Robotic-assisted kidney transplantation: our first case.

PURPOSE: Kidney transplantation is the preferred treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease. In order to reduce the morbidity of the open surgery, a robotic-assisted approach has been recently introduced. According to the published literature, the robotic surgery allows the performance of kidney transplantation under optimal operative conditions while maintaining the safety and the functional results of the open approach. METHODS: We present the case of a mother donating to her daughter affected by end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to Alport disease (creatinine: 353 umol/l; GFR: 13 ml/min per 1.73 m(2)). RESULTS: A robotic-assisted kidney transplant (RAKT) was successfully performed. Surgical time was 120 min with 53 min for vascular suture. The estimated blood loss was <50 cc. The kidney started to produce urine intra-operatively with a rate of 250 cc/h, which remained constant over the next hours. During the first postoperative day, the patient was ambulating and started oral intake. Pain was minimal, and no analgesia was required after 48 h. Serum creatinine improved progressively to 89 umol/l on postoperative day 3. No surgical complications were recorded, and the patient was sent home on postoperative day 5. CONCLUSION: We present the first Spanish transperitoneal pure RAKT from a living-related donor. We believe this is the second pure robotic-assisted kidney transplantation case performed in Europe. We believe that the potential advantages of RAKT are related to the quality of the vascular anastomosis, the possible lower complication rate and the shorter recovery of the recipients.

Can endoscopic balloon dilation for primary obstructive megaureter be effective in a long-term follow-up?

BACKGROUND: Ureteral tapering and reimplantation is an established treatment for persistent or progressive primary obstructive megaureter (POM) but may result in complications and morbidity. Use of a less invasive technique involving endoscopic balloon dilation appears very interesting. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to determine if endoscopic balloon dilation for POM is effective in the long term as well as to assess complications of the procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review was done on 19 patients and 20 ureters treated with the endoscopic balloon dilation by POM from June 2000 to February 2010. Surgery was performed solely in those cases in which there was persistence of obstruction in the renogram along with one or all of the following conditions: impairment of the differential renal function <40%, worsening of the renal pelvic dilation, febrile UTI in spite of antibiotic prophylaxis or renal calculi. The patients comprised 16 boys and 3 girls with a mean age at surgery of 17 months (range 1-44 months). Ten cases were left sided, eight right sided, and one bilateral. Under endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance, a 3-5 Fr dilating balloon was inflated to 12-14 atm, or until disappearance of the stenotic obstructive area. A double J stent was positioned and withdrawn 2 months later. Follow-up recorded the presence of symptoms, number of reintervention procedures registered, and included renal ultrasound and MAG-3 renogram. RESULTS: There were no perioperative complications. Eighteen ureters showed a non-obstructive pattern on MAG-3 renogram after the first endoscopic dilation, representing a 90% success rate. One case required a second dilation, which proved successful and two cases of recurrent lithiasis required ureterotomy without instances of obstruction. 2 patients had a febrile UTI and a vesicoureteral reflux was diagnosed in one. Renal function was preserved in 95% of patients. The mean follow-up was 6.9 years (range 3.9-13.3 years). One patient was lost after the procedure. DISCUSSION: In an era of minimally invasive techniques, the search for less invasive procedures for treatment of POM has resulted in a variety of surgical options. Angulo et al., in 1998 and our group described the first POM treatment with endoscopic balloon dilation, which is believed to be a definitive, less invasive, and safe treatment. Furthermore, should an endoscopic approach fail, reimplant surgery can be performed. Few publications have reported short series with good results in the short and medium term. Torino et al. presented five cases in children aged less than 1 year, none of these showed evidence of obstruction. García-Aparicio et al. presented a series of 13 patients treated with a success rate of 84.6%. Christman et al. added laser incision in cases of narrowed ureteral segment 2-3 cm long and used double stenting. Good outcomes were presented in 71%. Romero et al. reported improvement of drainage within the first 18 months after treatment in 69% of patients. The potential de novo onset of vesicoureteral reflux may be the source of some controversy. We consider that dilation does not significantly alter the antireflux mechanism. In VCUG is not systematically performed because it is an invasive test. This restricts the conclusions that can be drawn from our findings. Nevertheless, some groups continue to systematically perform VCUG. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic balloon dilation for POM is a safe, feasible, and less invasive procedure that shows good outcomes on long-term follow-up. However, multicenter studies and prospective trials should be encouraged to provide more definitive evidence on its benefits.

