• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.241-248
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• 2013

Esophageal cancer has one of the highest malignant potentials of any type of tumor. The 3-field lymph node dissection is the standard procedure in Japan for surgically curable esophageal cancer in the middle or upper thoracic esophagus. Minimally invasive esophagectomy is being increasingly performed in many countries, and several studies report its feasibility and curability; further, the magnifying effect of the thoracoscope is another distinct advantage. However, few studies have reported that minimally invasive esophagectomy is more beneficial than open esophagectomy. A recent meta-analysis revealed that minimally invasive esophagectomy reduces blood loss, respiratory complications, the total morbidity rate, and hospitalization duration. A randomized study reported that the pulmonary infection rate, pain score, intraoperative blood loss, hospitalization duration, and postoperative 6-week quality of life were significantly better with the minimally invasive procedure than with other procedures. In the future, sentinel lymph node mapping might play a significant role by obtaining individualized information to customize the surgical procedure for individual patients' specific needs.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.336-345
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• 2023

Background: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the safety, efficacy, and feasibility of intraoperative monitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerves during thoracoscopic and robotic 3-field esophagectomy. Methods: This retrospective analysis details our initial experience using intraoperative nerve monitoring (IONM) during minimally invasive 3-field esophagectomy. Data were obtained from a prospectively maintained database and electronic medical records. The study included all patients who underwent minimally invasive (video-assisted thoracic surgery/robotic) transthoracic esophagectomy with neck anastomosis. The patients were divided into those who underwent IONM during the study period and a historical cohort who underwent 3-field esophagectomy without IONM at the same institution. Appropriate statistical tests were used to compare the 2 groups. Results: Twenty-four patients underwent nerve monitoring during minimally invasive 3-field esophagectomy. Of these, 15 patients underwent thoraco-laparoscopic operation, while 9 received a robot-assisted procedure. In the immediate postoperative period, 8 of 24 patients (33.3%) experienced vocal cord paralysis. Relative to a historical cohort from the same institution, who were treated with surgery without nerve monitoring in the preceding 5 years, a 26% reduction was observed in the nerve paralysis rate (p=0.08). On follow-up, 6 of the 8 patients with vocal cord paralysis reported a return to normal vocal function. Additionally, patients who underwent IONM exhibited a higher nodal yield and a decreased frequency of tracheostomy and bronchoscopy. Conclusion: The use of IONM during minimally invasive 3-field esophagectomy is safe and feasible. This technique has the potential to decrease the incidence of recurrent nerve palsy and increase nodal yield.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.141-144
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• 2021

More than 120 surgical methods for the correction of hallux valgus deformities have been reported. For the correction of moderate to severe hallux valgus deformities with aesthetic demands, minimally invasive surgery at the proximal area can be considered. This paper reports a case of moderate hallux valgus deformity treated by a minimally invasive proximal transverse metatarsal osteotomy followed by intramedullary plate fixation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2007

Objective : Lumbar foraminal stenosis is an important etiology of lumbar radicular symptomatology and frequent causes of remained symptoms after decompressive surgery. This study was conducted to determine the precise clinical and radiologic diagnosis of lumbar foraminal stenosis, and to demonstrate thorough treatment by decompressive surgery using a minimally invasive technique. Methods : Seven patients with established unilateral lumbar foraminal stenosis according to clinical and radiologic diagnosis were retrospectively studied. All patients underwent combined interlaminar and paraisthmic procedure with partial facetectomy. The outcome of surgery was evaluated and classified into excellent, good, fair and poor. Results : The results were excellent in four patients, good in two, and fair in one during the follow-up. There were no surgery-related complications. Conclusion : Minimally invasive combined interlaminar and paraisthmic approach provides good outcome in carefully selected patients with symptomatic lumbar foraminal stenosis.

• Journal of Electrodiagnosis and Neuromuscular Diseases
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.159-163
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• 2018

Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) after trauma and general orthopedic surgery is rare. A 74-year-old woman showed ascending paralysis symmetrically, dysarthria, dysphagia and areflexia on 14 days after minimally invasive endoscopic thermoannuloplasty on L4-5 level. Brain and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging demonstrate no abnormal findings. The electrodiagnostic study showed prolonged distal motor, sensory latencies and F-wave latencies and reduced amplitude of compound muscle action potential in nerves of upper and lower extremities. In the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination, total protein and IgG were increased. We diagnosed Guillain-Barre Syndrome based on clinical features, electrodiagnostic study and CSF examination and the patient improved symptoms after immunoglobulin injection and rehabilitation. Because the occurrence of GBS after minimally invasive procedure has not been reported, we report a case of GBS after minimally invasive procedure with literature review.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.152-159
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• 2020

Minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) was first introduced in the 1990s. Currently, it is a widely accepted surgical approach for the treatment of esophageal cancer, as it is an oncologically sound procedure; its advantages when compared to open procedures, including reduction in postoperative complications, reduction in the length of hospital stay, and improvement in quality of life, are well documented. However, debates are still ongoing about the safety and efficacy of MIE. The present review focuses on some of the current issues related to conventional MIE and robot-assisted MIE based on evidence from the current literature.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.296-299
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• 2006

Recently the trend of surgical procedure for treatment of lumbar benign disease is a minimally invasive surgery due to small incision, minimal blood loss, and a short hospital day. By using a microscope or an endoscope, and other surgical equipment, a delicate manipulation in a narrow space became feasible, consequently, to secure a wider view with small incision, appropriate retractors are required. But the various tubular retractor systems are expensive and have some problems. We modified Thoracoport [Auto Suture Co., Norwalk, CT] by making a window at the distal end of trocar and used it as a tubular retractor in surgical procedure for treatment of lumbar benign disease. This modified tubular retractor is docked closely on the curved lamina and provides a wider view. We used it as a tubular retractor also in lumbar bilateral decompression involving a unilateral approach. But this trocar has the limited sizes [diameter and length], and also it is difficult to fix the retractor or change the direction of retractor. And then, we propose a more modified Thoracoport with various sizes and attaching the settling holders to the head of tubular retractor to be able to fix the retractor.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.75-79
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• 2015

Background: This retrospective comparative study aims to evaluate the surgical outcomes and complications of two surgical methods for simple fractures of the humeral shaft; minimally invasive anterior plating and open reduction combined with internal fixation. Methods: A total of 26 patients with humeral shaft simple fractures, who had surgery between June 2009 and September 2013 and were followed-up at least 12 months, were included in our analysis. They were divided into two groups; group 1 comprised of 12 patients who underwent minimally invasive anterior plating and group 2 comprised of 14 patients who underwent an open reduction and internal fixation. The clinical outcomes, radiological results, and complications were compared and analyzed. Results: We found that bone union was achieved in all patients, and the mean union periods were $20.7{\pm}3.34$ and $20.3{\pm}3.91$ weeks for groups 1 and 2, respectively. In most patients, we found that shoulder and elbow functions were recovered. At 12 months post-operation, we found that the Korean Shoulder Scoring system, the University of California at Los Angeles score and Mayo elbow performance score were $91.4{\pm}7.97$, $33.4{\pm}1.15$, and $90.8{\pm}2.23$ for group 1, and $95.2{\pm}1.53$, $33.3{\pm}1.43$, and $90.17{\pm}1.85$ for group 2. In terms of complications, we found that 2 patients had radial nerve palsy after open reduction and internal fixation, but all cases spontaneously resolved within 6 months. Complications such as infection and loss of fixation were not reported. Conclusions: Both minimally invasive anterior plating and open reduction with internal fixation produced satisfactory outcomes in the treatment of simple fractures of the humeral shaft.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.306-311
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• 2012

Objective : A superciliary keyhole approach is an attractive, minimally invasive surgical technique, yet the procedure is limited due to a small cranial opening. Nonetheless, an unruptured supraclinoid internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysm can be an optimal surgical target of a superciliary approach as it is located in the center of the surgical view and field. Therefore, this study evaluated the feasibility and surgical outcomes of a superciliary keyhole approach for unruptured ICA aneurysms. Methods : The authors report on a consecutive series of patients who underwent a superciliary approach for clipping unruptured ICA aneurysms between January 2007 and February 2012. The data were compared with a historical control group who underwent a pterional approach between January 2003 and December 2006. Results : In the superciliary group, a total of 71 aneurysms were successfully clipped without a residual sac in 70 patients with a mean age of 57 years (range, 37-75 years). The maximum diameter of the aneurysms ranged from 4 mm to 14 mm (mean${\pm}$standard deviation, $6.6{\pm}2.3$ mm). No direct mortality or permanent morbidity was related to the surgery. The superciliary approach demonstrated statistically significant advantages over the pterional approach, including a shorter operative duration (mean, 100 min), no intraoperative blood transfusions, and no postoperative epidural hemorrhages. Conclusion : A superciliary keyhole approach provides a sufficient surgical corridor to clip most unruptured supraclinoid ICA aneurysms in a minimally invasive manner.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.89-91
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• 2011

Robotic surgery have been increasingly applied in the past several years to assist in a variety of operations. Some applications, such as in prostatectomy, have been widely adopted and have largely supplanted the alternative minimally invasive or open techniques. However, the use of surgical robots in esophagectomy has not been as common. Although a limited number of case reports demonstrated the feasibility of robotic esophagectomy, no large series of patients has been reported to date. The data on robotic-assisted esophagectomy suggest that the procedure is safe, feasible, and associated with perioperative outcomes similar to open and minimally invasive esophagectomy. Benefits of robotic system could be maximized when we do a extensive total mediastinal lymphadenectomy. For this procedure to gain widespread acceptance, identifiable benefit relative should be demonstrated in near future.