5 months and 7.1 ± 4.1 months, respectively (ANOVA3x, p = 0.35), with re-detachment found in 1 case (8.3 %), 2 cases (18.2 %), and 1 case (11.1 %), respectively. Conclusions. The navigated pattern approach allows improving the treatment time and pain in postoperative 360° LRP. Moreover, 360° pattern LRP is at least as effective in achieving the surgical goal as the conventional (slit-lamp or indirect ophthalmoscope) approaches with a single-spot laser.

A disposable upper gastrointestinal endoscope can effectively decrease infectious outbreaks associated with endoscope reuse. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a disposable endoscope for upper gastrointestinal examination.In a prospective, randomized trial, 144 upper endoscopic procedures were allocated to either the disposable endoscope group or the conventional endoscope group. The primary outcomes were rates of excellent and good image qualities and maneuverability satisfaction. The second outcome included procedure duration, endoscopic diagnosis, and adverse events.A total of 144 subjects were enrolled in the present analysis and prospectively randomized to 2 study groups. Finally, 70 and 69 subjects were enrolled in the novel disposable endoscope group and the conventional endoscope group, respectively, due to the schedule cancellation of 5 subjects. The baseline characteristics of the patients were similar in both groups. The excellent and good image quality rates and maneuverability satisfaction of the novel disposable endoscope were not inferior to the conventional endoscope (p = 0.99 and p = 0.99, respectively). Moreover, no significant between-group difference was observed in the endoscopic results and adverse events (p = 0.30 and p = 1, respectively). However, the procedure duration in the novel disposable endoscope was longer compared with the conventional endoscope (8.40 ± 4.28 minThe novel disposable endoscope was as safe, effective, and maneuverable as a conventional endoscope. However, the novel disposable endoscope was associated with a longer procedure duration.Einweg-Endoskope für den oberen Gastrointestinaltrakt können Infektionsausbrüche, die auf die Wiederverwendung von Endoskopen zurückzuführen sind, wirksam verringern. In der vorliegenden Studie sollte die Durchführbarkeit und Sicherheit von Einweg-Endoskopen bei der Untersuchung des oberen Gastrointestinaltrakts bewertet werden.In einer prospektiven, randomisierten Studie wurden 144 endoskopische Eingriffe des oberen Gastrointestinaltrakts entweder der Einweg-Endoskop-Gruppe oder der konventionellen Endoskop-Gruppe zugewiesen. Die primären Endpunkte waren die Rate der guten Bildqualität sowie die Zufriedenheit mit der Manövrierfähigkeit. Zu den zweiten Endpunkten gehörten die Dauer des Eingriffs, die endoskopische Diagnose und unerwünschte Ereignisse.Insgesamt wurden 144 Probanden in die vorliegende Studie aufgenommen und prospektiv auf zwei Studiengruppen randomisiert. Da fünf Probanden ausfielen, wurden schließlich 70 Probanden in die Einweg-Endoskop-Gruppe und 69 in die konventionelle Endoskop-Gruppe eingeschlossen. Die Patienten beider Gruppen zeigten ähnliche Ausgangscharakteristika. Die Bildqualität und die Zufriedenheit mit der Manövrierfähigkeit des neuartigen Einweg-Endoskops waren nicht schlechter als bei einem konventionellen Endoskop (P=0,99 bzw. P=0,99). Außerdem wurde bei den endoskopischen Ergebnissen und unerwünschten Ereignissen kein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen den Gruppen beobachtet (P=0,30 bzw. P=1). Allerdings dauerte der Eingriff mit dem neuartigen Einweg-Endoskop länger als mit dem konventionellen Endoskop (8,40 ± 4,28 min vs. 5,12 ± 2,65 min, P0,001).Das neuartige Einweg-Endoskop war genauso sicher, effektiv und manövrierfähig wie das konventionelle Endoskop. Allerdings war das neuartige Einweg-Endoskop mit einer längeren Verfahrensdauer verbunden.

The efficacy of flow diversion (FD) in the treatment of paraclinoid aneurysms has been established. The pipeline embolization device (PED) is one of the most commonly used FD devices. Coil embolization is also useful for treating paraclinoid aneurysms. This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of PED treatment and coil embolization for large unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms. This was a single-center, retrospective study of large unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms treated endovascularly between 2009 and 2019 (coil embolization between 2009 and 2015, and PED between 2015 and 2019). Cases with a follow-up period of less than 1 year and recurrence after coil embolization were excluded. The treatment outcomes between coil embolization and PED were compared. We investigated 45 patients with 45 large unruptured paraclinoid aneurysms treated by endovascular surgery in our institution. Twenty-four patients were treated with coil embolization and 21 with PED. In the PED group, the device cost was significantly lower (2,770.4 ± 699.5 vs. 1941.2 ± 552.8 [1000 yen], P = 0.03), procedure duration was significantly shorter (155.4 ± 66.7 vs. 95.1 ± 35.4 min, P

