A Prospective Multi-institutional Study Using a Novel Safety Valve for the Prevention of Catheter Balloon Inflation Injury of the Urethra.

PURPOSE: We prospectively assessed the ability of a novel transurethral catheterization safety valve to prevent urethral catheter balloon injury in a multi-institutional clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, multi-institution study was conducted. The safety valve was introduced for urinary catheterization in 6 hospital groups (4 in Ireland; 2 in the UK). The safety valve allows fluid in the catheter system to vent through a pressure relief valve if attempted intraurethral inflation of the catheter's anchoring balloon occurs. Device usage was studied over a 12-month period, with data recorded using a 7-item data sticker containing a scannable QR code. "Venting" through the safety valve during catheterization was indicative of prevention of a urethral injury. An embedded 3-month study was conducted in 3 centers, with any catheter balloon injuries occurring during catheterization without safety valve use referred to the on-call urology team recorded. Health economic analyses were also performed. RESULTS: During the overall 12-month device study phase, 994 urethral catheterizations were performed across study sites. Twenty-two (2.2%) episodes of safety valve venting were recorded. No urethral injuries occurred in these patients. In the embedded 3-month study, 18 catheter balloon injuries were recorded in association with catheterizations performed without the safety valve. Based on confirmed and device-prevented urethral injuries, the injury rate for urethral catheterization without safety valve use was calculated to be 5.5/1,000 catheterizations. CONCLUSIONS: The safety valve has the potential to eliminate catheter balloon injury if widely adopted. It represents a simple, effective, and innovative solution to this recurring problem applicable to all patient cohorts.

The recurrent urinary tract infection health and functional impact questionnaire (RUHFI-Q): design and feasibility assessment of a new evaluation scale.

INTRODUCTION: We aim to design a tool to assess the impact of recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI) on quality of life (QoL) in adult women, given the notable absence of an established instrument for this purpose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Best practice guidelines in health-related survey design were reviewed. A literature review informed creation of an interview guide. Following ethical approval, 10 female patients (23-38 years) with rUTI were invited to participate in phase 1 of questionnaire design; all agreed. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted exploring the impact of rUTI on patients' QoL. Interviews were repeated with 5 staff members (3 urology nurses and 2 consultant urologists). Responses were recorded and thematic analysis performed, to inform the design of a new questionnaire. A further 10 patients were recruited to assess feasibility of completion. RESULTS: All participants found available questionnaires unfit for assessment of rUTI-related QoL. Multiple themes emerged as integral to an rUTI questionnaire, including: frequency of UTIs, duration of symptoms, time to full recovery, specific symptoms of UTI, constitutional symptoms, impact on work/education, impact on leisure activities, impact on interpersonal relationships, impact on sexual relationships, psychological aspects and implications of treatment. Data saturation was reached. Based on responses, the Recurrent Urinary tract infection Health and Functional Impact Questionnaire (RUHFI-Q) was drafted, comprising 10 domains and 16 items. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a novel self-administered questionnaire, the RUHFI-Q, as an instrument to standardize evaluation of the QoL impact of rUTI in a population of premenopausal women. Further validation studies are in progress.

Direct mechanical characterization of prostate tissue-a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Direct mechanical characterization of tissue is the application of engineering techniques to biological tissue to ascertain stiffness or elasticity, which can change in response to disease states. A number of papers have been published on the application of these techniques to prostate tissue with a range of results reported. There is a marked variability in the results depending on testing techniques and disease state of the prostate tissue. We aimed to clarify the utility of direct mechanical characterization of prostate tissue in identifying disease states. METHODS: A systematic review of the published literature regarding direct mechanical characterization of prostate tissue was undertaking according to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: A variety of testing methods have been used, including compression, indentation, and tensile testing, as well as some indirect testing techniques, such as shear-wave elastography. There is strong evidence of significant stiffness differences between cancerous and non-cancerous prostate tissue, as well as correlations with prostate cancer stage. There is a correlation with increasing prostate stiffness and increasing lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. There is a wide variation in the testing methods and protocols used in the literature making direct comparison between papers difficult. Most studies utilise ex-vivo or cadaveric tissue, while none incorporate in vivo testing. CONCLUSION: Direct mechanical assessment of prostate tissue permits a better understanding of the pathological and physiological changes that are occurring within the tissue. Further work is needed to include prospective and in vivo data to aid medical device design and investigate non-surgical methods of managing prostate disease.