[Renal retransplantation: risk factors and results]. / Retrasplante renal: factores de riesgo y resultados.

OBJECTIVE: to review our experience in renal retransplantations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we carried out a retrospective study on 71 patients with retransplantation performed between 1980 and 2005. We studied: the characteristics of the recipient and graft, surgery data, causes of loss of the graft, number of rejects and transplantectomies and, survival of the graft. RESULTS: the most frequent cause of graft loss was chronic rejection. The causes of first graft loss were not associated with a greater loss of the second graft (p>0.05). The percentage of anti-HLA antibodies increased in the second transplant in comparison to the first (17.23±27.91% vs. 1.21±7.43%) (p=0.001), however, it was not correlated with a significant increase in loss of the second graft (p=0.320). There were no significant differences between the complications of the first and second transplants (p>0.05) and they were not associated with graft loss (p>0.05). The patients with a transplantectomy in the first transplant presented a risk 8.5 times higher of undergoing a second one (p=0.0001; OR: 8.54; CI: 95% 0.941 - 77.501). The most frequent cause of transplantectomies in the second transplant was acute rejection. Acute rejection as a cause for transplantectomy in the first transplant proved to be an independent risk factor of transplantectomy of the second transplant (p=0.009). The mean survival of the second graft was 5.08±4.81 years, higher than the first transplant (p=0.133). The survival of the graft at 1.5 and 10 years was 83%, 75% and 52%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: the survival of the second transplant was not lower than the first, neither was there an increase in the number of complications.

[Testicular tumours in infancy and children]. / Tumores testiculares en la infancia.

INTRODUCTION: prepubertal testicular tumours are different from those that appear during adulthood. Traditionally, they were considered to be malignant, however benign testicular tumours are actually more frequent at this age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we analysed our experience in the treatment of testicular tumours in children ≤ 13, with the intention of evaluating the use of partial orchiectomy. From 1984 to 2008, we diagnosed and treated 15 testicular tumours in children at our centre. We examined the therapeutic approach employed, underlining the possibility of testicular conservation in selected patients and we have analysed the results. RESULTS: the clinical presentation in 80% of the cases was an increase in testicle size with palpable mass. We performed 4 radical orchiectomies (27%) and 11 tumourectomies (73%). All the benign lesions in the final pathological anatomy were treated with tumourectomy: four epidermoid cysts, one hemangioma, one lipoma, one fibrous hamartoma, one juvenile granulosa tumour and one splenogonadal fusion. We also successfully and conservatively treated two cases of teratoma. The cases that received radical treatment were a yolk sac tumour (Stage I), two mixed germ cell tumours and one gonadoblastoma. CONCLUSIONS: there are more cases of benign testicular tumours than malignant tumours during puberty. In the event of a palpable testicular mass with negative tumour markers, conservative treatment by means of a tumourectomy may be considered. However, the lesion must be removed completely to prevent recurrence.

[Use of ureterocalicostomy in child]. / Uso de la ureterocalicostomía en la edad pediátrica.

INTRODUCTION: There are many clinical situations in wich it may be difficult to perform appropriately an anastomosis between the renal pelvis and the proximal portion of the uretersafely. Preservation of the organ depens upon the availability of surgical resources. In fact, that principle becomes particularipy significant when dealing with children. OBJECTIVES: To describe different clinical and surgical situations in wich the successful performance of ureterocalicostomy has enable us to maintain three renal units with function from child patients and without complications. METHOD AND PATIENTS: Three children aged 8, 4 and 1 year were submitted to surgery because of pyelocaliceal lithiasis in the first case and secundary ureteropelvic stenosis in the remaning two cases. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 12 months, all three renal units were preserved and, according to the isotopic study, functionality was improved in the two cases of ureteropelvic obstruction and the normal preoperative function was preserved in the first case. No complications occurred either during the immediate postoperative period or up to the date of this review. CONCLUSION: Ureterocalicostomy should be considered a suitable alternative in different clinical situations in wich the ureteropelvic continuity could be compromised, or in cases of indundibulopelvic stenosis.

