Kidney Stones of Type I vs. Type II Diabetic Patients: Are There Any Differences?

Background: This study highlighted the differences between the biochemical compositions of urinary stones from patients with type 1 diabetes versus those with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: This study included patients diagnosed with kidney stones and diabetes who were referred to the Urological Clinic of the Dr. C. I. Parhon Hospital in Iasi from April 2017 to April 2024. We analyzed the spectroscopic stone composition from 128 lithiasis patients treated in our Clinic. In the current study, the distribution of the biochemical composition of stones varied significantly between diabetic patients with type 2 diabetes, who formed primarily mixed uric acid stones, and diabetic patients with type 1 diabetes, who mainly developed pure uric acid stones (p < 0.001). Patients with uric acid stones had significantly higher mean creatinine values than the other stone types (p < 0.001). Urinary pH levels were abnormal for all biochemical subtypes of stones, indicating acidic urine. However, patients with uric acid stones had lower pH values than the group average. From the Kaplan-Mayer analysis, patients with pure uric acid stones had a shorter time to stone recurrence compared to patients with other biochemical types identified. Conclusions: These findings, which highlight the prevalence of pure uric acid stones in patients with type 1 diabetes and the impact of this on the strategy for dissolving pure stones, represent a significant advancement in understanding urinary lithiasis in diabetic patients.

[Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis : bear paw sign]. / L'image du mois. Pyélonéphrite xanthogranulomateuse : signe de la patte d'ours.

We present the pathognomonic image of the «bear paw sign¼ of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis, a rare form of chronic pyelonephritis typically occurring in association with obstructive uropathy (especially with staghorn calculi) and recurrent urinary tract infections.

Nous présentons l'image pathognomonique du «signe de la patte d'ours¼ de la pyélonéphrite xanthogranulomateuse, forme rare de pyélonéphrite chronique survenant classiquement sur un terrain associant une uropathie obstructive (en particulier sur lithiase coralliforme) et des infections urinaires à répétitions.

Assessment of changes in sexual function in patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for upper urinary tract lithiasis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of endoscopic surgery on sexual function in patients with upper urinary tract (UUT) lithiasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted an observational, prospective, longitudinal study with a single cohort of cases undergoing ureteroscopy (URS), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), or endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS). Patients' sexual response was assessed with questionnaires in the 30 days prior to surgery, and at one and three months after surgery. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-t) was used in male patients, and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was used in female patients. RESULTS: Seventy patients - 34 men and 36 women - completed the study. Among men, the IIEF-t did not show significant difference between baseline scores (64.1 ±â€¯7.50) and those obtained at 3 months (63.8 ±â€¯9.51), with a non-significant decrease (p = 0.054) at the first month (61.4 ±â€¯10.4). Subdomains did not worsen at 3 months, and desire (IIEF-SD) improved from 7.3 ±â€¯1.9 to 8.0 ±â€¯1.8. Among women, the FSFI-t did not change significantly after surgery: baseline score (27.3 ±â€¯4.1), 1-month score (26.8 ±â€¯3.7) and 3-month score (27.5 ±â€¯4.2). No subdomain worsened at the third month. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic surgery for UUT is a safe technique in both sexes with no negative effect on sexual function. There are no differences between the baseline IIEF-t and FSFI-t scores and those obtained at 3 months.

Layer upon layer: Imaging techniques of bladder matrix stone: A case report.

Matrix lithiasis within the bladder is an extremely rare and diagnostically challenging condition, characterized by its atypical presentation and complex imaging appearance. We report the case of a 69-year-old woman with nonspecific urinary symptoms, including hematuria and abdominal pain. Initial ultrasonography revealed an echogenic lesion on the bladder wall, leading to further investigations using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CT imaging initially delineated the lesion's structure, revealing a complex, multilayered cystic mass. Subsequent MRI provided detailed insights into the internal architecture of the mass, further elucidating its layered structure. Although a parasitic etiology was initially suspected, matrix lithiasis was later confirmed. This case highlights the critical role of a comprehensive imaging strategy in diagnosing rare urological conditions and emphasizes the importance of multimodal imaging in differentiating potential diagnoses.

