Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is an increasingly relevant treatment option for patients with resectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been considered optimal treatment for HCC in cirrhosis, but is challenged by rising organ scarcity. While health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and mental health are well-documented after OLT, little is known about HRQoL in HCC patients after LLR. We identified all HCC patients who underwent LLR at our hospital between 2014 and 2018. HRQoL and mental health were assessed using the Short Form 36 and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, respectively. Outcomes were compared to a historic cohort of HCC patients after OLT. Ninety-eight patients received LLR for HCC. Postoperative morbidity was 25% with 17% minor complications. LLR patients showed similar overall HRQoL and mental health to OLT recipients, except for lower General Health (p = 0.029) and higher anxiety scores (p = 0.010). We conclude that LLR can be safely performed in patients with HCC, with or without liver cirrhosis. The postoperative HRQoL and mental health are comparable to that of OLT recipients in most aspects. LLR should thus always be considered an alternative to OLT, especially in times of organ shortage.

No description available.

No description available.

Yes / Recovering high-quality 3D point clouds from monocular endoscopic images is a challenging task. This paper proposes a novel deep learning-based computational framework for 3D point cloud reconstruction from single monocular endoscopic images. An unsupervised mono-depth learning network is used to generate depth information from monocular images. Given a single mono endoscopic image, the network is capable of depicting a depth map. The depth map is then used to recover a dense 3D point cloud. A generative Endo-AE network based on an auto-encoder is trained to repair defects of the dense point cloud by generating the best representation from the incomplete data. The performance of the proposed framework is evaluated against state-of-the-art learning-based methods. The results are also compared with non-learning based stereo 3D reconstruction algorithms. Our proposed methods outperform both the state-of-the-art learning-based and non-learning based methods for 3D point cloud reconstruction. The Endo-AE model for point cloud completion can generate high-quality, dense 3D endoscopic point clouds from incomplete point clouds with holes. Our framework is able to recover complete 3D point clouds with the missing rate of information up to 60%. Five large medical in-vivo databases of 3D point clouds of real endoscopic scenes have been generated and two synthetic 3D medical datasets are created. We have made these datasets publicly available for researchers free of charge. The proposed computational framework can produce high-quality and dense 3D point clouds from single mono-endoscopy images for augmented reality, virtual reality and other computer-mediated medical applications.

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a non-thermal tissue ablation modality in which electrical pulses are used to generate targeted disruption of cellular membranes. Clinically, IRE is administered by inserting one or more needles within or around a region of interest, then applying a series of short, high amplitude pulsed electric fields (PEFs). The treatment effect is dictated by the local field magnitude, which is quite high near the electrodes but dissipates exponentially. When cells are exposed to fields of sufficient strength, nanoscale "pores" form in the membrane, allowing ions and macromolecules to rapidly travel into and out of the cell. If enough pores are generated for a substantial amount of time, cell homeostasis is disrupted beyond recovery and cells eventually die. Due to this unique non-thermal mechanism, IRE generates targeted cell death without injury to extracellular proteins, preserving tissue integrity. Thus, IRE can be used to treat tumors precariously positioned near major vessels, ducts, and nerves. Since its introduction in the late 2000s, IRE has been used successfully to treat thousands of patients with focal, unresectable malignancies of the pancreas, prostate, liver, and kidney. It has also been used to decellularize tissue and is gaining attention as a cardiac ablation technique. Though IRE opened the door to treating previously inoperable tumors, it is not without limitation. One drawback of IRE is that pulse delivery results in intense muscle contractions, which can be painful for patients and causes electrodes to move during treatment. To prevent contractions in the clinic, patients must undergo general anesthesia and temporary pharmacological paralysis. To alleviate these concerns, high-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) was introduced. H-FIRE improves upon IRE by substituting the long (~100 µs) monopolar pulses with bursts of short (~1 µs) bipolar pulses. These pulse waveforms substantially reduce the extent of muscle excitation and electrochemical effects. Within a burst, each pulse is separated from its neighboring pulses by a short delay, generally between 1 and 5 µs. Since its introduction, H-FIRE burst waveforms have generally been constructed simply by choosing the duration of constitutive pulses within the burst, with little attention given to this delay. This is quite reasonable, as it has been well documented that pulse duration plays a critical role in determining ablation size. In this dissertation, we explore the role of these latent periods within burst waveforms as well as their interaction with other pulse parameters. Our central hypothesis is that tuning the latent periods will allow for improved ablation size with reduced muscle contractions over traditional waveforms. After gaining a simple understanding of how pulse width and delay interact in vitro, we demonstrate theoretically that careful tuning of the delay within (interphase) and between (interpulse) bipolar pulses in a burst can substantially reduce nerve excitation. We then analyze how pulse duration, polarity, and delays affect the lethality of burst waveforms toward determining the most optimal parameters from a clinical perspective. Knowing that even the most ideal waveform will require slightly increased voltages over what is currently used clinically, we compare the clinical efficacy of two engineered thermal mitigation