Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of simultaneous endoscopic bilateral placement of selfexpandable metal biliary stents in malignant hilar biliary obstruction． MethodFrom May 2007 to December 2010, a total of 24 patients with hilar malignancy of Bismuth type Ⅱ to Ⅳ underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and bilateral metal stent placement. Technical success rate, functional success rate, ERCP related complications, stents’ patency time, and patient’ survival time were recorded and reviewed． Results Twentyone of 24 patients were followedup for average 39 months. Technical success rate was 100%, the average operation time was （36.2±13.9） min, the functional success rate was 95.45%. Mild cholangitis occurred in 2 cases and there was no ERCP related pancreatitis, bleeding, perforation, and death. Stents dysfunction occurred in 7 within followup period. Amonge them, plastic stents were inserted through the metallic stents in 4 cases, PTCD was required in 1 case, and conservative therapy was given in the other 2 cases. The median stent’ patency time and median patient’ survival time were 253 d (95% CI: 199.79-306.21) and 229 (95% CI : 154.53-303.47）, respectively, with no significant differences between Bismuth classification types. ConclusionEndoscopic simultaneous bilateral biliary metal stent placement is technically feasible, safe, and effective to malignant hilar obstruction.
Objective To compare the therapeutic effects between endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach and modified Miccoli thyroidectomy. Methods Sixty patients with thyroid goiter were performed endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach (endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach group, n=30) and modified Miccoli thyroidectomy (modified Miccoli group, n=30) respectively. The operative time, the drainage volume, cosmetic benefit, the postoperative hospitalization time, the expenses of hospitalization and postoperative complications of two groups were compared. Results The operative time and the drainage volume after operation of endoscopic thyoidectomy by anterior chest approach group were significantly more than modified Miccoli group 〔(99.9±23.4) min vs. (74.0±29.6) min; (68.6±8.7) ml vs. (40.9±6.1) ml, respectively〕, Plt;0.05. The cosmetic benefit score of endoscopic thyoidectomy by anterior chest approach group was higher than that of modified Miccoli group 〔(4.7±0.2) points vs. (3.7±0.1) points〕, Plt;0.05. The postoperative hospitalization time and expenses of hospitalization were no significant differences between the two groups 〔(6.5±1.7) d vs. (5.5±0.9) d; (9 328.3±1 107.1) yuan vs. (8 568.2±1 032.3) yuan, respectively〕, Pgt;0.05. One case had transient hoarseness in 2 groups respectively, no other complications happened. Conclusions Modified Miccoli operation is both minimally invasive and cosmetic, but endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach has better cosmetic benefit, which can release patients’ psychological trauma. The patients with specific cosmetic demand may choose endoscopic thyroidectomy by anterior chest approach.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical experiences and treatment effectiveness of chronic venous insufficiency with venous ulcer in lower limb. MethodsSeventy-eight patients (88 limbs) suffering lower limb chronic venous insufficiency with venous ulcer from May 2004 to April 2011 in this hospital were analyzed retrospectively. All the patients had undergone high ligation for great saphenous vein plus endovenous laser treatment plus subfascial endoscopic perforator vein surgery (SEPS). ResultsPostoperative complications included 3 cases of subfascial haematoma; 2 cases of pneumohypoderma; 3 cases of numbness in anterior tibial and ankle areas. All the ulcers healed between 4 to 6 weeks. Follow up period was between 6 months to 5 years. There was only one recurrence due to residual varicose from ankle area. The mean operation time was 20 min (15－30 min) in SEPS, the average blood loss was 2 ml (1－5 ml), and the mean duration of postoperative hospitalization was 5 d (2－8 d). ConclusionsSEPS is a first treatment choice for CVI with venous ulcer. It has less invasiveness, lower chances for bleeding, shorter operation time, quicker recovery, and fewer complications.
