Latissimus dorsi muscle flap (LDMF) is an important autogenous tissue for autogenous breast reconstruction after mastectomy. LDMF harvesting using a conventional open method is traumatic, and the scar is obvious. With the application of minimally invasive technology in various surgical fields, endoscopic and robotic technology for breast surgery, especially LDMF breast reconstruction, is also becoming mature. Endoscopic or robotic LDMF breast reconstruction has the advantages of no incision in the back, superior cosmetic effect of back, clear vision of surgical field, and low incidence of postoperative complications. It is a safe and effective method of breast reconstruction.
Objective To review the research progress related to endoscopic surgery and robotic surgery for breast diseases, aiming to provide references for clinical practice. Methods The recent domestic and international literature on endoscopic surgery and robotic surgery for breast diseases was reviewed, then the challenges in their development, the innovative evolution of endoscopic surgery combined with clinical practice by our team, and its clinical applications were summarized. ResultsTraditional endoscopic surgery, despite its advantages such as minimal invasiveness, good cosmetic outcomes, and high patient’s satisfaction, has been limited in its development due to specific difficulties in establishing the operative field. Our team innovatively proposed the “reverse sequence method” and the Huaxi Hole 1 theory and methods, cleverly altering the surgical procedure sequence, adding small operative orifices to transform single-port operations into multi-port ones, effectively overcoming the challenges restricting the advancement of endoscopic surgery in the field of breast diseases, thereby enabling further proliferation of endoscopic procedures. In terms of breast endoscopic reconstruction surgery, the parachute patch technique has broadened the indications for reconstruction surgery, benefiting patients with a certain degree of breast ptosis; and the postoperative adjustment concept, through early intervention in the post-reconstruction breast shape, has further refined the reconstruction procedure. Robot-assisted surgery derived from endoscopic surgery theory has further enhanced the precision and stability of surgeries, reducing surgical risks; however, excessive time and economic costs are urgent issues that must be addressed. Conclusion Through theoretical innovations, endoscopic surgery has been applied in the excision and reconstruction of breast lesions, while robotic surgery shows promising applications in autologous breast reconstruction, especially in the latissimus dorsi reconstruction field. Nevertheless, the lack of high-level large-sample, multi-center randomized controlled clinical trials to confirm its surgical safety, oncological safety, and postoperative cosmetic outcomes is an important direction for future research.
ObjectiveTo compare the surgical data, safety, cosmetic outcomes, and quality of life of patients underwent single axillary incision endoscopic nipple-sparing mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction with endoscopic harvesting of latissimus dorsi muscle flap (abbreviation as the “endoscopic group”) and traditional open surgery of latissimus dorsi muscle flap harvesting for breast reconstruction after mastectomy (abbreviation as the “open group”). MethodsThe patients were collected, who underwent latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction at the West China Hospital of Sichuan University and the Fourth People’s Hospital of Sichuan Province from January 2021 to June 2024 from a prospective maintenance database, and then were assigned into an endoscopic group and open group according to the surgical method. Their basic information, information relevant operation, postoperative complications, and patient reported outcomes (BREAST-Q scale) score were compared between the two groups. ResultsA total of 73 patients were enrolled, including 23 patients in the endoscopic group and 50 patients in the open group. There were no statistically significant differences in the age, body mass index, breast sagging, tumor location, tumor N stage, pathological type, adjuvant therapy, etc. between the patients of two groups, except for a higher proportion of T4 stage patients in the open group as compared with the endoscopic group (P＜0.001). A longer size of latissimus dorsi muscle flap was harvested in the endoscopic group as compared with the open group (P=0.002). There were no statistically significant differences in the total surgical complications, major complications, minor complications, and implant-related complications between the patients of two groups (P>0.05). The most common complication in the patients of both groups was back seroma, 21.7% (5/23) in the endoscopic group and 22.0% (11/50) in the open group. The total length of incisions in the endoscopic group was significantly shorter than that in the open group (P<0.001), and the points of the breast satisfaction (P=0.045), back satisfaction (P<0.001), and sexual well-being (P=0.028) of the patients in the endoscopic group were significantly higher than those in the open group. The major complications did not happen in the endoscopic group, but happened in 2 cases in the open group (1 patient due to ischemic necrosis of the latissimus dorsi muscle and 1 patient due to breast infection resulting in implant removal). During the follow-up period, 3 (6.0%) patients had distant metastasis (all were lung metastasis) in the open group, and there was no local or regional recurrence, distant metastasis, and specific death of breast cancer in the endoscopic group. ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that, for patients who have skin invasion but who desire breast reconstruction or have failed by prosthetic breast reconstruction (such as skin flap necrosis), traditional open surgery of latissimusdorsi flap harvesting for breast reconstruction is worth choosing. However, for breast cancer patients who do not need additional skin breast reconstruction, endoscopic latissimus dorsi breast reconstruction has greater advantages in cosmetic effect, and it is safe and effective.
