Comparison of robotic versus laparoscopic surgery for visceral obesity in mid-low rectal cancer: a propensity-matched analysis

Obesity is becoming more and more common, and measuring visceral fat area (VFA) is a useful diagnostic technique for visceral obesity (VO). The purpose of this research is to compare the surgical results of robotic versus laparoscopic rectal surgery, with a focus on assessing the benefits of the latter method for treating both VO and mid-low rectal cancer. Patients receiving laparoscopic or robotic anterior rectal excision at Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital's general surgery department were included in the retrospective analysis. 242 people in all took part in the study; 121 cases were assigned to the robotic surgery (RS) group and another 121 cases to the laparoscopic surgery (LS) group. In comparison to LS, our results show that RS led to a shorter period for the recovery of bowel function (p = 0.03), a shorter hospital stay (p < 0.001), a smaller intraoperative blood loss (p < 0.001), and a shorter time until the commencement of oral intake (p = 0.041). However, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of the indices of histopathologic specimens, the proportion of temporary loop ileostomy, and the incidence of early postoperative problems (p > 0.05). When patients with VO undergo surgery for rectal cancer, RS has the added benefit of accelerating patient recovery while producing results that are similar to LS in the near run.

Change in abdominal obesity after colon cancer surgery - effects of left-sided and right-sided colonic resection

BACKGROUND

Excess abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) is associated with metabolic diseases and poor survival in colon cancer (CC). We assessed the impact of different types of CC surgery on changes in abdominal fat depots.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Computed tomography (CT)-scans performed preoperative and 3 years after CC surgery were analyzed at L3-level for VAT, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and total adipose tissue (TAT) areas. We assessed changes in VAT, SAT, TAT and VAT/SAT ratio after 3 years and compared the changes between patients who had undergone left-sided and right-sided colonic resection in the total population and in men and women separately.

RESULTS

A total of 134 patients with stage I-III CC undergoing cancer surgery were included. Patients who had undergone left-sided colonic resection had after 3 years follow-up a 5% (95% CI: 2-9%, p < 0.01) increase in abdominal VAT, a 4% (95% CI: 2-6%, p < 0.001) increase in SAT and a 5% increase (95% CI: 2-7%, p < 0.01) in TAT. Patients who had undergone right-sided colonic resection had no change in VAT, but a 6% (95% CI: 4-9%, p < 0.001) increase in SAT and a 4% (95% CI: 1-7%, p < 0.01) increase in TAT after 3 years. Stratified by sex, only males undergoing left-sided colonic resection had a significant VAT increase of 6% (95% CI: 2-10%, p < 0.01) after 3 years.

CONCLUSION

After 3 years follow-up survivors of CC accumulated abdominal adipose tissue. Notably, those who underwent left-sided colonic resection had increased VAT and SAT, whereas those who underwent right-sided colonic resection demonstrated solely increased SAT.

Correlation between metabolic syndrome and periurethral prostatic fibrosis: results of a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Prostatic fibrosis, characterized by the accumulation of myofibroblasts and collagen deposition, is closely associated with LUTS and may lead to mechanical obstruction of the urethra. Additionally, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS), characterized by central obesity, high blood sugar, lipid metabolism disorders, and hypertension, is increasingly recognized as a proinflammatory condition linked to prostate inflammation.

METHODS

Clinical data from 108 subjects who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate or bipolar plasmakinetic enucleation of the prostate were prospectively collected between June 2021 and August 2022. Patients were divided in two groups according to whether or not they had a diagnosis of MetS. Specimens were stained with Masson trichrome and the periurethral prostatic fibrosis extent was evaluated using quantitative morphometry.

