Delicate Parts Research Articles

Low-error, high-speed, and large-scale hardware implementation of retinal photoreceptor cells: Cone and rod cells

In recent times, there has been a significant focus on creating prosthetics and medical interventions to aid in the treatment of diseases, recovery, and the improvement of biological functions. Researchers have particularly directed their attention toward developing hardware models for delicate biological parts such as the brain, heart, nervous system, and. One area of particular interest is the retina, which is the thinnest and innermost layer of the eye. This research paper focuses on the development of a high-speed and low-error hardware implementation for retinal cone and rod cells. Current mathematical models often use multiple nonlinear functions to describe the behavior of these cells. However, these nonlinear functions can sometimes be limiting in terms of speed. In this study, we explore the use of trigonometric functions to approximate the non-linear properties of retinal cone and rod cells, allowing for improved performance. The results of the simulation show that the suggested model is in line with the functioning of primary cone and rod cells, particularly in relation to time characteristics, dynamic response, and margin of error. By implementing the proposed model in Large-Scale (300 cell) on a Virtex-5 Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) board, notable benefits were observed. One of these advantages includes increasing the synthesis frequency of the proposed model by 3.35 and 3.44 times faster than the original model for the cone cell and rod cell, respectively. Another advantage is the ability to implement 300 cells of the proposed models on the FPGA, compared to the implementation of a single cell of the original models, with only a two-fold increase in the amount of hardware resources used. The proposed framework is legitimate and features a compact hardware size and suitable network frequency, as demonstrated by the outcomes from implementing the hardware on the Virtex-5 reconfigurable board (FPGA).

An Improved Q-Learning Algorithm for Optimizing Sustainable Remanufacturing Systems

In our modern society, there has been a noticeable increase in pollution due to the trend of post-use handling of items. This necessitates the adoption of recycling and remanufacturing processes, advocating for sustainable resource management. This paper aims to address the issue of disassembly line balancing. Existing disassembly methods largely rely on manual labor, raising concerns regarding safety and sustainability. This paper proposes a human–machine collaborative disassembly approach to enhance safety and optimize resource utilization, aligning with sustainable development goals. A mixed-integer programming model is established, considering various disassembly techniques for hazardous and delicate parts, with the objective of minimizing the total disassembly time. The CPLEX solver is employed to enhance model accuracy. An improvement is made to the Q-learning algorithm in reinforcement learning to tackle the bilateral disassembly line balancing problem in human–machine collaboration. This approach outperforms CPLEX in both solution efficiency and quality, especially for large-scale problems. A comparative analysis with the original Q-learning algorithm and SARSA algorithm validates the superiority of the proposed algorithm in terms of convergence speed and solution quality.

Spray‐Coated, Magnetically Connectable Free‐Standing Epidermal Electrodes for High Quality Biopotential Recordings

Acquiring biopotentials from the surface of the body is a common procedure both in the clinical practice and in non‐clinical applications as sport and human‐ machine interfaces. To avoid bulky recording systems and to allow optimal long‐term measurements, several tattooable solutions were recently developed, aiming at high‐quality and imperceptible electrodes. However, a seamless connection with epidermal electrodes still represents one of the biggest challenges in this field. In this paper, we propose a simple and efficient approach for the fabrication of free‐standing epidermal electrodes that can be contacted using small magnetic connectors, thus directly tackling this issue. The proposed electrodes are fabricated using a conductive ink based on poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) deposited by spray coating, and can be easily contacted using magnetic connectors without disrupting their conformability, thanks to the presence of ferrite nanoparticles integrated within the thin film itself. These electrodes have been successfully employed for the detection of different biopotentials, namely electrocardiogram, electromyogram and electro‐oculogram, demonstrating excellent performances for the detection of biosignals from delicate body parts, such as the face, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of the approach for the development of a new generation of magnetically connectable epidermal electrodes for critical biopotentials monitoring.

