Rectovesical fistulas associated with wide, tough scar tissue due to multi-time attempt of surgical repair or any type of energy ablation should not be indicated for repair by TEM. However, for simple fistulas without tough, fibrotic surroundings, TEM can be indicated as a minimally invasive surgical option with very low morbidity, without any incision in healthy tissue for approach.

As far as the short- and long-term outcomes of our experience are reviewed, PEIGS seems as curative as other aggressive resection methods such as proximal gastrectomy. Tumor enucleation by PEIGS, offering a chance to preserve the stomach, can be a preferable option in carefully selected patients with EGJ GISTs, when performed by a skilled surgeon.

Although the aluminum concentrations increased temporarily after ALTA therapy, dialysis patients with levels below 150 μg/L by 1 week and thereafter are considered to be at low risk of the development of aluminum encephalopathy.

The newly developed 2 mm devices showed sufficient performance and durability in TAPP-252. Further investigation is necessary to assess durability and long-term outcomes.

Needlescopic intragasric surgery performed via the smallest access (2 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm) is enabled by the 2 mm instruments developed by us.

An extremely elderly man (age, 101 years and 9 months) visited our hospital because of recurrent and worsening anal bleeding. Type 2 rectal cancer was found in his rectum during colonoscopy. He did not have any severe coexisting diseases and had not suffered any episodes of dementia. Laparoscopy-assisted anterior resection combined with D2 lymph node dissection was performed with minimal bleeding. The operation time was 128 min. The patient suffered mild reflux pneumonia on postoperative day 6 and was administered additional antibiotics. He recovered within 2 days. He was discharged on postoperative day 17, at which point he was able to walk.

Our study, one of the largest series in the world, confirms that TEM is a preferable option in the surgical treatment of T0 and T1a rectal carcinoma. As long as early cancer cases are treated, submucosal resection seems to be sufficient. When risk of recurrence is found by pathological examination, immediate salvage operation is mandatory to improve the prognosis.

No abstract