Manejo de litiasis ureterales inferiores en el Hospital de Clínicas / Management of lower ureteral calculi in the Hospital de Clínicas

Introducción: La litiasis ureteral constituye una de las principales causas de consulta en urología. Dependiendo de la ubicación y características de los cálculos, se dispone de diversas técnicas terapéuticas. Objetivo: Evaluar el manejo y éxito del tratamiento de las litiasis ureterales inferiores en el Hospital de Clínicas. Materiales y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo, descriptivo y observacional no probabilístico de casos consecutivos que incluyó a 31 pacientes diagnosticados con litiasis ureteral inferior. Se utilizaron técnicas como ureteroscopía, meatotomía y ureterolitotomía por incisión de Gibson. Se evaluó la tasa de éxito y complicaciones de cada procedimiento. Resultados: La tasa de éxito fue del 93% para ureteroscopía, 83% para ureterolitotomía y 100% para meatotomía/enfoque combinado. El uso de catéter tipo doble J fue mayor en los abordajes abiertos. El tiempo de recuperación postoperatoria fue menor para las técnicas endourológicas. Conclusiones: Todas las técnicas demostraron ser efectivas en el manejo de las litiasis ureterales inferiores. Las técnicas endourológicas ofrecen ventajas en términos de menor tiempo de recuperación y menor necesidad de catéteres. La elección del procedimiento debe considerar factores individuales del paciente y la disponibilidad de recursos.

Introduction: Ureteral lithiasis represents a substantial proportion of consultations within the field of urology. The therapeutic techniques that may be employed are contingent upon the location and characteristics of the stones in question. The objective of this study is to: The objective of this study is to evaluate the management and success of treatment of lower ureteral lithiasis at the Hospital de Clínicas. Materials and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive, and observational non-probabilistic study was conducted on consecutive cases comprising 31 patients diagnosed with lower ureteral lithiasis. Techniques such as ureteroscopy, meatotomy, and Gibson incision ureterolithotomy were utilized. The success rate and incidence of complications associated with each procedure were evaluated. The results: of the study are presented in the following section. The success rate was 93% for ureteroscopy, 83% for ureterolithotomy, and 100% for combined meatotomy/approach. The use of a double J catheter was more prevalent in open approaches. The postoperative recovery period was shorter for endourologic techniques. It can be concluded: that all techniques proved to be effective in the management of lower ureteral lithiasis. Endourological techniques offer the advantages of a shorter recovery period and a reduced need for catheters, which are typically required for open approaches. The selection of the most appropriate procedure should be based on an assessment of the individual patient's characteristics and the availability of resources, in order to ensure the most effective and appropriate treatment plan.

