• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1009-1016
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• 1999

Background: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery(MIDCAB) has been increasing in interest along with the new techniques in myocardial immobilization for easier and safer procedures. Until the opening of the era of new techniques, adequate accuracy and good patency of grafts were debatable. Our experiences of MIDCAB were studied according to the stages of technical developments. Material and Methods: Since March 1996, 55 patients have undergone MIDCAB procedures. The patients of off-pump CABG(no cardiopulmonary bypass under full sternotomy) were excluded from the study. In the early experience(Stage I), a left anterior small thoracotomy through the left parasternal incision was performed(n=6); then an approach through the lower partial sternotomy was used(Stage II, n=33); and recently, a chest wall elevator for harvesting the internal thoracic artery and the foot plate for myocardial immobilization have been used(USSC, Norwalk, CT)(Stage III, n=16). Result: The surgical procedures of four patients in the Stage II group have been converted to conventional bypass because of the deeply seated left anterior descending coronary artery in two patients, fracture of the calcific lesion in the right coronary artery in one patient, and a cardiogenic shock during hypothermia in the other patient with ventricular dysfunction. Two patients in stage II experienced symptomatic recurrences after surgery and restenosis was verified on angiocardiography. They were managed by interventional procedures. All the other patients were doing well without symptoms, except one patients in Stage II who underwent PTCA procedure for a lesion in the circumflex artery during the follow up period. Conclusion: The new and specialized devices are essential to the development of MIDCAB surgery. MIDCAB and the hybrid procedures in multi-vessel disease are on the way to further development. So far, our experience is limited only to a single device among the many new devices for the purpose.

• Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2023

Rapid adoption of a robotic approach as a minimally invasive surgery tool has enabled surgeons to perform more complex hepatobiliary surgeries than conventional laparoscopic surgery. Although various types of liver resections have been performed robotically, parenchymal transection is challenging as commonly used instruments (Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator [CUSA] and Harmonic) lack articulation. Further, CUSA also requires a patient-side assistant surgeon with hepatobiliary laparoscopic skills. We present a case report of total robotic right hepatectomy for multifocal hepatocellular carcinoma in a 70-year-old male using 'Vessel Sealer' for parenchymal transection. Total operative time was 520 minutes with a blood loss of ~400 mL. There was no technical difficulty or instrument failure encountered during surgery. The patient was discharged on postoperative day five without any significant complications such as bile leak. Thus, Vessel Sealer, a fully articulating instrument intended to seal vessels and tissues up to 7 mm, can be a promising tool for parenchymal transection in a robotic surgery.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.83-87
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• 2013

The term "phonosurgery," coined in the early 1960s, refers to surgical procedures that maintain, restore, or enhance the human voice. Phonosurgery includes phonomicrosurgery (endoscopic microsurgery of the vocal folds), laryngoplastic phonosurgery (open-neck surgery that restructures the cartilaginous framework of the larynx and the soft tissues), laryngeal injection (injection of medications as well as synthetic and organic biologic substances), and reinnervation of the larynx. Phonomicrosurgery is a means of maximally preserving the layered microstructure of the vocal fold, that is, the epithelium and lamina propria. The purpose of the surgery is usually to improve the vibratory characteristics of the layered microstructure of the vocal folds. Phonomicrosurgery has developed from convergence of microlaryngoscopic surgical technique theory and the mucosal wave theory of laryngeal sound production. Improvements in technology (i.e., laryngoscopes, handled instruments, and lasers), which in part arise from developments in more frequently performed minimally invasive surgical procedures, will probably facilitate the next generation of procedural innovations. The best methods of optimizing phonosurgical outcomes include making an accurate diagnosis, completing a comprehensive voice evaluation, providing sufficient preoperative therapy, carefully selecting patients to undergo phonomicrosurgical procedures, and requiring sufficient postoperative rest and therapy. Phonomicrosurgery will continue to evolve as a result of the interdependent collaboration of surgeons with voice scientists, speech pathologist, and other voice professionals.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2020

Transoral microsurgery has come a long way as a go-to surgical intervention technique for head and neck cancers. This minimally invasive procedure had gained acceptance through comparative clinical studies against radical neck surgical procedures, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Laser technology has vastly improved the oncological outcomes of this procedure and brought about an appreciation of transoral laser surgery (TLM) as a mainstay for re-sectioning malignant tumors along the throat. As an established procedure, TLM has undergone several upgrades regarding the different energy devices used for cutting, ablation, and hemostasis. Continued advances in automation have eventually led to surgical robotics, resulting in the emergence of transoral robotic surgery (TORS) as a viable advanced alternative for TLM. Similarly, expansions and enhancements (image-based guidance, fluorescence spectroscopy, and advanced robotic system) have also been investigated as potential upgrades for TORS. This paper reviews a selection of publications on the significant technological advancements to TLM and TORS over the past five years.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-26
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• 2005

