Causes of death among people with myelomeningocele: A multi-institutional 47-year retrospective study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze organ system-based causes and non-organ system-based mechanisms of death (COD, MOD) in people with myelomeningocele (MMC), comparing urological to other COD. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 16 institutions in Canada/United States of non-random convenience sample of people with MMC (born > = 1972) using non-parametric statistics. RESULTS: Of 293 deaths (89% shunted hydrocephalus), 12% occurred in infancy, 35% in childhood, and 53% in adulthood (documented COD: 74%). For 261 shunted individuals, leading COD were neurological (21%) and pulmonary (17%), and leading MOD were infections (34%, including shunt infections: 4%) and non-infectious shunt malfunctions (14%). For 32 unshunted individuals, leading COD were pulmonary (34%) and cardiovascular (13%), and leading MOD were infections (38%) and non-infectious pulmonary (16%). COD and MOD varied by shunt status and age (p < = 0.04), not ambulation or birthyear (p > = 0.16). Urology-related deaths (urosepsis, renal failure, hematuria, bladder perforation/cancer: 10%) were more likely in females (p = 0.01), independent of age, shunt, or ambulatory status (p > = 0.40). COD/MOD were independent of bladder augmentation (p = >0.11). Unexplained deaths while asleep (4%) were independent of age, shunt status, and epilepsy (p >= 0.47). CONCLUSION: COD varied by shunt status. Leading MOD were infectious. Urology-related deaths (10%) were independent of shunt status; 26% of COD were unknown. Life-long multidisciplinary care and accurate mortality documentation are needed.

Training low-middle-income (LMIC) pediatric surgeons in a high-income country (HIC) program.

BACKGROUND: A popular paradigm to support surgical education for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is partnering with high-income country (HIC) surgeons. These relationships may, however, be asymmetric and fail to optimally address the most pressing curricular needs. We explored the effectiveness of our LMIC-HIC educational partnership. METHODS: Through a partnership between a HIC (Canada) and a LMIC (Uganda), three candidate surgeons were commissioned for a custom designed 1-year training experience at our HIC accredited pediatric surgical training centre as part of their overall formal education. The training curriculum was developed in collaboration with the LMIC pediatric surgeon and utilized competency-based medical education principles. A Likert and short-answer survey tool was administered to these trainees upon completion of their training. RESULTS: All prescribed milestones as well as specialty certification by examination of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa was achieved by participating fellows, each of whom have begun clinical practice, leadership and teaching roles in their home country. Although several obstacles were identified by fellows, all agreed that the experience boosted their clinical and teaching abilities, and was worth the effort. CONCLUSION: This endeavour in global pediatric surgical training represents a significant innovation in surgical education partnerships and would be reproducible across different surgical subspecialties and contexts. Such collaborative efforts represent a feasible upskilling opportunity towards addressing global surgical service capacity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.

Surveying unmet pediatric urological needs in low- and middle-income countries.

INTRODUCTION: Access to pediatric urological surgery is low in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs). Pediatric Urological missions have often been undertaken without best practice guidelines. Many strides have been made in pediatric general surgery and other surgery but little in pediatric urology as a component of global surgery. STUDY AIMS: The purpose of this study was to identify challenges to delivery of pediatric urological care in LMICs and make recommendations for its advancement. STUDY DESIGN: An internet search for reports and websites was undertaken. Published surveys from Global Initiative for Children Surgery (GICS) and American Pediatric Surgical Association (APSA) were evaluated. We developed and administered an additional questionnaire. Respondents included LMIC pediatric surgeons, HIC pediatric surgeons and HIC pediatric urologists and LMIC urologists and general surgeons. RESULTS: Most global surgical visits were short one-time visit, and respondents citing complex pediatric urologic patients as most neglected in LMICs with the main challenge reported as a lack of specialist surgeons, poor communication between groups and poor infrastructure. Local specialist training was universally recommended as the most effective way to address unmet needs, although the form of training was not clear. DISCUSSION: Most published work has looked at global general surgery or pediatric general surgery [1][2][3][6][8][11][13] but little on pediatric urology. Most of the information provided was blog posts of social engagements but rarely did these websites provide information on the surgical experience, challenges and solutions gleaned overtime[41][43][44][45][56] It is recognised by pediatric urologists, general urologists and pediatric surgeons that complex urologic anomalies are the most neglected among children's surgical conditions with a higher disability weight attributed to urologic conditions compared to anorectal conditions. [6][8][14][27][31][36][46], yet there's little expertise on ground and many challenges to its advancement. This study was limited by the number of questions we could explore due to the need to make questions fewer and more concise. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric urological conditions remain among the most neglected in global surgery. Current missions face significant challenges that may result in suboptimal outcomes. A comprehensive effort to establish guidelines for these missions is imperative.