Hospital burden of long-term genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity after radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment options for prostate cancer (PCa) include radical radiotherapy (RT) and radical prostatectomy, both of which have comparable oncological outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the hospital burden of long-term genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity among patients with PCa who were treated with radiotherapy at our institution. METHODS: The radiotherapy department database was used retrospectively to identify all patients who underwent radiotherapy for PCa from January 2006 to January 2008. The patient administration system from each public hospital in the region was interrogated and all patient points of contact were recorded. Minimum follow up was 5 years. Individual patient charts were reviewed and factors that might influence outcomes were documented. RESULTS: We identified 112 patients. The mean age at diagnosis was 66 (44-76) and the median PSA was 12.1 (3.2-38). The mean duration of follow-up was 7.8 yrs. Twenty-three patients (20%) presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with late onset toxicity. Nine patients had more than 2 ED attendances. Twenty-five patients (22%) were investigated for genitourinary toxicity. Forty-seven patients (42%) underwent investigation for gastrointestinal side-effects and 45% of these required argon therapy (21/47). CONCLUSION: We found a significant hospital burden related to the management of gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity post radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer. As health care reforms gain momentum, policy makers must take into account the considerable longitudinal health care cost related to radiotherapy. It is also important that patients are counselled carefully in relation to potential long-term side-effects.

A retrospective cohort study of bladder cancer following the COVID-19 pandemic: Are patients presenting with more aggressive disease?

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays in the treatment of patients with urological malignancies. The management of bladder cancer (BC) in particular poses a significant challenge given the recurrent nature of the disease and the intense follow-up regime required for many cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential changes in the presentation and operative management of BC in our hospital following the pandemic. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Potential BC cases were identified through the histopathology database between March 2019 and February 2021. Details were obtained on patient demographics, procedure type such as biopsy, resection or excision, grade and stage of BC. Cases were divided into two groups: period one (pre-COVID between March 2019 and February 2020) and period two (post-COVID between March 2020 and February 2021). Results: A total of 207 procedures for confirmed BC were performed during the study period, 126 in period one and 81 in period two. New cases accounted for 52.4% (n = 66) and 53.1% (n = 43) of cases during periods one and two respectively. There was a higher rate of invasive disease (43.2% vs 26.2%) as well as high grade disease (47.4% vs 35.8%) in period two than in period one. Conclusion: Fewer BC procedures were performed in the COVID period. The higher rate of more advanced stage and grade of disease seen in period two suggests patients are presenting later. This should be considered when allocating resources in the management of non-COVID related diseases. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term impact of COVID-19 on bladder cancer outcome.

A Prospective Multi-Institutional Evaluation of Iatrogenic Urethral Catheterization Injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a multi-institutional investigation of incidence and outcomes of urethral trauma sustained during attempted catheterization. PATIENTS & METHODS: A prospective, multi-center study was conducted over a designated 3-4 month period, incorporating seven academic hospitals across the UK and Ireland. Cases of urethral trauma arising from attempted catheterization were recorded. Variables included sites of injury, management strategies and short-term clinical outcomes. The catheterization injury rate was calculated based on the estimated total number of catheterizations occurring in each center per month. Anonymised data were collated, evaluated and described. RESULTS: Sixty-six urethral catheterization injuries were identified (7 centers; mean 3.43 months). The mean injury rate was 6.2 ± 3.8 per 1000 catheterizations (3.18-14.42/1000). All injured patients were male, mean age 76.1 ± 13.1 years. Urethral catheterization injuries occurred in multiple hospital/community settings, most commonly Emergency Departments (36%) and medical/surgical wards (30%). Urological intervention was required in 94.7% (54/57), with suprapubic catheterization required in 12.3% (n = 7). More than half of patients (55.56%) were discharged with an urethral catheter, fully or partially attributable to the urethral catheter injury. At least one further healthcare encounter on account of the injury was required for 90% of patients post-discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study of its kind and confirms that iatrogenic urethral trauma is a recurring medical error seen universally across institutions, healthcare systems and countries. In addition, urethral catheter injury results in significant patient morbidity with a substantial financial burden to healthcare services. Future innovation to improve the safety of urinary catheterization is warranted.

Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging characterization of slings for female stress urinary incontinence.