A Systematic Approach to Optimize Parameters in Manufacturing Complex Lattice Structures of NiTi Using Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion Process

Herein, the quality and accuracy to manufacture delicate parts from NiTi powder using electron beam powder bed fusion (EB‐PBF) technology is investigated. Therefore, benchmarks with thin cylinders and thin walls are designed and fabricated using two distinct scan strategies of EB‐PBF manufacturing (i.e., continuous melting and spot melting) with different process parameter sets. After these optimizations, four different lattice structures (i.e., octahedron, cell gyroid, sheet gyroid, and channel) are manufactured and characterized. It is shown both continuous melting and spot melting modes are able to manufacture lattices with relative densities over 97%. And as‐built lattice structures exhibit an excellent pseudoelasticity up to 8% depending on the design of the structure, e.g., the channel structure shows more deformation recoverability than the cell gyroid. This is attributed to the integrity of geometry as well as compressive mode of the mechanical loading. Of course, the compressive strength and ultimate compressive strength also increase with the increasing volume fraction. Moreover, the spot melting can be used as an engineering tool to customize a delicate beam‐shaped structure with a superior pseudoelasticity.

A comparative analysis of compounding aqueous extracts from the medicinal plant raw material in accordance with the requirements of the regulatory legal acts of Ukraine and the European Union

In the world pharmaceutical practice, there are significant differences regarding the requirements for the technological parameters of aqueous extracts from medicinal plant raw materials.
 Aim. To conduct a comparative analysis of the requirements of regulatory documents of Ukraine, the European Union and Poland regarding the compounding of water extracts from medicinal plant raw materials.
 Materials and methods. Comparative analysis was carried out using systemic and structural-logical analysis. The object of research was normative legal acts regulating medicines compounding in Ukraine, European Pharmacopoeia (EP) XI ed., European Medicines Agency (EMA), Pharmacopoeia of Poland (PP) VI and IX ed., textbook "Farmacja stosowana, Technologia formaci leku; podręcznik dla studentów farmacji" and others.
 Results and discussion. As a result of the analysis, a few distinctive features in the technology of water extracts from medicinal plant raw materials were revealed compared to the requirements of the EU and Poland. According to the requirements of European Pharmacopoeia and the European Medicines Agency, aqueous extracts from medicinal plant raw materials, so-called herbal teas, are prepared with the methods of maceration, infusion and decoction. Macerates are prepared from mucilaginous medicinal plant raw materials with the method of cold infusion at room temperature for 30 minutes. Infusions are usually prepared from delicate parts of the plant, while medicinal plant raw materials are poured with hot water with an initial temperature of 90-100 ºС and infused by gradually cooling the extract at room temperature for 5-15 minutes. Decoctions are usually prepared from roots, rhizomes and bark by boiling medicinal plant raw materials in a boiling water bath for 15-30 minutes, while the raw materials are initially poured with an extractant at room temperature, and after boiling, the extract is immediately filtered.
 The compounding peculiarities of water extracts from medicinal plant raw materials in Poland are as follows: the ratio of medicinal plant raw materials to the extractant with weak biologically active substances is 1:10, with mucus-containing medicinal plant raw materials – 1:20; for medicinal plant raw materials with cardiac glycosides and alkaloids – 1:100; water extracts are prepared by mass, while water absorption coefficients or consumption coefficients are not taken into account; for acidification, 0.5 g of citric acid per 100 g of extractant is added to extracts from alkaloid-containing raw materials; macerates are prepared from mucilage-containing raw materials only by the cold infusion method (for example, flax seed macerate); infusions are prepared only from medicinal plant raw materials containing cardiac glycosides (Lily of the Valley herb, Adonis vernalis herb), where raw materials are poured with boiling water, infused in a water bath for 15 minutes and cooled at room temperature for 15 minutes; decoctions are always prepared from other types of medicinal plant raw materials, where the raw materials are poured with an extractant at room temperature, heated and boiled in a boiling water bath for 30 minutes, filtered without cooling.
 Conclusions. A comparative analysis of the technological parameters of water extracts compounding from medicinal plant raw materials in accordance with the requirements of regulatory documents of Ukraine, the European Union and the Republic of Poland was carried out. A number of differences have been established, particularly in the methods of recipes prescribing, features of calculations, in the ratio of medicinal plant raw materials to the extractant, temperature regimes, extraction time, medium pH, the concepts of the processes of maceration, infusion and decoction. It was found that compared to domestic regulations, the technological process in the EU and Poland is optimized in terms of time, energy and in some cases, raw material expenditure. The obtained results have a practical importance, as they are the basis for further scientific research on the substantiation of the influence of technological factors on the quantitative content of the main groups of biological active substances in the compounded water extracts.