Mapping a competency-based surgical curriculum in urology: Agreement (and discrepancies) in the Canadian national opinion.

INTRODUCTION: Urology residency training in Canada is quickly evolving from a time-based to a competency-based model. We aim to better define core surgical competencies that would comprise a surgical curriculum and assess any discrepancies in opinion nationally. METHODS: A web-based survey was validated and sent to the 536 practicing members of the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) in August and October 2014. The survey consisted of questions regarding practice demographics, fellowship training, and evaluated the 76 most common urological procedures (using a five-point Likert scale) in the context of the question, "After completion of residency training in Canada a urologist should be proficient in…" A core procedure was defined as one for which there was ≥75% agreement. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric testing were used to summarize the findings. RESULTS: A total of 138 urologists completed the survey (25.7% response rate) with representation from all geographic regions. Respondents included 40.6% community and 59.4% academic urologists. The survey identified 16 procedures with 90-100% agreement and a total of 30 core procedures with ≥75% agreement. When comparing community and academic urologists, there was statistically significant disagreement on 27 procedures, including 11 core procedures, most notably cystectomy (88.5% agreement vs. 67.1%; p=0.002), open pyeloplasty (84.6% vs. 65.8%; p=0.04), simple prostatectomy (78.9% vs. 69.7%; p=0.03), perineal urethrostomy (80.8% vs. 67.1%; p=0.02), open radical prostatectomy (96.1% vs. 80.3%; p=0.007), and Boari flap (90.4% vs. 76.3%; p=0.004). Regional discrepancies were also found, demonstrating eight procedures deemed uniquely core and three core procedures deemed less important regionally. CONCLUSIONS: This national survey has provided some consensus on 30 procedures that should comprise a core surgical curriculum in urology. However, there are some key differences of opinion (most notably between community and academic urologists) that must be considered.

Filum Section for Urinary Incontinence in Children with Occult Tethered Cord Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: Occult tethered cord syndrome, in which there is normal neuroanatomic imaging despite clinical and urodynamic evidence of neuropathic bladder behavior, is controversial. Several uncontrolled series describe improvement in bladder function following section of the filum terminale. We performed a pilot randomized, controlled study comparing medical treatment to surgical section of the filum plus medical treatment in children with occult tethered cord syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children refractory to standard medical management for 1 year or more with normal conus position on magnetic resonance imaging and abnormal urodynamics were randomized. Exclusion criteria included any neurological conditions, spinal dysraphism, bladder outlet obstruction and an atonic bladder. Patients were assessed at randomization and 1 year later with a standardized urodynamic score, the validated PEMQOL (Pediatric Enuresis Module on Quality of Life™) scale, and a validated bowel and bladder dysfunction score. RESULTS: After 8 years we accrued 21 patients. The bowel and bladder dysfunction score improved in the surgical and medical arms (20% and 24%) and the urodynamic score improved slightly (6% and 4%, respectively). The PEMQOL Child and Family Impact Scales improved modestly in both groups. All differences were nonsignificant. Interim analysis indicated that more than 700 patients in each arm would be required to demonstrate a statistical difference with respect to urodynamic score based on our preliminary data. CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be no objective difference in urological outcome between medical management plus or minus filum section for patients with occult tethered cord syndrome. These data challenge the existence of the concept of occult tethered cord syndrome, in which bowel and bladder dysfunction score is attributed to tethering by the filum despite a normally located conus.

VURD syndrome--does it really preserve long-term renal function?