FIRE Stones: impact of forced diuresis on the residual fragment rate after flexible ureteroscopy for destruction of kidney stones with laser-protocol for a randomized controlled two-parallel group multicenter trial with blinding evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Lithiasis is a common and recurrent disease. Flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) is the cornerstone of laser treatment of kidney stones. Kidney stones destruction requires its laser pulverization into small fragments in order to remove them through the ureter or improve their spontaneous expulsion along the urinary tract. However, most of the time, all the micro-fragments and dust created cannot be extracted using our surgical tools and may stay intra-renally at the end of the procedure. Adjuvant treatments (such as forced diuresis, inversion or mechanical pressure) were previously described to improve the expulsion of stone fragments after extra-corporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Nevertheless, the impact of adjuvant treatment after fURS remains unclear and mainly theoretical. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective is to show that the injection of 40 mg of furosemide in slow intravenous during 10 min, after the procedure, increases the stone-free rate 3 months after a fURS for destruction of kidney stones with laser. METHODS/DESIGN: The study will be a two-parallel group randomized, controlled, multicentric trial with a blinding evaluation. Nine French departments of urology will participate. Patients will be randomized in 2 groups: the experimental group (injection of 40 mg of furosemide at the end of the surgery) and a control one (usual care). Patients will be followed up for 3 months (± 2 weeks) after the surgery. Then, we will perform a low dose abdomino-pelvic CT scan. The primary outcome is the stone-free rate at 3 months. A centralized review of the images will be performed by two specialized radiologists, in a blind and crossed way to allow a homogenization of the results. The secondary outcomes will include the rate of early post-operative urinary tract infection (UTI), the evaluation of post-operative pain, and the safety of the use of furosemide in patients treated by fURS for renal stone laser destruction. As secondary objectives, it is also planned to look at the effect of the prescription of an alpha-blocker as usual treatment on stone-free rate and to assess the agreement between the imaging analysis of the urologist and the specialized radiologist. DISCUSSION: Lithiasis is a public health problem. It affects about 10% of the general population. This prevalence is increasing (multiplied by 3 in 40 years), partly due to changes in the population's eating habits over the years. The lithiasis patient is a patient with a chronic disease requiring annual follow-up and who may suffer from multiple recurrences, with a recurrence rate at 5 years of 50%. Recurrences are partly due to residual fragments left in the kidneys at the end of the operation. Other risk factors for recurrence include dietary hygiene and the presence of an associated metabolic disease. The metabolic blood and urine tests recommended by the Association Française d'Urologie (AFU) can be used to manage these last two problems. As far as residual fragments are concerned, their presence leads to an early recurrence of stones because they form the bed for a new aggregation of crystals in the kidneys. Being able to reduce the rate of residual fragments in patients with the use of furosemide at the end of the intervention therefore seems essential in the management of recurrences in our patients. This will also improve our patients' quality of life. Indeed, lithiasis disease leads to chronic pain associated with acute pain that motivates consultations to the emergency for specialized management. This study is the first to evaluate the impact of forced diuresis with the use of furosemide on the stone-free rate after a fURS for destruction of kidney stone with laser. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05916963 , first received: 22 June 2023. EU Clinical Trials Register EudraCT Number: 2022-502890-40-00.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy for adult renal transplant de novo graft lithiasis: a single center analysis and systematic review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: Graft stones in renal transplant recipients pose a unique challenge, finding effective interventions to ensure optimal graft function and patient well-being. Various methods of stone clearance have been described for graft stones, including percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). While PCNL is a promising approach for managing graft stones, specific outcomes and associated characteristics for this approach have not been comprehensively evaluated before. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the use of PCNL as the primary intervention of graft stones by assessing stone-free rates (SFR), treatment impact on graft function, and perioperative complications. METHODS: A retrospective clinical audit was performed for all transplants performed in a single center from 2007 to 2022, which included all graft lithiasis patients who were treated with PCNL. Both perioperative parameters and post-operative outcomes were collected. In addition, a systematic review including articles from MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science yielded 18 full-text articles published between 1/1/2000 and 15/11/2023. The results pertaining to patients who underwent PCNLs for graft stones were cross-referenced and thoroughly evaluated. The review encompassed a comprehensive analysis of clinical data, postoperative outcomes, and procedural details. The protocol for the systematic review was prospectively registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023486825). RESULTS: In our center, 6 graft lithiasis patients were treated with PCNL. The initial SFR was 83.3%. SFR at 3 months and 1 year were both 100.0%. SFR at 3 years was 66.7%. Other centers reported initial SFR of 82.6-100.0% (interquartile range). SFR at 3 months, 1 year, 3 years was not well reported across the included studies. Incidence of graft lithiasis ranged from 0.44%-2.41%. Most common presentations at diagnosis were oliguria/anuria/acute kidney injury and asymptomatic. Reported complications included blood loss, transient hematuria, high urine output, sepsis, and damage to surrounding structures. The most commonly reported metabolic abnormalities in transplant lithiasis patients included hyperuricemia and hyperparathyroidism. CONCLUSION: PCNL is a practical and efficient choice for addressing graft lithiasis, demonstrating excellent stone clearance and minimal perioperative complications. These findings show the importance of PCNL as a primary intervention in this complex patient population.

Dent's Disease: A Cause of Monogenic Kidney Stones and Nephrocalcinosis.

