Chih-Feng Yen

Transvaginal Natural-Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) in Adnexal Procedures

From August 2010 to June 2011, 10 consecutive patients underwent transvaginal NOTES of the adnexa, including tubal sterilization in 3, salpingectomy because of ectopic pregnancy in 3, and ovarian tumor enucleation in 4. The mean (SD; 95% CI) age of the patients was 34.8 (9.7; 27.9-41.8) years, and their body mass index was 21.6 (2.8; 19.4-23.8). In 9 of the 10 patients, the procedure was completed. The 3 tubal sterilization procedures were completed in 18 to 30 minutes, with negligible blood loss. Operative time for the 3 salpingectomies because of ectopic pregnancy was 62 to 116 minutes. One of these procedures included management of 2000 mL hemoperitoneum. Three of the 4 attempts at ovarian enucleation were successfully completed within 64 to 162 minutes, with estimated blood loss ≤ 50 mL. One NOTES procedure failed because of a misdiagnosed peritoneal mucinous tumor located anterior to the uterus and inaccessible, leading to subsequent conversion to transabdominal laparoscopy. Our preliminary results show that purely transvaginal NOTES is feasible and safe for use in performing uterine adnexal procedures in selected patients. However, the procedure cannot be used in patients with cul-de-sac disease, and could have limited use in treating lesions located anterior to the uterus.

Hysterectomy via transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES): Feasibility of an innovative approach

OBJECTIVEnTo evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing a hysterectomy using the transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES).nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnFrom May through December 2010, 16 patients with benign uterine diseases who were eligible for laparoscopic hysterectomy were recruited to undergo transvaginal NOTES at a tertiary referral medical center. Intraoperative and postoperative surgical outcomes were measured.nnnRESULTSnAll of the included hysterectomies were completed via transvaginal NOTES without conversion to conventional laparoscopy. The mean (± standard error of mean (SEM)) uterine weight was 538.8±102.9 g, the mean operative time was 122.7±17.6 minutes, and the mean blood loss was 379.4±95.4 mL. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 2.8±0.2 days. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted in this series.nnnCONCLUSIONnHysterectomy for the treatment of benign diseases can be feasibly carried out via transvaginal NOTES. However, prospective studies are needed to determine its full clinical applications.

Laparoscopic hysterectomies for large uteri.

Laparoscopic hysterectomies increase recently due to several advantages of minimally invasive surgery. Controversy exists for laparoscopic hysterectomies for large uteri weighing >500g because some reports show increased complications and morbidities and high laparoconversion rate in the past. With familiarity of laparoscopic procedures and progress in surgical techniques, the issue should be discussed and reviewed by evidence again. Hence, we conducted a systematic review of laparoscopic hysterectomies for large uteri.

Outcome of laparoscopic repair of ureteral injury: follow-up of twelve cases.

STUDY OBJECTIVEnTo review the feasibility of laparoscopic repair in cases of ureteral injuries occurring during gynecologic laparoscopy.nnnDESIGNnRetrospective study (Canadian Task Force classification II-3).nnnSETTINGnInstitution-specific retrospective review of data from a tertiary referral medical center.nnnPATIENTSnPatients suffering from iatrogenic ureteral injuries diagnosed during or after surgery, and cases with deliberate ureteral resection and repair because of underlying disease.nnnMEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTSnWe conducted a retrospective review of all (10 345) laparoscopic gynecologic surgeries performed in our institute between February 2004 and November 2008. Twelve cases (median: 45.5 years, range: 27-63) of ureter transections were diagnosed and repaired laparoscopically by endoscopists. Of these, 10 had previous surgeries, pelvic adhesions, or a large pelvic-abdominal mass. One patient had undergone a segmental resection and laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy for deep infiltrative endometriosis. Of the remaining 11 iatrogenic ureteral transections, 10 were repaired via laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy, whereas 1 had undergone a laparoscopic ureteroneocystostomy. One injury was recognized on the second postoperative day, but intraoperative recognition was attained in 11 cases. The median duration of double J stenting was 73 days. Three patients had development of strictures (between 42 and 79 days after surgery) treated with restenting, but 1 had to undergo an ureteroneocystostomy for ureter disruption when trying to restent. One patient had development of leakage of the anastomotic site but recovered with a change of the double J stent. Only 1 case required another laparotomy for ureteroneocystostomy. Laparoscopic primary repair of ureteral injury was successful for 11 of 12 patients. All the patients were well and symptom free at the conclusion of the study period.nnnCONCLUSIONnEarly recognition and treatment of ureteral injuries are important to prevent morbidity. Laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy could be considered in transections of the ureter where technical expertise is available. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest series, to date, of ureteral repairs via laparoscopy.