RESULTS

Forty-three patients (39.8%) were diagnosed with MetS. Patients with MetS showed a significantly greater extent of prostatic fibrosis than the others (68.1 ± 17.1% vs. 42.5 ± 18.2%, P < 0.001), and there was a positive correlation between the number of positive MetS parameters and the extent of prostatic fibrosis (R2 = 0.4436, P < 0.001). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that central obesity (B = 2.941, 95% confidence interval, 1.700-3.283), elevated fasting glucose (B = 1.036, 95% confidence interval, 0.293-1.780), reduced HDL cholesterol (B = 0.910, 95% confidence interval, 0.183-1.636) and elevated triglycerides (B = 1.666, 95% confidence interval, 0.824-2.508) were positively correlated to prostatic fibrosis. Elevated blood pressure, however, was unrelated to prostatic fibrosis (B = 0.009, 95% confidence interval, -0.664-0.683).

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings suggest that prostatic fibrosis is positively correlated with MetS and its components including central obesity, elevated fasting glucose, reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol and elevated triglycerides.

The Effects of Abdominal Obesity and Sagittal Imbalance on Sacroiliac Joint Pain After Lumbar Fusion

BACKGROUND

Postoperative sacroiliac joint pain (SIJP) is a common manifestation of failed back surgery syndrome after a posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). However, there is currently no consensus on the risk factors for SIJP after PLIF.

OBJECTIVES

We explored the effects of abdominal obesity and sagittal imbalance on SIJP after PLIF.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a prospective observational cohort study.

SETTING

This study occurred at the Department of Spinal Surgery at a hospital affiliated with a medical university.

METHODS

A total of 401 patients who underwent PLIF from June 2018 to June 2021 were enrolled in this study. 36 patients experienced postoperative SIJP. In contrast, a matched group comprised 72 non-SIJP patients. We used 1:2 propensity score matching to compare obesity features and sagittal spine parameters in the 2 groups. Inflammatory cytokines and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were measured in the SIJP group.

RESULTS

A total of 36 patients (8.98%) experienced SIJP during the follow-up. Compared with the non-SIJP group, patients with postoperative SIJP had a higher body mass index (BMI), greater abdominal obesity, a higher incidence of pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis greater than 10°, and a higher incidence of a sagittal vertical axis greater than 5 cm (P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the area under the curve for waist circumference was greater than that for BMI (0.762 vs. 0.650, P = 0.049). Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for SIJP were abdominal obesity, a pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis of greater than 10°, and a sagittal vertical axis greater than 5 cm (P < 0.05). In patients with SIJP, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and VAS scores were higher in the abdominal obesity group than in the non-abdominal obesity group (P < 0.05).

LIMITATIONS

There was no uniform diagnosis of SIJP, so the incidence rate of SIJP might not be accurate.

CONCLUSIONS

The significant predictors of SIJP were abdominal obesity and sagittal imbalance. Patients with abdominal obesity showed higher levels of inflammatory markers and pain intensity. More attention should be paid to body shape and the angle of correction of lumbar lordosis before lumbar surgery.

Vitamin D Supplementation and Its Relationship with Loss of Visceral Adiposity

PURPOSE

An inverse relationship between vitamin D (VD) nutritional status and obesity is frequent, and the distribution of body fat is an important aspect to assess the risks of obesity-related metabolic dysfunction. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the relationship between serum VD concentrations and body fat reduction after 12 months of bariatric surgery, using two different vitamin D3 (VD3) supplementation protocols.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A randomized controlled trial consisted of 41 patients divided into G1 (800 IU/day) and G2 (1800 IU/day) according to the VD3 supplementation. At baseline (T0) and follow-up (T1), 25(OH)D, waist circumference (WC), visceral adiposity index (VAI), body adiposity index (BAI), and waist/height ratio (WHtR) were evaluated.

RESULTS

In T0, the mean of 25(OH)D was lower in G2 compared to that in G1 (22.6 vs 23.6 ng/mL; p = 0.000). At T1, it had a significant increase in G2 (32.1 vs 29.9 ng/mL; p = 0.000), with 60% sufficiency. A significant negative correlation was observed between VAI, BAI, and WHtR with 25(OH)D in G2 (r =  - 0.746, p = 0.024; r =  - 0.411, p = 0.036; r =  - 0.441, p = 0.032) after surgery. Higher mean changes from baseline of visceral fat loss, represented by VAI, were observed in G2 (176.2 ± 149.0-75.5 ± 55.0, p = 0.000).

