InLine radiofrequency ablation-assisted laparoscopic liver resection: first experiment with stapling device.
BACKGROUND
In liver surgery, the increase in advancement of laparoscopic equipment has allowed the feasibility and safety of complex laparoscopic liver resection. However, blood loss and the potential risk of gas embolism seem to be the main obstacles. In this study, we successfully used the InLine radiofrequency ablation (RFA) device to carry out laparoscopic hand-assisted liver resection in pigs.


METHODS
Under general anaesthesia with tracheal intubation, pigs underwent InLine RFA-assisted laparoscopic liver resection. After installation of Hand Port and trocars, the InLine RFA device was introduced through Hand Port system and inserted into the premarked resection line. Then the generator was turned on and the power was applied according to the power setting. The resection was finally carried out using diathermy or stapler. For the control group, resection was simply carried out by diathermy or stapler.


RESULTS
Eight Landrace pigs underwent 23 liver resections. Blood loss was reduced significantly in the InLine group (P<0.001) when compared with control group in both surgical methods (diathermy and stapler).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we successfully carried out InLine RFA-assisted laparoscopic liver resection in both stapled and diathermy group. We showed that there was a highly significant difference between InLine and other liver resection techniques laparoscopically.
Yao
Peng
P
University of New South Wales, Department of Surgery, St George Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Gunasegaram
Aravin
A
Ladd
Leigh A
LA
Chu
Frank
F
Morris
David L
DL
D000818:Animals; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000517:prevention & control; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D003972:Diathermy; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D013528:Surgical Staplers; D013552:Swine