PURPOSE: The aim was to characterize different types of slings such as autologous rectus fascia (ARF), porcine dermis (PD) and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) in the early postoperative period with regard to its visibility and location by using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2003 and June 2007, total of 60 patients underwent MRI after a sling procedure. Thirty-six patients had ARF slings. Twelve patients had a PD sling and 12 had a TVT. All patients had pelvic MRI 6-8 hr postoperatively. Six patients in the ARF sling group had both preoperative and postoperative images at 6 hr and 3 months. MRI images were analyzed with regard to visibility and location. All data were collected prospectively. RESULTS: ARF slings were clearly visible in both T1W and T2W images. ARF appeared as low signal intensity area with surrounding high signal intensity due to fat attached to the rectus fascia in the MRI images obtained 6 hr after the procedure. Although the fatty component of the sling was diminished but was still visible on MRI scan 3 months postoperatively. On the other hand PD and TVT sling materials were not visible by MRI. Most of the ARF slings were located just below the bladder neck. CONCLUSIONS: The ARF sling is easily identifiable on MRI in the early postoperative period primarily because of the fat attached to the autologous rectus fascia. However, depiction of the PD and TVT slings in the early postoperative period is very poor.

Avoidable iatrogenic complications of urethral catheterization and inadequate intern training in a tertiary-care teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the magnitude of potentially avoidable iatrogenic complications of male urethral catheterization (UC) within a tertiary-care supra-regional teaching hospital, and to evaluate risk factors and subjective feeling of interns in our institution on the adequacy of training on UC. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Male UC-related morbidities were retrospectively identified from our computerized inpatient urology consultation system over a 1-year period from July 2006 to June 2007. Relevant medical records were also reviewed. An anonymous questionnaire was used for the subjective assessment of interns about their training on UC. The primary outcome measures were the prevalence of urethral trauma secondary to UC by a non-urological team member in non-urological departments, risk factors and intern-perceived adequacy of practical and theoretical training on UC during their intern year, and finally the supervision of interns during first UC. RESULTS: Of 864 urological consultations, 51 (6%) were related to complications arising from male UC during the 1-year period. The most common indication for UC was monitoring urinary output for acute medical illness (34/51, 67%). The most common complication was urethral trauma (35/51, 67%). The balloon was accidentally inflated in the urethra in six patients (12%). Of the 51 cases of UC-related morbidity, 38 (74%) resulted from interns performing UC, and of these 28 (73%) occurred during the first 6 months of internship. Overall, 76% of interns felt that their practical training was none or inadequate; 52% (26/50) did not receive any supervision during their first UC. CONCLUSIONS: UC-related iatrogenic morbidity is not uncommon even in a tertiary-care teaching hospital. This study identified that interns receive inadequate training on UC. Finally, most of the complications are potentially avoidable and can be prevented by adopting a proper technique of catheterization. Adequate training and supervision of medical students and interns can achieve this.

Long-term quality-of-life outcome after mesh sacrocolpopexy for vaginal vault prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the long-term outcome of mesh sacrocolpopexy (MSC, which aims to restore normal pelvic floor anatomy to alleviate prolapse related symptoms) and its effect on patient's quality of life, as women with vaginal vault prolapse commonly have various pelvic floor symptoms that can affect urinary, rectal and sexual function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2000 to June 2006, consecutive patients with confirmed stage 2-4 vaginal vault prolapse subsequently had a MSC. Detailed telephone interviews using the Cleveland Clinic Short Form-20 Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI) questionnaire, with Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI), Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI) and Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory (CRADI) subscales was completed by all patients to assess symptoms before and after MSC, improvement in sexual function and overall satisfaction. RESULTS: In all, 21 patients had abdominal MSC; the median (range) follow-up was 52.2 (21-99) months. Total PFDI scores were significantly better after MSC (mean 44.0/300) than before (mean 113.9/300; P < 0.001). Analysis of the subscale scores showed that all patients reported a significant improvement of symptoms in the POPDI category (P < 0.001). CRADI subscale scores showed no significant change after MSC (before, mean 7.43/100 vs after 8.47/100; P = 0.542). There was an improvement of urinary symptoms on the UDI subscale after MSC but it was not statistically significant (P = 0.08). Analysis of score differences over time after MSC showed an insignificant decreasing slope (P = 0.227), suggesting long-term stability of symptoms after surgery; 90% of patients reported a significant improvement in sexual function and excellent long-term overall satisfaction with MSC. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that MSC is a safe and effective surgical option for treating vaginal vault prolapse, providing symptom improvement and stability in the long term.