strategies to determine what probe design modifications will be needed to successfully translate H-FIRE to the clinic while maintaining large, non-thermal ablation volumes. Finally, we translate these findings in two studies. First, we demonstrate that burst waveforms with an improved delay structure allow for enhanced safety and larger ablation volumes in vivo. And finally, we examine the efficacy of H-FIRE in spontaneous canine liver tumors while also comparing the ablative effect of H-FIRE in tumor and non-neoplastic tissue in a veterinary clinical setting. / Doctor of Philosophy / Cancer is soon to become the most common cause of death in the United States. In 2023, approximately 2 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed, leading to roughly 650 thousand lost lives. Interestingly, about half of newly diagnosed cancers are caught in the early stages before the disease has spread throughout the body. With effective local intervention, these patients could potentially be cured of their malignancy. Surgical removal of the tumor is the gold standard, but it is often not possible due to tumor location, patient comorbidities, or organ health status. In some instances, focal thermal ablation with radiofrequency or microwave energy can be performed when resection is not possible. These treatments entail the delivery of thermal energy through a needle electrode, which causes local tissue damage through coagulation (cooking) of the tissue. However, thermal ablation destroys tissue indiscriminately, meaning that any nearby blood vessels or neural components will also be damaged, which precludes thousands of patients from treatment each year. Irreversible electroporation (IRE) was introduced to overcome these challenges and provide a treatment option for patients diagnosed with otherwise untreatable tumors. IRE uses pulsed electric fields to generate nanoscale pores in cell membranes, which lead to a homeostatic imbalance and cell death. Because IRE is a membrane-based effect, it does not rely on thermal effects to generate cellular injury, which allows it to be administered to tumors that are adjacent to critical tissue structures such as major nerves and vasculature. Though IRE opened the door to treating otherwise inoperable tumors, procedures are technically challenging and require specialized anesthesia protocols. High-frequency irreversible electroporation (H-FIRE) was introduced by our group roughly a decade ago to simplify the procedure through the use of an alternate pulsing strategy. These higher frequency pulses offer several advantages such as limiting muscle contractions and reducing the risk of cardiac interference, both of which were concerns with IRE. However, H-FIRE ablations have been limited in size, and there is limited knowledge regarding the optimal pulsing strategy needed in order to maximize the ratio of therapeutic benefits to undesirable side effects like muscle stimulation and Joule heating. In this dissertation, we sought to understand how different pulse parameters affect these outcomes. Using a combination of computational, benchtop, and in vivo experiments, we comprehensively characterized the behavior of user-tunable pulse parameters and identified optimal methods for constructing H-FIRE protocols. We then translated our findings in a proof-of-principle study to demonstrate the ability of newly introduced waveform designs to increase ablation size with H-FIRE. Overall, this dissertation improves our understanding of how H-FIRE waveform selection affects clinical outcomes, introduces a new strategy for maximizing therapeutic outcomes with minimal side effects, and provides a framework for selecting parameters for specific applications.

Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht, inwieweit sich minimalinvasive Zugangswege gegenüber der medianen Sternotomie bei isolierten Aortenklappeneingriffen positiv auf die postoperative Schultergelenks- und Schultergürtelmobilität auswirken. Die Beurteilung erfolgt dabei postoperativ primär durch Anwendung des Constant-Murley-Score (CMS). Weiterhin werden der Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Fragebogen (DASH) sowie Untersuchungen von Gelenkbeweglichkeiten und Muskelfunktion (Verlängerbarkeit und Kraft) durchgeführt. Bis dato existiert kein gesondertes Testinstrument zur Beurteilung der funktionellen Einheit Schultergürtel / Schultergelenk in der Herzchirurgie. Existierende Untersuchungen deuten jedoch darauf hin, dass größere, insbesondere herzchirurgische Eingriffe sowohl lokal als auch systemisch Einfluss auf die Funktionalität von Muskulatur haben. Sei es durch direkte Affektion oder aufgrund postoperativer Immobilisation. Für den DASH gibt es ebenfalls bereits veröffentlichte Ergebnisse, die eine Verschlechterung der Funktion der oberen Extremität nach einer Herz-OP zeigen. Bei Betrachtung der Ergebnisse des CMS in dieser Arbeit haben die Patienten nach minimalinvasivem Aortenklappenersatz sowohl rechts (78,9±10,4 minimalinvasiv vs. 60,8±8,6 konventionell, p<0,01) als auch links (80,0±8,0 minimalinvasiv vs. 61,8±5,6 konventionell, p<0,01) eine signifikant bessere Schulterfunktion als nach medianer Sternotomie. Auch die Ergebnisse des DASH zeigen nach minimalinvasiver Operation eine signifikant bessere Funktion der oberen Extremität (40,9±13,6 minimalinvasiv vs. 62,5±22,1 konventionell, p=0,02). Die Beweglichkeitsuntersuchungen lassen bessere postoperative Ergebnisse bei den minimalinvasiv Operierten, insbesondere für nach vorne gerichteten Bewegungen, wie der Protraktion links (20±2,9° minimalinvasiv vs. 13±5,7° konventionell, p<0,01) und der horizontalen Adduktion rechts (115±9,8° minimalinvasiv vs. 103±9,7° konventionell, p=0,03), erkennen. Muskelverlängerbarkeit und -kraft hingegen offenbaren in diesem Setting keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen minimalinvasiver und konventioneller Gruppe. Ein Grund dafür kann unter anderem das lange Untersuchungsintervall postoperativ sein. Aufgrund der kleinen Anzahl eingeschlossener Patienten ist die statistische Aussagekraft dieser Arbeit eingeschränkt. Insgesamt wird jedoch die Annahme unterstützt, dass minimalinvasive Verfahren in der Aortenklappenchirurgie eine bessere Funktion der Schulter postoperativ ermöglichen, als dies durch die mediane Sternotomie der Fall ist. Diese bessere Funktion lässt sich durch etablierte Instrumente wie den Constant-Murley-Score sowie den DASH-Fragebogen darstellen.

