Carmen L. Mueller

Comparing Laparoscopic to Endoscopic Resections for Early Gastric Cancer in a High Volume North American Center.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection as an organ sparing option for early gastric cancer is becoming increasingly accepted as an alternative to laparoscopic gastrectomy. Given the very limited North American data, we sought to compare outcomes between endoscopic and laparoscopic resection of gastric malignant and premalignant tumors. Patients undergoing laparoscopic gastrectomy or endoscopic submucosal dissection from 2007 to 2014 for adenocarcinoma or dysplasia at the McGill University Health Center were identified from a prospectively collected database and dichotomized according to the surgical approach. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, stage, oncologic outcome, length of stay, and postoperative complications were recorded. Of 155 patients with gastric cancer identified, 67 were treated by laparoscopic gastrectomy (n = 37) or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) (n = 30). There were significantly more invasive lesions in the laparoscopic group and patients subject to ESD harbored more T1 lesions. No significant difference in the rate of R0 resection or overall complications was observed between the groups. Accordingly, length of stay was significantly shorter in the ESD group. There were no significant differences in terms of overall and disease-free survival. In selected patients, ESD is associated with improved short-term outcomes and provides an appropriate oncologic resection option in a North American patient cohort.

Fundamentals of Energy Utilization in the Operating Room

Energy devices are used throughout surgery and for nearly every operation. Major benefits of using energy devices include aid in dissection, achievement of hemostasis, and ablation of unwanted tissue. Numerous types of energy devices are available, including monopolar and bipolar electrosurgical devices, ultrasonic energy, and argon beam plasma coagulators. While energy devices are enormously useful for the safe completion of modern surgical procedures, risks of the use of energy devices are significant and include inadvertent tissue injury, interference with implanted devices, and operating room fires, among others. Surgeons must be familiar with the types of devices available, their appropriate setup and use, limitations of each device and type of energy used, and potential sources of patient or personal injury. This chapter summarizes these concepts.

The Steinberg Centre for Simulation and Interactive Learning at McGill University

Simulation allows for learner-centered health professions training by providing a safe environment to practice and make mistakes without jeopardizing patient care. It was with this goal in mind that the McGill Medical Simulation Center was officially opened on September 14, 2006, as a partnership between McGill University, the Faculty of Medicine and its affiliated hospitals. Its mandate is to provide state-of-the-art facilities to support simulation-based medical and allied health education initiatives. Since its inception, the center, recently renamed the Steinberg Center for Simulation and Interactive Learning (SCSIL), has undergone a major expansion and logged more than 130,000 learner visits. Educational activities are offered at all levels of medical and allied health care training, and include standardized patient encounters, partial task trainers, multidisciplinary courses, and high-fidelity trainers, among many others. In addition to its educational mandate, the center also supports an active research program, programs to enhance collaboration with disciplines outside of health care to spur innovation, and community outreach initiatives.

Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Esophageal Adenocarcinoma and a North American Perspective

Background Data are limited regarding the application of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in Western countries or for esophageal adenocarcinoma in any part of the world. We sought to review our experience employing ESD in patients with early esophageal cancer at a high volume North American esophageal cancer treatment center.