Three-dimensional laparoscopic approach to distal oesophageal diverticula: Single-centre experience.

Background: Epiphrenic oesophageal diverticula are rare and often asymptomatic. When symptoms are present, minimally invasive diverticulectomy is considered the gold standard of treatment. While there is an agreement on the pre-operative assessment, no consensus is achieved when it comes to surgical technique.

Methods for conducting international Delphi surveys to optimise global participation in core outcome set development: a case study in gastric cancer informed by a comprehensive literature review.

Background: Core outcome sets (COS) should be relevant to key stakeholders and widely applicable and usable. Ideally, they are developed for international use to allow optimal data synthesis from trials. Electronic Delphi surveys are commonly used to facilitate global participation; however, this has limitations.

Follow-up after surgery for gastric cancer: how to do it.

There is no consensus on follow-up after gastric surgery for cancer, nor evidence that it improves outcomes. We investigated the impact of intensity of follow-up, comparing the regimens adopted by two centres, in Italy and in the UK. Patients who underwent surgery for gastric and junctional type-3 adenocarcinoma, between September 2009 and April 2013, at the Surgical Clinic, University of Brescia (Italy), and at the Department of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery, University College London Hospital (UK), were identified.

Current Status of Preoperative Oesophago-Gastro-Duodenoscopy (OGD) in Bariatric NHS Units-a BOMSS Survey.

Purpose: Preoperative oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (p-OGD) is often routinely employed in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The value of p-OGD is still unclear; however, since all bariatric procedures modify stomach anatomy differently with exclusion of the remnant in a majority of cases, the question arises whether there is a rational for including it routinely in the preoperative pathway.

Material And Methods: To assess the current status of p-OGD in the UK, a survey was sent to the British Obesity & Metabolic Surgery Society members, regarding preoperative evaluation of patients, focusing on the role of p-OGD.

Gastro-cutaneous fistula 4 years after a fully resolved staple line leak in sleeve gastrectomy.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) has become a mainstream procedure in the management of obesity. Staple line leak is a challenging complication. We report a unique case of successfully treated leak after sleeve gastrectomy, presented ex novo 4 years later as a gastro-cutaneous fistula (GCF).

EGF-R Protein Expression and Gene Amplification do not Correlate in Pancreas Cancer.

In a series of 13 pancreas cancer specimens, EGF-R was evaluated by means of both immunohistochemistry (IHC) for protein expression and FISH for genetic amplification. The results were discording in 7 cases (IHC positive, FISH negative), while in the remaining 6 cases both IHC and FISH were negative. The possible clinical implications of these results are discussed.

Calibration of force actuators on an adaptive secondary prototype.

In the context of the Large Binocular Telescope project, we present the results of force actuator calibrations performed on an adaptive secondary prototype called P45, a thin deformable glass with magnets glued onto its back. Electromagnetic actuators, controlled in a closed loop with a system of internal metrology based on capacitive sensors, continuously deform its shape to correct the distortions of the wavefront. Calibrations of the force actuators are needed because of the differences between driven forces and measured forces.