Category Archives: Print Release

PUBLISHED: Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for Achalasia

Peroral Endoscopic Myotomy (POEM) for Achalasia

Daniel Hashimoto; Ozanan R Meireles, MD; David Rattner, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital

Impaired transit of food and liquid from the esophagus to the stomach results in symptoms of dysphagia, regurgitation, retrosternal fullness/pain, and weight loss. Symptoms can be managed with a range of medical or procedural therapy. However, the best results are obtained from surgical management with myotomy. Here, Drs. Rattner, Meireles, and Hashimoto at MGH perform and demonstrate a peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM), which emerged as a less invasive manner through which to perform a myotomy and provides relief of dysphagia comparable to laparoscopic Heller myotomy – the current standard of surgical therapy for achalasia.

PUBLISHED: Minimally Invasive Parathyroidectomy Under Local Cervical Block Anesthesia for Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Parathyroid Adenoma

Minimally Invasive Parathyroidectomy Under Local Cervical Block Anesthesia for Primary Hyperparathyroidism and Parathyroid Adenoma

Tobias Carling, MD, PhD, FACS
Yale School of Medicine

With improvement in both preoperative parathyroid tumor identification and the use of intraoperative parathyroid hormone assay, minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) is now performed more frequently in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT). Still, many institutions are not familiar with performing MIP under regional or local anesthesia. Here, Dr. Tobias Carling presents an MIP performed under local cervical block anesthesia on a patient with pHPT and parathryoid adenoma.

PUBLISHED: Zenker’s Diverticulum: Endoscopic Staple-Assisted Diverticulotomy

Zenker’s Diverticulum: Endoscopic Staple-Assisted Diverticulotomy

Seth M. Cohen, MD, MPH1David Straka, MD1Blaine D. Smith, MD1Douglas O’Connell, MSc2C. Scott Brown, MD1

1Duke University Medical Center
2College of Osteopathic Medicine, Touro University California

In this case, a patient with a symptomatic Zenker’s diverticulum is treated with an endoscopic staple-assisted diverticulotomy. The clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, surgical procedure, and postoperative care are highlighted.

PUBLISHED: Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Naomi Sell, MD, MHS
Massachusetts General Hospital

Denise W. Gee, MD
Operating Surgeon, MGH

The patient in this case is a 32-year-old female with recurrent episodes of biliary colic. An ultrasound revealed numerous gallstones within the gallbladder. Because the patient has had recurrent symptoms for the past six months, surgical removal of her gallbladder was the best option to relieve her recurrent pain and prevent future development of acute cholecystitis. Here, Dr. Denise Gee at Massachusetts General Hospital performs a laparoscopic cholecystectomy to remove the patient’s gallbladder.

PUBLISHED: Scaphoid Open Reduction and Internal Fixation Through Dorsal Approach

Scaphoid Open Reduction and Internal Fixation Through Dorsal Approach

M. Grant Liska, BS
University of Central Florida College of Medicine

Asif M. Ilyas, MD, MBA, FACS
Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson University

Dr. Asif Ilyas at the Rothman Institute presents the case of a proximal pole scaphoid fracture repaired with ORIF via a dorsal approach. After dissection through the joint capsule and exposure of the base of the scaphoid, a headless compression screw is placed anterograde in line with the thumb in all planes. This procedure provides increased stability and improved rate of the union in correlation with the accuracy of intraoperative reduction, leading to improved outcomes for surgical candidates over more conservative approaches.

PUBLISHED: Distal Radius Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

Distal Radius Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

Bradley Richey, MSc
Rothman Institute

Asif M. Ilyas, MD, MBA, FACS
Rothman Institute

In this case, Dr. Asif Ilyas at the Rothman Institute presents the case of an adult female presenting with a dorsally displaced and angulated fracture of the distal radius after a fall on the outstretched hand. The fracture was treated by open reduction and internal fixation with a volar locking plate, and the natural history, preoperative care, intraoperative technique, and postoperative considerations of distal radial fractures are outlined.

PUBLISHED: Excision of Epidermal Inclusion Cyst

Excision of Epidermal Inclusion Cyst

John Grove
Lincoln Memorial University – DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine

Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES
Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Epidermal inclusion cysts, also called keratin or epithelial cysts, are benign lumps that develop beneath the skin. They present as a slow-growing, painless lumps, usually with a punctum in the middle that represents the blockage of keratin excretion. Here, Dr. Lester Suntay with the World Surgical Foundation presents the case of a 64-year-old male with a mass on his upper back. It was noted to be gradually enlarging, and thus excision was performed in order to prevent further growth and infection.

PUBLISHED: Ileostomy Reversal for a Two-Stage Laparoscopic Proctocolectomy with Ileoanal J-Pouch for Ulcerative Colitis

Ileostomy Reversal for a Two-Stage Laparoscopic Proctocolectomy with Ileoanal J-Pouch for Ulcerative Colitis

Derek J. Erstad, MD
Massachusetts General Hospital

Richard Hodin, MD
Chief, Division of Gastrointestinal and Oncologic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital

The patient in this case is a 29-year-old female who had a long history of medically refractory ulcerative colitis. Three months previously, she had undergone a laparoscopic proctocolectomy with ileoanal J-pouch reconstruction and loop ileostomy. Here, Dr. Richard Hodin at MGH reverses the ileostomy.

PUBLISHED: Prophylactic Laparoscopic Bilateral Gonadectomy for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome

Prophylactic Laparoscopic Bilateral Gonadectomy for Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome

J. Corbin Norton
Department of Urology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Amrit Singh, MD
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Laura L. Hollenbach, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Georgia Gamble, MD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Laura A. Gonzalez-Krellwitz, MD
Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences / Arkansas Children’s Hospital

Stephen J. Canon, MD
Department of Pediatric Urology, Arkansas Children’s Hospital

The patient in this case is a 15-year-old female who presented with primary amenorrhea and who on work-up was found to have complete androgen insensitivity syndrome. Here, Dr. Canon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences performs a prophylactic laparoscopic bilateral gonadectomy to reduce her future risk for intra-abdominal testicular malignancies. Final pathology results showed a rare case of bilateral germ cell neoplasia in situ and bilateral paratesticular leiomyomas and reinforced the decision to intervene early allowing for the removal of the gonads prior to their conversion to formal germ cell tumors.

PUBlished: Trigger Finger Release (Cadaver)

Trigger Finger Release (Cadaver)
Rothman Institute

Asif Ilyas, MD, FACS
Orthopaedic Surgeon

Vivian Xu

Stenosing flexor tenosynovitis of the digital flexor tendon sheath, also known as trigger finger, occurs when there is a size mismatch between the flexor tendon and the surrounding retinacular pulley system at the first annular (A1) pulley. When the flexor tendon thickens or becomes inflamed, its ability to properly glide through the flexor tendon sheath becomes impaired. Thus, the tendon catches as the finger is flexed and extended. Conservative management includes activity modification, splinting, short-term NSAIDs, corticosteroid injection, and other adjuvant therapies. In this video, Dr. Asif Ilyas at the Rothman Institute demonstrates a surgical approach to the treatment of trigger finger via the open A1 pulley release procedure on a cadaver.