Kidney stones are becoming increasingly common, affecting up to 10% of adults. A small percentage are of monogenic origin, such as Dent's disease (DD). DD is a syndrome that causes low-molecular-weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria, nephrolithiasis, and nephrocalcinosis. It is X-linked, and most patients have mutations in the CLCN5 gene. We performed a review of the literature and evaluated the case series (n = 6) of a single center in Spain, reviewing the natural evolution of kidney stones, clinical implications, laboratory analyses, radiological development, and treatment. All patients had a genetically confirmed diagnosis, with the CLCN5 mutation being the most frequent (66%). All patients had proteinuria and albuminuria, while only two and three presented hypercalciuria and phosphate abnormalities, respectively. Only one patient did not develop lithiasis, with most (60%) requiring extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy or surgery during follow-up. Most of the patients are under nephrological follow-up, and two have either received a renal transplant or are awaiting one. The management of these patients is similar to that with lithiasis of non-monogenic origin, with the difference that early genetic diagnosis can help avoid unnecessary treatments, genetic counseling can be provided, and some monogenic kidney stones may benefit from targeted treatments.

Uterine lithiasis, management by hysteroscopy: Case report and literature review.

The presence of calculi inside the uterine cavity is an uncommon finding, with few cases described in the literature. Here, we present a clinical case of a 30-year-old patient with uterine lithiasis. The patient presented with 3 months of evolution, characterized by abdominal pain in the hypogastrium, with a report of transvaginal ultrasound of hematometra with suggestive images of endometrial polyps. For this reason, she was scheduled for hysteroscopy, where three lesions of hard consistency were found, with the largest 1.5 cm. Currently, due to the few cases of uterine lithiasis described, there is no explanation of how the stones are formed in the uterine cavity. The age of the patient in this case report and the absence of predisposing factors for uterine calcifications reported in the literature is striking, which leads us to propose a hypothesis of the origin of uterine lithiasis, which is related to the history of cesarean section and the presence of hematometra, such hematic retention could have predisposed to the development of calculi in this patient. Uterine lithiasis is an extremely rare entity with few published cases; therefore, further studies are necessary.

Surgical Treatment of Lithiasis of the Main Pancreatic Duct: A Challenging Case and a Literature Review.

Pancreaticolithiasis represents a rare phenomenon, being superimposed most of the time on a form of chronic pancreatitis of multifactorial etiology. Pancreaticolithiasis is a late complication of the phenomenon of chronic pancreatitis. The reverberant inflammatory process, followed by the fibrotic degeneration of the pancreatic parenchyma, and pancreatic fluid stasis at the ductal level are factors that contribute to the phenomenon of calcium precipitation. This article describes the case of a patient with a diagnosis of pancreaticolithiasis (Wirsung duct lithiasis), a phenomenon superimposed on chronic pancreatitis of ethanolic cause (Rosemont classification). It was decided to perform surgery via the classical approach with the perfection of corporeo-caudal pancreatectomy and preservation of the splenic vessels (Kimura procedure) with pancreatico-jejunal anastomosis on the Roux-en-Y loop. The aim of this study is to identify the best method of treatment for pancreaticolithiasis. To enhance the case and provide a basis for standardization, a literature review was carried out, which included a total of six articles. The results of this study highlight that, currently, the management of symptomatic pancreaticolithiasis encompasses medical therapy (enzyme replacement therapy), interventional therapy (ESWL (extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy) ± ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), ERCP + sphincterotomy + stent insertion, and POP (oral pancreatoscopy)), and surgical treatment. In conclusion, based on the analysis conducted in this study, the size of the calculi present determines which is the suitable therapeutic care. Unlike stones over 0.5 cm, when surgery is explicitly advised for therapeutic purposes in the absence of endoscopic techniques, stones under 0.5 cm should be treated using endoscopic procedures.

Biliary Tract Disorders and Associated Acute Complications in Patients With Acromegaly: A Single-Center Study.

