ObjectiveTo investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of thoracoscopy-assisted epicardial radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) and/or left atrial appendage exclusion (LAAE).MethodsThe clinical data of 12 patients with solitary AF admitted to Beijing Tiantan Hospital from November 2018 to August 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including 7 males and 5 females, with an average age of 65.2±5.3 years. Of them, 2 had paroxysmal AF, 1 had persistent AF and 9 had permanent AF.ResultsNo patient died during hospitalization, 5 patients underwent radiofrequency ablation for AF and LAAE, and 6 received LAAE alone. The operation time was 293±70 min in radiofrequency ablation for AF+LAAE patients and 71±14 min in LAAE patients. Two patients restored sinus rhythm, two restored after electric cardioversion, and one remained AF in AF+LAAE patients. Postoperatively, 1 patient had pleural effusion and 1 had subcutaneous emphysema. No stroke was observed.ConclusionThoracoscopy-assisted radiofrequency ablation for AF and/or LAAE reduce the risk of procedure, and provide alternative approach to treat AF-associated diseases. However, large sample size studies using prospective cohort designs are required to corroborate the present findings.
ObjectiveTo compare the surgical effects of totally thoracoscopic and thoracoscopic-assisted small incision for left atrial appendage clipping. Methods The clinical data of patients who underwent left atrial appendage clipping surgery via totally thoracoscopy or thoracoscopic-assisted minimally invasive small incision from November 2018 to March 2022 in Beijing Tiantan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. According to the surgical approach, they were divided into a totally thoracoscopic group and a small incision group. The clinical results were compared between the two groups. ResultsA totoal of 41 patients were enrolled, including 30 males and 11 females, with an average age of 66.6±6.1 years. There were 23 patients in the totally thoracoscopic group and 18 patients in the small incision group. The CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.5±1.1 points, and HAS-BLED score was 3.7±1.5 points. No death occured in the whole group. There was no statistical difference between the two groups in terms of operation time, chest complications, successful rate of closure of the left atrial appendage, residual length of the left atrial appendage, or displacement of the atrial appendage clip (P>0.05). The total drainage volume in the totally thoracoscopic group was less than that in the small incision group, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.031). The median follow-up time was 10 (1-30) months, during which there was 1 patient of stroke and 1 patient of left atrial thrombus in both groups. ConclusionTotally thoracoscopic left atrial appendage clipping is less invasive than thoracoscopic-assisted minimally invasive small incision surgery and does not increase the risk of surgical complications.
Objective To investigate the clinical application of da Vinci surgical system in nipple sparing mastectomy (NSM) and immediate one-stage implant-based breast reconstruction. Methods Five cases of breast cancer who underwent NSM and immediate implant-based breast reconstruction were analyzed from March 2022 to April 2022. Evaluation endpoints included the key points of operation, duration of surgery, postoperative complications, and patient-reported outcomes. Results Two patients underwent implant-based postpectoral breast reconstruction without mesh. Three patients received prepectoral reconstruction with biological mesh, 2 of which underwent bilateral breast reconstruction. Operating duration of 5 patients was 240–320 min, with an average of 291 min. The blood loss was 10–30 mL, with an average of 18 mL. No patient switched to open surgery due to the uncontrolled bleeding. The average drainage volume was 78 mL/d (60–100 mL/d) in the first 3 days and 38 mL/d (30–50 mL/d) in the 3 to 7 days after operation. The drainage tube was removed 10–18 days after operation, with an average of 13.2 days. No postoperative infections or nipple-areolar complex necrosis were observed. The inpatient stay was 1–3 days, with an average of 1.8 days. One month after operation, the BREAST-Q satisfaction score was 64–82, with an average of 76.20. The average cost for operation was 45 072 RMB (43 420–47 524 RMB). Conclusions The robotic NSM and immediate one-stage implant-based breast reconstruction is a safe procedure with better clinical outcomes and favorable patients’ satisfaction. However, the robotic system has longer operation time and higher cost. It still needs to be personalized in the clinical practice.