To Shrink or Not to Shrink? An Objective Assessment of Free Gracilis Muscle Volume Change in Lower-Extremity Defect Reconstruction.

The use of free gracilis muscle flaps in reconstructive surgery of the lower leg is common practice to cover defects. However, there is still a lack of understanding of the morphometric changes that occur in the transferred muscle and area of interest over time, particularly the characteristic volume decrease that is observed over the course of the first year. This study aimed to assess volume changes in patients with free gracilis muscle flap reconstruction following infection, trauma, or malignancies of the lower extremity.

[Coverage of complex pararectal pelvic defects: role of the free myocutaneous musculus vastus lateralis flap].

Background: In the event of an advanced rectal carcinoma, an evisceration with rectal amputation may become necessary. The resulting defects, due to their extent, depth, or local tissue damage from previous surgeries and radiation, can in many cases only be closed through free microvascular tissue transfer. In this case series, we demonstrate the successful combination of a musculocutaneous musculus vastus lateralis flap (MVL) with a direct connection to the superior gluteal artery.

Laparoscopy training of novices with complex curved instruments using 2D- and 3D-visualization.

Purpose: Beside many advantages, disadvantages such as reduced degrees of freedom and poorer depth perception are still apparent in laparoscopic surgery. 3D visualization and the development of complex instruments are intended to counteract the disadvantages. We want to find out whether the use of complex instruments and 3D visualization has an influence on the performance of novices.

[Robotic-assisted harvesting of a latissimus dorsi muscle flap: a case report].

Having established itself in various other areas of surgery as well as in urology, robotics is increasingly gaining importance in plastic surgery. The case presented in this manuscript describes the first published robotic-assisted harvesting of a latissimus dorsi muscle free flap in the German-speaking world. The aim is to increase the knowledge of robotics in plastic surgery and to support the introduction of robotic-assisted plastic surgery in Germany.

AR visualizations in laparoscopy: surgeon preferences and depth assessment of vascular anatomy.

This study compares five augmented reality (AR) vasculature visualization techniques in a mixed-reality laparoscopy simulator with 50 medical professionals and analyzes their impact on the surgeon. ​​The different visualization techniques' abilities to convey depth were measured using the participant's accuracy in an objective depth sorting task. Demographic data and subjective measures, such as the preference of each AR visualization technique and potential application areas, were collected with questionnaires.

Tracking and evaluating motion skills in laparoscopy with inertial sensors.

Background: Analysis of surgical instrument motion is applicable in surgical skill assessment and monitoring of the learning progress in laparoscopy. Current commercial instrument tracking technology (optical or electromagnetic) has specific limitations and is expensive. Therefore, in this study, we apply inexpensive, off-the-shelf inertial sensors to track laparoscopic instruments in a training scenario.

Phantom study on surgical performance in augmented reality laparoscopy.

Purpose: Only a few studies have evaluated Augmented Reality (AR) in in vivo simulations compared to traditional laparoscopy; further research is especially needed regarding the most effective AR visualization technique. This pilot study aims to determine, under controlled conditions on a 3D-printed phantom, whether an AR laparoscope improves surgical outcomes over conventional laparoscopy without augmentation.

Methods: We selected six surgical residents at a similar level of training and had them perform a laparoscopic task.

A Novel Deep Learning Model as a Donor-Recipient Matching Tool to Predict Survival after Liver Transplantation.

Background: The "digital era" in the field of medicine is the new "here and now". Artificial intelligence has entered many fields of medicine and is recently emerging in the field of organ transplantation. Solid organs remain a scarce resource.

Local Shape Preserving Deformations for Augmented Reality Assisted Laparoscopic Surgery.

Image registration is a commonly required task in computer assisted surgical procedures. Existing registration methods in laparoscopic navigation systems suffer from several constraints, such as lack of deformation compensation. The proposed algorithm aims to provide the surgeons with updated navigational information about the deep-seated anatomy, which considers the continuous deformations in the operating environment.

[Change of Gaze Pattern depending on the Stage of DIEP Flap Breast Reconstruction: a Preliminary Eye-Tracking Investigation].

Background: Breast reconstruction using autologous tissue is an integral part of breast cancer treatment. While many studies have elucidated the impact of breast reconstruction on patients' quality of life, self-esteem, sexuality and more, there is a lack of objective data regarding the effects on external observers. Aim of this study was to investigate the change in gaze pattern of independent observers depending on the stage of DIEP-flap breast reconstruction.

