Giuseppe Esposito

The robotic approach to liver and pancreatic surgery is expanding worldwide. However, limited data are available on vascular management in these complex procedures. The unique characteristics of the robotic platform may enhance the feasibility of minimally invasive vascular resection and reconstruction. This retrospective, single-arm, single-center study includes patients who underwent liver, biliary, and pancreatic resections with superior mesenteric and portal vein resection performed robotically between April 2021 and June 2024. The study evaluates short-term outcomes and provides technical insights. Eight patients underwent superior mesenteric or portal vein resection during the study period. Among them, six cases occurred during pancreatic resections, while two were performed during liver resections. In four cases, the chosen strategy involved tangential clamping and direct suturing (Type 1). In two cases, the vessel was repaired using a patch (Type 2). The remaining two cases required end-to-end anastomosis—one performed directly (Type 3) and one with the interposition of a prosthetic graft (Type 4). Postoperatively, only two patients developed complications classified as > 3a according to the Clavien classification, with Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) scores of 47.6 and 37.1, respectively. Vascular reconstructive skills are essential for surgeons performing hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery to achieve R0 resections in locally advanced cases. The robotic approach to vascular resection and reconstruction requires a stepwise implementation to ensure favorable oncologic and postoperative outcomes.

Introduction: Liver transplantation (LT) is the sole curative option for liver failure and other primary liver conditions. However, the limited number of suitable donors compared with the growing number of patients requiring LT remains a leading cause of mortality among those on the waiting list. This has resulted in the expansion of criteria for donor eligibility. The sequential combination of ex situ reperfusion, dHOPE, and NMP helps reduce the occurrence of ischemia–reperfusion injury and assess organ viability prior to transplantation.Methods: This is a retrospective, single‐arm, single‐center study including all cases of liver grafts that underwent sequential perfusion between October 2021 and July 2024. Eligibility criteria for sequential perfusion were extended criteria DBD with macrosteatosis > 35%, use of high‐dose vasopressors during donor ICU stay or episodes of cardiac arrest, hemodynamic instability during procurement, prolonged ischemia time for logistic reasons, as well as DCD showing prolonged fWIT, flow alteration during normothermic regional perfusion (NRP), and DCDs in Maastricht 2 class. Viability was assessed following the Groeningen group criteria.Results: Thirty‐three cases were included and 16 met the viability criteria at the end of the sequential perfusion and were transplanted. One patient developed an early allograft failure (EAF) and another a primary nonfunction (PNF). All the other patients had a regular postoperative course, with no retransplantation, 56% of the cohort showing no postoperative complication and all currently in good standing, median follow‐up 19 months (range 4–39).Conclusions: Sequential dHOPE and NMP is a strategy that can help assessing both viability and functionality of liver grafts from high‐risk donors, expanding the donor pool and increasing the opportunities for patients on the waiting list to get a transplant.

Background: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for adrenal glands is becoming increasingly developed worldwide and robotic surgery has advanced significantly. Although there are still concerns about the generalization of outcomes and the cost burden, the robotic platform shows several advantages in overcoming some laparoscopic shortcomings. Materials and Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using the PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane library databases of published articles comparing RA and LA up to January 2024. The evaluated endpoints were technical and post-operative outcomes. Dichotomous data were calculated using the odds ratio (OR), while continuous data were analyzed usingmean difference (MD) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A random-effects model (REM) was applied. Results: By the inclusion of 28 studies, the meta-analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in the rates of intraoperative RBC transfusion, 30-day mortality, intraoperative and overall postoperative complications, re-admission, R1 resection margin and operating time in the RA group compared with the LA. However, the overall cost of hospitalization was significantly higher in the RA group than in the LA group, [MD USD 4101.32, (95% CI 3894.85, 4307.79) p < 0.00001]. With respect to the mean intraoperative blood loss, conversion to open surgery rate, time to first flatus and length of hospital stay, the RA group showed slightly statistically significant lower rates than the laparoscopic approach. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the largest and most recent meta-analysis that makes these comparisons. RA can be considered safe, feasible and comparable to LA in terms of the intraoperative and post-operative outcomes. In the near future, RA could represent a promising complementary approachto LA for benign and small malignant adrenal masses, particularly in high-volume referral centers specializing in robotic surgery. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