Background: Biliary complications are frequent in patients with acromegaly. These complications may be secondary either to acromegaly or to somatostatin analogs (SAs). We aimed in this paper to assess the prevalence of biliary complications in patients with acromegaly at diagnosis and after treatment with SAs. Methods: We conducted an analytical and descriptive retrospective study of 26 patients followed up for acromegaly over 7 years. Biliary complications were screened at diagnosis and follow-up by abdominal ultrasound, biliary magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). Data were analyzed using SPSS 21. Results: The mean age of the patients was 49.6 ± 14 years, with a female predominance (53.8%). The evaluation of biliary complications showed vesicular biliary tract lithiasis and/or sludge in seven patients (29%), including two patients at the time of diagnosis of acromegaly and five patients after an average medical treatment duration of 3 years. Six female patients (24%) had dilation of the bile ducts without the presence of obstruction on biliary MRI and EUS and lithiasis/sludge of the common bile duct, tumor or external compression have been excluded. This condition was discovered incidentally at the diagnosis in five patients and during the follow-up in one patient. The preoperative insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, disease duration, and female sex were significantly correlated with biliary tract dilation occurrence. Dyslipidemia, the preoperative IGF-1 level, and lanreotide treatment duration were significantly correlated with the occurrence of biliary lithiasis (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Biliary stones are a frequent biliary adverse effect in patients with acromegaly undergoing SAs treatment. However, primary bile duct dilation has never been reported in acromegaly to the best of our knowledge. This condition could be considered as a complication or a feature of the disease.

Prognostic Factors for Residual Lithiasis in Patients With Staghorn Calculi Undergoing Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in the Maya Region of Yucatan, Mexico: A Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Yucatan stands out as the state with the highest prevalence of urolithiasis in Mexico, placing significant demands on healthcare services, such as consultation and surgical intervention. Staghorn calculi are related to recurrent urinary tract infections, and their management is always surgical. The stone-free rate is a parameter used to measure the success of surgery, with residual stones considered those persisting four weeks after surgical management. There are understudied prognostic factors that can predict the success of achieving stone-free status, taking into account the number of stones, their location, and the anatomical variations of the patient's collecting system. The study aims to determine the prognostic factors for residual lithiasis in patients with staghorn calculi treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy at the High Specialty Regional Hospital of the Yucatan Peninsula. METHODS: A case-control study was performed including 188 patients, aged 18 years or older, and diagnosed with staghorn calculus from January 2022 to June 2023, grouping the patients according to their stone-free rate evidence on postoperative computed tomography. Data were collected from the records of the Urology Department at a high-specialty hospital in Yucatan. The groups were analyzed, aiming to establish an association between preoperative factors and postoperative outcomes measured in terms of stone-free rate. RESULTS: A total of 188 patients with staghorn calculi were included, with a predominance in females (58.5%) and a mean age of 45.4 ± 11.9 years. The most common comorbidity was hypertension (29.8%), and 27.7% had a history of recurrent urinary tract infections. Regarding the Sampaio classification, B1 was the most prevalent in our population with 66 cases (35.1%), while Type A2 was the least common (13.8%). According to what was obtained through the multivariate logistic regression model, the calyceal anatomy Type A1 and A2 were associated with residual lithiasis (p= 0.016 OR: 2.994 CI: 1.223-7.331), and Grade IV was associated with a higher rate of residual lithiasis (p=0.005 CI: 1.586-13.100). A statistically significant association was found between stone burden and the presence of residual lithiasis (p=< 0.001). CONCLUSION: Guy's Score Grade IV showed a higher incidence of residual lithiasis, seemingly associated with stone burden, leading to the conclusion that both factors were categorized as predictors for the development of post-surgical residual lithiasis. Regarding anatomical variations according to Sampaio, it was observed that types A1 and A2 showed a lower rate of stone-free status. Therefore, we also consider them as variables that may influence the achievement of success in endourological management. Personalized patient assessment allows for more accurate prognostic factors, enabling a more comprehensive surgical planning in the presence of staghorn calculi.

Cáncer de vesícula biliar, experiencia del Servicio de Cirugía General del Hospital Nacional de Itauguá del 2010 al 2020 / Gallbladder cancer, experience in the General Surgery Service of the Itauguá National Hospital since 2010 to 2020