Objective To perform data-driven, assisted prediction of health insurance reimbursement ratios for the major thoracic surgery group in CHS-DRG, in addition to providing an optional solution for health insurance providers and medical institutions to accurately and effectively predict the references of health insurance payments for the patient group. Methods Using the information on major thoracic surgery cases from a large tertiary hospital in Sichuan province in 2020 as a sample, 70% of the total dataset was used as a training dataset and 30% as a test dataset. This data was used to predict health insurance spending through a multiple linear regression model and an improved machine learning method that is based on feature selection. Results When the number of filtered features was the same via three machine learning methods including random forest, logistic regression, and support vector machine, there was no significant difference in the prediction effectiveness. The model with the best prediction effect had an accuracy of 78.96%, sensitivity of 83.93%, specificity of 71.27%, precision of 0.818 8, AUC value of 0.841 4, and a Kappa value of 0.610 8. Conclusion The basic characteristics such as the number of disease diagnoses and surgical operations, as well as the age of patients affect the reimbursement ratio. The cost of materials, drugs, and treatments has a greater impact on the reimbursement ratio. The combined method of feature selection and machine learning outperforms traditional statistical linear models. When dealing with a larger dataset that has many features, selecting the right number can enhance the prediction ability and efficiency of the model.
ObjectiveTo optimize the perioperative management experiences for breast cancer patients undergoing direct-to-implant-based breast reconstruction, and provide reference for clinical practice. Methods A comprehensive review of recent domestic and international literature was conducted to systematically summarize the key points of perioperative management for direct-to-implant-based breast reconstruction, including preoperative health education, intraoperative strategies, and postoperative management measures, along with an introduction to the clinical experiences of West China Hospital of Sichuan University. ResultsStandardized perioperative management can effectively reduce the incidence of complications and achieve excellent cosmetic outcomes and quality of life after operation. Pre-operative management includes proactive health education to alleviate patients’ anxiety and improve treatment compliance, as well as comprehensive assessment by surgeons of the patient’s physical condition and reconstructive expectations to select the most appropriate implant. Intra-operative management consists of strict aseptic technique, minimizing implant exposure, preserving blood supply to the nipple-areola complex (e.g., by using minimally invasive techniques and indocyanine green angiography), and meticulous hemostasis. Post-operative management encompasses multimodal analgesia, individualized drain management (such as early removal or retaining a small amount of fluid to optimize contour), infection prevention and control (including topical and systemic antibiotics, ultrasound-guided minimally invasive drainage), guidance on rehabilitation exercises (early activity restriction followed by gradual recovery), and regular follow-up to evaluate aesthetic results and monitor for complications. ConclusionEstablishing a standardized, multidisciplinary perioperative management framework markedly enhances surgical safety and patient satisfaction, thereby providing a replicable benchmark for direct-to-implant-based breast reconstruction across diverse clinical settings.
Objective To investigate the validity of improving the femur’s mechanical characteristics by implanting calcium phosphate ceramic screws after removing dynamic hip screw (DHS). Methods The three dimensional finite element model of the femur was built based on the CT scanning of a normal male volunteer. Then the models of the femur with and without DHS were established. According to calcium phosphate ceramic screws with porosity and apparent elastic modulus, 80% and 0.1 GPa were set as group A, 50% and 1.0 GPa as group B, and 30% and 1.5 GPa as group C. Von Mises stress distribution and maximum stress were recorded when the joint was maximally loaded in a gait cycle. Results The Von Mises in normal femoral shaft was uniform; no phenomena of stress concentration was observed and the maximum stress located at the joint load-bearing site of the proximal femur. The stress concentration was observed in the femur without DHS, and the maximum stress located at the distal femur around the screw hole. By comparing several different calcium phosphate ceramic screws, the stress distribution of group B was similar to normal femur model, and the maximum stress located at the joint load-bearing site. The other screws of groups A and C showed varying degrees of stress concentration. Conclusion Implanting calcium phosphate ceramic screw can improve the mechanical characteristics of the femur after removing dynamic hip screw, and the calcium phosphate ceramic screw with 50% porosity and 1.0 GPa apparent elastic modulus is suitable for implanting.