Investigation of processing the alumina slurry through an economic vat photopolymerization process

Vat Photopolymerization (VP) is a 3D printing process to fabricate delicate and precise ceramic parts. LCD VP is one of the most economical 3D printing processes and is less explored for ceramic materials. This work investigated the feasibility of consolidating alumina slurry (45 vol %) using an LCD-based resin 3D printer. Results show that a lower exposure time is better for building a multilayer part than a higher exposure time to avoid scattering and delamination. However, higher exposure time is required to bond the initial layers with the build platform. Fine features, such as holes lesser than 3 mm, were not possible to print due to the scattering of the light. A heating rate of 0.1 °C/min is preferable for crack-free debinding. The final sintered part showed sintering shrinkage of 25% in the x-y direction and 30% in the z-direction with a sintered density of 94%.

Void fraction research and destructive examination of CFETR toroidal field coil protype joints

The CFETR toroidal field coil (TFC) is designed to generate a peak magnetic field of 14.5 T at 4.2 K, with an operating current of 95.6 kA. The creation of superconducting joints is one of the most delicate parts of TF winding package (WP) fabrication, as the superconducting joints play an important role in the electrical and cooling circuit connection. ASIPP has produced a prototype sample containing three types of joints using a CFETR TF cable in conduit conductor (CICC) in 2022 and has obtained good resistance test values. This paper describes the study of joint void fraction (VF) and pixel-based image recognition analysis, and evaluation of contacts between conductive components. And the solution of the expansion of the twin box terminal in the manufacturing process and the groove design examination of spliced joints.

A finite element model of the mechanical interactions between peripheral nerves and intrafascicular implants

Objective. Intrafascicular peripheral nerve implants are key components in the development of bidirectional neuroprostheses such as touch-enabled bionic limbs for amputees. However, the durability of such interfaces is hindered by the immune response following the implantation. Among the causes linked to such reaction, the mechanical mismatch between host nerve and implant is thought to play a decisive role, especially in chronic settings. Approach. Here we focus on modeling mechanical stresses induced on the peripheral nerve by the implant’s micromotion using finite element analysis. Through multiple parametric sweeps, we analyze the role of the implant’s material, geometry (aspect-ratio and shape), and surface coating, deriving a set of parameters for the design of better-integrated implants. Main results. Our results indicate that peripheral nerve implants should be designed and manufactured with smooth edges, using materials at most three orders of magnitude stiffer than the nerve, and with innovative geometries to redistribute micromotion-associated loads to less delicate parts of the nerve such as the epineurium. Significance. Overall, our model is a useful tool for the peripheral nerve implant designer that is mindful of the importance of implant mechanics for long term applications.

Path-Specific Objectives for Safer Agent Incentives

We present a general framework for training safe agents whose naive incentives are unsafe. As an example, manipulative or deceptive behaviour can improve rewards but should be avoided. Most approaches fail here: agents maximize expected return by any means necessary. We formally describe settings with `delicate' parts of the state which should not be used as a means to an end. We then train agents to maximize the causal effect of actions on the expected return which is not mediated by the delicate parts of state, using Causal Influence Diagram analysis. The resulting agents have no incentive to control the delicate state. We further show how our framework unifies and generalizes existing proposals.

Use of Neurosurgical Patty

The neurosurgical patty is used in almost every neurosurgical procedure. It has a diverse range of functions, including tissue protection, tissue manipulation, fluid management, and hemostasis. The author prefers to use two different types of patties; one is hard, in consistency with a thickness of 0.8 mm, and the other is soft, with a thickness of 0.2 mm. The former is used in retracting the brain with a spatula, and the latter for manipulating very delicate parts. To avoid adhesion at the interface between the patty and the brain, a collagen sheet is inserted under the patty. Care should be taken to avoid any iatrogenic damage to the brain surface, especially if the patty is placed under a spatula for a prolonged period. In such a situation, collagen sheets may remain. In tumor surgery, the patty is very useful for dissecting the gliotic layer of the brain from a relatively hard tumor, such as a large meningioma with pial invasion. Blunt dissection of the tumor by rotating the patty on the tumor surface, along with the gliotic layer, under the microscope, enables quick and accurate dissection of the tumor. Since surgical instruments are used by surgeons with varying levels of experiences, it is difficult to verify their correct evidence-based use. Here, the author's experience with the best use of the neurosurgical patty is described.