Introducción: El cáncer vesicular es una neoplasia infrecuente mundialmente, exceptuando países donde la mortalidad por su causa es alta como Chile, a pesar de ello es el tumor biliar más común, con una incidencia aproximada de 0,8-1,2% y casi exclusivamente en mujeres. Objetivos: Describir la frecuencia, perfil demográfico, clínica, tratamiento y hallazgos anatomopatológicos del cáncer vesicular en pacientes del Hospital Nacional de Itauguá del 2010 al 2020. Materiales y métodos: Se encontraron 19 casos confirmados por biopsia, pero solo 15 fichas estaban completas. El estudio fue retrospectivo, descriptivo y observacional, muestreo no probabilístico de corte transversal. Resultados: De la muestra final (N=15), 13 pacientes fueron mujeres, la edad promedio fue de 60 años. Del total, 4 pacientes ingresaron para cirugía programada con diagnóstico de colecistopatía crónica litiásica y los otros 11 tenían sospecha de tumor vesicular y/o ictericia o colangitis aguda de origen neoplásico probable, todos fueron operados, el motivo de consulta más frecuente fue dolor en hipocondrio derecho, el 99 % fueron adenocarcinomas por anatomía patológica. Conclusión: La etiología principal del cáncer vesicular fue la colelitiasis, es de baja incidencia a nivel nacional, la mayoría de nuestros pacientes se encontraban en estadios terminales, o con poca oportunidad para la resección R0, por lo cual son de mal pronóstico y hasta hoy en día son de difícil detección en etapa inicial. En algunos casos como en 4 de nuestras pacientes el diagnóstico es fortuito mediante el hallazgo histológico en piezas de colecistectomía que fueron intervenidos en principio por patología benigna.

Introduction: Gallbladder cancer is an infrequent neoplasm worldwide, except for countries where mortality from its cause is high, such as Chile. Despite this, it is the most common biliary tumor, with an approximate incidence of 0.8-1.2% and almost exclusively in women. Objectives: To describe the frequency, demographic profile, clinic, treatment and anatomopathological findings of gallbladder cancer in patients of the Itauguá National Hospital from 2010 to 2020. Materials and methods: 19 biopsy-confirmed cases were found, but only 15 files were complete. The study was retrospective, descriptive and observational, non-probabilistic cross-sectional sampling. Results: Of the final sample (N=15), 13 patients are women; the average age was 60 years. Of the total, 4 patients were admitted for scheduled surgery with a diagnosis of chronic gallstone gallbladder disease and the other 11 had suspected gallbladder tumor and/or jaundice or acute cholangitis of probable neoplastic origin, all were operated on, the most frequent reason for consultation was pain in the hypochondrium right, 99% were adenocarcinomas by pathology. Conclusion: The main etiology of gallbladder cancer was cholelithiasis, it has a low incidence nationwide, most of our patients were in terminal stages, or with little opportunity for R0 resection, for which they have a poor prognosis and up to today they are difficult to detect in the initial stage. In some cases, such as in 4 of our patients, the diagnosis is fortuitous through the histological finding in cholecystectomy specimens that were initially operated on for benign pathology.

Crossed renal ectopia: A case report and review of the literature.

Rarely occurring at birth, crossed renal ectopia is an abnormality in which both kidneys occupy the same side of the body while one ureter - its length based on kidney location - traverses across midline to graft into opposite-side bladder. McDonald and McClellan classified renal ectopia into 4 types. Solitary crossed renal ectopia (SCRE) is an extremely uncommon abnormality of the urinary system. To date, only 35 instances have been documented in published literature. Typically, these cases are detected by chance during patient assessments for related issues such as genitourinary, cardiovascular, hematological or vertebral abnormalities.

Hydrocele stone: a rare case report.

Hydrocele, characterized by fluid accumulation in the tunica vaginalis, is a common benign scrotal condition. While unusual, hydrocele can lead to rare complications such as infection or lithiasis. A 60-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of left-sided scrotal swelling and discomfort. Physical examination and ultrasound revealed a large, nontransilluminant swelling with hyperechoic images. A provisional diagnosis of scrotal hydrocele with secondary lithiasis was made, and surgical exploration was performed. Intraoperatively, a fluid collection with small, hard stones was found. Cholesterol crystals were identified in the stone. Scrotal lithiasis in hydrocele is rare and is believed to result from stagnant fluid creating an ideal environment for cholesterol crystal formation. Ultrasound is crucial for diagnosis, revealing hyperechoic stones within the fluid collection. Surgical exploration, aspiration of fluid, and stone removal are standard treatments, usually conducted through a small scrotal incision, with a high success rate.

Citric Acid Loaded Hydrogel-Coated Stent for Dissolving Pancreatic Duct Calculi.