Introduction: During laparoscopic surgery, surgeons may experience prolonged periods without fluid intake, which might impact surgical performance, yet there are no objective data investigating this issue. Therefore, the aim of this study was to elucidate the effect of prolonged dehydration on laparoscopic surgical performance and tissue handling. - Methods: A total of 51 laparoscopic novices participated in a single-center, open-label, prospective randomized cross-over trial. All participants were trained to proficiency using a standardized laparoscopic training curriculum. Afterward, all participants performed four different laparoscopic tasks twice, once after 6 h without liquid intake (dehydrated group) and once without any restrictions (control group). Primary endpoints were tissue handling defined by force exertion, task time, and error rate. The real hydration status was assessed by biological parameters, like heart rate, blood pressure, and blood gas analysis. - Results: 51 laparoscopic novices finished the curriculum and completed the tasks under both hydrated and dehydrated conditions. There were no significant differences in mean non-zero and peak force between the groups. However, dehydrated participants showed significantly slower task times in the Peg transfer task (hydrated: 139.2 s vs. dehydrated: 147.9 s, p = 0.034) and more errors regarding the precision in the laparoscopic suture and knot task (hydrated: 15.7% accuracy rate vs. dehydrated: 41.2% accuracy rate, p < 0.001). - Conclusion: Prolonged periods of dehydration do not appear to have a substantial effect on the fundamental tissue handling skills in terms of force exertion among surgical novices. Nevertheless, the observed impact on speed and precision warrants attention.

Tesis por compendio / [ES] La ablación por radiofrecuencia (RF) se ha convertido en una técnica ablativa importante, ampliamente utilizada en el área de las terapias mínimamente invasivas de la medicina moderna. El avance en el campo de las tecnologías basadas en RF a lo largo de los años ha llevado a un número creciente de aplicaciones en diferentes áreas terapéuticas tales como arritmias cardíacas, epilepsia, oncología, resección asistida, apnea, dolor o cirugía estética. Sin embargo, existe una constante necesidad de desarrollar estudios computacionales y experimentales para mejorar el rendimiento de estas técnicas. El enfoque principal de esta tesis doctoral está centrado en examinar los efectos térmicos y eléctricos de ablación por radiofrecuencia de tejidos para mejorar la eficacia y la seguridad de las terapias y dispositivos basados en energía de radiofrecuencia. Las dos áreas principales de interés han sido el tratamiento del dolor y la cirugía hepática oncológica, que se han organizado en tres estudios independientes. La metodología de los estudios se ha basado en modelos computacionales y estudios experimentales sobre phantom de agar, modelos ex vivo e in vivo y ensayos clínicos. El estudio focalizado en el tratamiento del dolor ha incluido el análisis de los efectos eléctricos y térmicos del tratamiento con radiofrecuencia pulsada (PRF) y el riesgo relacionado con el daño térmico al tejido. Se han estudiado diferentes protocolos pulsados empleados en la práctica clínica utilizando modelos computacionales. La exactitud del modelo se ha validado mediante un modelo en phantom de agar. Se han propuesto también modelos computacionales adicionales para los protocolos pulsados alternativos en los cuales se reduciría el efecto térmico sin afectar al efecto eléctrico. En el estudio se ha discutido también el concepto de electroporación leve como el resultado de PRF. En el área de la cirugía hepática oncológica se han analizado dos técnicas diferentes. El primer estudio se ha centrado en examinar la hidratación del tejido durante la ablación por RF con un nuevo electrodo ICW. El nuevo diseño ha incluido dos agujas de perfusión expandibles integradas en el catéter. El objetivo principal ha sido mejorar la precisión del modelo computacional de ablación por RF de tumor utilizando una geometría realista de la distribución de solución salina en el tejido y evaluar el rendimiento del catéter de RF. Se han modelado diferentes casos de tumor infundido con solución salina y los resultados simulados se han comparado con los datos clínicos de un ensayo en 17 pacientes con cáncer hepático. Con el fin de obtener una distribución espacial realista de la solución salina infundida, se ha empleado un estudio in vivo sobre el modelo de hígado de cerdo. El segundo estudio se ha centrado en el desarrollo de una nueva técnica de sellado endoluminal basada en catéter, como una alternativa más efectiva para el manejo del remanente pancreático. El método ha consistido en una ablación por radiofrecuencia guiada por impedancia con la técnica de pullback. El ajuste del tipo de catéter de RF y del protocolo de ablación se ha realizado mediante modelos porcinos ex vivo. Posteriormente, la efectividad del sellado se ha evaluado sobre un modelo de cerdo in vivo. / [CA] L'ablació per radiofreqüència (RF) s'ha convertit en una tècnica ablativa important, àmpliament utilitzada en l'àrea de les teràpies mínimament invasives de la medicina moderna. L'avanç