Objective To invest igate the ef fect iveness and signi f icance of percutaneous endoscopic discectomy followed by interbody fusion using B-Twin expandable spinal spacer for degenerative lumbosacral disc disease. Methods Between January 2007 and August 2008, 21 patients with degenerative lumbosacral disc disease were treated with endoscopic discectomy followed by interbody fusion using B-Twin expandable spinal spacer. Among them, there were 13 males and 8 females with an average age of 52 years (range, 28-79 years). And the disease duration ranged from 3 months to 40 years (median, 9 months). The affected segments included T11, 12, T12-L1, L1, 2, and L2, 3 in 1 case respectively, L4, 5 in 4 cases, and L5, S1 in 13 cases. All patients had intractable low back pain or lower extremity radicular symptoms. The placement methods of B-Twin expandable spinal spacer were double sides in 15 cases and single side in 6 cases. Oswestry Disabil ity Index (ODI) and Macnab grading were used to determine the function recovery after operation. And Suk’s standard was used to determine the fusion effects by X-ray. Results All 21 patients were followed up 18 months to 3 years (mean, 23.8 months). Sciatica symptoms disappeared after operation in 19 cases, no significant improvement occurred in 2 cases of thoracic disease. The ODI scores were 79% ± 16% at preoperation, 30% ± 9% at 1 month, 26% ± 10% at 3 months, 21% ± 12% at 6 months, and 20% ± 10% at 18 months after operation, showing significant differences between pre- and postoperation (P lt; 0.05). According to Macnab grading at 6 months postoperatively, the results were excellent in 14 cases, good in 5 cases, and fair in 2 cases with an excellent and good rate of 90.5%. According to Suk et al. standard, the results were excellent in 1 case, good in 19 cases, and poor in 1 case with an excellent and good rate of 95.2%. The muscle strength of the lower extremities had no improvement in 1 case of T11, 12 disc protrusion; pedicle screws fixation and decompression laminectomy were given after 6 months, but no improvement was achieved during follow-up. Protrusion recurred after 4 months in 1 case of L4, 5 disc protrusion, then was cured by laminectomy discectomy. The remaining patients achieved postoperative rel ief. Conclusion Endoscope combined with interbody fusion is a good combination to solve lumbar instabil ity. B-Twin expandable spinal spacer is a minimally invasive fusion choice of L4, 5 and L5, S1.
To evaluate the effectiveness of interrupt percutaneous endoscopy lumbar discectomy (PELD) through interlaminar approach for L5, S1 disc protrusion. Methods Between November 2006 and August 2010, 115 patients with L5, S1 disc protrusion were treated, including 79 males and 36 females with an average age of 38 years (range, 14-79 years). All patients showed the dominated symptom of the S1 nerve root. The working channel was establ ished by puncturing through interlaminar approach under the local anesthesia. After the needle was used to make sure no nerve root or dural sac on working face, the disc tissue was excised directly by bl ind sight. Then the nerve root decompression was observed through the endoscope. In patients with free type, fragment compression was observed through the endoscope, and the disc tissue around the nerve roots was removed, then the free disc tissue around intervertebral space was excised. Results One patient who failed to puncture changed to miniopen discectomy; 3 patients who failed changed to post lateral approach; and the others underwent interrupt PELD through interlaminar approach. Eighty patients were followed up 18 months on average (range, 12-36 months). The average Oswestry Disabil ity Index (ODI) was reduced to 13% ± 5% at 12 months after operation and to 12% ± 8% at last follow- up from 73% ± 12% at preoperation, showing significant differences (P lt; 0.01). According to modified Macnab ,s criterion, the results were excellent in 59 cases, good in 15 cases, fair in 3 cases, and poor in 3 cases at last follow-up, and the excellent and good rate was 92.5%. Conclusion For the treatment of disc protrusion at the L5, S1 level, interrupt PELD through interlaminar approach should be ideal with short operation time, small trauma, and quick recovery.
Objective To evaluate the application of the Huaxi Intelligent Endoscopic Skill Training and Assessment System in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) skills training and provide insights for optimizing MIS training models, we analyzed trainee performance during training and assessment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the use of this system across 28 medical institutions from January 2022 to January 2025. Results By January 2025, the standardized deployment of 139 simulation units had been completed. A total of 403 trainees from various surgical specialties, including thoracic surgery and general surgery, participated in five customized endoscopic skill training modules: endoscopic recognition, grasping training, positioning and placement, cutting training, and suturing training. Throughout the training period, a total of 78 participants took part in 27 formal assessments. Correlation analysis based on Spearman showed that pre-assessment training pass rates were significantly correlated with final assessment scores, indicating enhancing the quality of each training module and overall training efficacy is a key to improving the effectiveness of MIS training. Conclusion The Huaxi Intelligent Endoscopic Skill Training and Assessment System effectively supports MIS training and evaluation.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic techniques for diagnosis and treatment of breast diseases. MethodsRelated literatures of recent years were reviewed. ResultsA minimally invasive endoscopic technique can be performed through small incisions. This can contribute greatly to reducing postoperative pain, shortening recovery time, and achieving a good cosmetic outcome. Under endoscopy, meticulous dissection and hemostasis can be achieved. Endoscopeassisted subcutaneous mastectomy, immediate mammary reconstruction, sentinel lymph node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection, for breast cancer can be performed safely. Endoscopic surgery can also be applied for the diagnosis and treatment of benign breast tumor and transaxillary removal of glandular tissue in gynecomastia. In addition, fiberoptic ductoscopy can be used to diagnose patients with nipple discharge. Endoscopic surgery for patients with breast diseases can offer an excellent cosmetic outcome and maintain normal physiologic functions without a noticeable scar. It helps to give the patients confidence and improve the quality of life. ConclusionBreast surgery is a good candidate for endoscopic techniques.