Prevention of vesicoureteral reflux at the time of complete primary repair of the exstrophy-epispadias complex.

INTRODUCTION: With Mitchell's technique it is possible to perform bladder closure, reconstruction of epispadias and the bladder neck in one single procedure in an exstrophy patient. However the most common postoperative complication is pyelonephritis secondary to vesicouretral reflux. Reflux is closely linked to bladder exstrophy due to an abnormal anatomic development of the distal ureteral segment and to a pathologic bladder disposition. This problem is normally solved in subsequent surgical procedures. TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS: We decided to apply the technique described by Gil-Vernet as a first step of a bladder exstrophy repair following the Mitchell's technique. This ureteral advancement by means of trigonoplasty is a simple surgical procedure for vesicouretral reflux that preserves the intrinsic and extrinsic periureteral musculature. It is quite a short procedure that has yielded rates of success over 90%. CONCLUSIONS: The realization of this antireflux technique together with the primary closure could avoid later surgical correction in patients whose have had multiple operations.

[Living donor nephrectomy for kidney transplantation. Experience in the first two years]. / Nefrectomía laparoscópica de donante vivo para trasplante renal. Los dos primeros años de experiencia.

OBJECTIVES: Laparoscopic surgery offers potential advantages in terms of diminishment of postoperative pain, shorter hospital stay, faster convalescence, and better cosmetic results. These advantages may increase kidney donation, making donation be accepted by more candidates. We report our first 2 years' experience with laparoscopic donor nephrectomy METHODS: Between March 2002 and February 2004 we performed 38 laparoscopic living donor nephrectomies for kidney transplantation. The technique of choice was the transperitoneal laparoscopic approach with four trocars, usually three of them from the start of the procedure--two 10-12 mm and one 5 mm--, and a 6.5 cm perumbilical midline incision for kidney retrieval at the end of the procedure. RESULTS: Receptor and donor survivals were 100%. Graft survival was 97.6%. There was not any case of delayed graft function. Donor: Mean operative time was 161 minutes (115-260). Mean estimated blood loss was 270 ml (100-1200). Three patients required blood transfusions, 2 units of packed red blood cells each. Mean hospital stay was 5.1 days (3-11). Mean warm ischemia time was 3.2 min. (2-10). Conversion to open surgery was necessary in four cases. Receptor: there have been three significant complications requiring surgical repair: one case of low arterial flow, one vesico ureteral leak, and one midurethra stenosis. Initial renal function: mean serum creatinine at one month was 147mmol/l, with a trend to improve to 126 mmol/l at one year, which is considered optimum. First postoperative day mean serum creatinine was 192mmol/l and the nadir was on second postoperative day with a value of 152mmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: We believe laparoscopic living donor nephrectomy is a real alternative to open surgery because it offers better recovery to the donor with the same capacity to preserve renal function in the receptor.

[Surgical treatment of the extrophy-epispadias complex. Review and current concepts]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico del complejo extrofia-epispadias. Revisión y conceptos actuales.

Since earlier descriptions the surgical management of the bladder exstrophy and epispadias complex (BEEC) has experimented gradual changes in the search for good aesthetic and functional results. The initial urinary diversion and bladder plate removal has evolved under various authors either by improving or supplementing the above described advances, until reaching the staged functional closure and more recently the complete primary BEEC closure. These later techniques allow to obtain encouraging continence indexes and successful aesthetic results; the low incidence and complexity of this condition however, advises both in terms of early management and later complications that this should be managed in reference centres. Sharing on this spirit of technique combination in search for a satisfactory result for exstrophic newborns and inspired by Leadbetter's contribution to Young-Dees's procedure for vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) correction, we have added a new step to the complete primary BEEC closure known as the Mitchell's technique by performing Gil-Vernet's trigonoplasty to prevent VUR, closely associated to bladder exstrophy. We believe VUR can be prevented right from the first surgical approach in the exstrophic newborn.

