Laparoscopic Morcellation and Tissue Spillage Containment Using the LI Endofield™ Bag.

There are many times during laparoscopic surgery that a surgeon, whether gynecologist or general surgeon, must work in an environment where spillage of tissue or organ contents should be avoided. In gynecologic surgery, this involves management of ovarian cysts as well as containment of tissue fragments during morcellation of uteri or fibroids. Unfortunately, many laparoscopic containment bags on the market today are not large enough to remain open on their own during the entire procedure.

The New HARMONIC ACE®+7 Shears: A Game Changer in Ultrasonic Hemostasis.

The latest version of HARMONIC®, the HARMONIC ACE®+7 Shears by Ethicon US, LLC, is now commercially available. While earlier models also had easy-to-use handles and a fine, non-stick tip, the HARMONIC ACE®+7 Shears adds a new hemostasis feature. The "7" in HARMONIC ACE®+7 stands for the device's ability to coagulate and divide 7-mm vessels.

Use of the ENSEAL® G2 tissue sealer in gynecologic surgery.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become the standard of care for a variety of surgical conditions, and reliable vessel sealing and precise cutting are essential. A variety of tissue-sealing devices have been used successfully to decrease operating time and control bleeding during hysterectomy and other MIS gynecologic procedures. One development involves the next generation of advanced bipolar devices by ETHICON (Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc.

Laparoscopic Management of Ovarian Cysts with Controlled Tissue Sealing - The "Cross Bag" Technique.

When ovarian preservation is desired, a minimally invasive laparoscopic surgical procedure using a "cross bag" technique is effective to consistently manage and remove ovarian cysts of concern. In addition to the standard preoperative preparation of patients, a bowel prep is critical, especially if the mass is large or the patient obese. Visualization of all internal structures is achieved using a multi-screen HD system and 5-mm laparoscope.

IFN-gamma pretreatment augments immune complex-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression in U937 histiocytes.

We reported recently that immune complexes (ICs) induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression in U937 histiocytes. The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of pretreatment of U937 cells with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on IC-induced MMP-1 expression. Our flow cytometry studies showed that IFN-gamma upregulated the surface expression of FcgammaRI, but not FcgammaRII.