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Since the first use of the robot da Vinci system for thyroid surgery in 2007, robotic thyroidectomy (RT) via a bilateral axillo-breast approach (BABA) has become a popular surgical alternative for patients who wish to avoid scars on the neck. BABA RT provides excellent cosmetic satisfaction with surgical safety and oncologic completeness. Recently, the use of BABA RT has expanded beyond benign thyroid nodules and small-sized papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) to Graves’ disease, relatively large PTCs, and PTC with lateral neck metastasis. Unfortunately, there are concerns about the use of this procedure for these additional indications. This review article summarizes postoperative outcomes of BABA RT for thyroid carcinoma, including quality of life, as well as expanding indications for BABA RT.

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Purpose: Choledochal cysts are congenital dilatations of the biliary tract and are generally surgically excised. Laparoscopic total excision of choledochal cysts and hepaticojejunal biliary tract reconstruction has gained acceptance among pediatric surgeons. We report our early experience with this procedure.
Methods: From May 2013 to April 2016, 10 consecutive patients (7 females and 3 males) underwent laparoscopic choledochal cyst excision and hepaticojejunostomy at our center. We retrospectively reviewed their medical records for age, sex, clinical symptoms, Todani classification, anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct union, operative time, starting day for enteral feeding, complications, and hospital stay.
Results: The median patient age was 22 months. Four patients were aged less than 6months, 3 of whom received prenatal diagnosis using ultrasonography. Patients presented with abdominal pain, jaundice, vomiting and fever. No abdominal mass was palpated in any patient. One patient was classified as Todani type Ia, 4 as Ic, and 5as IVa. Six patients had an anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct union. The mean operative time was 319.4 minutes. There were no surgery-related complications. Sips of water were allowed from mean postoperative day 2.4 and regular diet from mean postoperative day 3.4. The mean hospital stay was 6.5 days.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic excision of choledochal cyst and hepaticojejunostomy in children is feasible with favorable cosmesis.

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Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the implementation of solo surgery using a laparoscopic scope holder for single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC).
Methods: With a glove port and a flexible high-definition scope, SILC was performed through a single trans-umbilical incisional site with CO2 pneumoperitoneum at a pressure of 12 mmHg. Fifty-eight patients who underwent solo SILC using a scope holder (Solo-SILC) were compared to 15 patients who underwent camera operator-assisted SILC (Ca-SILC) in terms of intraoperative and postoperative outcomes.
Results: The mean BMI and operation time were 23.0-3.6 kg/m² and 64.4-16.6 min in Ca-SILC and 25.0-3.8 kg/m² and 58.2-27.1 min in Solo-SILC, respectively (p=0.067 and p=0.410). Estimated blood loss was negligible and an additional assistant port was not required in either groups. A case of gallbladder perforation and bile leak was noted in the Ca-SILC group, and 13 cases of bile leak in the Solo-SILC group, with no significant differences (p=0.167) during the surgery. Postoperative outcomes including surgical complications, diet restriction, diarrhea and hospital stay were not significantly different except for shoulder pain (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Even with the limitations of a small number of patients, Solo-SILC proved to be a feasible technique. To confirm the safety of solo-SILC, further studies with a larger sample size are required.

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Although pancreatic leiomyosarcoma (PLM) is a rare malignant pancreatic cancer, it usually shows aggressive biological features such as invasion to an adjacent organ or distant metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Radical resection is the best treatment modality but effective chemotherapies have not been identified. A 58-year-old female was referred to us complaining of intermittent left upper quadrant abdominal discomfort. Imaging studies revealed a 10-cm mass in the pancreatic tail. The patient underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy, and the pathological findings were consistent with PLM. Imaging studies 14 months after surgery revealed multiple liver metastases. Because the patient was young with a sufficient remnant liver, we performed laparoscopic metastatectomy without any postoperative complications. Patients with PLM need frequent check-ups, even after curative resection. The role of laparoscopic resection should be confirmed in the future.

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Purpose: Minimally invasive central pancreatectomy has rarely performed because of its technical difficulty. Robot system enhances surgical dexterity to perform such complex procedures.
Methods: A 29-year-old woman was admitted with acute cholecystitis and an 1.4 cm enhancing mass was incidentally found at the pancreatic proximal body on computed tomography. Preoperative image studies suggested a neuroendocrine tumor or solid pseudopapillary neoplasm. The patient underwent robotic cholecystectomy and central pancreatectomy with pancreaticojejunostomy.
Results: The total operation time was 280 minutes and the estimated amount of intraoperative bleeding was 100 ml. The postoperative recovery was uneventful and she was discharged on the 7^th postoperative day. Pathologic examination reported a solid pseudopapillary neoplasm.
Conclusion: The technical difficulties associated with the procedure can be overcome with the help of the wrist-like movement of the robotic instruments, especially for the preservation of splenic vessels and for creating precise anastomoses in narrow spaces.