CONCLUSION

Patients submitted to the 1800 IU/day protocol, 12 months after the surgical procedure, had a higher percentage of sufficient vitamin D levels compared to those submitted to the 800 IU/day protocol. Additionally, higher dose supplementation promoted a significant improvement in VAI.

Conceptual Paper: Abdominoplasty and Liposuction in Systemic Sclerosis

Surgical interventions in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), in particular plastic procedures, might cause undesired consequences. Notably, liposuction seems to possess greater risk as adipose tissue has been shown to play an important role in treating wounds and ulcers in patients with SSc. While anticentromere antibodies were found to be correlated with vasculopathy in SSc, patients with SSc and anticentromere antibodies might be more vulnerable to surgical wound complications following liposuction. A 46-year-old female patient, who had been diagnosed with SSc at the age of 31 years, had antinuclear as well as anticentromere antibodies. She underwent abdominoplasty with liposuction and developed severe skin necrosis of the abdomen following the procedure and at the site of liposuction. The correlation with anticentromere and the role of liposuction in skin necrosis in SSc are presented.

Efficacy and safety of long pulse 1064 and 2940 nm lasers in noninvasive lipolysis and skin tightening

Noninvasive body shaping is becoming a growing demand. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the combined treatments of 1064 nm Nd:YAG and 2940 nm Er:YAG in noninvasive lipolysis and skin tightening. Ten females were enrolled, and all women's side of the waist or the lower part of the abdomen were treated. In the first step, the 1064 nm Nd:YAG was used. As a second step, the 2940 nm Er:YAG laser was applied. Each woman was treated four times, once every 2 weeks. The effects were determined by comparative photo documentation, waist circumference measurement, two-dimensional B-mode ultrasonography and low-dose native computer tomography (CT), whereas body fat was monitored with bioelectric impedance. The tissue firmness was measured by ultrasound shear wave elastography. Combined laser treatment significantly reduced waist circumference and total body fat. Ultrasonography has revealed that the treatment considerably decreased fat thickness and improved skin stiffness in the treated region. Subcutaneous fat volume, measured by low-dose CT, displayed a moderate decrease in the waist region. The combined 1064 nm Nd:YAG and 2940 nm Er:YAG laser treatment results in the reduction of fat tissue and tightens the skin as confirmed by objective measurements.

Bariatric Surgery: Pathophysiology and Outcomes

Diabetes mellitus and obesity are closely interrelated and pose a major burden on health care in terms of morbidity and mortality. Weight loss has favorable metabolic benefits for glycemic control and improvement of metabolic syndrome. Bariatric surgery (BS) is the most effective treatment for weight loss with durable results as compared to lifestyle modification. BS procedures have been associated with significant reduction in abdominal obesity, metabolic syndrome components, and glycemic control requiring fewer medications. Long-term risks of surgery include nutritional deficiencies, osteoporosis, bone fractures, and hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia, which need to be carefully balanced with metabolic benefits for individual patients.

Relationship of adipocyte size with adiposity and metabolic risk factors in Asian Indians

Background

Enlargement of adipocyte is associated with their dysfunction and alterations in metabolic functions.

Objectives

We evaluated the association of adipocyte size of subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue with body composition and cardiovascular risk factors in Asian Indians.

Methodology

Eighty (40 males and 40 females) non-diabetic adult subjects undergoing elective abdominal surgery were included. Pre-surgery evaluation included anthropometric measurements, % body fat by bioimpedance, abdominal fat area at L_2–3 level (computed tomography) and biochemical investigations (fasting blood glucose and insulin, lipids and hsCRP). During surgery, about 5 grams each of omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained for adipocyte size determination.

Results

Females had higher BMI, % body fat, skinfold thickness, total and subcutaneous abdominal fat area as compared to males. Overweight was present in 42.5% and 67.5%, and abdominal obesity in 5% and 52.5% males and females, respectively. Subcutaneous adipocyte size was significantly higher than omental adipocyte size. Omental adipocyte size correlated more strongly than subcutaneous adipocyte size with measures of adiposity (BMI, waist circumference, %BF), total and subcutaneous abdominal fat area and biochemical measures (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HOMA-IR), the correlations being stronger in females. The correlation of adipocyte size with metabolic parameters was attenuated after adjusting for measures of adiposity.