Efficacy of wedge resection with phenolization in the treatment of ingrowing toenails.

BACKGROUND: Ingrowing toenail is a common condition treated by general surgeons. Our aim was to analyze the effectiveness of wedge resection with phenolization in the surgical treatment of ingrowing toenails. METHODS: We retrospectively audited 100 patients who underwent wedge resection with phenolization for the treatment of ingrowing toenail between January 2000 and June 2004 by a single surgeon. We reviewed all charts and attempted to contact all patients for a telephone interview to assess patient satisfaction. Outcome measures were: 1) recurrence rate, 2) duration of analgesic use, 3) postoperative complications including wound infection, 4) time to return to normal activities, and 5) satisfaction with the procedure. RESULTS: A total of 168 wedge resection with phenolization procedures were performed on 100 patients. There was only one recurrence (0.6%). Two patients (2%) had wound infection and were treated with oral antibiotics. The average time for a single wedge resection with phenolization procedure was 7.3 minutes. The mean time to return to normal activities was 2.1 weeks. The patient response rate for the telephone interview was 60%. Most respondents (93.3%) were satisfied with the overall outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Wedge resection with phenolization is a very effective mode of therapy in the surgical treatment of ingrowing toenail, with a very low recurrence rate and minimal postoperative morbidity. Wedge resection with phenolization should be considered as a good alternative technique in the treatment of ingrowing toenail.

Patient experience after transperineal template prostate biopsy compared to prior transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy.

INTRODUCTION: Transperineal template prostate biopsy (TTPB) is reported to have higher cancer detection and lower complication rate compared to transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB).However, there is no report of the same patient's experience with both types of biopsy.To compare the patient reported experience in the same cohort of patients who underwent both TRUSPB and TTPB, using validated questionnaires. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively utilised the Patient Reported Outcome Methods (PROM) tool validated for TRUSPB and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire to collect longitudinal data at follow-up in the same cohort of patients who underwent both TTPB and TRUSPB between January 2015 and February 2016. RESULTS: Out of 44 TTPB performed during the period, 35 patients had undergone both TRUSPB and TTPB. Patient reported pain post biopsy was significantly higher with TRUSPB (86% vs. 61%; p = 0.01). Post-biopsy urinary retention rates were significantly higher in the TTPB group (16.7% vs. 5.7%; p = 0.05, t test). Furthermore, the incidence of patient reported sexual dysfunction rates based on the IIEF-5 was significantly higher in the TTPB group (p = 0.001, t test). CONCLUSIONS: Although overall TTPB was better tolerated in this cohort of patients with lower risk of health care contact, patients reported higher incidence of urinary retention and sexual dysfunction after TTPB compared to TRUSPB. Thus, patients should be adequately informed about potential risks with each biopsy as they may have significant impact on quality of life.

Life expectancy calculation in urology: Are we equitably treating older patients?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of our study was to determine the contemporary practice in the utilization of life expectancy (LE) calculations among urological clinicians. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Members of the Irish Society of Urology (ISU) and the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) completed a questionnaire on LE utilization in urological practice. RESULTS: The survey was delivered to 1251 clinicians and the response rate was 17% (n = 208/1251). The majority (61%, n = 127) of urologists were aware of methods available for estimated LE calculation.Seventy-one percent (n = 148) had never utilized LE analysis in clinical practice and 81% (n = 170) routinely used 'eyeballing' (empiric prediction) for estimating LE. Life expectancy tables were utilized infrequently (12%, n = 25) in making the decision for treatment in the setting of multi-disciplinary meetings. CONCLUSIONS: LE is poorly integrated into treatment decision-making; not only for the management of urological patients but also in the multidisciplinary setting. Further education and awareness regarding the importance of LE is vital.

Increasing detection of significant prostate cancer in younger men - ten year trends in prostate cancer risk profile in the Mid-West of Ireland.