en el camp de les tecnologies basades en RF al llarg dels anys ha portat a un número creixent d'aplicacions en diferents àrees terapèutiques com ara arítmies cardíaques, epilèpsia, oncologia, resecció assistida, apnea, dolor o cirurgia estètica. No obstant això, hi ha una constant necessitat de desenvolupar estudis computacionals i experimentals per a millorar el rendiment d'aquestes tècniques. Aquesta tesi doctoral ha estat centrada en examinar els efectes tèrmics i elèctrics de l'ablació per radiofreqüència de teixits per tal de millorar l'eficàcia i la seguretat de les teràpies i dispositius basats en energia de radiofreqüència. Dos àrees principals són el tractament del dolor i la cirurgia hepàtica. Aquestos han sigut organitzats en tres estudis independents. La metodologia dels estudis ha estat basada en models computacionals i experimentals sobre phantom d'agar, models ex vivo i in vivo i assajos clínics. L'estudi enfocat en el tractament del dolor ha inclòs l'anàlisi dels efectes elèctrics i tèrmics del tractament amb radiofreqüència polsada (PRF) i el risc relacionat amb el dany tèrmic al teixit. S'han estudiat diferents protocols polsats emprats en la pràctica clínica utilitzant models computacionals. L'exactitud del model ha estat validada per mitjà d'un model de phantom d'agar. S'han proposat també models computacionals addicionals per a protocols polsats alternatius en els quals es reduiria l'efecte tèrmic sense afectar l'efecte elèctric. En aquest estudi s'ha discutit també el concepte d'electroporació lleu com el resultat de PRF. A l'àrea de la cirugía hepàtica han sigut analitzades dos tècniques diferents. El primer estudi s'ha centrat en la hidratació del teixit durant l'ablació per RF amb un nou elèctrode ICW. El nou disseny ha inclòs dos agulles de perfusió expandibles integrades en el catèter. L' objetiu principal ha sigut millorar la precisió del model computacional d' ablació de tumors per RF utilitzant una geometria realista per a la distribució de sèrum salií en el teixit i evaluar el rendiment del catèter de RF. S'han modelat diferents casos de tumor infundit amb sèrum salí i els resultats simulats han sigut comparats amb les dades clíniques d'un assaig dut a terme sobre 17 pacients amb càncer hepàtic. Amb l'objetiu d'obtenir una distribució espacial realista del sèrum salí injectat, s'ha du a terme un estudi in vivo basat en un model de fetge de porc. El segon estudi s'ha centrat en el desenvolupament d'una nova tècnica de tancament endoluminal bassat en catèter, com una alternativa més efectiva per a gestionar el romanent pancreàtic. El mètode ha consistit en una ablació per radiofreqüència guiada per impedància amb la tècnica de pullback. L'ajust del tipus de catèter de RF i del protocol d'ablació ha sigut realitzat per mitjà de models porcins ex vivo. Posteriorment, l'efectivitat del tancament ha sigut avaluada sobre un model de porc in vivo. / [EN] Radiofrequency (RF) ablation has become an important ablative technique widely used in the area of minimally invasive therapies of the modern medicine. The advancement in the field of RF-based technologies over the years has led to a growing number of applications in different therapeutic areas such as cardiac arrhythmias, epilepsy, oncology, assisted resection, apnea, pain or aesthetic surgery. There is, however, a constant need for the development of computer and experimental studies, which would enhance the performance and safety of these techniques. The main focus of this PhD Thesis was on examining the thermal and electrical phenomena behind tissue radiofrequency ablation in order to improve the efficacy and safety of the RF-based therapies and applicators. Two main areas of interest were pain management and oncology, which were organized into three independent studies. The research methodology was based on computer modeling and experimental studies on phantoms, ex vivo and in vivo models, and clinical trials. The research on pain management involved the analysis of electrical and thermal effects of the pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment and the related risk of tissue thermal damage. Different pulse protocols used in clinical practice were studied using computer modeling and the study accuracy was validated by means of agar phantom model. Additional computer models for alternative pulse protocols were also proposed, in which thermal effect would be reduced but the electrical effect would remain unchanged. The study also discussed the concept of a mild electroporation from PRF. In the area of oncology, two different techniques were analyzed. First study focused on examining tissue hydration technique during RF ablation with a novel internally cooled wet (ICW) electrode. The new design involved two expandable perfusion needles built into the catheter. The main aim was to improve the accuracy of computer model of tumor RF ablation using a realistic geometry of saline distribution in tissue, and to assess the performance of the RF catheter. Different cases of saline-infused tumor were modeled and the simulated results were compared with the clinical data from a trial on 17 hepatic cancer patients. An in vivo study on pig liver model was used to obtain a