A Force-Feedback Methodology for Teleoperated Suturing Task in Robotic-Assisted Minimally Invasive Surgery.

With robotic-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RAMIS), patients and surgeons benefit from a reduced incision size and dexterous instruments. However, current robotic surgery platforms lack haptic feedback, which is an essential element of safe operation. Moreover, teleportation control challenges make complex surgical tasks like suturing more time-consuming than those that use manual tools.

A Phase 1 Study of a Novel Bidirectional Perfusion Cannula in Patients Undergoing Femoral Cannulation for Cardiac Surgery.

Objective: Leg ischemia is a serious complication of femoral artery cannulation. The primary aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel bidirectional femoral arterial cannula (Sorin Group USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of LivaNova PLC, Arvada, CO USA) that provides both antegrade and retrograde flow, in patients undergoing peripheral cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass during cardiac surgery.

Methods: Patients undergoing routine cardiac surgery requiring femoral artery cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass were identified preoperatively.

Pressure and Flow Characteristics of a Novel Bidirectional Cannula for Cardiopulmonary Bypass.

Objective: Femoral arterial cannulation is associated with a significant risk of lower limb ischemia. The aim of the study was to assess the pressure and flow in the femoral artery using a novel bidirectional femoral cannula in a sheep model of peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass.

Methods: Peripheral cardiopulmonary bypass was established using a multistage venous cannula inserted into the internal jugular vein and the bidirectional or a conventional arterial cannula into the femoral artery in seven adult ewes.

Novel Sternal Protection Device for Cardiac Surgery Via Median Sternotomy Incision.

Objective: Sternal bleeding during cardiac surgery is currently controlled using bone wax or other chemical substances that may result in adverse effects and affect wound healing and recovery. The purpose of this study was to identify a safe, cost-effective, and easy-to-use technique to reduce sternal bleeding and sternal trauma during cardiac surgery.

Methods: After sternotomy, a sternal protection device was placed over each hemisternal section before insertion of the retractor and remained in situ until the end of surgery.

Sheathless transcatheter aortic valve implantation via the direct aortic approach.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has become an accepted alternate treatment modality to surgical aortic valve replacement in high surgical risk patients. There remains, however, a subset of patients in whom safe delivery of a TAVR device cannot be achieved by the femoral or subclavian routes. In such cases the direct aortic or transapical routes can be used though this still requires suitable anatomy.

Lung T-cell responses to nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by pulmonary inflammation that persists after the cessation of smoking. T cells have a major role in driving inflammation in patients with COPD and are activated by specific antigens to produce mediators, such as cytokines. The antigens that activate lung T cells have not been clearly defined.

Non-operative management of tube thoracostomy induced pulmonary artery injury.

Tube thoracostomy insertion is a common procedure in the management of air and fluid collections in the pleural space. Pulmonary artery injury is a rare but serious complication following intercostal catheterisation. This complication is usually managed surgically.

Echocardiographic measurement of mitral intertrigonal distance is an adjunct to annuloplasty ring sizing.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Annuloplasty sizing with standard valve sizers may be imprecise and difficult in minimally invasive procedures. It is hypothesized that a constant clinical conversion factor relates the echocardiographic aortic annulus diameter (AAD) and the intertrigonal distance (ITD) in patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation (MR). This may provide another method to size the annuloplasty ring required for mitral valve repair.

Urgent and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting for acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Urgent and emergency coronary artery bypass grafting may be associated with significant mortality and morbidity. We report our recent experience with this group of patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 441 patients undergoing urgent and emergency surgery over a 3-year period was carried out.

Robotic cardiac surgery at Epworth hospital.

Epworth Hospital is the first in the southern hemisphere to acquire the da Vinci Robot to facilitate minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Applications for this new technology include mitral valve repair, atrial septal defect closure, single coronary artery bypass graft to coronary arteries on the front of the heart, ablative surgery for atrial fibrillation and insertion of epicardial pacemaker electrodes. A team of surgeons from the Epworth Hospital have trained at East Carolina University (ECU) Greenville, North Carolina, USA; including surgeons, anesthetists, perfusionist and nurses.