Experimental and clinical applications and outcomes of using different forms of suction in retrograde intrarenal surgery. Results from a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the latest advances in suction devices and evaluate their effect in Retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and ureteroscopy for stones. BASIC PROCEDURES: A systematic literature search was performed on 4th January 2023 using Scopus, PubMed, and EMBASE. Only English papers were included; both pediatric and adult studies were accepted. Duplicate studies, case reports, letters to the editor, and meeting abstracts were excluded. MAIN FINDINGS: Twenty-one papers were selected. Several methods have been proposed for suction use in RIRS, such as through the ureteral access sheath or directly to the scope. Artificial intelligence can also regulate this system, monitoring pressure and perfusion flow values. All the proposed techniques showed satisfactory perioperative results for operative time, stone-free rate (SFR), and residual fragments. Moreover, the reduction of intrarenal pressure (induced by aspiration) was also associated with a lower infection rate. Even the studies that considered kidney stones with a diameter of 20 mm or higher reported higher SFR and reduced postoperative complications. However, the lack of well-defined settings for suction pressure and fluid flow prevents the standardization of the procedure. CONCLUSION: Aspiration device in the surgical treatment of urinary stones favours a higher SFR, reducing infectious complications, as supported by the included studies. RIRS with a suction system provided to be a natural successor to the traditional technique, regulating intrarenal pressure and aspirating fine dust.

[Models of bone defects in rabbits used to evaluate the bone graft materials efficacy]. / Modeli kostnykh defektov u krolikov, ispol'zuemye dlya otsenki effektivnosti kostno-plasticheskikh materialov.

The review deals with the main types of experimental models of bone defects of the skull in rabbits. The information about the types of critical defects, methods of their modeling and the possibilities of application of the described models in the studies of bone graft materials in dentistry and maxillofacial surgery is systematized.

[Current state of metaphylaxis of urinary stones in Russian Federation].

INTRODUCTION: Urolithiasis is one of the most common urological diseases in adults. Increased life expectancy of the population in developed countries, make urolithiasis topical issue and requires close attention. Due to the high risk of recurrent stone formation causing repeated surgical interventions, the issue of effective urinary stone metaphylaxis is very important today. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To study the current state of the problem of urolithiasis metaphylaxis among Russian urologists, an anonymous questionnaire was applied. A 25-question questionnaire was sent to e-mail to more than 4,000 Russian urologists. A total of 1,238 specialists completed the questionnaire. The database compiled from the received responses was processed and presented with descriptive statistics in the form of tables and charts. RESULTS: According to the survey, more than half of the 831 (67.1%) specialists specialized in the treatment of urolithiasis. It was noted that 626 (86%) inpatient urologists and 205 (40%) outpatient urologists specialized in the treatment of urolithiasis. Only 521 (69.6%) urologists specializing in surgical treatment of urolithiasis give a patient a stone fragment to analyze its chemical composition. At the same time, half of the respondents reported that less than 10% of patients come to them for further metaphylaxis. One of the main reasons for not analyzing the chemical composition of the stone was the fact that 877 (70,84%) specialists indicated the inaccessibility of analysis under the state guarantee program, 503 (40,63%) specialists indicated the patients satisfaction with the results of minimally invasive surgical treatment and lack of sufficient motivation for further examinations. At the same time, less than 3% of specialists can perform stone analysis within the framework of the state guaranty program. 1180 (96,8%) respondents practiced the prophylaxis of recurrent calculi formation, but only 336 (28,47%) performed comprehensive metabolic examination of all patients followed by prescription of drug therapy and appropriate diet. CONCLUSIONS: Our survey revealed low involvement of urologists at the outpatient level in the process of conservative treatment and metaphylaxis of urolithiasis, low activity of urologists in performing complex metabolic study and comprehensive prevention of recurrent stone formation, low percentage of performing chemical composition analysis of stone and low activity of urologists in performing primary litholytic therapy of urate stones. Based on this analysis of the responses of most Russian urologists, it is possible to formulate recommendations to remove the obstacles to providing patients with urolithiasis with quality medical care in terms of conservative therapy and metaphylaxis of urolithiasis.

[Challenges in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of encrusted cystitis].

Encrusted cystitis (IC) is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder of the bladder characterized by mucosal inflammation with encrustations. This pathological process is directly related to the activity of urea-splitting bacteria in the urine. Bladder encrustations are deposits of ammonium and magnesium phosphate, as well as struvite, on the surface of the urothelium. However, the pathogenesis of this disease has not been thoroughly studied. Treatment of encrusted cystitis is aimed to complete eradication of the uropathogen, surgical removal of encrustations, and lowering urine pH. Early diagnosis is a key prerequisite for effective treatment.