INTRODUCTION: Although PSA (prostate specific antigen) based screening for prostate cancer (PCa) is controversial, an increasing number of men are undergoing Transrectal Ultrasound Guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB) through primary care-based PSA testing and referral to hospitals. The aim of our study was to investigate presenting risk profiles of PCa over the last decade in a cohort of men in Ireland and to examine any change in the same over this time period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The hospital patient administration system was analysed for patients who underwent TRUSPB from January 2005 to December 2015. Clinically significant PCa was defined as Gleason score of 7 or above. RESULTS: Complete data was available on 2391 TRUSPB patients: number of biopsies increased by 53%, median age decreased by 0.9%, median PSA decreased by 6% (p = 0.001, ANOVA) and abnormal DRE increased by 9% (p = 0.001, chi square). Overall positive biopsy was 44% and significant cancer rate was 21%. There was a significant change in trend of detection (p = 0.02) with average annual increase in significant cancer of 3%. The median age of the significant cancer cohort reduced by 1% and the PSA at diagnosis reduced by 9%. In younger men (<50 years), the rate of significant cancer detection increased by 18%. CONCLUSIONS: Significant PCa detection increased across all age groups but recently, a younger patient profile was diagnosed with high-grade disease. This paves the way for future research on early-onset PCa. Younger patients with significant disease would result in increasing number of patients being eligible for radical treatment with implications on health resource planning and provision.

Predictive Ability of Preoperative CT Scan in Determining Whether the Adrenal Gland is Spared at Radical Nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to assess whether preoperative multiple detector computed tomography (MDCT) accurately predicts adrenal involvement for patients undergoing non-adrenal sparing radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A retrospective observational study based on a composite patient population of two university teaching hospitals who underwent radical nephrectomy. Sensitivity, specificity, overall accuracy, positive and negative predictive values and likelihood ratios were calculated from radiological reports. RESULTS: Total 579 patients underwent radical nephrectomy, of which 199 (34.4%) patients underwent a non-adrenal sparing radical nephrectomy, in which 128 (64.3%) were male and 118 (59.3%) were left side tumors. Mean tumor size was 8.2 cm (range 1.4-20cm). MDCT was found to have a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 95.2% for identifying adrenal invasion. Total 179 patients (89.9%) had a radiographically normal ipsilateral adrenal gland, of which none were found to have adrenal involvement. Therefore, the negative predictive value of preoperative cross-sectional imaging for identification of adrenal involvement was 100%. CONCLUSION: Cross- sectional MDCT imaging accurately predicts adrenal involvement and the decision to remove or spare the adrenal gland should be made preoperative planning regardless of tumour size or location at the time of multi-disciplinary discussion unless there is intraoperative evidence of adrenal invasion.

Experience with sliding-clip splenorrhaphy for splenic injury during radical nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: We report our experience with sliding-clip splenorrhaphy (SCS), a novel splenic conservation technique, for iatrogenic splenic injury (ISI) during a left radical nephrectomy (RN). We also reviewed the literature on ISI. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data from patients who had RN between January 2005 and December 2013 at our institution. The technique used was similar to sliding-clip renorrhaphy. Our Medline literature identified articles containing "splenic injury during nephrectomy," "iatrogenic splenic injury." "iatrogenic splenectomy," and "splenorrhaphy." Our primary outcome measures included incidence of splenic injury and splenic conservation rate and splenectomy. RESULTS: Among the 370 RN, 140 were left sided. ISI injury occurred in 6 left RN (incidence 1.6% for all nephrectomies, 4.2% for left-sided nephrectomies). All 6 cases had open procedure and for the left-sided procedure. Splenic conservation was attempted in 4 patients using SCS and 3 out of 4 were successfully repaired. Altogether 3 patients had splenectomy (incidence 0.8% for all nephrectomies, 2.1% for left-sided nephrectomies). Our literature review revealed that the incidence of iatrogenic splenectomy during left nephrectomy varies from 1.3% to 13.2%. CONCLUSIONS: SCS is an acceptable novel splenic conservation technique due to its ease of use and success in selected patients with ISI. There is little evidence on the true incidence of ISI especially on splenic conservation during nephrectomy. Every attempt at splenic conservation is likely to improve immediate- and long-term patient outcomes.

YouTube as an educational tool regarding male urethral catheterization.