PURPOSE: VURD (posterior urethral valves, unilateral vesicoureteral reflux and renal dysplasia) syndrome is the combination of persistent unilateral vesicoureteral reflux associated with an ipsilateral dysplastic, poorly functioning kidney in patients with posterior urethral valves. It was postulated that this syndrome may result in preservation of long-term renal function due to a pressure release pop-off mechanism. We determined the effects of VURD long-term renal outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of boys diagnosed with posterior urethral valves between 1983 and 2009 at a single pediatric tertiary hospital. Patients were divided into those with and those without VURD syndrome. The outcome of interest was renal impairment, defined as stage 3 or greater chronic kidney disease (glomerular filtration rate less than 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)). RESULTS: We identified 89 patients, of whom 23 (26%) had VURD. Median followup was 77 and 57 months in the VURD and nonVURD groups, respectively. Seven patients (30%) with and 26 (39%) without VURD had significant renal impairment. Survival analysis using a Cox proportional hazard model showed no association between VURD and renal impairment (HR 1.05, 95% CI 0.65-1.70). The main predictors of renal function were the creatinine nadir and patient age at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: VURD syndrome does not seem to have a long-term protective effect on renal function.

Organ procurement surgery as a means of increasing open surgical experience during urology residency training.

INTRODUCTION: The introduction and advancement of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has resulted in a reciprocal decline in exposure to open surgery during urology residency training. We propose organ procurement surgery as a potential vehicle to facilitate an increase in open surgical experience among trainees. We define the surgical case volume for organ procurement surgeries currently performed by urology residents in Canada, and determine what capacity exists for expansion. METHODS: Data on organ procurement surgeries were extracted for Canadian urology residents case-logs between 2005 and 2009. Case-logs were anonymously analyzed through the voluntary self-reporting program T-Res (Resilience Software Inc.). National deceased organ donor data were obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. RESULTS: The graduating Canadian urology resident has performed an average of 0.95 organ procurement surgeries during 5 years of training. An average of 469.6 procurement surgeries were performed yearly in Canada between 2005 and 2009. The theoretical capacity exists for each graduating resident to perform an additional 16.3 organ procurements during residency. CONCLUSIONS: With the establishment of MIS as standard of care for many urologic surgeries, the decrease in open operative experience is concerning. Innovative ways to enrich open surgical experience may be required, and increased formal incorporation of organ procurements into urology residency training curriculum may help fill the void.

Pediatric bladder neuroblastoma: Case report and literature review.

Neuroblastoma (NBL) of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare diagnosis, with only 6 cases reported in the literature to date. We report the case of a 3-year-old boy who presented with gross hematuria, and was diagnosed with bladder NBL after partial cystectomy. Two-year follow-up has been unremarkable. This case highlights a rare neoplasm of the urinary bladder in a pediatric patient.

Cystic intratesticular lesions in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Intratesticular cysts are a rare clinical entity in the pediatric population. Recently, testes sparing surgery has been recommended. We share our experience with the management of pediatric testicular cysts. METHODS: A retrospective review of all pediatric patients referred for intratesticular cysts was conducted at a single pediatric institution from 2002 to 2010. Charts were evaluated for patient demographics, diagnosis, and management. RESULTS: Seven patients were identified and included in this series. After partial orchiectomy, the final diagnosis in three patients was epidermoid cyst. Three further patients were diagnosed as mature cystic teratoma, with two of these demonstrating adjacent intra-tubular germ cell neoplasia (ITGCN). One cyst in the series underwent spontaneous resolution after eight months. CONCLUSION: All of the cystic lesions in our case series were benign with one undergoing complete resolution. The remainder became smaller and developed a solid component prompting surgery. The pre-pubertal findings of ITGCN in two patients raise a dilemma regarding the optimal long-term management for these patients. Initial conservative observation is an option for the majority of pre-pubertal cystic testicular lesions until such time that testis sparing surgery is deemed technically feasible. Testes sparing surgery should be advocated in those patients undergoing surgical management.

Trends in matching to urology residency in Canada: are we becoming noncompetitive?

BACKGROUND: Urology is perceived as a competitive specialty choice. Declining undergraduate exposure and the preference for "lifestyle specialties" may jeopardize urology's popularity. Our objective was to assess trends in application and matching rates to urology compared with other surgical specialties. METHODS: We reviewed data collected by Canadian Residency Matching Service (CaRMS) and the Canadian Post-MD Education Registry since expansion in Canadian medical school enrollment began (2002-2011). The following were examined: applicant preference, number of positions, gender patterns, and match results. "Surgery" included general surgery, orthopedics, plastics, ENT, and urology. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2011 CaRMS applicants increased from 1117 to 2528 (126%). The number of applicants selecting surgery first increased from 178 to 338(90%). The number of surgery positions increased from 138 to 275 (100%). Urology positions increased from 15 to 31 (113%). Applicants to urology increased only 40% (30-42). The proportion of all CARMs applicants selecting urology as their first choice decreased from 2.7% (30) to 1.7% (42). The ratio of first choice urology applicants to positions decreased from 2 to 1.35. The probability of matching urology as first choice increased from 50% to 76%. Female medical graduates increased from 51% to 58%. The female applicants selecting surgery first increased from 21% (49) to 41% (173). In contrast, females selecting urology first rose from 13% (4) to 17% (7). CONCLUSION: Urology in Canada is becoming less competitive. Residency positions have doubled since 2002 whereas the number of applicants remains static. This trend was not reflected in other surgical specialities. Factors accounting for this may include poor undergraduate exposure, demand for specialties with controllable lifestyles, gender shifts in undergraduate medicine, and lack of role models. The need for undergraduate exposure to urology and vetting numbers of residency positions remains a matter of paramount importance.