[Ureteral obstruction and segmental ureteral stents].

Currently, various types of stents are widely used in urological practice. One of the indications is the presence of upper urinary tract strictures. The factors leading to the development of strictures can be endogenous and exogenous, iatrogenic and non-iatrogenic, benign and malignant. After open, laparoscopic and X-ray-endoscopic procedures a double-J stent is usually placed or, less often, nephrostomy tube. It should be noted that both methods have certain side effects and may affect the patient's quality of life. To reduce the stent-related symptoms and increase their tolerability, various modifications of ureteral stents have been developed. In this article, we analyze the publications devoted to the most commonly used segmental stents without renal and bladder coils, such as Memokath, Uventa, Allium, Memotherm and nitinol stents manufactured by MIT LLC.

[Complications after PCNL: diagnosis and management].

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the gold standard treatment of large and staghorn kidney stones. Despite technological progress and improvement of PCNL technique, this procedure is associated with complications and in some cases remain a challenge for endourologists. According to the time, complications can be divided into intra- and postoperative. Intraoperative complications include bleeding, injury of the renal collecting system, visceral organs, pulmonary complications, thromboembolic disorders, extrarenal migration of the stone fragments and incorrect nephrostomy tube placement. Postoperative complications include infection and sepsis, bleeding, persistent urinary fistula, infundibular stenosis and death of the patient. The different recommendations that might be useful for the timely diagnosis of various complications in patients undergoing PCNL are provided in the review. Additionally, information on treatment algorithms is included.

[A mobile app for patients suffering from kidney stones]. / Smartphone-App für Patienten mit Nierensteinen.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Kidney stone disease has become an important worldwide socioeconomic issue. However, metaphylaxis fails due to low compliance rates. Therefore, we developed a mobile app (StoneMD: Kidney Stones) for patients with kidney stones to increase compliance in stone metaphylaxis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To identify the most appropriate design of the app, we searched through the App Store and the Google Play Store and integrated the clinical recommendations of the European Association of Urology (EAU) and the American Urological Association (AUA). To test the value of this app, a questionnaire was developed in which the patient should answer questions about the drinking behavior and the subjective use of the app in the field of metaphylaxis. RESULTS: StoneMD: Kidney Stones offers the opportunity to calculate the individual risk of a new stone episode. In addition, the app offers several features to raise awareness of lifestyle modification, including hydration as metaphylaxis of urolithiasis, reminder of inserted ureteral stents and document the self-measured urine pH. A total of 49 patients participated in the questionnaire: 89.8% (n = 46) of these patients had a smartphone, 73.9% reported a daily intake of <2.5 l, 76.5% of these patients believe that their drinking behavior is positively influenced by the app, 71.7% stated that the app for relapse prevention is more suitable than traditional information brochures, 56.5% want to continue to use the app. CONCLUSIONS: StoneMD: Kidney Stones is the first mobile app for stone metaphylaxis. StoneMD might help to improve patient compliance and might lower the risk of stone formation.

[Complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy and their management].

To date, percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) is the standard treatment modality for large-volume renal stones and staghorn stones in patients with urolithiasis. Despite low invasiveness, this method is not without complications. This review discusses the most common complications and suggests methods for their prevention and appropriate management. To unify the study of complications they were categorized based on the modified Clavien classification. According to the available data, about 80% of the PNL complications belong to grade I-II complications and does not require any additional treatment. The most serious complications include sepsis, bleeding, and injury to nearby organs.

[Features of cytokines profile in various forms of systemic inflammatory response syndrome in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis]. / Osobennosti tsitokinemii pri razlichnykh variantakh sindroma sistemnoi vospalitel'noi reaktsii u bol'nykh s ostrym kal'kuleznym kholetsistitom.

AIM: Comparative evaluation of systemic concentration of some cytokines in various forms of SIR in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 32 patients with acute calculous cholecystitis and SIR. According to ASSR/SCCM criteria SIR 2 was in 11, SIR 3 - in 8, SIR 4 - in 7 patients, 6 patients had sepsis. Serum TNF-α, IL-6, IL-4 and IL-10 were determined prior to surgery, in 3 and 7 days postoperatively by using of ELISA. RESULTS: There was a cytokine imbalance whose severity depended on SIR severity and presence of sepsis. CONCLUSION: Surgical intervention on background of basis therapy does not correct cytokine imbalance. So adequate pharmacological correction is required.