realistic spatial distribution of the infused saline. The second study focused on the development of a new catheter-based endoluminal sealing technique as more effective alternative for management of the pancreatic stump. The method consisted of the impedance-guided radiofrequency ablation with pullback. Fine-tuning involving RF catheter type and ablation protocol was performed using ex vivo porcine models, and posteriorly, sealing effectiveness was assessed on an in vivo pig model. / The completion of this work would have not been possible without the financial support of the Spanish Ministerio de Economía, Industría y Competitividad that provided funding for the development of this research project, my Predoctoral scholarship, and also Travel Grant for the research stay in The Wellman Center for Photomedicine / Ewertowska, E. (2019). Computer modeling and experimentation in radiofrequiency-based minimally invasive therapies [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/134057 / Compendio

<p>Uvod: Hirur&scaron;ko lečenje nodozne bolesti &scaron;titaste žlezde predstavlja jednu od najče&scaron;će izvođenih operacija u endokrinoj hirurgiji. Pored klasičnih hirur&scaron;kih metoda, poslednjih godina su se pojavile različite tehnike minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije kao rezultat sveukupnog trenda razvoja minimalno invazivnih hirur&scaron;kih tehnika. Kliničke indikacije i prednosti izvođenja minimalno invazivne video-asistirane tiroidektomije (MIVAT) u odnosu na klasičnu hirur&scaron;ku tehniku u lečenju nodozne bolesti &scaron;titaste žlezde su i dalje nedovoljno definisane i u fokusu su savremenih istraživanja. Cilj istraživanja je procena učestalosti komplikacija (intraoperativno i postoperativno krvarenje, pareza i paraliza laringealnog živca, hipoparatireoidizam) tokom i nakon minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije u nodoznim benignim oboljenjima &scaron;titaste žlezde uz poređenje sa klasičnom tireoidektomijom, da se ispita intenzitet postoperativnog bola, merenjem pomoću vizuelno analogne skale tokom sedam postoperativnih dana, nakon minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije u nodoznim benignim oboljenjima &scaron;titaste žlezde uz poređenje sa klasičnom tireoidektomijom, kao i da se ispita dužina bolničkog boravka nakon minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije u nodoznim benignim oboljenjima &scaron;titaste žlezde uz poređenje sa klasičnom tireoidektomijom. Metodologija: Ispitivanje je sprovedeno kao prospektivna, kontrolisana randomizirana studija, u trajanju od novembra 2014. do aprila 2016. godine i obuhvatila je analizu 100 pacijenata operisanih na Klinici za grudnu hirurgiju Instituta za plućne bolesti Vojvodine zbog nodozne bolesti &scaron;titaste žlezde. Svi ispitanici su podeljeni u dve osnovne grupe u odnosu na operativnu tehniku: klasična metoda (KM) i minimalno invazivna videoasistirana metoda (MIVAM). Faze u toku ispitivanja su obuhvatile: analizu podataka o preoperativnim morfo-funkcionalnim dijagnostičkim testovima za nodoznu bolest &scaron;titaste žlezde (karakteristike ultrazvučnog nalaza nodozne promene i vrednosti volumena izmenjenog režnja &scaron;titaste žlezde), nalaz citolo&scaron;kog pregleda punktata tiroidnog nodusa dobijenog tankom iglom, laboratorijski pokazatelji poremećaja &scaron;titaste žlezde u cilju definisanja funkcionog stanja, odnosno postojanja autoimunog oboljenja &scaron;titaste žlezde; analizu perioperativnih karakteristika hirur&scaron;kih metoda [dužina incizije (cm), operativno vreme (min), težina odstranjenog patoanatomskog supstrata (gr), intraoperativni gubitak krvi (ml)], analiza ranih postoperativnih komplikacija (krvarenje i hematom, povreda donjeg rekurentnog laringealnog živca (nalaz direktne laringoskopije na kraju operacije), hipokalcemija, kolaps traheje, edem larinksa, serom, infekcija, dehiscencija], analiza nehirur&scaron;kih komplikacija, dužina hospitalizacije u danima, intenzitet i dužina trajanja postoperativnih bolova [(upotreba vizuelno analogne skale (VAS) bola 1, 2 i 7 postoperativnog dana)], kasne postoperativne komplikacije (6 meseci nakon operacije), stepen zadovoljstva esteskim rezultatom (anketa sprovedena na kontrolnom pregledu 6 meseci nakon operacije-kozmetski skor). Rezultati: U periodu izvođenja studije od novembra 2014. do aprila 2016. godine, nakon primene kriterijuma za uključivanje/isključivanje iz studije od 175 preostalo je 102 ispitanika, zbog patohistolo&scaron;kog nalaza maligniteta ex tempore biopsije kod jednog pacijenta, a kao i zbog intraoperativno uočenih izraženih adhezivnih promena kod jednog pacijenta urađena je konverzija, odnosno promena operativne tehnike minimalno invazivne u klasičnu metodu. U statističku obradu je uključeno ukupno 100 ispitanika podeljenih u dve grupe: grupu I bolesnika - KM (n = 50) i grupu II bolesnika - MIVAM (n = 50). U ispitivanje je ukupno uključeno 78 žena i 22 mu&scaron;karca. U odnosu na polnu strukturu u ispitivanim grupama nije uočena postojanje statistički značajne zastupljenosti u zastupljenosti mu&scaron;kog (p = 0,18), odnosno ženskog pola (p = 0,59). Takođe, uočeno je da među grupama ispitanika ne postoji statistički značajna razlika po