Conservative treatment of phimosis in children using a topical steroid.

OBJECTIVES: From 1997 through 1998, we conducted a prospective study to evaluate the long-term outcome of using topical steroids in the treatment of childhood phimosis. METHODS: Both the parents and their children were instructed to apply 0.05% betamethasone cream topically twice a day for 1 month and to retract the prepuce after the fifth day of treatment. Results were evaluated at the end of the treatment and 6 months later. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven boys were evaluated. The median age was 5.4 years. At initial presentation, 61 boys had a phimotic but retractable prepuce, 37 had a nonretractable phimotic ring, and 39 had a pinpoint opening. Patients with a history of previous forcible foreskin retractions were considered to have secondary phimosis. By 6 months following treatment, 90% (124 children) had an easily retractable prepuce without a phimotic ring. No differences were seen in the response rate between those with primary and secondary phimosis. In all cases, the treatment was well tolerated without local or systemic side effects. All the patients with persistent or recurrent phimosis were found to be noncompliant with the suggested daily foreskin care. CONCLUSIONS: Topical steroid for the treatment of phimosis is a safe, simple, and inexpensive procedure that avoids surgery and its associated risks. It is effective both in primary and in secondary phimosis. We emphasize the importance of proper and regular foreskin care and hypothesize on the mechanism of action of the steroids.

Tissue engineering of the bladder.

When gastrointestinal tissue is used for bladder augmentation or replacement, multiple complications may ensue, such as infection, metabolic disturbances, urolithiasis, perforation, increased mucous production, and malignancy. Therefore, alternative methods are being sought for cystoplasty. There has been a resurgence of interest in the use of acellular collagen-based matrices as scaffolds for bladder regeneration. Experimental work involving several collagen matrices, such as allogenic bladder and intestinal tissues, is currently being conducted in several academic centers. Recently, functional bladder tissue has been engineered using selective cell transplantation. The approach that has been followed for bioengineering of bladder tissue involves the use of autologous cells, thus avoiding rejection, whereby a biopsy of tissue is obtained from the host, after which the cells are dissociated and expanded in vitro, reattached to a matrix, and implanted into the same host.

Staghorn calculi in children: treatment with monotherapy extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the effectiveness of monotherapy extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWLT) for treating children with staghorn calculi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From February 1992 to December 1997, 11 boys and 4 girls 14 months to 13 years old (median age 4 years) presented to our institution with staghorn calculi. In these patients ESWL was performed using a Siemens Lithostar-ULTRA with ultrasound stone localization and with intravenous sedation or without anesthesia. Using the Puigvert method the frequency and energy of the shock waves delivered were increased progressively to desensitize cutaneous nerve receptors, making the procedure less painful and improving stone fragmentation. RESULTS: Overall stones resolved in 11 of the 15 patients (73.3%) after an average of 2 ESWL sessions. Of the 11 patients 7 were stone-free after only 1 session, 2 with fragments less than 5 mm. required no further intervention, and 2 required additional surgery, including percutaneous nephrolithotomy to remove large residual stone fragments in 1 and open renal surgery to remove a cystine staghorn calculus in 1. Ureteral stents were not required in any patients. One case of post-ESWL fever resolved promptly with antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: ESWL using the Siemens Lithostar-ULTRA is simple, effective and safe primary treatment in children with staghorn calculi.