Analysis of Olfactory Fossa Anatomy using Cone Beam Computed Tomography

Introduction: Olfactory fossa is an important structure in the anterior skull base. It is made of Lateral Lamella of Cribriform Plate (LLCP) and fovea ethmoidalis which are very delicate parts that can get damaged during surgical procedures causing numerous serious complications. To avoid such complications, the knowledge of anatomical variations of these parts is mandatory. As there are very few studies which have used Cone Beam Computed Tomography for evaluation of olfactory fossa, we have assessed the olfactory fossa with the help of Kero’s and Gera’s classification for lateral lamella of cribriform plate. Aim: To evaluate the anatomy of olfactory fossa using Cone beam computed tomography. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, from 1st January 2021 to September 2021. CBCT scans of 107 adults were analysed to evaluate the height of lateral lamella of cribriform plate according to Kero’s classification and the angle between the LLCP and the true horizontal plane according to Gera’s classification. Comparison of height of lateral lamella (mm) and Gera angle (degree) among right and left sides were done using Student’s Independent t-test. The comparison of Gera angle with Kero’s type was analysed by one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test. Chi-square test was performed to assess categorical data on the right and left sides. Results: A total of 107 CBCT scans consisting of 59 males (55.14%) and 48 females (44.86%) were included in the study. The mean age of the study population was 31.60±11.17 years. Kero’s type II (69.6%) and Gera’s class II (92.1%) LLCP were found to be most commonly seen. The Gera angle on right side (60.26±9.84) was greater than on left side (56.38±10.16) which was statistically significant (p-value=0.005). On right side, Kero’s type II was more common in males (71.2%) and on left side, Kero’s type II was more common in females (77.1%). Conclusion: Kero’s type II Olfactory fossa (OF) was found as most common type, with no significant difference between gender and /or side. Similarly, class II Gera angle was most common and the values were higher on right side.

NEW INSIGHTS ON THE SURGICAL PROCEDURE OF TREPHINATION THROUGHOUT HUMAN HISTORY

There is an abundance of archaeological and historical evidence from widely disparate localities of the world which indicate that ‘Trephination’/’Trepanning’? the removal of a circular portion of the human skull in order to gain access to intracranial maladies that are deemed to require curative treatment – has continued to be practiced down the ages from as far back as 5000 BCE, when flint instruments were used for the required excavation right down to modern neurosurgery. The trepanned skulls unearthed at various archaeological excavations from about the early 19th century, placed under systematic laboratory investigation in recent times, have generated a body of information, an overwhelmingly large proportion of which is ‘case-specific’. The present study, adopting as it does a comparative perspective, and focused exclusively on the cranial drilling component of brain surgery, presents a synthesis of finding from such investigations, selected to provide a spatially and temporally representative range of the practice of trephination. Among the insights provided in this study are that: (a) trephinations in Palaeolithic and Mesolithic times were often produced not by cross-cultural transfers of know-how, but were indigenous practices of trial and error, probably ritualistic in origin; (b) as indicated in laboratory findings on crania of pre-historic times, the analyses of calcification along the trepanned edges indicate that post-surgery survival of recipient patients was not entirely non-existent; and (c) in South Asia where the emphasis of traditional systems of curative treatment was on medication, surgery, even on the most delicate parts of the human anatomy, was not excluded.

3D printing of soft sensors for soft gripper applications

Soft robotics is gaining more interest because of the increasing demands in the manufacturing line to handle various types of delicate parts. The progress in the development of soft robotics does not only rely on the technology in the fabrication of the soft gripper structures, it also depends significantly on the integration of electronics such as the soft sensors and circuits. 3D printing technology is an important manufacturing tool for soft robotics due to its ability to fabricate designs with complex geometry and multi-material printing capability. Herein, the recently developed soft electronics such as sensors and circuits that involved the use of 3D printing technology are focused upon. In this article, the various designs of soft sensors, their fabrication techniques, and the materials used will be introduced. Besides, the design considerations and requirements for soft electronics will be presented. Lastly, the potential applications and the future outlook of soft electronics for soft grippers will be discussed.