Objective To explore the surgical technique and preliminary safety and aesthetic results of endoscopic removal of injectable Amazingel with/without immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation for patients. MethodsThe clinical data of 25 patients who underwent endoscopic removal of injectable Amazingel with/without immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation between April 2020 and January 2024 and met the selection criteria was retrospective analysed. The patients’ age ranged from 33 to 73 years, with a mean of 50.4 years, and the body mass index ranged from 16.8 to 26.6 kg/m2, with a mean of 21.5 kg/m2. They were all bilaterally injected with Amazingel, and the time between initial injections and surgery ranged from 17 to 26 years, with a mean of 21.4 years. Early safety was evaluated by the incidence of early postoperative complications, and early aesthetic results were evaluated using Harris scores (including breast shape satisfaction, sensation satisfaction, and elasticity satisfaction) at 3 months after operation. Results There were 9 cases underwent Amazingel removal (group A) and 16 cases underwent Amazingel removal with immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation (group B). Intraoperative removal of Amazingel ranged from 808 to 1 285 mL, with a mean of 1 050.7 mL; the mass of the capsule removed ranged from 36 to 169 g, with a mean of 103.6 g; and a gross anatomical prosthesis was used with a median size of 345 mL (range, 315-355 mL). The operation time ranged from 95 to 395 minutes, with a mean of 194.2 minutes; and the cost of the procedure ranged from 8000to 91 000 yuan, with a mean of 33 000 yuan. Patients had a median follow-up time of 22.7 months (range, 3.0-48.1 months). There was 1 case of intraoperative skin burn due to the operation of the electric scalpel, which healed naturally after operation without flap necrosis. There was no adverse conditions such as prosthesis outline showing, ripple sign, and capsular contracture during follow-up; a small amount of Amazingel residue was found in 2 patients at 1 year after operation. The Harris score at 3 months after operation was used to evaluate the early aesthetic results, and the breast shape, elasticity, and sensation satisfaction of group A were lower than group B, but the differences between the two groups were not significant (P>0.05). Conclusion Endoscopic removal of injectable Amazingel with/without immediate prepectoral implant-based breast augmentation is safe in the early stage with good aesthetic results, and it is also recommended that patients who had the indications for combined immediate breast augmentation after removal to rebuild the breast appearance.
ObjectiveTo compare the satisfaction and safety of patients undergoing prepectoral breast reconstruction (PBR) versus subpectoral dual-plane breast reconstruction (SBR) with implants combined with mesh after open total mastectomy for breast cancer. MethodsA prospective cohort study on clinical data of breast cancer patients who underwent open total mastectomy and received either PBR or SBR with implants and mesh for immediate breast reconstruction from June 2021 to October 2022 at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were performed. The pain scores on postoperative days 1, 3, 7, and 14, the postoperative use of analgesics within 14 days, and the incidence of postoperative complications, breast satisfaction, and quality of life during follow-up periods were compared between the two groups. ResultsA total of 62 female patients were included, with 35 in the PBR group, having an average age of (39.6±6.5) years, and 27 in the SBR group, having an average age of (41.5±9.9) years. The pain scores of the SBR group on postoperative days 3 (P=0.032), 7 (P＜0.001), and 14 (P＜0.001) were significantly higher than those of the PBR group, and a higher proportion of patients in the SBR group used analgesics within postopeartive 14 days (P=0.001). The median follow-up time was 28.4 months for the PBR group and 34.9 months for the SBR group. There was no statistical difference in the overall (P=0.583), major (P=0.526), or minor (P=0.532) complication rates between the two groups during follow-up. One (2.9%) patient in the PBR group and 2 (7.4%) patients in the SBR group lost their implants (P=0.575). There were 4 patients of movement deformities and 4 patients of chest muscle pain in the SBR group, whereas no patients in the PBR group had these complications (P=0.031). Encapsular contracture occurred in 5 (14.3%) patients in the PBR group and 11 (40.7%) patients in the SBR group (P=0.023). The incidences of ripple sign (25.7% vs. 3.7%, P=0.047) and implant contour visibility (40.0% vs. 11.1%, P=0.020) were significantly higher in the PBR group than those in the SBR group. At 24 months post-surgery, breast satisfaction scores [(67.9±13.1) points vs. (52.6±16.9) points, P=0.025] and chest function satisfaction [(70.7±13.4) points vs. (58.7±14.3) points, P=0.035] were higher in the PBR group. No local recurrence, distant metastasis, or deaths occurred in the PBR group during the follow-up period, while 1 patient of local recurrence and distant metastasis occurred in the SBR group, with no deaths. ConclusionCompared to SBR, PBR is more in line with the physiological and anatomical levels of the breast, effectively avoiding postoperative movement deformities and chest muscle pain, with a lower incidence of capsular contracture, and higher postoperative breast satisfaction and chest function satisfaction. It is a safe and feasible reconstruction method. For some specific patients, especially those with higher physical activity demands, it is a better reconstruction choice.
