Vagus Nerve-guided Robotic-assisted Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection (VNRSD)

Vagus Nerve-guided Versus Conventional Robotic-assisted Splenectomy and Azygoportal Disconnection

This study aimed to evaluate whether vagus nerve-guided robotic-assisted splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection is effective and safe, and to determine whether a reduction in the incidence of postoperative complications of the digestive system improves postoperative quality of life compared with conventional robotic-assisted splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Hypertension; Cirrhosis; Splenectomy; Robotic-assisted
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: vagus nerve-guided group

Detailed Description

After successful screening the cases of cirrhosis of liver irrespective of the etiology who have non tumor portal vein thrombosis will be enrolled. The baseline parameter will be recorded and the patient will be randomized into either interventional (vagus nerve-guided robotic-assisted splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection) or control (conventional robotic-assisted splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection) group. From postoperative day 3, all patients will receive 2.5 mg oral Apixaban tablets (Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cruiserath, USA) twice daily for 6 months, low-molecular-weight heparin (CS Bio, Hebei, China) subcutaneously (4.100 IU/day) for 5 days, and 25 mg of oral dipyridamole (Henan Furen, Henan, China) thrice daily for 3 months. At months 3 after operation, electron gastroscopy examination for delayed gastric emptying will be done for all patients. Postoperative complications of the digestive system (including diarrhea, epigastric fullness, bloating, nausea, and vomiting), liver and renal function, and body weight will be recorded at the seventh day and months 3 after operation. Then 3 months monitoring will be done in the both groups as per the primary or secondary outcome.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• China
  • Jiangsu
    • Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China, 225001
      • Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 14 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

1. A clinical, radiological or histologic diagnosis of cirrhosis of any etiology
2. Splenomegaly with secondary hypersplenism
3. Bleeding portal hypertension
4. No evidence of portal vein system thrombosis by ultrasound evaluation and angio-CT
5. Informed consent to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Delayed gastric emptying
2. Diarrhea
3. Hepatocellular carcinoma or any other malignancy,
4. Hypercoagulable state other than the liver disease related
5. DRUGS- oral contraceptives, anticoagulation or anti-platelet drugs.
6. Child - Pugh C
7. Recent peptic ulcer disease
8. History of Hemorrhagic stroke
9. Pregnancy.
10. Uncontrolled Hypertension
11. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Double

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: vagus nerve-guided group; Procedure/Surgery: vagus nerve-guided group The vagus nerve-guided procedure was performed in the following order: (1) find the left crural diaphragm; (2) via the surface of the left crural diaphragm, blunt dissect the left lateral surface of the distal esophagus using Bipolar Forceps, and find posterior vagal trunk; (3) along posterior vagal trunk towards left lateral esoph-agogastric junction, find and protect gastric and celiac branches; (4) enter the lesser omental sac from the right crural diaphragm using Bipolar Forceps; (5) transect the left gastric artery and vein together using a linear vascular stapler; (6) blunt dissect the anterior surface of the distal esophagus using Bipolar Forceps, and find anterior vagal trunk; (7) along anterior vagal trunk towards right lateral esoph-agogastric junction, find and protect gastric and hepatic branches; and (8) blunt dissect the right lateral surface of the distal esophagus. The hepatogastric ligament was conserved.	Procedure: vagus nerve-guided group; The vagus nerve-guided procedure was performed in the following order: (1) find the left crural diaphragm; (2) via the surface of the left crural diaphragm, blunt dissect the left lateral surface of the distal esophagus using Bipolar Forceps, and find posterior vagal trunk; (3) along posterior vagal trunk towards left lateral esoph-agogastric junction, find and protect gastric and celiac branches; (4) enter the lesser omental sac from the right crural diaphragm using Bipolar Forceps; (5) transect the left gastric artery and vein together using a linear vascular stapler; (6) blunt dissect the anterior surface of the distal esophagus using Bipolar Forceps, and find anterior vagal trunk; (7) along anterior vagal trunk towards right lateral esoph-agogastric junction, find and protect gastric and hepatic branches; and (8) blunt dissect the right lateral surface of the distal esophagus. The hepatogastric ligament was conserved.
No Intervention: Conventional group; Every patient of conventional group will receive the conventional Robotic-assisted azygoportal disconnection procedure.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Diarrhea	Proportions of patients who will suffer from diarrhea in both groups.	3 month
Delayed gastric emptying	Proportions of patients who will suffer from delayed gastric emptying in both groups.	3 month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Postoperative complications of the digestive system	Proportions of patients who will suffer from postoperative complications of the digestive system in both groups.	3 month
Esophagogastric variceal re-bleeding	Proportions of patients who will suffer from esophagogastric variceal re-bleeding in both groups.	3 month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital
• Investigators: Study Chair: Dou-Sheng Bai, MD, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University; Principal Investigator: Guo-Qing Jiang, MD, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University; Study Director: Ping Chen, MD, Clinical Medical College, Yangzhou University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Bai DS, Jin SJ, Zhou BH, Xiang XX, Qian JJ, Zhang C, Gao TM, Jiang GQ. Vagus nerve-guided (modified Bai-Jiang-style) robotic-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy and azygoportal disconnection. Int J Med Robot. 2023 Apr;19(2):e2490. doi: 10.1002/rcs.2490. Epub 2022 Dec 11.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 31, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): July 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 18, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 18, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 29, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 1, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Hypertension; Cirrhosis; Vagus nerve; Robotic-assisted; Delayed gastric emptying
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Vascular Diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Stomach Diseases; Paralysis; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Hypertension; Fibrosis; Gastroparesis
• Other Study ID Numbers: YZUC-008

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No