Conclusion

Omental adipocyte size, though smaller than the subcutaneous adipocyte size, was more closely related to measures of adiposity and metabolic parameters. However, the relationship was not independent of measures of adiposity.

Impact of visceral obesity on cardiac parasympathetic activity in type 2 diabetics after coronary artery bypass graft surgery

OBJECTIVE

The association between adiposity and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is not well documented. We evaluated the associations between indices of adiposity and HRV in patients with T2D with CABG and quantified the relationships of the volume of visceral (VVAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VSAT) to HRV.

DESIGN AND METHODS

One hundred and thirty-five men with T2D who underwent CABG participated in this study. HRV, BMI, waist circumference (WC), VVAT, and VSAT were measured. Correlations between indices of HRV and adiposity were evaluated and predictors of HRV modulation were identified. Patients were then divided into quartiles of VVAT and VSAT to further evaluate the influence of adiposity on HRV.

RESULTS

Subjects were 65 ± 7 years old (mean ± SD) with a BMI of 30 ± 4 kg/m(2) and a WC of 105 ± 10 cm. BMI (r = -0.19) and WC (r = -0.25) were inversely correlated with low frequencies. VVAT correlated negatively with SD normal-to normal (SDNN) (r = -0.22, P < 0.01), indices of cardiac parasympathetic activity [rMSSD (r = -0.27), NN50 (r = -0.22), pNN50 (r = -0.26; all P < 0.05], and with low (r = -0.37) and high frequencies (r = -0.20; all P < 0.01). Patients with the lowest VVAT had the highest cardiac parasympathetic activity (P < 0.05). VVAT remained the best predictor of cardiac parasympathetic activity after adjustments for confounding parameters (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

An increase in visceral adiposity, not BMI, seems to be associated with lower HRV in patients with T2D who had a CABG procedure.

Visceral obesity is a negative predictor of remission of diabetes 1 year after bariatric surgery

Our aim was to identify preoperative anthropometric and clinical parameters that predict the remission of diabetes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Fifty severely obese Korean patients with type 2 diabetes underwent RYGB. Visceral and abdominal subcutaneous fat area (SFA) was assessed using computed tomography before and 6 and 12 months after RYGB. Remission was defined as a glycated hemoglobin (A(1C)) level <6.5% and a fasting glucose concentration <126 mg/dl for 1 year or more without the use of medication. The visceral-to-SFA ratio decreased from 0.60 ± 0.30 to 0.53 ± 0.29 (P = 0.001) after 6 months and decreased further to 0.42 ± 0.24 (P < 0.001) after 12 months. Thirty-four of the 50 patients (68%) had remission of diabetes (remission group). Compared with patients in the nonremission group, patients in the remission group had a shorter duration of diabetes and lower preoperative A(1C) level, and were less likely to use insulin preoperatively. Preoperative BMI did not differ in two groups. However, the preoperative visceral-to-SFA ratio was greater in the nonremission group compared with the remission group (0.79 ± 0.29 vs. 0.53 ± 0.26, P = 0.003). Finally, the preoperative visceral-to-SFA ratio was an independent predictor of the remission of diabetes after RYGB in multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis. In conclusion, our data suggest that visceral adiposity negatively influence the likelihood of the patient experiencing the remission of diabetes after RYGB.

[Surgical complications following operative treatment of abdominal obesity in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients]

Results of surgical treatment of 211 patients consisting of 109 patients with DM2 and 102 patients without DM2 were studied. All patients underwent lipoaspiration or abdominoplasty. The aim was to assess the influence of type 2 diabetes mellitus on the frequency and structure of complications after surgery. The risk of anemia and local complications increases after surgical correction of abdominal obesity which are temporary and do not have significant influence on the clinical outcome. There were no cases of clinical manifestations of pulmonary embolism and fat embolism.