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac rhythm disturbance, which carries significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The medical treatment for AF is cumbersome and unsatisfactory, which has highlighted the need to develop alternative treatments for AF. The recent discovery that AF is often initiated by atrial ectopic beats has resulted in treatments designed to target the ectopic sources, particularly those within the pulmonary veins. Building on the pioneering work of Cox et al., a recent reported series demonstrated the feasibility of treating patients undergoing cardiac surgery for other structural heart diseases with limited, left-atrial ablation lesion sets using alternative energy sources. As less complex modifications of the Maze procedure have been developed, a number of energy sources have been introduced to create of electrically isolating lesions within the atria. These sources have been used both endocardially in arrest heart procedures as well as epicardially in a beating heart setting. This review summarizes the recent advances in surgery for AF that will aid in the development of an effective, minimally invasive surgical procedure to cure patients with AF.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.63-72
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• 2012

Since the first laparoscopic gastrectomy for cancer was reported in 1994, minimally invasive surgery is enjoying its wide acceptance. Numerous procedures of this approach have developed, and many patients have benefited from its effectiveness, which has been recently demonstrated for early gastric cancer. However, since laparoscopic surgery is not exempt from some limitations, the robotic surgery system was introduced as a solution by the late 1990's. Many experienced surgeons have embraced this new emerging method that provides undoubted technical and minimally invasive advantages. To date, several studies have concentrated to this new system, and have compared it with open and laparoscopic approach. Most of them have reported satisfactory results concerning the post-operative short-term outcomes, but almost all believe that the role of robotic gastrectomy is still out of focus, especially because long-term outcomes that can prove robotic oncologic equivalency are lacking, and operative costs and time are higher in comparison to the open and laparoscopic ones. This article is a review about the current status of robotic surgery for the treatment of gastric cancer, especially, focusing on the technical aspects, comparisons to other approaches and future prospects.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.219-226
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• 2019

Lumbar decompressive surgery is a standard surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis. Many surgical techniques have been introduced, ranging from open surgery to percutaneous procedures. Minimally invasive techniques are preferred because of the less postoperative pain and shorter hospital stay. Uniportal percutaneous endoscopic decompression has technical difficulties due to the narrow field. Biportal percutaneous endoscopic decompression is a satisfactory technique that can compensate for the shortcomings and provide sufficient decompression.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2014

Objective : To report long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy (MI-PCF) performed in patients with unilateral single-level cervical radiculopathy. Methods : Of forty-six patients who underwent MI-PCF for unilateral single-level radiculopathy between 2005 and 2013, 33 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 32.7 months. Patients were regularly followed for clinical and radiological assessment. Clinical outcome was measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) for the neck/shoulder and arm, and the neck disability index (NDI). Radiological outcome was measured by focal/global angulation and disc height index (DHI). Outcomes after MI-PCF were evaluated as changes of clinical and radiological parameters from the baseline. Mixed effect model with random patients' effect was used to test for differences in the clinical and radiological parameters repeat measures. Results : There were no complications and all patients had an uneventful recovery during the early postoperative period. VAS scores for neck/shoulder and arm improved significantly in the early postoperative period (3 months) and were maintained with time (p<0.001). NDI improved significantly post-operatively and tended to decrease gradually during the follow-up period (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in focal and global angulation at follow-up. Percent DHIs of the upper adjacent or operated disc were maintained without significant changes with time. During the follow-up, same site recurrence was not noted and adjacent segment disease requiring additional surgery occurred in two patients (6%) on the contra-lateral side. Conclusion : MI-PCF provides long-term pain relief and functional restoration, accompanied by good long-term radiological outcome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.6
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• pp.755-762
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study is to describe the detailed surgical technique and short-term clinical and radiological outcomes of lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) and in situ lateral screw fixation using a conventional minimally invasive screw fixation system (MISF) for revision surgery to treat rostral lumbar adjacent segment disease. Methods : The medical and radiological records were retrospectively reviewed. The surgery was indicated in 10 consecutive patients with rostral adjacent segment stenosis and instability. After the insertion of the interbody cage, lateral screws were inserted into the cranial and caudal vertebra using the MISF through the same LLIF trajectory. The radiological and clinical outcomes were assessed preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results : The median follow-up period was 13 months (range, 3-48 months). Transient sensory changes in the left anterior thigh occurred in 3 patients, and 1 patient experienced subjective weakness; however, these symptoms normalized within 1 week. Back and leg pain were significantly improved (p<0.05). In the radiological analysis, both the segmental angle at the operated segment and anterior disc height were significantly increased. At 6 months postoperatively, solid bony fusion was confirmed in 7 patients. Subsidence and mechanical failure did not occur in any patients. Conclusion : This study demonstrates that LLIF and in situ lateral screw fixation may be an alternative surgical option for rostral lumbar adjacent segment disease.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.559-563
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• 2017

Supported by recent literature on the signs of aging of the middle and lower face, our clinical research has documented a loss of volume of the deep structural components of the central face and a progressive descent of the nasolabial fat and the jowl fat, leading to facial fragmentation. The signs that appear around the age of 45 to 50 years are well targeted by the mini-invasive technique described here. We focused on refitting the jowl fat and the nasolabial fat associated with cutaneous tightening. The use of absorbable barbed sutures (Quill) led to significant improvements, enabling the fitting of fat on fat. In the past 4 years, 167 operations were performed using this technique. The clinical results were very satisfactory, yielding a natural effect caused by the mobilization and strong fixation of the nasolabial fat and the jowl fat in the direction opposite to their displacement.