[Metaphylaxis of urolithiasis: new look, modern approach, implementation in a mobile application].

AIM: To analyze the sub-segment of mHealth devoted to assessing of the risk of recurrent stone formation and metaphylaxis of stone formation. To design a smartphone application (app.) in Russian language for urolithiasis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three working groups of urologists from three St. Petersburg clinics searched for downloadable medical applications relevant to the above requirements. After searching and analyzing existing medical applications, the most acceptable design and structure of our own application were identified. RESULTS: The developed "Urolithiasis" application is available for free download in Russian language versions in App Store (Apple, Inc.) and Google Play (Android market, Google, Inc.). It features the following sections: 1) "Take the test" (personalized calculation of the risk of kidney stone recurrence and providing relevant recommendations using ROKS nomogram), 2) "Water" (with reminders to drink water and automatic logging of the water intake), 3) "Food" (Nutrition facts on the content of calcium, oxalate, purine, protein, citrate and calories in common foods), 4) "My doctor" (in the future this option will allow for on-line communication with a patients physician), 5) "Feedback" (if the patient does not find the desired product or has a question - this section is for him/her). CONCLUSIONS: The smartphone application "Urolithiasis" in Russian may be recommended to patients with urolithiasis for improving the effectiveness of metaphylaxis.

DIRECTED CYTOKINE THERAPY IN COMPLEX TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE JAUNDICE OF CHOLELITHIC GENESIS.

The article analyzed the results of surgical treatment of 137 patients with obstructive jaundice of benign genesis. An immune status was studied in serum in dynamics before surgery. The rates of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, Ig A, M, G were determined on the first, third, seventh and fourteenth days after operation. The levels of TNFα, IFNγ, IL-2, IL-6, IL-4, IL-10 were investigated in serum and at the same time TNFα, IL-4, IL-6 were noted in the bile duct and IL-6 - in urine. Obstructive jaundice of cholelithiс genesis is characterized by disbalance of immune and cytokine status. The depth of disbalance depends on the degree of hepatic dysfunction and presence of purulent cholangitis. The directed cytokine therapy by ronkoleykin influenced positively on elimination of disbalance in immune and cytokine status and this therapy improved results of surgery in postoperative period.

[The state of cytokine status in patients with mechanical jaundice of benign origin].

The results of survey of 67 patients with obstructive jaundice (OJ) of benign origin are analyzedin the article. In all patients the cause of obstructive jaundice was choledocholithiasis. The degree of hepatic dysfunction (HD) was identified taking into account of cholestasis (total serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase activity in blood) and cytolysis syndromes (levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase). Liver dysfunction degree I was observed in 21 patients, degree II--in 14, degree III--in 10 and degree IV--in 9 patients. In 13 patients OJ was complicated with purulent cholangitis (PCh). Serum concentration of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 was determined. Cytokine status imbalance was diagnosed in all patients with benign mechanical jaundice on admission. Levels of serum proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-6 were greater and the level of IL-2 was lower than those in healthy people. The analysis has showed that severity of cytokine imbalance depends on the degree of LD and level of hyperbilirubinemia. Imbalance in cytokine regulation manifests in disorders of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokinesratio.

[Effect of combined and local cytokine- and ozone therapy on the indices of lipid peroxidation, endogenous intoxication and ferroproteins in diffuse peritonitis].

The article analyzes the results of effect of combined and local cytokine- and ozone therapy on the indices of lipid peroxidation, endogenous intoxication and ferroproteins in 111 patients with diffuse peritonitis. It was shown, that combined sequential local and systemic cytokine and ozone therapy allows correcting the expression of endogenous intoxication and lipid peroxidation in diffuse peritonitis. This method suppresses an inflammation in the abdominal cavity. At the same time, it accelerates the elimination of intestine atony and thereby potentiates the possibilities of traditional methods of treatment.

[The cytokine profile in the patients with acute calculous cholecystitis and correction of its disorders].

The results of application of systemic cytokinotherapy and splenopid in patients, operated on for an acute calculous cholecystitis, are presented. While in patients of a control group the conventional basic therapy was conducted, to the patients of the main group the systemic cytokinotherapy and splenopid were conducted preoperatively and postoperatively on background of basic therapy during 3-10 days at average. In both groups preoperatively the reduction of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and gamma-interferon (IFNgamma) content were observed, as well as raising of the blood level of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6 and IL-10. In the patients of a control group a tendency towards the studied indices normalisation was noted postoperatively, and in the patients of the main group the elimination of the organism cytokine state dysbalance was achieved. While doing comparative analysis of ratio of TNF-alpha/IL-10 and IL-2/IL-10 in the blood serum in the main group there was established, that up to the observation period end the both indices were close to the norm.