Background: Operating room planning is a complex task as pre-operative estimations of procedure duration have a limited accuracy. This is due to large variations in the course of procedures. Therefore, information about the progress of procedures is essential to adapt the daily operating room schedule accordingly. This information should ideally be objective, automatically retrievable and in real-time. Recordings made during endoscopic surgeries are a potential source of progress information. A trained observer is able to recognize the ongoing surgical phase from watching these videos. The introduction of deep learning techniques brought up opportunities to automatically retrieve information from surgical videos. The aim of this study was to apply state-of-the art deep learning techniques on a new set of endoscopic videos to automatically recognize the progress of a procedure, and to assess the feasibility of the approach in terms of performance, scalability and practical considerations. Methods: A dataset of 33 laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC) and 35 total laparoscopic hysterectomies (TLH) was used. The surgical tools that were used and the ongoing surgical phases were annotated in the recordings. Neural networks were trained on a subset of annotated videos. The automatic recognition of surgical tools and phases was then assessed on another subset. The scalability of the networks was tested and practical considerations were kept up. Results: The performance of the surgical tools and phase recognition reached an average precision and recall between 0.77 and 0.89. The scalability tests showed diverging results. Legal considerations had to be taken into account and a considerable amount of time was needed to annotate the datasets. Conclusion: This study shows the potential of deep learning to automatically recognize information contained in surgical videos. This study also provides insights in the applicability of such a technique to support operating room planning.

BACKGROUND The off-line extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) procedure requires photosensitization in an external cell therapy laboratory as per the French regulatory requirement. This regulation results in higher time and costs compared with the on-line alternative performed entirely at the patient's bedside. Recently, full in situ execution of the off-line procedure has been implemented in the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital Hemobiotherapy Department (Paris, France). This report summarizes the center's experience regarding the organizational and costs impacts of this change compared with the on-line procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS ECP was broken down into stages, and several procedures were monitored prospectively in real-life settings. The total costs associated with both procedures were the sum of the fixed costs and variable costs related to all stages of the procedures, nursing-time costs, property costs, and patient-related production loss costs. RESULTS Eight off-line ECP and fourteen on-line ECP procedures were monitored during five consecutive days. Procedure duration was not different (median 137.5 vs 154.0 minutes, P = .29). Times and costs associated with nursing were higher but offset by lower fixed costs of the off-line ECP. Total direct costs per procedure associated with using the off-line ECP were significantly lower than those of the on-line procedure (459.6 ± 7.1 EUR vs 953.8 ± 6.5 EUR; P = .0002). Similar results were observed when including the costs of patient production loss. CONCLUSIONS As a competitive time procedure, the in situ off-line method proved to be cost-efficient by effectively offering similar patient treatment per year compared with the on-line procedure.

Background Active esophageal cooling is increasingly utilized as an alternative to luminal esophageal temperature (LET) monitoring for protection against thermal injury during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) when treating atrial fibrillation (AF). Published data demonstrate the efficacy of active cooling in reducing thermal injury, but impacts on procedural efficiency are not as well characterized. LET monitoring compels pauses in ablation due to heat stacking and temperature overheating alarms that in turn delay progress of the PVI procedure, whereas active esophageal cooling allows avoidance of this phenomenon. Our objective was to measure the change in PVI procedure duration after implementation of active esophageal cooling as a protective measure against esophageal injury. Methods We performed a retrospective review under IRB approval of patients with AF undergoing PVI between January 2018 and February 2020. For each patient, we recorded age, gender, and total procedure time. We then compared procedure times before and after the implementation of active esophageal cooling as a replacement for LET monitoring. Results A total of 373 patients received PVI over the study period. LET monitoring using a multi-sensor probe was performed in 198 patients, and active esophageal cooling using a dedicated device was performed in 175 patients. Patient characteristics did not significantly differ between groups (mean age of 67 years, and gender 37.4% female). Mean procedure time was 146 ± 51 min in the LET-monitored patients, and 110 ± 39 min in the actively cooled patients, representing a reduction of 36 min, or 24.7% of total procedure time (p p Conclusions Implementation of active esophageal cooling for protection against esophageal injury during PVI was associated with a significantly large reduction in procedure duration.

Background Insulin–glucose therapy in hyperkalaemia treatment has a narrow therapeutic index for a safe and efficient use. We assess the variability of the effective delivered insulin under conditions used in the setting of hyperkalaemia treatment. Methods A range of simulated insulin infusions was studied using different containers (bag or syringes) according to the different hyperkalaemia treatment procedures of our institution. Insulin concentration was assayed using a chromatographic method on an automatic high-performance liquid chromatography. We calculated the effective delivered insulin and compared the time average of percentage delivered insulin (TAdi) between all the procedures. Results The TAdi was significantly decreased to 63.3% of the expected insulin delivery in the polyurethane (PE) bag compared with allover container. The procedure duration and the insulin concentration influenced the variability of the insulin delivery in the PE and glass bag. The polyvinyl chloride bag had the highest TAdi at 93.8%, without significant variation during the time. TAdi reaches ∼90% of the expected insulin with all the syringe procedure without variation according to the solute used to dilute insulin. Conclusions Clinically significant variations in intravenous insulin delivery occur in the setting of hyperkalaemia treatment according to the container. The use of propylene syringe limits the insulin delivery variation. In the future, clinical studies on hyperkalaemia treatment by insulin–glucose therapy should detail the procedure precisely.