Colorectal surgery in a community hospital setting: have attitudes changed because of laparoscopy? A general surgeons' last 5 years experience review

A comprehensive review of telementoring applications in laparoscopic general surgery

BACKGROUND

Incorporation of advanced laparoscopic procedures in the practice of institutions without respective experience is a significant impediment in the dissemination of minimally invasive techniques. On-site mentoring programs carry several cost-related and practical constraints. Telementoring has emerged as a practical and cost-effective alternative mentoring tool. The present study aimed to review the pertinent literature on telementoring applications in laparoscopic general surgery.

METHODS

A systematic review using the Medline database was performed. Articles reporting on clinical experience with telementoring applications in general surgery were included. Variations in methodology, study design, and operative procedures precluded cumulative outcome evaluation. Instead, a critical appraisal of current evidence was undertaken.

RESULTS

Seventy-five articles were identified in the primary search, and ten studies were considered eligible. No randomized studies comparing on-site mentoring with telementoring were identified. The included studies reported on a total of 96 laparoscopic telementored procedures: 50 cholecystectomies, 23 colorectal resections, 7 fundoplications, 9 adrenalectomies, 6 hernia repairs, and 2 splenectomies. Completion of remotely assisted procedures was feasible in the vast majority of cases, whereas technical difficulties included video and audio latency with low transfer rates (<128 kbps) and inadequate guidance regarding the correct plane for dissection.

CONCLUSION

Current evidence supports the feasibility and safety of telementoring programs in general surgery. Their clinical effectiveness as teaching alternatives to traditional mentoring programs remains to be further evaluated.

Is there still any role for minilaparoscopic-cholecystectomy? A general surgeons' last five years experience over 932 cases

Laparoscopy has rapidly emerged as the preferred surgical approach in a number of different diseases because it ensures correct diagnoses and appropriate treatment. The use of mini-instruments (5 mm or less in diameter) and, when possible, the reduction of the number of trocars used might be its natural evolution. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a gold standard technique. The aim of the present work is to illustrate the results of the prospective experience of minilaparoscopic cholecystectomy (5 mm MLC) performed at our institution. Between August 2005 and July 2010 a total of 932 patients (mean age 45 years) underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Amongst them, 887 (95.1%) were operated on with a 5 mm-three trocar approach and in the remaining 45 cases (4.8%) a 3 mm trocar was used. The primary endpoint was the feasibility rate of the techniques. Secondary endpoints were safety and the impact of the techniques on duration of laparoscopy. In two cases conversion to laparotomy was necessary. We needed to add a fourth-5 mm trocar in the 10.7% of the cases (95 patients) in the 5 mm MLC. There were two cases of redo-laparoscopy in this group due to bile leakage from the cystic duct in one case, and to bleeding from the gallbladder bed in the other. Minor occurrence ranged as high as 2.1% in the 5 mm-MLC group, while it was nil in the 3 mm-MLC patients. The present experience shows that the 5 mm-three trocars MLC is a safe, easy, effective and reproducible approach to gallbladder diseases. Such features make the technique a challenging alternative to conventional laparoscopy both in the acute and the scheduled setting. We consider the 3 mm-MLC approach suitable only in selected cases, young and thin patients, due to the fragility of the smaller instruments.