Single-port laparoscopic myomectomy: initial operative experience and comparative outcome

ObjectiveTo present the initial operative outcome and comparative data among patients undergoing single-port laparoscopic myomectomy (SPLM).Materials and methodsA prospective, observational study of all patients who underwent SPLM was performed. The demographic and operative data, including age, body mass index, operative indications, operative time, estimated blood loss, complications, and postoperative hospital stay were recorded. A match cohort of patients undergoing traditional LM was also retrospectively compared.ResultsSPLM was successfully performed in all ten patients from April 2010 to October 2010. The two groups (SPLM and traditional LM) were matched by age, body mass index, size, and weight of fibroids. The median operating time (196.5 vs. 82.5xa0min, Pxa0<xa00.001) and length of hospitalization (3 vs. 2xa0days, Pxa0=xa00.042) were significantly longer in SPLM group than in traditional LM group. The median operative blood loss was not significantly different. No patients in either group had serious complications.ConclusionDespite the increased operating time, SPLM is feasible and offers comparable surgical outcomes and superior cosmesis compared with traditional LM.

Long-term survival outcome of laparoscopic staging surgery for endometrial cancer in Taiwanese experience

OBJECTIVEnThis study aims to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of laparoscopic staging surgery (LSS) for endometrial cancer in Taiwanese women.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnThis is a longitudinal study of prospectively registered 105 patients who underwent LSS for endometrial cancer between June 1995 and June 2008.nnnRESULTSnThe mean duration of surgery was 186.8 minutes, and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 220.38xa0mL. The median number of retrieved pelvic lymph nodes was 18. The intraoperative complication rate was 4.8%, including two cases of ureteral injury and one case each of bladder injury, bowel injury, and vascular injury. No patient required conversion to laparotomy. During the median follow-up of 55.3 months, six cases of recurrence (5.7%) and three tumor-related deaths (2.9%) were recorded. The 5-year disease-free survival and the overall survival were 93.39% and 98.05%, respectively.nnnCONCLUSIONnThe study revealed favorable perioperative outcomes and better long-term survival than reported in the Taiwan Cancer Registry, and similar good surgical results to those reported in the Western studies. Therefore, LSS by experienced surgeons for endometrial cancer is a feasible and efficacious alternative to laparotomy.

Functional Analyses of Endometriosis-Related Polymorphisms in the Estrogen Synthesis and Metabolism-Related Genes

Endometriosis is determined by genetic factors, and the prevalence of genetic polymorphisms varies greatly depending on the ethnic group studied. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 9 genes involved in estrogen biosynthesis and metabolism and the risks of endometriosis. Three hundred patients with endometriosis and 337 non-endometriotic controls were recruited. Thirty four non-synonymous SNPs, which change amino acid residues, were analyzed using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The functions of SNP-resulted amino acid changes were analyzed using multiple web-accessible databases and phosphorylation predicting algorithms. Among the 34 NCBI-listed SNPs, 22 did not exhibit polymorphism in this study of more than 600 Taiwanese Chinese women. However, homozygous and heterozygous mutants of 4 SNPs - rs6165 (genotype GG+GA, 307Ala/Ala+307Ala/Thr) of FSHR, rs 6166 (genotype GG+GA, 680Ser/Asn+680Ser/Ser) of FSHR, rs2066479 (genotype AA+AG, 289Ser/Ser+289Ser/Gly) of HSD17B3 and rs700519 (genotype TT+TC, 264Cys/Cys+264Cys/Arg) of CYP19, alone or in combination, were significantly associated with decreased risks of endometriosis. Bioinformatics results identified 307Thr of FSHR to be a site for O-linked glycosylation, 680Ser of FSHR a phosphorylated site by protein kinase B, and 289Ser of HSD17B3 a phosphorylated site by protein kinase B or ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1. Results of this study suggest that non-synonymous polymorphisms of FSHR, HSD17B3 and CYP19 genes may modulate the risk of endometriosis in Taiwanese Chinese women. Identification of the endometrosis-preferential non-synonymous SNPs and the conformational changes in those proteins may pave the way for the development of more disease-specific drugs.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic staging surgery for endometrial cancer--a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVEnThe robotic surgical system is reported to overcome some technical difficulties in traditional laparoscopic hysterectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and surgical outcomes of a robotic surgery program for endometrial cancer.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnPatients with endometrial cancer with the intention to receive treatment using robot-assisted laparoscopic staging surgery were recruited in a university hospital from July 2007 to August 2008. All of these surgeries were performed with the da Vinci system.nnnRESULTSnSix patients (mean age, 47.5 ±1.4 years; mean body mass index, 26.2 ±3.5 kg/m(2)) were enrolled and completed robot-assisted laparoscopic staging surgery. The robot docking time was 45.0 ±13.6 minutes and the robot-assisted operation time was 200.3 ±30.0 minutes. The mean estimated blood loss was 180.0 ±147.6 mL. The mean number of lymph nodes retrieved was 23.2 ±7.4. No laparoconversion and no intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. All patients were alive and free of disease up to the date of this report, at a median follow-up of 6.5 months (range, 5-17 months).nnnCONCLUSIONnRobot-assisted laparoscopic staging surgery is a feasible treatment and helps overcome the technical limitations in conventional laparoscopy for endometrial cancer.