Melt-Extrusion-Based Additive Manufacturing of Transparent Fused Silica Glass.

In recent years, additive manufacturing (AM) of glass has attracted great interest in academia and industry, yet it is still mostly limited to liquid nanocomposite‐based approaches for stereolithography, two‐photon polymerization, or direct ink writing. Melt‐extrusion‐based processes, such as fused deposition modeling (FDM), which will allow facile manufacturing of large thin‐walled components or simple multimaterial printing processes, are so far inaccessible for AM of transparent fused silica glass. Here, melt‐extrusion‐based AM of transparent fused silica is introduced by FDM and fused feedstock deposition (FFD) using thermoplastic silica nanocomposites that are converted to transparent glass using debinding and sintering. This will enable printing of previously inaccessible glass structures like high‐aspect‐ratio (>480) vessels with wall thicknesses down to 250 µm, delicate parts including overhanging features using polymer support structures, as well as dual extrusion for multicolored glasses.

X-Ray Computed Tomography Instrument Performance Evaluation, Part III: Sensitivity to Detector Geometry and Rotation Stage Errors at Different Magnifications.

With steadily increasing use in dimensional metrology applications, especially for delicate parts and those with complex internal features, X-ray computed tomography (XCT) has transitioned from a medical imaging tool to an inspection tool in industrial metrology. This has resulted in the demand for standardized test procedures and performance evaluation standards to enable reliable comparison of different instruments and support claims of metrological traceability. To meet these emerging needs, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recently released the B89.4.23 standard for performance evaluation of XCT systems. There are also ongoing efforts within the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop performance evaluation documentary standards that would allow users to compare measurement performance across instruments and verify manufacturer's performance specifications. Designing these documentary standards involves identifying test procedures that are sensitive to known error sources. This paper, which is the third in a series, focuses on geometric errors associated with the detector and rotation stage of XCT instruments. Part I recommended positions of spheres in the measurement volume such that the sphere center-to-center distance error and sphere form errors are sensitive to the detector geometry errors. Part II reported similar studies on the errors associated with the rotation stage. The studies in Parts I and II only considered one position of the rotation stage and detector; i.e., the studies were conducted for a fixed measurement volume. Here, we extend these studies to include varying positions of the detector and rotation stage to study the effect of magnification. We report on the optimal placement of the stage and detector that can bring about the highest sensitivity to each error.

Adaptive Self-Sealing Suction-Based Soft Robotic Gripper.

While suction cups prevail as common gripping tools for a wide range of real‐world parts and surfaces, they often fail to seal the contact interface when engaging with irregular shapes and textured surfaces. In this work, the authors propose a suction‐based soft robotic gripper where suction is created inside a self‐sealing, highly conformable and thin flat elastic membrane contacting a given part surface. Such soft gripper can self‐adapt the size of its effective suction area with respect to the applied load. The elastomeric membrane covering edge of the soft gripper can develop an air‐tight self‐sealing with parts even smaller than the gripper diameter. Such gripper shows 4 times higher adhesion than the one without the membrane on various textured surfaces. The two major advantages, underactuated self‐adaptability and enhanced suction performance, allow the membrane‐based suction mechanism to grip various three‐dimensional (3D) geometries and delicate parts, such as egg, lime, apple, and even hydrogels without noticeable damage, which can have not been gripped with the previous adhesive microstructures‐based and active suction‐based soft grippers. The structural and material simplicity of the proposed soft gripper design can have a broad use in diverse fields, such as digital manufacturing, robotic manipulation, transfer printing, and medical gripping.

Deep Learning-Based Haptic Guidance for Surgical Skills Transfer.