godinama života (p = 0,16). Nije bilo statistički značajne razlike između ispitivanih grupa u odnosu na vrstu oboljenja &scaron;titaste žlezde i funkcioni status, kao ni u odnosu na ultrazvučne karakteristike solitarnog (dominantnog) nodusa kod ispitanika (veličine nodusa, ehogenost nodusa, ivica nodusa, kalcifikacija, vaskularizacije), u odnosu na citolo&scaron;ku dijagnozu aspirata uboda tankom iglom (benigni, neodgovarajući, sumnjivi), te u odnosu na volemn izmenjenog režnja. Analizom perioperativnih pokazatelja hirur&scaron;kih metoda u grupi MIVAM je utvrđena statički značajno manja dužina incije u odnosu na KM grupu (2,0 &plusmn; 0,5 cm vs. 7 &plusmn; 1,9 cm, p = 0,00), dok se težina patoanatomskog supstata (18,3 &plusmn; 6,4 vs. 19,6 &plusmn; 5,2 gr, p = 0,21), operativno vreme za izvođenje lobektomije (54 &plusmn; 14 vs. 61 &plusmn; 16 min, p = 0,25), odnosno operativno vreme za izvođenje tireoidektomije (72 &plusmn; 27 vs. 85 &plusmn; 24 min, p = 0,36) nisu statitički značajno razlikovali između ispitivanih grupa. U grupi MIVAM, rane postoperativne komplikacije (krvarenje, povreda donjeg rekurentnog laringealnog živca I hipokalcemija) su se javile kod 8% (4/50), a u KM grupi kod je 10% (5/50), &scaron;to nije bilo statistički značajno (p = 0,72). U odnosu na kasne postoperativne komplikacije, samo je kod jednog pacijenta iz MIVAM grupe registrovano postojanje keloida, dok se (trajni hipoparatiroidizam, recidivantni hipertiroidizam, reakcija na strano telo) nije zabeleženo. Nije uočena statistički značajna razlika (p &gt; 0,005 za sve) u zastupljenosti vrste nalaza patohistolo&scaron;kog pregleda odstranjenog supstrata (koloidna struma, folikularni adenoma, cista, papilarni karcinom i Hashimoto tiroiditis). Pacijenti iz MIVAM grupe statistički značajno imaju manji prosečan intenzitet bola po VAS skali u vremenskim intervalima nakon operacije 6h, 24h i 48 h (p &lt; 0,05, za sve). Ukupni kozmetski skor je bio statistički značajno vi&scaron;i u MIVAM grupi u odnosu na KM grupu (18,9 &plusmn; 1,4 vs. 15,8 &plusmn; 1,3, p = 0,00). Zaključci:Učestalost ranih postoperativnih komplikacija (intraoperativno i postoperativno krvarenje, pareza i paraliza laringealnog živca, hipokalcemija) je bez signifikantne razlike, praktično podjedanaka kod pacijenata operisanih minimalno invazivnom metodom u komparaciji sa klasičnom metodom. Prosečna dužina trajanja minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije i klasične tireoidektomije je bez signifikatne razlike, &scaron;to može govoriti o odgovarajućem nivou hirur&scaron;ke tehnike koji omogućava prednosti minimalne invazivnosti kao hirur&scaron;kog principa. Dužina hospitalizacije nakon minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije je značajno kraća u odnosu na klasičnu tireoidektomiju, &scaron;to značajno doprinosi sveukupnom oporavku pacijenta, a na taj način i tro&scaron;kovi lečenja se umanjuju.Primena minimalno invazivne tireoidektomije u odnosu na klasičnu tireoidektomiju, dovodi do smanjenja subjektivnog osećaja postoperativnog bola, u toku hospitalizacije (6 i 24 h), kao i sedam dana nakon intervencije. Kozmetski skor, kao pokazatelj zadovoljstva pacijenta sa izgledom ožiljka je statistički značano vi&scaron;i kod pacijenata koji su operisani minimalno invazivnom hirur&scaron;kom tehnikom u odnosu na pacijente koji su operisani klasičnom metodom, &scaron;to je u odnosu na predominantnu zastupljenost ženskog pola u ispitivanim grupama od posebnog značaja pri odabiru terapijskog tretmana. Prema rezultatima studije, nameće se opravdanost i potreba uvođenja minimalno invazivne tiroidektomije u standardnu kliničku praksu kao metode hirur&scaron;kog lečenja nodozne bolesti &scaron;titaste žlezde kod pacijenata sa urednim funkcionim statusom &scaron;titaste žlezde, kod kojih je veličina solitarnog/dominantnog nodusa do 35 mm.</p> / <p>INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment of nodular thyroid disease is one of the most commonly performed procedures in endocrine surgery. In addition to traditional surgical methods, different techniques of minimally invasive thyreoid surgery have been developed. Clinical indications for the surgical treatment of nodular thyroid disease with minimally invasive video-assisted surgical technique are still insufficiently defined. The aim of the study was to estimate the incidence of complications (intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, paresis and paralysis of the laryngeal nerve, hypoparathyroidism) during and after minimally invasive thyroidectomy in benign nodular thyroid disease with a comparison with conventional thyroidectomy, to examine the intensity of postoperative pain, measured by a visual analog scale for seven postoperative days after surgery, as well as to examine the length of hospitalisation after minimally invasive thyroidectomy with a comparison with conventional thyroidectomy. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted as a prospective, randomized controlled studies, from November 2014 to April 2016 and included the analysis of 100 patients operated at the Clinic for Thoracic Surgery, Institute for Pulmonary Diseases due to nodular thyroid disease. All subjects were divided into two basic groups according to the surgical technique: classical method (KM) and minimally invasive video-assisted method (MIVAM). Stages during the study included: analysis of data on preoperative morpho-functional diagnostic tests for thyroid disease (characteristic ultrasound findings, nodule caracteristics, volume of exchanged thyroid gland lobe), cytologic examination of aspirates of thyroid nodules obtained by fine needle, laboratory indicators of thyroid disorders gland in order to define the functional status and the presence of autoimmune thyroid disease; analysis of perioperative characteristics of surgical methods [incision length (cm), operative time (min), weight of removed pathoanatomic substrate (gr), intraoperative blood loss (ml)], the analysis of early postoperative complications (bleeding and hematoma, injury to lower recurrent laryngeal nerve (finding direct laryngoscopy at the end of the operation), hypocalcemia, the collapse of the trachea, laryngeal edema, seroma, infection, dehiscence] analysis nonsurgical complications, length of hospitalisation in hours, the intensity and duration of postoperative pain [(use of the visual analog scale (VAS) pain 1, 2 and 7 postoperative days)], late postoperative complications (6 months after surgery), the level of aesthetic satisfaction score (on control examination 6 months after surgery-cosmetic score). RESULTS: In the period of the study from November 2014 to April 2016, from 175 patients with nodular thyreoid disease 102 was observed after application of the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Since in the further analysis two patients was exluded (due to histological findings of malignancy ex tempore biopsy in one patient, and because of a perceived intraoperatively expressed adhesive changes in one patient underwent conversion) in statistical analysis patients were devided into two groups: group I patients - KM (n = 50) and group II patients - MIVAM (n = 50). The study included a total of 78 women and 22 men, it was observed that between the groups there was no statistically significant difference according to age (p = 0,16). There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of the type of thyroid gland function and functional status, as well as in relation to the ultrasonographic characteristics of solitary (dominant) nodule in the subjects (the size of nodules, echogenicity nodes, the edge nodes, calcification, vascularization), the cytological diagnosis of fine needle aspiration puncture (benign, inappropriate, suspicious) and with respect to the lobe volume. The analysis of indicators of perioperative surgical methods in the group MIVAM was significantly smaller length compared to KM group (2,0 &plusmn; 0,5 cm vs. 7 &plusmn; 1,9 cm, p = 0,00), until the weight of pathoanatomic supstrate (18,3 6 &plusmn; 4 vs. 19 &plusmn; 6 5 2 g, p = 0,21), the operating time for performing a lobectomy (54 &plusmn; 14 vs. 61 &plusmn; 16 min, p = 0,25) or operative time to perform the surgery (72 &plusmn; 27 vs. 85 &plusmn; 24 min, p = 0,36) were not significantly different between the groups. The group MIVAM, early postoperative complications (bleeding, injury to the lower recurrent laryngeal nerve and hypocalcemia) occurred in 8% (4/50), and KM group in 10% (5/50), which was not statistically significant (p = 0,72). Compared to late postoperative complications, only one patient from group MIVAM registered the existence of keloids, while (permanent hypoparathyroidism, recurrent hyperthyroidism, a reaction to a foreign body) was not recorded. There was no statistically significant difference (p &gt; 0,005 for all) in the presence of histological types of findings review the removed substrate (colloid goiter, follicular adenoma, cysts, papillary carcinoma and Hashimoto&#39;s thyroiditis). Patients in MIVAM groups have significantly lower average pain intensity by VAS scale at intervals after surgery 6h, 24h and 48 h (p &lt; 0,05, for all). Total cosmetic score was significantly higher in MIVAM group compared to the KM group (18,9 &plusmn; 1,4 vs. 15,8 &plusmn; 1,3, p = 0,00). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of early postoperative complications (intraoperative and postoperative bleeding, paresis and paralysis of the laryngeal nerve, hypocalcemia) were without significant differences between patients operated with minimally invasive method in comparison to the classical method. The average duration of minimally invasive thyroidectomy and classical thyroidectomy were without statistical significance difference, suggesting the appropriate level of surgical technique that enables the advantages of minimal invasiveness as surgical principles. Length of hospitalization after minimally invasive thyroidectomy was significantly shorter compared to conventional thyroidectomy, which significantly contributes to the overall recovery of the patient, lowering the cost of treatment. Minimally invasive thyroidectomy compared to conventional thyroidectomy, decreases the subjective feeling of postoperative pain, during hospitalization (6 and 24 h), as well as seven days after the intervention. In one-fifth of patients who underwent minimally invasive surgery method in the postoperative course of the subjective sensation of pain was not recorded. Cosmetic score as an indicator of patient satisfaction with the appearance of the scar was statistically higher in patients who underwent surgery less invasive surgical technique compared to patients who were operated by the classical method. According to the study, minimally invasive thyroidectomy has been demonstrated to be safe and superior to conventional open techniques for surgical treatment of nodular thyroid disease in patients with normal thyroid function with solitary/dominant nodule size &lt; 35 mm.</p>

