BACKGROUND Minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) remains one of the most challenging abdominal procedures. Safety and feasibility remain controversial when comparing MIPD with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD). The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of MIPD versus OPD. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was perfor...

It is well understood that induction motors draw higher currents during their starting operations than is the case under full load running conditions. Since the early days of induction motor availability, starting methods other than Direct-on-Line have been used, and in some cases mandated by Utilities, to reduce the effect of these high starting currents on the electrical distribution network....

Introduction: Vesicovaginal fistula remains a challenge in surgical therapy. In this study autologous platelet rich plasma and platelet rich fibrin glue were used as a minimally invasive approach for vesicovaginal fistula closure. Materials and Methods: Data including age, parity, ICIQ-UI (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-urinary incontinence), ICIQ-QOL (Internation...

Standard open and percutaneous minimally invasive surgical procedures co-exist in the treatment of fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. Shorter skin incisions just above the pedicles are used in minimally invasive procedures. Full-length skin incisions and invasive preparations are applied in the standard open approach. While both methods show equivalent rates of intraoperative surgical compli...

The mini-open anterolateral approach to the thoracolumbar spine is gaining popularity as a minimally-invasive alternative to traditional open thoracolumbar approaches. Published studies reporting and discussing the complications associated with this minimally invasive approach, however, are limited. We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing the mini-open lateral approach to the...

This timely paper reviews the current status and respective roles of laparoscopic, robotically-assisted and open radical prostatectomy in the management of localized prostate cancer. While open radical prostatectomy remains the gold standard of treatment, a minimally-invasive approach has been available since 1997 in the form of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Minimally-invasive approaches ...

A rapid progression from conventional open surgery to minimally invasive approaches in the surgical management of colorectal cancer has occurred over the last 2 decades. Initial concerns that this new approach was oncologically inferior to open surgery were ultimately refuted when several prospective randomized trials concluded that laparoscopic colectomy could achieve similar oncologic outcome...

Endonasal skull base surgery (see Fig. 1) has proven to be a safe, effective, and significantly less invasive surgical approach when compared to open, highly invasive techniques [1]. Nevertheless, one initial difficulty with this minimally invasive approach has been postoperative leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) [2]. While the incidence of postoperative CSF leaks are low (<1%), the potentia...