Having a trusted and useful system that helps to diminish the risk of medical errors and facilitate the improvement of quality in the medical education is indispensable. Thousands of surgical errors are occurred annually with high adverse event rate, despite inordinate number of devised patients safety initiatives. Inadvertently or otherwise, surgeons play a critical role in the aforementioned errors. Training surgeons is one of the most crucial and delicate parts of medical education and needs more attention due to its practical intrinsic. In contrast to engineering, dealing with mortal alive creatures provides a minuscule chance of trial and error for trainees. Training in operative rooms, on the other hand, is extremely expensive in terms of not only equipment but also hiring professional trainers. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused to establish initiatives such as social distancing in order to mitigate the rate of outbreak. This leads surgeons to postpone some non-urgent surgeries or operate with restrictions in terms of safety. Subsequently, educational systems are affected by the limitations due to the pandemic. Skill transfer systems in cooperation with a virtual training environment is thought as a solution to address aforesaid issues. This enables not only novice surgeons to enrich their proficiency but also helps expert surgeons to be supervised during the operation. This paper focuses on devising a solution based on deep leaning algorithms to model the behavior of experts during the operation. In other words, the proposed solution is a skill transfer method that learns professional demonstrations using different effective factors from the body of experts. The trained model then provides a real-time haptic guidance signal for either instructing trainees or supervising expert surgeons. A simulation is utilized to emulate an operating room for femur drilling surgery, which is a common invasive treatment for osteoporosis. This helps us with both collecting the essential data and assessing the obtained models. Experimental results show that the proposed method is capable of emitting guidance force haptic signal with an acceptable error rate.

Sustainable and smart metal forming manufacturing process

Metal forming process is one of the oldest manufacturing techniques. It has witnessed the shift from conventional to integration of smart systems for manufacturing of highly complex components. Many mathematical, experimental and simulation software techniques are discussed. Servo press is the most indispensable machine used for the manufacturing of delicate parts of automobile, aviation industry with high accuracy. The main motive of replacing or modifying the prevailing conventional manufacturing techniques into modern, smart and sustainable manufacturing like industry 4.0 is to become more competitive and to adopt customization & sustainability. Integration of industrial internet of things (IIoT) with automated supply chain has given optimized productivity, quality, and economical feasibility. This manuscript throws some light on different metal forming process, servo press application in automobile, aviation industry and different components require to make metal forming smart and sustainable in term of industry 4.0.

Manufacturing of Nanocomposites via Powder Injection Molding: Focusing on Thermal Management Systems—A Review

AbstractThe rapid evolution of electronic and information technology has increased the performance of the electronic processors significantly. Achieving the optimal performance in a smart electronic device poses a serious challenge as the heat generated during operation will reduce the performance of the device which makes thermal management a determinant factor. Powder injection molding (PIM) is an appropriate and relatively new technology used for mass production of small delicate parts with complex shapes and desired properties. One of the latest advances in the PIM process is the production of metal matrix nanocomposites with huge industrial applications, particularly in electronics manufacturing. Manufacturing of efficient complex-shaped nanocomposites, as thermal management components (passive heatsink), could be achieved through the PIM process. On the other hand, what could pose a challenge is the presence of nanoparticles affecting on the different stages of PIM process including feedstock preparation, molding, debinding, and sintering. In this paper, the effect of nanoparticles on different stages of PIM for the production of heatsinks is investigated. Then, the manufacturing of Cu-, Al-, and Mg-based nanocomposites by powder injection molding, as heatsinks, is reviewed followed by investigating the related advantages and limitations.

Total Laparoscopic Resection of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma Type 3b: Applying a Parachute Technique for Hepaticojejunostomy

BackgroundLaparoscopic liver resection for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) is still in its infancy. The biliary-enteric reconstruction represents one of the most delicate parts of this minimally invasive procedure.MethodsIn this study, a 78-year old woman with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) type 3b underwent a hepaticojejunostomy performed by a parachute technique.ResultsThe operation, performed totally by minimally invasive resections, was completed in 386 min, with a blood loss of less than 400 ml and no transfusion requirements. Two intraluminal stents were placed during the hepaticojenunostomy for splinting of the biliary-enteric anastomosis. The patient required prolonged antibiotic treatment for postoperative cholangitis and finally was discharged on postoperative day 15. The histopathologic grading displayed a G 2–3 adenocarcinoma, pT3 pN0, M0, L1, V1, pN1, UICC IIIc R0, and the patient was referred to adjuvant chemotherapy.ConclusionResections of pCCAs, performed totally by minimally invasive techniques, may be feasible and safe for a selected group of patients. With this approach, a running-suture hepaticojejunostomy using the parachute technique represents a worthwhile strategy for biliary-enteric reconstruction.