INTRODUÇÃO: A prevalência da fibrilação atrial, os gastos com o sistema de saúde e a elevada morbidade e mortalidade associados a ela, têm justificado a procura por um melhor entendimento de suas bases fisiopatológicas e por novas abordagens terapêuticas. O objetivo deste manuscrito é avaliar a exeqüibilidade, a segurança e os resultados em três meses da cirurgia vídeo-assistida para a ablação da fibrilação atrial com radiofreqüência bipolar. MÉTODOS: Dez pacientes (90% homens) com fibrilação atrial sintomática e refratária à terapia medicamentosa foram submetidos ao procedimento cirúrgico proposto no Instituto Nacional de Cardiologia, Rio de Janeiro, no período de Maio 2007 a Maio de 2008. Foram analisadas variáveis de peri e pós-operatório. Além da avaliação clínica dos sintomas, todos os pacientes foram submetidos a um ecocardiograma e Holter de 24horas antes e três meses após a cirurgia. Realizou-se também uma angiotomografia de veias pulmonares no terceiro mês de seguimento pós-operatório. RESULTADOS: O procedimento foi realizado conforme planejado em todos os pacientes. Cem por cento das veias pulmonares direitas e 90% das esquerdas tiveram o isolamento elétrico confirmado. Não houve lesão iatrogênica de estruturas intra-torácicas ou óbitos. Dois pacientes apresentaram pneumonia pós-operatória e longo tempo de permanência hospitalar no início da experiência clínica. Nove dos dez pacientes saíram do centro cirúrgico em ritmo sinusal. Houve uma recorrência da fibrilação atrial em três meses (11,1%). No total, 80% dos pacientes estão livres de fibrilação atrial em três meses. Houve melhora significativa da função diastólica avaliada ecocardiograficamente pela relação E/E após a cirurgia (9,0 ± 2,23 para 7,7 ± 1,07; p=0,042) que se associa a uma melhora dos sintomas de insuficiência cardíaca classe funcional da New York Heart Association (2,4 ± 0,5 para 1,6 ± 0,7; p=0,011). Não houve evidência de estenose de veias pulmonares à angiotomografia nesta série. CONCLUSÃO: A cirurgia torácica vídeo-assistida para o tratamento da fibrilação atrial é exeqüível e segura mas a incorporação desta nova técnica à prática clínica requer uma curva de aprendizado da equipe envolvida. A melhora dos sintomas de insuficiência cardíaca está relacionada à melhora da função diastólica do ventrículo esquerdo / BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation prevalence, its health system cost and the high morbidity and mortality associated with it have justified the search for a better understanding of its pathophysiology and new therapeutic management. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility, the safety and the three months results of the video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the ablation of atrial fibrillation using bipolar radiofrequency. METHODS: Ten patients (90% male) with symptomatic and refractory atrial fibrillation underwent the proposed surgical procedure at the National Institute of Cardiology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from May 2007 to May 2008. Peri and post-operative data were collected for analysis. Besides clinical evaluation, all patients have been submitted to an echocardiogram and a 24h Holter monitoring before and three months after the procedure. A pulmonary veins angiotomography was also performed three months after surgery. RESULTS: The surgical procedure was done as planned in all patients and 100% of the right pulmonary veins were isolated. Ninety per cent of the left pulmonary veins were confirmed to be electrically isolated. There was no surgical injury to any intra thoracic organ or death in this series. Two patients had post-operative pneumonia that required prolonged in hospital stay early in the experience. Nine of ten patients were in sinus rhythm just after surgery. There was one recurrence of atrial fibrillation within the three months follow up (11,1%). In general, eighty per cent (80%) of the patients are free of atrial fibrillation three months after surgery. There was a significant improvement in diastolic function measured by the relation E/E on the echocardiogram before and after the procedure (9,0 ± 2,23 to 7,7 ± 1,07; p=0,042). This was associated to an improvement of heart failure symptoms of New York Heart Association (2,4 ± 0,5 to 1,6 ± 0,7; p=0,011). There was no pulmonary vein stenosis in this cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for the treatment of atrial fibrillation is feasible and safe although it requires a learning curve to incorporate this new technique to clinical practice. The improvement on heart failure symptoms is associated to an improvement on diastolic left ventricular function