Objective To explore the correlation between the imaging features of peripheral ground-glass pulmonary nodules and the invasion degree of lung adenocarcinoma, and the high risk factors for infiltrating lung adenocarcinoma under thin-slice CT, which provides some reference for clinicians to plan the surgical methods of pulmonary nodules before operation and to better communicate with patients, and assists in building a clinical predictive model for invasive adenocarcinoma. MethodsClinical data of the patients with peripheral ground-glass pulmonary nodules (diameter≤3 cm) in thin-slice chest CT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2019 to January 2020 were continuously collected. All patients underwent thin-slice CT scan and thoracoscopic surgery in our center. According to the pathological examination results, they were divided into two groups: an adenocarcinoma lesions before infiltration group, and an invasive lung adenocarcinoma group. The thin-slice CT imaging parameters of pulmonary nodules were collected. The nodular diameter, mean CT value, consolidation tumor ratio (CTR), nodular shape, vacuolar sign, bronchial air sign, lobulation sign, burr sign, lesion boundary, pleural depression sign, vascular cluster sign and other clinical data were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to analyze the independent risk factors for the infiltrating lung adenocarcinoma, and to analyze the threshold value and efficacy of each factor for the identification of infiltrating lung adenocarcinoma. Results Finally 190 patients were enrolled. There were 110 patients in the adenocarcinoma lesions before infiltration group, including 21 males and 89 females with a mean age of 53.57±10.90 years, and 80 patients in the invasive lung adenocarcinoma group, including 31 males and 49 females with a mean age of 56.45±11.30 years. There was a statistical difference in the mean CT value, nodular diameter, CTR, gender, smoking, nodular type, nodular shape, vacuolar sign, lobulation sign, burr sign, lesion boundary, pleural depression sign, vascular cluster sign between the two groups (P＜0.05). However, there was no statistical difference between the two groups in age (P=0.081), lesion site (P=0.675), and bronchial air sign (P=0.051). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that nodular diameter, mean CT value, CTR and lobulation sign were independent risk factors for differentiating preinvasive adenocarcinoma from invasive adenocarcinoma. At the same time, the threshold value was calculated by Youden index, indicating that the CTR was 0.45, the nodal diameter was 10.5 mm and the mean CT value was –452 Hu. Conclusion In the peripheral ground-glass pulmonary nodules, according to the patient's CT imaging features, such as mixed ground-glass nodules, irregular shapes, vacuoles, short burrs, clear boundaries, pleural indentations, and vascular clusters, have a certain reference value in the discrimination of the invasion degree of ground-glass pulmonary nodules. At the same time, it is found in this research that peripheral ground-glass pulmonary nodules with diameter greater than 10.5 mm, CT value greater than –452 Hu, CTR greater than 0.45 and lobulation sign are more likely to be infiltrating lung adenocarcinoma.
ObjectiveTo compare the differences of clinical effects between the bilateral endoscopic breast reconstruction and the open breast reconstruction. MethodsThe clinical data of 28 female patients who underwent bilateral breast graft reconstruction in the Department of Breast Surgery of West China Hospital from January 2017 to January 2021 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: an endoscopic group (n=12, aged 41.3±8.9 years) and an open group (n=16, aged 41.6±8.8 years). The clinical data of the two groups of patients were compared. Results There was no significant difference in demographic and oncological data between the two groups (P>0.05). There was a significant difference in the implants between the two groups (P=0.008). The operation time (298.2±108.6 min vs. 326.5±95.8 min, P=0.480) and anesthesia time (373.4±91.2 min vs. 400.3±97.1 min, P=0.463) were not significantly different. The total complications (P=0.035) and major complications (P=0.024) in the open group were more than those in the endoscopic group. For the comparison of breast satisfaction, psychosocial well-being and sexual well-being, the scores at six months and one year after surgery were higher in the endoscopic group than those in the open group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe endoscopic reconstruction is safe and effective, with high satisfaction rates regarding breast reconstruction and quality of life, and is superior to conventional open surgery.