(1) Background: With ageing, the number of pancreaticoduodenectomies (PD) for benign or malignant disease is expected to increase in elderly patients. However, whether minimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) should be performed in the elderly is not clear yet and it is still debated. (2) Materials and Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted including seven published articles comparing the technical and post-operative outcomes of MIPD in elderly versus younger patients up to December 2022. (3) Results: In total, 1378 patients were included in the meta-analysis. In term of overall and Clavien–Dindo I/II complication rates, post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) grade > A rates and biliary leakage, abdominal collection, post-operative bleeding and delayed gastric emptying rates, no differences emerged between the two groups. However, this study showed slightly higher intraoperative blood loss [MD 43.41, (95%CI 14.45, 72.38) p = 0.003], Clavien–Dindo ≥ III complication rates [OR 1.87, (95%CI 1.13, 3.11) p = 0.02] and mortality rates [OR 2.61, (95%CI 1.20, 5.68) p = 0.02] in the elderly compared with the younger group. Interestingly, as a minor endpoint, no differences in terms of the mean number of harvested lymphnode and of R0 resection rates were found. (4) Conclusion: MIPD seems to be relatively safe; however, there are slightly higher major morbidity, lung complication and mortality rates in elderly patients, who potentially represent the individuals that may benefit the most from the minimally invasive approach.

(1) Background: Primary liver transplantation (PLT) for HCC represents the ideal treatment. However, since organ shortage increases the risk of drop-out from the waiting list for tumor progression, a new surgical strategy has been developed: Salvage Liver Transplantation (SLT) can be offered as an additional curative strategy for HCC recurrence after liver resection. The aim of this updated meta-analysis is to compare surgical and long-term outcomes of SLT versus PLT for HCC. (2) Materials and Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted using the published papers comparing SLT and PLT up to January 2022. (3) Results: 25 studies describing 11,275 patients met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed no statistical difference in intraoperative blood loss, overall vascular complications, retransplantation rate, and hospital stay in the SLT group compared with the PLT group. However, the SLT group showed a slightly significant lower 5-year OS rate and 5-year disease-free survival rate. (4) Conclusion: meta-analysis advocates the relative safety and feasibility of both Salvage LT and Primary LT strategies. Specifically, SLT seems to have comparable surgical outcomes but slightly poorer long-term survival than PLT.

Background: HIV-infected patients now have long life expectation since the introduction of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Liver diseases, especially cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), currently represent a leading cause of death in this setting of patients. Aim: To address the results of liver transplantation (LT) for HCC in HIV-infected patients. Methods: All patients with and without HIV infection who underwent LT for HCC (n = 420) between 2001 and 2021 in our center were analyzed with the intent of comparing graft and patient survival. Cox regression analysis was used to determine prognostic survival factors and logistic regression to determine the predictor factors of post-LT recurrence. Results: Among 1010 LT, 32 were HIV-infected recipients. With an average follow-up of 62 ± 51 months, 5-year overall survival in LT recipients with and without HIV-infection was 71.6% and 69.9%, respectively (p = ns), whereas 5-year graft survival in HIV-infected and HIV-non infected was 68.3% and 68.2%, respectively (p = ns). The independent predictive factor of survival in the study group was: HCV infection (HR 1.83, p = 0.024). There were no significant differences in the pathological characteristics of HCC between the two groups. The logistic regression analysis of the study population demonstrated that microvascular invasion (HR 5.18, p< 0.001), HCC diameter (HR 1.16, p = 0.028), and number of HCC nodules (HR 1.26, p = 0.003) were predictors of recurrence post-LT. Conclusion: Our study shows that HIV patients undergoing LT for HCC have comparable results in terms of post-LT survival. Excellent results can be achieved for HIV-infected patients with HCC, as long as a strategy of close surveillance and precise treatment of the tumor is adopted while on the waiting list.

A diverse biomedical workforce is essential to achieve excellence in patient care, clinical translational, and basic research. Diversity, equity, and inclusion challenges in cancer molecular represent a combination of the challenges facing the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field, and challenges in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine. Although there is a growing awareness of conscious and unconscious bias that negatively affect the cancer imaging world, many challenges remain such as overcoming barriers to entry into the pipeline, avoiding program dropout, and providing long-term career prospect. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a significant setback and further highlighted problems faced by women and underrepresented minorities. In this perspective, we have identified some of the challenges faced and highlighted ongoing and future initiatives to address these challenges.