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Biomedical subjects

Russell Woo

Publications and source records attributed to Russell Woo.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Robotically assisted perventricular closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects: preliminary results in Yucatan pigs.

OBJECTIVE: Robotic systems allow surgeons to perform minimally invasive cardiac surgery in adults. Experience in the pediatric population, however, is limited. Perventricular closure of muscular ventricular septal defects has been reported in humans but requires a median sternotomy. The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of robotically assisted closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects by using the perventricular approach. METHODS: The procedure was attempted in 7 pigs with naturally occurring perimembranous ventricular septal defects. Echocardiography was performed to confirm the presence and assess the size of the defect. A 3-armed da Vinci system consisting of two 8-mm instrument ports and a 12-mm endoscopy port was used. A pericardiotomy was performed, and the right ventricular free wall was visualized. A spinal needle was advanced into the right ventricular cavity. By using echocardiographic guidance, a glide wire was advanced through the angiocatheter and manipulated through the defect into the left ventricle or the ascending aorta. A delivery sheath was advanced over the wire. An appropriately sized Amplatzer device was deployed through the sheath. RESULTS: The procedure was successful in 5 pigs. One device was removed because it was smaller than the defect and an appropriately sized device was not available. The placement failed in the second pig in the series. Four pigs were followed up for 1 to 4 months. Angiograms performed before the pigs were killed documented complete occlusion in 3 and mild-to-moderate shunt in 1. CONCLUSIONS: Robotically assisted perventricular closure with the Amplatzer Membranous VSD Occluder is feasible. This approach avoids the associated morbidities of cardiopulmonary bypass and median sternotomy. Further investigation and refinements are needed, however, before application of this approach in humans.

Animals↗

Inventing our future: training the next generation of surgeon innovators.

Current surgical care and technology has evolved over the centuries from the interplay between creative surgeons and new technologies. As both fields become more specialized, that interplay is threatened. A 2-year educational fellowship is described which teaches both the process and the discipline of medical/surgical device innovation. Multi-disciplinary teams (surgeons, engineers, business grads) are assembled to educate a generation of translators, who can bridge the gap between scientific and technologic advances and the needs of the physician and the patient.

Child↗

Robot-assisted laparoscopic resection of a type I choledochal cyst in a child.

Although the laparoscopic approach to the treatment of complex biliary disease is possible, it is technically challenging. In an attempt to overcome these difficulties, the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, California) was used to facilitate the minimally invasive treatment of a type I choledochal cyst in a 5-year-old, 22 kg, girl. Complete resection of the choledochal cyst and a Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy were performed using the robotic surgical system. Total robotic setup time (preparation, port placement, docking) was 40 minutes. Total procedure time was 440 minutes. Total robotic operative time was 390 minutes. No intraoperative complications or technical problems were encountered. At 6-month follow-up, the child is doing well with no episodes of cholangitis. Robot-assisted laparoscopic type I choledochal cyst resection appears safe and feasible. The three-dimensional visualization and wristed instrumentation greatly aids in the dissection of the cyst and in the biliary reconstruction.

Anastomosis, Roux-en-Y↗

Robot-assisted pediatric surgery.

Computer-enhanced robotic surgical systems have been increasingly used to facilitate complex minimal access surgical procedures. In adult patients, such systems have been used to perform a wide variety of operations including coronary artery bypass grafting, mitral valve repair, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, colon resection, nephrectomy, and radical prostatectomy. In the field of pediatric surgery, the experience with robotic surgical systems has been more limited. However, with improvements in robotic technology, interest and experience with robotic pediatric surgery have grown rapidly. The purpose of this article is to review the current experimental and clinical literature regarding the use of robotic surgical systems in the pediatric patient population.

Adult↗

Intravesical robotically assisted bilateral ureteral reimplantation.

An efficient laparoendoscopic technique for bilateral intravesical ureteral reimplantation would offer the certainty of cure provided by open surgery with the reduced morbidity of laparoscopy. We have assessed the clinical utility of robotically assisted intravesical bilateral ureteral reimplantation in children. Ports are placed in the dome of the bladder, and the procedure is performed in a fashion identical to that used for open transtrigonal reimplantation. A catheter is left in place for 1 or 2 days. With modifications in port placement using the VersaStep radially dilating sheath system, we have not had any port-site leakage. One patient has unilateral persisting low-grade reflux. This technique may be a useful option for antireflux surgery and should be further refined.

Child, Preschool↗