[Comparative estimation of efficacy of the immunecorrecting combined three- level cytokino- and ozonotherapy in complex treatment of extended peritonitis].

The results of surgical treatment of 211 patients, suffering extended peritonitis (EP) of various etiology, were analyzed. The peritonitis severity was graded in accordance to Mannheim's index of peritonitis (MIP). The patients were divided on two groups. In 60 patients (group of comparison) the basic treatment was conducted, without immunocorrection. The patients of the main group were divided on three subgroups. To the patients of the first subgroup (43) 400 ml of ozonated isotonic solution (OIS) of sodium chloride was infused intravenously additionally in the contents of basic therapy, as well as peritoneal-enteral detoxication using OIS was conducted. In a second subgroup a regional intraabdominal endolymphatic ozonotherapy (OTH) was conducted to 57 patients with OIS and peritoneal-enteral sanation using medical ozone. In the 3d subgroup in 51 patients additionally were applied intravenous infusion of OIS and peritoneal-enteral sanation with medical ozone. To these patients cytokinotherapy was conducted, when splenopid was applied intravenously, intraperitoneally and enterally simultaneously. The indices of the T- and B-immunity links, phagocytic activity of neutrophils, including phagocytic index, phagocytic number, the completeness of phagocytosis index, as well as the content of the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), gamma-interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukins (IL) - IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 were estimated in the blood serum in dynamics. The combined staged three-level (systemic, intraperitoneal and enteral) application of natural cytokins and medical ozone have promoted mutual potentiating of their action, significant efficacy of the immunemodulating therapy in comparison with such systemic and local OTH.

[Prognostic value of interleukin-6 in various biological environments in generalized peritonitis].

The author analyzed the results of surgical treatment of 60 patients with generalized peritonitis (GP). The level of interleukin-6 in blood, serum, urine and peritoneal exudates were followed up and the diagnostic significance of interleukin was comparatively studied. All patients were treated by conventional intensive postoperative therapy, without immune correction. The severity of GP was determined by Mannheim peritoneal index (MPI): 17 patients had MPI, 20 patients had MPI II-23 and MPI III. The study revealed that the degree of the changes of IL-6 in blood, urine and peritoneal exudates depended on the severity of patients according to MPI. An analysis of the data suggests that the comparative study of IL-6 in peritoneal exudates, blood, urine during the postoperative period in patients with GP is one of the objective criteria for the assessment of the immune system. Increasing the rates of peritoneal exudates in the postoperative period shows a continuation of the systemic inflammatory response.

[The influence of ozone therapy to some immunological parameters in patients with generalized peritonitis].

The immune status of the surgical treatment of 103 patients with generalized peritonitis (GP) were discussed. Patients were divided into two groups. Comparison group included 60 patients who received conventional combined therapy, main group - 43 patients, who, along with the standard complex treatment measures, were used local and systemic intravenous ozone therapy (OT). The severity state of patients evaluated by Mannheim peritoneal index (MPI). To assess the immune status in blood of the patients with GP were studied the level of lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD11a+, CD19+), the phagocytic activity of neutrophilic granulocytes, concentration of immunoglobulin A, M, G, and the content of circulating immune complexes (CIC). Studies have shown that GP is accompanied by changes in the functioning of the immune system, the severity and extent of which depends on the severity of MPI. The conventional basic therapy is not effective in correcting of these disturbances. Using the local and systemic OT in the complex of therapeutic measures in individually selected patients with GP have a positive effect on some level of immunity with a tendency to restore the immune system dysfunction.

[Dynamics of content of inflammatory acute phase proteins in extended peritonitis].

There were analyzed the results of surgical treatment of 60 patients, suffering extended peritonitis (EP), in whom the content changes in the blood serum, concerning the acute phase of inflammation proteins (C-reactive protein, lactoferrin and ferritin) were studied. To all the patients a conventional basic intensi therapy was conducted postoperatively. The EP course severity was estimated using Manheim's peritoneal index (MPI): in 17 patients a I degree MPI was established, in 23 - MPI of II degree, in 20 - MPI of III degree. According to the investigation results obtained, there was established, that severity of changes of the studied indices depends on the disease course severity. The adduced indices detection makes it possible to estimate a severity of inflammatory process and efficacy of treatment conducted.