Survival Outcomes and Clinicopathological Features in Inflammatory Bowel Disease-associated Colorectal Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of our study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the survival outcomes of IBD-associated and non-IBD-associated CRC.

Summary Of Background Data: Investigations comparing the prognosis in CRC patients with and without IBD have yielded conflicting results.

Methods: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library were searched for studies evaluating the prognostic outcomes between CRC patients with IBD and those without IBD.

Laparoscopic intraarterial catheterization with selective ICG fluorescence imaging in colorectal surgery.

The quality of mesorectal resection is crucial for resection in rectal cancer, which should be performed by laparoscopy for better outcome. The use of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence is now routinely used in some centers to evaluate bowel perfusion. Previous studies have demonstrated in animal models that selective intra-arterial ICG staining can be used to define and visualize resection margins in rectal cancer.

Ileal transposition helps to regulate plasma hepatokine levels in obese Zucker (Crl:ZUC(ORL)-Lepr) rats.

We studied the long-term effect of ileal transposition (IT) metabolic surgery on the hepatokines: retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP4), α-2-HS-glycoprotein (aHSG/fetuin-A), and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), C-reactive protein (CRP) plasma levels, glucose metabolism, body weight, liver histology, as well as total lipids concentration in muscle, liver, and fat tissue of obese Zucker (Crl:ZUC(ORL)-Lepr) rats. 14 adult males were randomly submitted either to IT or SHAM (control) surgery. Pre-operative hepatokines plasma levels were not significantly different in rats submitted to IT or SHAM protocol.

Laparoscopic versus open liver resections of posterolateral liver segments - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Laparoscopic resection has become an accepted approach to liver tumour surgery. However, it is considered difficult, especially in unfavourably located lesions.

Aim: To compare the outcomes of laparoscopic (LLR) and open liver resection (OLR) of posterolateral segments.

Intra-arterial versus negative-staining of embryonal resection borders with indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence for total mesorectal excision in colorectal cancer - an experimental feasibility study in a porcine model.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Laparoscopic lower rectal resections in accordance with the oncological principles are recommended as the gold standard for CRC surgical management. However, the learning curve for adopting these techniques is quite steep and the incomplete resections are predictive of local recurrence.

A Robotic Camera Holder Controlled by Head Movements: Exploring This New Robot-Surgeon Interface.

Most robotic camera steering devices (RCSDs) require active steering by the surgeon and necessarily increase workload. Clinical experience shows that standard laparoscopic procedures can be performed safely as solo surgery aided by RCSDs. No evidence exists concerning exploratory or emergency procedures.

Endoscopic vacuum therapy for treatment of rectal stump leakage.

Background: Symptomatic rectal stump leakage (RSL) is a serious complication after discontinuity resection and requires immediate surgical, interventional, or endoscopic therapy. Re-operations are associated with high morbidity and mortality in these mostly very ill patients. Endoscopic vacuum therapy (EVT) has been established for management of anastomotic leakage; however, its effectiveness for RSL treatment has not been analyzed in detail yet.

The Impact of DJOS Surgery, a High Fat Diet and a Control Diet on the Enzymes of Glucose Metabolism in the Liver and Muscles of Sprague-Dawley Rats.

The prevalence of diabetes type 2 (T2DM) and obesity is growing exponentially and becoming a global public health problem. The enzymes of glucose metabolism play a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and T2DM. A pathophysiological link between different dietary patterns, HFD, obesity, T2DM and the enzymes of glucose metabolism can be used as a potential target in therapeutic strategies for the treatment of obesity, and T2DM.

Corrigendum to "Antioxidant Status in the Soleus Muscle of Sprague-Dawley Rats in Relation to Duodenal-Jejunal Omega Switch and Different Dietary Patterns".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/3795070.].

The influence of high-fat, high-sugar diet and bariatric surgery on HSP70 and HSP90 plasma and liver concentrations in diet-induced obese rats.

Metabolic surgery ameliorates insulin resistance and is associated with long-term, effective weight loss, but the mechanisms involved remain unknown. Here, the duodenal-jejunal omega switch (DJOS) surgery in combination with high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet was performed on diet obese rats and joint effects of bariatric surgery and different dietary patterns on heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and HSP90 plasma and liver concentrations were measured. We found that plasma and liver levels of HSP70 were lower after DJOS surgery in comparison to the control in the groups of animals kept on control diet (CD) and high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFS) but the postoperative change of the diet led to the increase in HSP70 in plasma and liver concentration in DJOS-operated animals.