OBJECTIVE: Urethral catheterization (UC) is a common procedure carried out on a daily basis. The aims of this study were to assess the quality of YouTube as an educational tool regarding male UC and to assess the experience of newly qualified doctors regarding UC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: YouTube was searched for videos containing relevant information about male UC. A checklist for evaluating content for male UC was devised. The top-ranked video was shown to interns and they were questioned regarding their experience of UC and the usefulness of the video. RESULTS: A total of 100 videos was screened and 49 unique videos were identified. The median length of video was 7 min 15 s (range 1 min 44 s to 26 min 44 s). Regarding the Safe Catheter Insertion Score, the mean score was 5.18 ± 1.64. 9 (18.4%) deemed useful, 24 (49%) somewhat useful and 16 (32.7%) not useful. There was no difference in the number of views (p = 0.487), duration of video (p = 0.364) or number of days online (p = 0.123) between those categorized as useful, somewhat useful and not useful. Twenty-six interns (89.7%) attended the UC teaching session. All reported the video to be a useful educational adjunct. Nine of the respondents (42.9%) had independently inserted a urinary catheter before the educational session. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of videos on YouTube regarding male UC is widely variable. Preselected videos are deemed useful by junior doctors regarding male UC and can be used as an educational adjunct before performing hands-on tasks.

Are Adult Ureteroscopes Safe in the Management of Urolithiasis in a Pediatric Population?

INTRODUCTION: Debate remains regarding the optimal caliber of ureteroscopes in the management of pediatric urolithiasis, ranging from pediatric scopes to standard scopes. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of stone management in a pediatric population using standard adult ureteroscopes. METHODS: A retrospective review of all ureteroscopic procedures in patients under the age of 16 years was carried out. Standard adult 7.5 French semi-rigid and 6 French flexible ureteroscopes were used. RESULTS: During the study period, 8 patients underwent 21 ureteroscopic procedures. Two patients had rigid ureteroscopy, seven had flexible ureterorenoscopy and one had a subsequent open procedure. No patients required ureteric dilation. Double J ureteric stents were utilized in 7 patients. There were no complications. All patients required extra corporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Stone clearance was achieved in all patients. CONCLUSION: Our series demonstrates that, in skilled hands, adult ureteroscopes can be use safely for the treatment of urolithiasis in pediatric patients.

On-table urethral catheterisation during laparoscopic appendicectomy: Is it necessary?

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic appendicectomy (LA) is the most commonly performed surgical emergency procedure. The aim of this study was to highlight a series of iatrogenic bladder injuries during LA and suggest a simple method of prevention. METHODS: A retrospective review was carried out of all LA performed in a university teaching hospital over a two year period 2012-2013. Iatrogenic visceral injuries were identified and operative notes examined. RESULTS: During the study period 1124 appendicectomies were performed. Four iatrogenic bladder injuries occurred related to secondary trocar insertion. No patient was catheterised preoperatively. One of the injuries was identified intra-operatively, another in the early postoperative period where as two re-presented acutely unwell post-discharge from hospital. Three were repaired by laparotomy and one laparoscopically. CONCLUSION: Iatrogenic secondary trocar induced bladder injuries are a rare but preventable and potentially serious complication of LA. Urethral catheterisation during LA is a safe and simple method which can prevent this complication.

Comparative effectiveness of adrenal sparing radical nephrectomy and non-adrenal sparing radical nephrectomy in clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Observational study of survival outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: We compare the survival outcomes of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with adrenal sparing radical nephrectomy (ASRN) and non-adrenal sparing radical nephrectomy (NASRN). METHODS: We conducted an observational study based on a composite patient population from two university teaching hospitals who underwent RN for RCC between January 2000 and December 2012. Only patients with pathologically confirmed RCC were included. We excluded patients undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy, with loco-regional lymph node involvement. In total, 579 patients (ASRN = 380 and NASRN = 199) met our study criteria. Patients were categorized by risk groups (all stage, early stage and locally advanced RCC). Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed for risk groups. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 41 months (range: 12-157). There were significant benefits in OS (ASRN 79.5% vs. NASRN 63.3%; p = 0.001) and CSS (84.3% vs. 74.9%; p = 0.001), with any differences favouring ASRN in all stage. On multivariate analysis, there was a trend towards worse OS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.759, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.943-2.309, p = 0.089) and CSS (HR 1.797, 95% CI 0.967-3.337, p = 0.064) in patients with NASRN (although not statistically significant). Of these patients, only 11 (1.9%) had adrenal involvement. CONCLUSIONS: The inherent limitations in our study include the impracticality of conducting a prospective randomized trial in this scenario. Our observational study with a 13-year follow-up suggests ASRN leads to better survival than NASRN. ASRN should be considered the gold standard in treating patients with RCC, unless it is contraindicated.