Current Status of Robotic Gastrointestinal Surgery.

Development of surgical support robots began in the 1980s as a navigation and auxiliary device for endoscopic surgery. For remote surgery on the battlefield, a master-slave-type surgical support robot was developed, in which a console surgeon operates the robot at will. The da Vinci surgical system, which currently dominates the global robotic surgery market, received United States Food and Drug Administration and regulatory approval in Japan in 2000 and 2009 respectively.

The Tight Adaptation at Pancreatic Anastomosis Without Parenchymal Laceration: An Institutional Experience in Introducing and Modifying the New Procedure.

Background: Among the types of pancreatic anastomosis used after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD), Blumgart type reconstruction has rapidly been distributed for its theoretical reasonableness, including secure tight adaptation of jejunal wall and pancreatic parenchyma without cause of parenchymal laceration. The clinical appropriateness of our modified Blumgart method was demonstrated by comparing to that of Kakita method.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 156 patients underwent elective open PD, reconstructed former 78 patients with the Kakita method, utilizing a full-thickness penetrating suture for tight stump adhesion.

Activation of human liver sinusoidal endothelial cell by human platelets induces hepatocyte proliferation.

Background & Aims: We previously reported that platelets promote hepatocyte proliferation. In this study, we focused on the role of platelets in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) in addition to their role in hepatocyte in liver regeneration.

Methods: Immortalized human LSECs (TMNK-1) were used.

[A case of stage IVA intrahepatic biliary tract cancer successfully treated with gemcitabine].

We reported a case of non-resectable intrahepatic biliary tract cancer, treated with Gemcitabine and oral anticancer drugs. A 45-year-old man was admitted to the hospital due to abdominal distension and fatigue. CT scan revealed intrahepatic biliary tract cancer in the left lobe, which had metastasized to both lobes.