INFLUENCE OF ISLET TRANSPORTATION ON PANCREATIC ISLET ALLOTRANSPLANTATION IN TYPE 1 DIABETIC PATIENTS WITHIN THE SWISS-FRENCH GRAGIL NETWORK

The influence of islet transportation on pancreatic islet allotransplantation in type 1 diabetic patients was evaluated within the GRAGIL network.From December 2001 to April 2003, 16 human pancreatic islet transplants were performed in 9 type 1 diabetic patients with an established kidney graft (functioning for at least 6 months) in four centers of the GRAGIL network. Islet isolation was performed in a core laboratory in Geneva, and the islet preparations were shipped by ambulance to each center for transplantation. One month after transplantation, the efficiency of the graft was assessed according to islet transportation time (ITT): ITT less than 2 hours (group 1, n=5), and ITT greater tha…

40(th) EASD Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes : Munich, Germany, 5-9 September 2004

Surgical robotics for esophageal cancer

We present an update on robotic techniques and their advantages and use in esophageal cancer surgery. Recent work has shown tremendous progress in robotic-assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy (RAMIE) and lymphadenectomy for esophageal cancer, as well as benefits of robotic surgery in high upper esophageal tumors and T4b disease. We discuss the different RAMIE techniques, especially for intrathoracic anastomosis. The ongoing ROBOT trial had demonstrated superiority of robotic esophageal cancer surgery over open esophagectomy. There are various putative technical advantages of RAMIE over minimally invasive esophagectomy, which need to be proven in future trials.