Undergraduate exposure to urology: impact of the distributed model of medical education in British Columbia.

BACKGROUND: With the increased development of distributed sites for medical education across Canada, it is imperative we ensure that the quality of education is comparable between the different campuses. Our objective was to assess medical student experience and comfort with common urologic clinical encounters and to determine whether any differences exist between the distributed education sites at the University of British Columbia (UBC). METHODS: Questionnaires assessing urologic education were delivered simultaneously to all final-year UBC medical students attending campuses in Vancouver, Victoria and Prince George. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Overall, 55.8% of students felt their exposure to urology was adequate in the medical curriculum; learners in the Northern Program (Prince George) ranked their clinical and didactic experiences significantly higher. Areas requiring improvement include teaching of the male genitourinary exam, digital rectal exam and sexual history, in which learners rated teaching "good/outstanding" in only 18.2%, 47.7% and 43.2% of cases, respectively. Overall, students were most comfortable with the following clinical encounters: urinary tract infection, nephrolithiasis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, hematuria, incontinence and prostate cancer. Few differences in student experience or comfort were noted related to campus site, gender or urology clerkship exposure. CONCLUSION: A significant minority of learners perceived that they had inadequate exposure to urology in the undergraduate curriculum. Experience in urology was comparable across the distributed sites and was congruent with teaching objectives. Students were comfortable with the clinical scenarios deemed most important in the literature. Learners in the Northern Program were significantly more satisfied with their urologic teaching, which potentially highlights the advantages of learning in a smaller academic setting.

CONTEXTE: En raison de l'augmentation du nombre de sites « satellites ¼ de formation médicale au Canada, il est impératif de s'assurer que la qualité de l'éducation est comparable d'un campus à l'autre. Notre objectif était d'évaluer l'expérience des étudiants en médecine et leur niveau d'aise avec les cas courants rencontrés en urologie et de déterminer s'il existe des différences entre les différents sites de formation de l'Université de la Colombie-Britannique (UCB). MÉTHODOLOGIE: Des questionnaires évaluant la formation en urologie ont été livrés simultanément à tous les étudiants de l'UCB en dernière année de médecine des campus de Vancouver, Victoria et Prince George. Les résultats ont été analysés à l'aide de statistiques descriptives. RÉSULTATS: Dans l'ensemble, 55,8 % des étudiants croyaient que leur expérience en urologie était adéquate dans le cadre du cursus médical. Les étudiants du programme du nord (Prince George) ont accordé des cotes significativement plus élevées à leur expérience clinique et didactique. Les domaines où une amélioration était sou-haitée incluaient l'enseignement de l'examen génito-urinaire chez l'homme, du toucher rectal et de la vérification des antécédents sexuels, où les répondants ont évalué l'enseignement comme étant « bon/excellent ¼ dans seulement 18,2 %, 47,7 % et 43,2 % des cas, respectivement. Règle générale, les étudiants étaient le plus à l'aise avec les cas cliniques suivants : infection des voies urinaires, néphrolithiase, hyperplasie bénigne de la prostate, hématurie, incontinence et cancer de la prostate. Peu de différences ont été notées dans l'expérience ou le niveau d'aise des étudiants selon le campus, le sexe ou le fait d'avoir fait un stage clinique en urologie. CONCLUSION: Une minorité significative d'étudiants percevaient que leur expérience en urologie dans le cadre du curriculum de premier cycle était insuffisante. L'expérience en urologie était comparable dans les sites « satellites ¼ et cohérente avec les objectifs d'apprentissage. Les étudiants étaient à l'aise avec les scénarios cliniques jugés les plus importants selon la littérature. Les étudiants du programme du nord étaient significativement plus satisfaits de l'enseignement urologique reçu, ce qui fait peut-être ressortir l'avantage d'étudier sur un plus petit campus.