The reliability of cysto-urethrographic signs in the diagnosis of detrusor instability in children.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the signs associated with detrusor instability (DI), as assessed by video-urodynamic studies, can be evaluated by conventional voiding cysto-urethrography (VCUG). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine children who underwent cystometry and VCUG were reviewed and divided into two groups; group 1 comprised 51 neurologically normal children who had DI (47 girls and four boys, mean age 7.9 years, range 4-14), with no malformations or previous surgery. Most had mixed symptoms, including urinary tract infections (44) and nocturnal enuresis with daytime symptoms (20); group 2 (control) comprised eight children (seven girls, mean age 9.7 years, range 6-15) with a stable bladder and the same clinical presentation. The interval between VCUG and cystometry ranged from 1 day to 5 months (mean 47 days) and was similar in both groups. Signs considered suspicious of DI were sought in the findings of VCUG. RESULTS: In group 1, VCUG was normal or showed no specific signs (only vesico-ureteric reflux or vaginal voiding) in 25 (49%) of patients, whereas 26 (51%) had some signs suspicious of DI. Suspicious signs were urethral ballooning (in 11), bladder trabeculation or a constricting ring (eight), a 'spinning-top' urethra (three), urethral notching (two) and Mercier's bar (one). In group 2, five patients had no abnormal findings on VCUG and three had suspicious signs. The positive predictive value of VCUG was high (0.89) but the diagnostic yield of suspicious signs was low, because the sensitivity (0.5), specificity (0.62) and overall accuracy (0.52) were low. CONCLUSION: Radiological signs suspicious of DI cannot be regarded as such in conventional VCUG, as although they were detected in half the patients with DI, they also occurred in three of eight children with a stable bladder.

[Vesico-ureteral reflux associated with detrusor instability]. / Reflujo vesicoureteral asociado a inestabilidad del detrusor.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the urodynamic characteristics of patients with vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR) and detrusor instability (DI) followed by medical treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The urodynamic and cystographic findings in a group of 24 patients between 4 and 18 years of age (mean 7.6 years) with a simultaneous diagnosis of VUR and DI were reviewed. All of them presented with recurrent urinary tract infections. Twenty were female of whom eight also had enuresis and daytime symptoms. Mean follow-up was 40 months (range 18-97 months). VUR was diagnosed by voiding cystourethrogram and classified according to the grades proposed by the "International reflux study on children". RESULTS: All but 6 patients had at least a 15% reduction in age-adjusted capacity. No relationship was observed between the severity of VUR (measured as the addition of reflux grades in both units of each patient) and reduction in bladder capacity or compliance. Seven patients had upper tract damage (either scars or a decrease in size or function on the renogram). Upper tract damage was significantly more frequent in patients with bilateral reflux (regardless of the type of DI). Patients with unilateral reflux and sustained instability had significantly less upper tract damage. Results of treatment are reported separately. CONCLUSIONS: In these patients, the severity of VUR did not seem to have an impact on bladder capacity or compliance. The risk factors for upper tract damage in this series differ from those found by other authors.

[Efficacy of oxybutynin chloride in children with vesico-ureteral reflux and detrusor instability]. / Eficacia del cloruro de oxibutinina en niños con inestabilidad del detrusor y reflujo vesicoureteral.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the urodynamic (UD), radiological (VCUG) and clinical outcome in patients with detrusor instability (DI) and vesico-ureteral reflux (VUR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: UD and VCUG findings in 24 patients between 4 and 18 years of age (mean 7.6 years) with a simultaneous diagnosis of VUR and DI were reviewed. All presented with recurrent urinary tract infections (UTI). Twenty were female of whom 8 also had enuresis and daytime symptoms. Ten had bilateral VUR, making a total of 34 units. Mean follow-up was 40 months (range 18-97 months) and at least 2 UD studies were done. Treatment consisted of oxybutinin chloride (OC) and chemoprophylaxis. RESULTS: Treatment lasted an average of 31 months with an average dose of 11 mg/day. There was a statistically significant improvement in UTI rate, enuresis score and UD parameters [CysCap, volume at 1st contraction, maximum contraction and compliance (comp)]. Thirteen patients achieved stable bladders and 9 had some UD improvement (3 with low compliance and 2 with less severe DI), leaving 2 with unchanged DI. Reflux disappeared in 20 units and was downgraded in 6. VUR improvement coincided with the cases of UD improvement. Persistence of DI was always associated with persistent VUR. CONCLUSIONS: Oxybutinin treatment can be long, but UD and VUR improvement run parallel in most cases. The rare discrepant cases point towards a multifactorial ethology in this condition.

