Extraperitoneal space

Abstract: A new anterior intrapelvic approach for the surgical management of displaced acetabular fractures involving predominantly the anterior column and the quadrilateral plate is described. In order to establish five 'windows' for instrumentation, the extraperitoneal space is entered along the lateral border of the rectus abdominis muscle. This is the so-called 'Pararectus' approach. The feasibility of safe dissection and optimal instrumentation of the pelvis was assessed in five cadavers (ten hemipelves) before implementation in a series of 20 patients with a mean age of 59 years (17 to 90), of whom 17 were male. The clinical evaluation was undertaken between December 2009 and December 2010. The quality of reduction was assessed with post-operative CT scans and the occurrence of intra-operative complications was noted. In cadavers, sufficient extraperitoneal access and safe instrumentation of the pelvis were accomplished. In the patients, there was a statistically significant improvement in the reduction of the fracture (pre- versus post-operative: mean step-off 3.3 mm (sd 2.6) vs 0.1 mm (sd 0.3), p < 0.001; and mean gap 11.5 mm (sd 6.5) vs 0.8 mm (sd 1.3), p < 0.001). Lesions to the peritoneum were noted in two patients and minor vascular damage was noted in a further two patients. Multi-directional screw placement and various plate configurations were feasible in cadavers without significant retraction of soft tissues. In the treatment of acetabular fractures predominantly involving the anterior column and the quadrilateral plate, the Pararectus approach allowed anatomical restoration with minimal morbidity related to the surgical access.

Abstract: BACKGROUND A pilot study of a new surgical technique for aortic dissection, combining the advantages of extraperitoneal surgery and minimal invasive surgery, was conducted. METHODS Fifty-three patients underwent infrarenal aortic and common iliac dissection for the staging of bulky or advanced cervical carcinomas. The indication for extended lymph node staging was bulky early stage in 33 patients, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics distal Stage IIB or higher in 14 patients, nonbulky early stage with microscopic positive pelvic lymph nodes in 1 patient, and central recurrence in 5 patients. The lymph node dissection template included the common iliac lymph nodes, the inframesenteric lymph nodes, and the preaortic and lateroaortic infrarenal lymph nodes. The operation was performed using endoscopic techniques with CO2 insufflation of the extraperitoneal space. RESULTS The procedure failed in two patients. Nine patients had lymph node biopsy or selective removal of macroscopically positive lymph nodes. For the 42 remaining patients, the average duration of the operation was 125.9 ± 31.8 minutes and the average number of lymph nodes was 20.7. Overall, 17 patients had positive lymph nodes, in whom disease was macroscopic in 9 patients and microscopic in 8. Overall, the positivity rate was 32%. Five complications occurred, four of them related to the extraperitoneal dissection technique. An intraoperative complication occurred in one patient, in whom a lateral injury to a fixed and dilated ureter was managed by stenting. A postoperative complication occurred in another patient, in whom a retroperitoneal hematoma causing ileus and compression of the upper ureter was managed conservatively. Two symptomatic lymphocysts occurred; one of them required drainage under ultrasound guidance. All patients but one had external radiation therapy tailored according to the aortic lymph node status. After an average follow-up of 18.9 months, 60% of lymph node positive patients and 15% of lymph node negative patients died. Distant recurrence occurred in 53% of lymph node positive patients and 9% of lymph node negative patients. No patient had recurrence in the aortic or common iliac area. Two patients developed radiation enteritis. CONCLUSIONS This new technique deserves to be used as a tool to identify lymph node positive patients who require extended-field radiation and/or chemotherapy. Cancer 2000;88:1883–91. © 2000 American Cancer Society.

Abstract: Objective To describe our technique of extraperitoneal single-port (SP) robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and present our clinical experience with the first 10 cases. Patients and methods In all, 10 consecutive patients diagnosed with localised prostate cancer underwent extraperitoneal SP-RARP using the da Vinci SP® Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Exclusion criteria included previous surgery through an infra-umbilical midline incision, prostate size >100 g, or preoperative evidence of extraprostatic disease. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon with previous experience of >3000 cases in robotic surgery. Demographics and perioperative information were collected including: operative time, estimated blood loss (EBL), complications, length of stay, and days with Foley catheter. The extraperitoneal SP-RARP is performed as follows. Firstly, a 3-cm incision ~2 cm below the umbilicus is made. Dissection of the extraperitoneal space is achieved using a kidney shaped Spacemaker™ balloon (Covidien, Dublin, Ireland), placed through the infra-umbilical incision caudally reaching the retropubic space. Thereafter, the balloon is deployed; the space is created and verified under direct vision with a laparoscopic endoscope. A GelPOINT® mini advanced access platform (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) is inserted and a dedicated 25-mm multichannel port is placed with a 12-mm accessory laparoscopic port through the gel-seal cap into the same incision. The da Vinci SP surgical platform robot is docked with the patient in a supine position. RARP is performed replicating the technique previously described for multi-arm platforms or transperitoneal SP-RARP. No drain and no additional assistant ports were utilised. Results The patient's ages ranged between 48 and 70 years, and the mean preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was 9 ng/mL. No conversions or intraoperative complications were recorded. The median (interquartile range) operative time was 197.5 (185.5-229.7) min. EBL ranged between 50 and 400 mL, six patients were discharged on the same day as the surgery and the median time with a Foley catheter after surgery was 8 days. Conclusions Extraperitoneal SP-RARP is a feasible and safe surgical option to treat localised prostate cancer. In our early experience, promising results and possible advantages were found such as: a small single incision, no additional ports, no Trendelenburg positioning, minimal postoperative pain and use of opioids, and same day discharge. Further investigations need to be done to validate these advantages.