In recent years, the incidence of chronic pancreatitis has increased significantly. Pancreatic calculi obstruct the pancreatic duct and induce abdominal pain in the patients. Pancreatic duct stenting is the major treatment option for chronic pancreatitis with calculi. In this study, a new kind of drug-eluting stent, a pancreatic stent coated by methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) hydrogel loaded with citric acid (CA), was designed for the interventional treatment of pancreatic duct calculi. The CA loading capacity reached up to 0.7 g CA/g hydrogel-coated stent. The GelMA hydrogel coating has higher mechanical strength and lower swelling performance after loading with CA. The in vitro experiments of stents exhibited good performance in CA sustained release and the calculi can be dissolved in almost 3 days. The stents also showed good blood compatibility and cell compatibility. This research has important clinical value in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic calculi.

The Anti-urolithiatic effect of the roots of Saussurea costus (falc) Lipsch agonist ethylene glycol and magnesium oxide induced urolithiasis in rats.

Phytotherapy, which involves the use of plant extracts and natural compounds for medicinal purposes, is indeed a promising alternative for managing urinary lithiasis. Many plants have been studied for their potential to prevent and treat kidney stones, and they may offer a more natural and potentially less harmful approach compared to conventional treatments. Additionally, phytotherapy may be more cost-effective. The aim of the present study was to investigate the antilithic potential of extracts and essential oils of Saussurea costus (Falc) Lipsch in two in vivo models, one on ethylene glycol-induced calcium oxalate crystal formation and the other to assess the effects of these extracts on magnesium oxide-induced struvite crystal formation. The experiment involved the administration of different doses of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of S. costus (200 and 400 mg/kg) and essential oils (25 and 50 mg/kg) to male Wistar rats, followed by the evaluation of various physiological, biochemical and histopathological parameters. The results demonstrated that the administration of S. costus essential oils and extracts had significant effects on the rats, influencing body weight, urine volume, crystal deposition, cytobacteriological examination of urine, and serum biochemical parameters. Histopathological examinations revealed varying impacts on the kidneys and livers of the treated rats. The findings suggest that S. costus extracts and essential oils may hold promise in inhibiting calcium oxalate crystal formation in vivo and influencing various physiological and biochemical parameters in rats. Overall, the 200 mg/kg ethanolic extract of S. costus demonstrated antilithiatic efficacy, did not exhibit signs of toxicity and reduced the number of crystals in the kidneys. Furthermore, the study did not find a significant effect on reducing struvite crystals.

Experts' recommendations in laser use for the treatment of urolithiasis: a comprehensive guide by the European Section of Uro-Technology (ESUT) and Training-Research in Urological Surgery and Technology (T.R.U.S.T.)-Group.

PURPOSE: To identify laser lithotripsy settings used by experts for specific clinical scenarios and to identify preventive measures to reduce complications. METHODS: After literature research to identify relevant questions, a survey was conducted and sent to laser experts. Participants were asked for preferred laser settings during specific clinical lithotripsy scenarios. Different settings were compared for the reported laser types, and common settings and preventive measures were identified. RESULTS: Twenty-six laser experts fully returned the survey. Holmium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) was the primary laser used (88%), followed by thulium fiber laser (TFL) (42%) and pulsed thulium-yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Tm:YAG) (23%). For most scenarios, we could not identify relevant differences among laser settings. However, the laser power was significantly different for middle-ureteral (p = 0.027), pelvic (p = 0.047), and lower pole stone (p = 0.018) lithotripsy. Fragmentation or a combined fragmentation with dusting was more common for Ho:YAG and pulsed Tm:YAG lasers, whereas dusting or a combination of dusting and fragmentation was more common for TFL lasers. Experts prefer long pulse modes for Ho:YAG lasers to short pulse modes for TFL lasers. Thermal injury due to temperature development during lithotripsy is seriously considered by experts, with preventive measures applied routinely. CONCLUSIONS: Laser settings do not vary significantly between commonly used lasers for lithotripsy. Lithotripsy techniques and settings mainly depend on the generated laser pulse's and generator settings' physical characteristics. Preventive measures such as maximum power limits, intermittent laser activation, and ureteral access sheaths are commonly used by experts to decrease thermal injury-caused complications.