[Topical anesthesia with the EMLA cream: application in pediatric urology]. / Anestesia tópica con la crema EMLA: aplicación en urología pediátrica.

EMLA Topical cream is a mixture of two local anaesthetics of the aminoamides group (lidocaine and prilocaine) with the ability to penetrate healthy skin. Since 1979 it has been used with good results in those countries where it is available, and where it has become a routinely used compound. In urology, it has been used to release is balanopreputial adherences as a skin anaesthetics in ESWL sessions, cauterization of penial injuries, etc. With the aim evaluating the efficacy of this cream in paediatric urology a prospective study was conducted in 15 boys undergoing release of balanopreputial adherences and 5 girls undergoing venous catheterizations. Following topical application of the cream and a 90 min median occlusion time, an 80% efficacy level was observed in both groups. Considering these results, which are similar to those seen in the literature, we believe that this compound is useful for ordinary practice.

Single-dose rufloxacin versus 3-day norfloxacin treatment of uncomplicated cystitis: clinical evaluation and pharmacodynamic considerations.

The efficacy and safety of rufloxacin (400 mg, single dose) were compared to those of norfloxacin (400 mg twice a day for 3 days) for the treatment of women with uncomplicated cystitis. In addition, urine levels, drug level/MIC ratio, and urine antibacterial activity 72 to 84 h after treatment initiation were determined in a subgroup of patients for pharmacodynamic assessment. A total of 203 women were included and treated in this open, randomized clinical trial; 100 patients received norfloxacin, whereas 103 received rufloxacin. Of these, 156 (74 and 82 patients in the norfloxacin and rufloxacin groups, respectively) were considered bacteriologically evaluable. At the first follow-up visits (3 to 12 days after starting the treatment), bacteriological cure rates were 99 and 94% for norfloxacin and rufloxacin, respectively. Seventy-nine percent (119 of 150) of bacteriologically cured patients attended a long-term follow-up visit (4 to 6 weeks after starting the treatment), where a relapse rate of 4% (2 of 54) and 5% (3 of 64) were found in the norfloxacin and rufloxacin groups, respectively. The pharmacodynamic evaluation performed in 35 patients showed similar median urine levels (approximately equal to 25 micrograms/ml) and urine antibacterial activity for both treatment groups against initial isolates, despite a higher norfloxacin level/MIC ratio due to the lower MIC of norfloxacin. Twenty-one patients (20%) in the rufloxacin group and 12 patients (12%) in the norfloxacin group reported 39 and 16 adverse events, respectively, almost all of them being mild and lasting < 24 h. Overall, gastrointestinal reactions were the most frequent adverse events reported. However, 12 patients treated with rufloxacin reported 15 central nervous system adverse events. This study shows that single doses of rufloxacin are as effective as a norfloxacin 3-day standard treatment in uncomplicated cystitis. The results obtained with rufloxacin are consistent with its pharmacodynamic properties.

[Evolutive orchiepididymitis or ischemic testis?: that is the question]. / Orquioepididimitis evolutiva o testículo isquémico?: he ahí la cuestión.

We report a case of deferred acute scrotum in a young teenager. Even though initially the aetiological diagnosis seemed clear (partially treated epididymo-orchitis), glandular viability remained uncertain due to ultrasound findings and the time elapsed since initial diagnosis. Colour Doppler Ultrasound is examined as the most useful ancillary method in differential diagnosis in this setting, as well as the different ultrasound findings in subsequent stages of spermatic cord torsion and epididymo-orchitis. Possible testicular ischaemia in this clinical setting is emphasized, explaining its pathophysiology.

[Acute urinary retention of psychogenic cause in a girl]. / Retención aguda de orina de causa psicógena en una niña.

Psychogenic acute urine retention is not as common as once was thought to be, but even more infrequent is its presentation in children. Explanation of one case of psychogenic acute urine retention (A.U.R.) in a female child, including analysis of diagnosis and treatment.