Trends in urology resident exposure to minimally invasive surgery for index procedures: a tale of two countries.

OBJECTIVE: To interrogate case-log data for American and Canadian urology residents to define trends in minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgery and compare operative experiences between these 2 groups. METHODS: Case-log data from 2004 to 2009 for American urology residents was compared with Canadian residents for 8 index cases, which are routinely performed in both an MIS and open approach. These included nephrectomy (donor, radical, simple, partial), prostatectomy (radical), adrenalectomy, pyeloplasty, and nephroureterectomy. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant increase in the percentage of MIS radical prostatectomies performed by American residents (11.2%-52%), compared with Canadian residents (0.74%-11.2%). There was also a significant increase in the percentage of MIS donor nephrectomies by Canadian residents (5.6%-68.7%), compared with American residents (70.1%-89.1%). For Canadian residents, exposure to the following 3 MIS procedures increased significantly over open approaches: adrenalectomy, radical prostatectomy, and donor nephrectomy. For American residents, all index procedures with the exception of adrenalectomy underwent a significant increasing trend (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Trends for 8 index procedures confirm a continuing shift towards MIS for the majority of procedures in both countries. Differences may be only temporal and relate to dissimilar health care delivery models with a resultant lag in the adoption of laparoscopy and robotics in Canada. The impact of these trends upon ultimate surgical competence of graduates remains to be seen.

Bladder neck closure in conjunction with enterocystoplasty and Mitrofanoff diversion for complex incontinence: closing the door for good.

PURPOSE: Bladder neck closure is an irreversible procedure requiring compliance with catheterization of a cutaneous stoma and historically has been reserved for the definitive treatment of intractable incontinence after prior failed procedures. We assessed long-term outcomes of our patients undergoing bladder neck closure including continence status, additional surgical interventions, postoperative complications, conception and sexual function, and satisfaction with bladder neck closure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent bladder neck closure between 1990 and 2010 at our institution. RESULTS: A total of 28 consecutive patients (exstrophy 15 and neurogenic bladder 13 [myelomeningocele 4, cloacal anomaly 4, spinal cord injury 2, VACTERL (Vertebral Anorectal Cardiac Tracheo-Esophageal Radial Renal Limb) 1, sacral agenesis 1 and urogenital sinus 1]) were identified. Of these patients 19 (68%) had undergone 20 unsuccessful bladder neck procedures before bladder neck closure. Bladder neck closure was initially successful in 27 of the 28 (96.4%) patients. One patient required subsequent closure of a postoperative vesicovaginal fistula. Median time from bladder neck closure was 69 months (range 16 to 250). In 11 patients 16 additional procedures were required, including stomal injection of bulking agents (2), stomal revision for stenosis (2) or prolapse (1), percutaneous nephrolithotripsy for stone (1), open cystolithotomy (2), extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for upper tract stones (4), repair of augment rupture (3) and open retrograde ureteral stenting for stone (1). The total surgical re-intervention rate was 39.3% (11 of 28). There were no observed cases of progressive or de novo hydronephrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Bladder neck closure in conjunction with enterocystoplasty and Mitrofanoff diversion is an effective means of achieving continence in complex cases as a primary or secondary therapy. Long-term urological followup into adulthood is essential.

Reliability assessment of international grading system for vesicoureteral reflux.

PURPOSE: The International Reflux Committee proposed a grading system for vesicoureteral reflux in 1985 which has been used extensively in everyday practice and research studies. Despite widespread use, based mainly on face validity, the interrater and intrarater reliability of this tool are not known. A tool cannot be considered valid unless it is reliable. Therefore, we estimated the interrater and intrarater reliability of the international grading system for vesicoureteral reflux. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A series of 28 voiding cystourethrogram studies were selected. The images were assembled in an electronic presentation in random fashion. Four pediatric radiologists, 5 pediatric urologists and 4 senior urology residents graded the studies. The images were then shuffled in a random fashion and re-rated after 7 days (total 728 observations). Cohen weighted kappa statistics were used to determine interrater and intrarater reliability. Subgroup analysis was then performed comparing the variability among the 3 groups of raters and different grades. RESULTS: The average interrater reliability was 0.53 (95% CI 0.52-0.55, p <0.0001). Agreement in subgroups was 0.61 for urologists, 0.59 for residents and 0.56 for radiologists. The lowest agreement was shown in grade III (0.36) and the highest in grade I (0.98). The intrarater reliability was 0.86 (95% CI 0.77-0.95, p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The international grading system for vesicoureteral reflux shows low interrater reliability for moderate degrees of vesicoureteral reflux whereas the intrarater reliability is high. Modification of this system may improve its reproducibility.