ObjectiveTo analyze and explore the thyroid defunctionalization method for preoperative preparation of hyperthyroidism patients in endoscopic thyroid surgery. MethodsThe clinical data of 45 cases of hyperthyroidism treated with endoscopic surgery in this hospital from June 2009 to June 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. These patients were divided into study group (n=20) and control group (n=25) according to the preoperative preparation method, the study group was prepared with thyroid defunctionalization method, the control group was prepared with antithyroid drugs and iodine. The intraoperative blood loss, conversion to open surgery, and postoperative complications were compared in these two groups. ResultsThe intraoperative blood loss and the operation time of the study group were significantly less than those of the control group﹝intraoperative blood loss: (120.32±50.26) mL versus (200.63±60.95) mL, P < 0.05; operation time: (120.43±40.56) min versus (180.76±50.92) min, P < 0.05﹞. There was no case of conversion to open surgery in the study group, there were three cases of conversion to open surgery in the control group. The incidence of postoperative complications of the study group was significantly lower than that of the control group﹝10% (2/20) versus 24% (6/25), P < 0.05﹞. ConclusionThyroid defunctionalization method is more suitable as compared with the traditional method for the preoperative preparation of hyperthyroidism in endoscopic thyroid surgery.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of subfascial endoscopic perforator vein surgery (SEPS) in treatment of varicose of the lower limb. METHODS: From 1999. 11 to 2000. 12, 108 patients with varicose of the lower limb underwent venous surgery and 34 of them were treated by SEPS. There were 16 males and 18 females aged 20-79(averaged 51.4 years). Thirty limbs (26 cases) had open ulcers and the diameter of ulcer was 1.5-12.0 cm. Eleven limbs (8 cases) had severe pigmentation and the skin changes had been presented for 1 month to 15 years. According to the severity of illness, flush saphenofemoral ligation, great saphenous vein stripping, percutaneous continuous venous circum suture, external femoral vein valve repair and SEPS were performed separately or simultaneously. RESULTS: Active ulcers healed in 19 limbs after 1 month, in 7 limbs after 3 months, and in the other 4 ulcers after skin transplantation. There was no ulcer recurrence during follow-up (ranged 9-22 months). CONCLUSION: SEPS can accelerate the healing of venous ulcers, and it is one of important methods in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency.
Confocal laser endomicroscopy technology can obtain cell-level images in real time and in situ, which can assist doctors in real-time intraoperative diagnosis, but its non-invasiveness makes it difficult to relocate the optical biopsy site. The confocal probe localization algorithm can automatically calculate the coordinates of the probe tip, that is, the coordinates of the optical biopsy site. In this paper, a confocal probe localization algorithm based on region growing and endoscope size prior was proposed. The algorithm detected the probe region by region growing on the probe edge image, then searched for tip points based on a given probe axis, and iteratively optimized it. Finally, based on the single-degree-of-freedom motion characteristics of the probe, the three-dimensional coordinates of the tip of the probe were calculated by using the prior information of the size of the endoscope, which solved the scale uncertainty problem of the monocular camera. The confocal probe localization algorithm was tested on the dataset collected in this paper. The results showed that our algorithm no longer relied on the color information of the probe, avoided the influence of uneven illumination on the gray value of the probe pixels, and had a more robust location accuracy and running speed. Within the length of the probe extending out of the endoscope from 0 to 5 cm, the pixel error could be as low as 11.76 pixels, and the average relative position error could be as low as 1.66 mm, which can achieve the real-time and accurate localization of the confocal probe.