Accessibility and surgical outcomes of transumbilical single-port laparoscopy using straight instruments for hysterectomy in difficult conditions.

OBJECTIVESnTo evaluate the accessibility of transumbilical single-port laparoscopy for hysterectomy in difficult conditions.nnnMATERIALS AND METHODSnThis prospective observational study recruited patients with benign diseases who were scheduled for laparoscopic hysterectomy between March 2010 and October 2011 to undergo the transumbilical single-port approach with straight instruments and a laparoscope.nnnRESULTSnIn total, 109 patients were included with a mean [± standard error of the mean (SEM)] age of 45.9 ± 0.4 years and mean body mass index of 23.9 ± 0.3 kg/m(2). The yielded mean uterine weight was 403.4 ± 25.3 g, with 28 (25.7%) weighing ≥500 g, including four specimens >1000 g, and 44 (40.4%) needed concurrent adhesiolysis. The operative time was 117.2 ± 4.2 minutes, estimated blood loss was 270.3 ± 22.9 mL, and the postoperative hospital stay was 2.8 ± 0.1 days. Patients with a uterus weighing ≥500 g had a higher intraoperative blood loss in comparison with those with a uterus weighing <500 g (375.4 ± 55.3 mL vs. 234.0 ± 23.0 mL; p < 0.05) and a higher incidence of blood transfusion (17.9% and 6.2%, respectively). The single-port approach was abandoned in four (3.7%) patients with severe pelvic adhesion--an additional port was opened for extensive adhesiolysis. None of the patients with a voluminous uterus needed an additional port. There were no major intraoperative or postoperative complications.nnnCONCLUSIONnThe single-port approach using straight, conventional laparoscopic instruments was feasible and safe in the majority of the patients undergoing hysterectomy, and was found to be accessible even in cases with a large uterus. The patients benefitted from this approach and had less abdominal wounds. However, patients with a voluminous uterus tended to have more intraoperative blood loss, and in some cases with severe adhesions, additional port(s) were required for surgical effectiveness.

Positive associations between upregulated levels of stress-induced phosphoprotein 1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in endometriosis/adenomyosis

Stress-induced phosphoprotein-1 (STIP1), an adaptor protein that coordinates the functions of HSP70 and HSP90 in protein folding, has been implicated in the development of human gynecologic malignancies. This case-control study investigates STIP1 serum levels and tissue expression in relation to endometriosis/adenomyosis in Taiwanese population. Female patients with surgically confirmed endometriosis/adenomyosis were compared with women free of endometriosis/adenomyosis. Serum STIP1 levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and surgical tissues were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Both epithelial and stromal cells in surgical tissues of endometriosis and adenomyosis expressed STIP1 and MMP-9. Notably, MMP-9 expression was significantly decreased when STIP1 expression was knocked-down. In vitro experiments revealed that STIP1 was capable of binding to the MMP-9 promoter and enhanced its transcriptional expression. The preoperative serum STIP1 levels of patients with endometriosis/adenomyosis were significantly higher than those of the controls. In brief, our data suggest an association between STIP1 levels and endometriosis/adenomyosis.