Prediction of the outcome of antenatally diagnosed hydronephrosis: a multivariable analysis.

PURPOSE: The majority of cases of antenatal hydronephrosis (ANH) resolve postnatally. The purpose of this study was to determine independent predictors for resolution of ANH using a multivariable analysis model. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on 100 children (80 males and 20 females, 118 renal units) referred to a single pediatric urology clinic with the diagnosis of ANH. Patients with ultimately resolved ANH were compared to unresolved cases in a univariate analysis in terms of sex, laterality, severity of ANH using Society for Fetal Urology (SFU) grading, antero-posterior pelvic diameter (APD), parenchymal thickness, renographic differential function and development of clinical complications, followed by a Cox proportional hazard model for multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Median follow up was 34 months (range 3-204). Hydronephrosis in 62 units resolved spontaneously and pyeloplasty was done in 29. The remaining 27 units had persistent uncomplicated hydronephrosis at last follow up. Multivariate analysis showed larger APD (hazard ratio 0.54; 95%CI 0.36-0.80) and SFU grade 4 (HR 0.34; 95%CI 0.13-0.90) to be associated with a significantly lower likelihood of resolution. The mean initial APD in resolved cases was 9.4mm as opposed to 29.0mm in cases requiring surgery. CONCLUSION: Large initial APD has predictive value for surgical intervention. This model is helpful in counseling families about the potential outcomes of ANH.

Surgical case volume in Canadian urology residency: a comparison of trends in open and minimally invasive surgical experience.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The application of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become increasingly common in urology training programs and clinical practice. Our objective was to review surgical case data from all 12 Canadian residency programs to identify trends in resident exposure to MIS and open procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Every year, beginning in 2003, an average of 41 postgraduate year 3 to 5 residents reported surgical case data to a secure internet relational database. Data were anonymized and extracted for the period 2003 to 2009 by measuring a set of 11 predefined index cases that could be performed in both an open and MIS fashion. RESULTS: 16,687 index cases were recorded by a total of 198 residents. As a proportion, there was a significant increase in MIS from 12% in 2003 to 2004 to 32% in 2008 to 2009 (P=0.01). A significant decrease in the proportion of index cases performed with an open approach was also observed from 88% in 2003 to 2004 to 68% in 2008 to 2009 (P=0.01). The majority of these shifts were secondary to the increased application of MIS for nephrectomies of all type (29%-45%), nephroureterectomy (27%-76%), adrenalectomy (15%-71%), and pyeloplasty (17%-54%) (P<0.0001 for all). While there was a significant increase in MIS experience with radical prostatectomy (2%-18%, P<0.0001), the majority of these were still taught in an open fashion during the study period. CONCLUSION: MIS constitutes an increasingly significant component of surgical volume in Canadian urology residencies with a reciprocal decrease in exposure to open surgery. These trends necessitate ongoing evaluation to maintain the integrity of postgraduate urologic training.

Atrophic upper pole of a duplex collecting system masquerading as suprarenal mass: a case study and literature review.

The growing use of maternal fetal ultrasound is leading to the discovery of an increasing number of suprarenal masses. Our experience with a cystic suprarenal mass detected on antenatal ultrasound is described. Location and radiographic features could not rule out the possibility of a cystic neuroblastoma; therefore, surgical resection of the mass was performed. Despite the absence of common radiologic characteristics, the pathology of the specimen revealed a non-functioning upper pole of a duplex kidney with complete duplication of the collecting system. Neonatal evaluation and management and the differential diagnosis are discussed.

The use of cryoplasty in a benign ureteric stricture.

Ureteral stricture is one of the most common complications following renal transplant. Current treatment options are limited to mainly surgery or balloon dilation, but mixed results and refractory cases present the opportunity for alternative treatments. Anterograde balloon cryoplasty of a benign ureteric stricture was performed in a renal transplant patient, after attempts with ballooning and stenting had failed. A 2-year follow-up demonstrates normal creatinine and no hydronephrosis on US images.