Editor's Note Research shows a deeper neuromuscular block (NMB) can help perform complex abdominal surgeries laparoscopically without impacting intraoperative safety or patient outcomes, according to an October 20 report in MedPage Today. Conducted across European centers and announced at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting, the randomized trial enrolled…

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Editor's Note Combining dexterity and cost-effectiveness, handheld robotic devices offer potential to bridge the gap between traditional laparoscopy and more expensive robotic platforms, researchers concluded August 8 in the journal Surgery. The mini-review of clinical trials covered clinical applications of three handheld robotic devices: the HandX powered laparoscopic instrument from…

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Editor's Note Two new studies show robotic surgery outperforming laparoscopic approaches to metabolic and bariatric procedures in terms of operating times, length of hospital stay, and complication rates, according to a June 11 report in Medical Xpress. Both studies were presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery…

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Editor's Note Although robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RLS) and conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS) offer similar survival outcomes for sigmoid colon cancer, RLS harvests comparatively more lymph nodes, according to a study published May 10 in the Journal of Robotic Surgery. According to a May 15 report on the study in The…

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Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has granted De Novo authorization for marketing MMI North America Inc.’s Symani Surgical System, according to the agency’s April 9 roundup. The system employs a motion scaling function to scale down surgeons movements for procedures requiring small instruments and/or microscopes, such…

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Takeaways From mobile phone apps to immersive virtual reality surgery experiences, digital tools make healthcare training more interactive, more engaging, and more fun for everyone from nurses to surgeons. Modern procedures—including minimally invasive techniques and robotic surgery—require 50 to 100 cases for a surgeon to reach a safe proficiency level…

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Editor's Note Despite the increasing prevalence of robotic-assisted surgery, recent data on cholecystectomy results indicates minimally invasive laparoscopic methods could be a safer option. Published in JAMA Surgery on September 20, the nationally representative study of Medicare beneficiary cholecystectomy patients showed a higher rate of bile duct injury (0.7%) for…

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Editor's Note This study from Spectrum Health, Michigan State University School of Medicine, Grand Rapids, measures the effect of different genres of music on surgical residents’ performance in laparoscopic surgery. Among the findings: 64% ranked pop music as their favorite 17% ranked classic rock as their favorite 11% ranked country…

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