Comparison of two different minimally invasive techniques used in bladder stone surgery for preschool-aged children.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to compare the outcomes of mini-percutaneous cystolithotomy (mPCL) and transurethral cystolithotripsy (TUCL) in treating bladder stones in preschool-aged children (≤6 years old). METHODS: Twenty-four patients treated with mPCL and 28 patients treated with TUCL for bladder stones were compared retrospectively. The operative and postoperative outcomes of both groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age and gender distribution were similar between the groups. The mean stone size was 16.5 ± 0.5 mm for the mPCL group and 14.9 ± 5.7 mm for the TUCL group (p = 0.318). The mean operative time was 41.1 ± 9.9 min for the mPCL group and 39.0 ± 12.3 min for the TUCL group (p = 0.182). Catheterization times and hospitalization times were statistically significantly longer in the mPCL group (p = 0.000). The rate of urinary retention after urethral catheter removal was significantly higher in the TUCL group (p < 0.05). Reintervention was performed for one patient in Group 1 due to urinary leakage and for five patients in Group 2 due to urinary retention. The stone-free rate (SFR) after a single procedure was 100% in the mPCL group and 89.3% in the TUCL group (p = 0.099). After auxiliary procedures performed for three patients, the overall SFR also reached 100% for the TUCL group. DISCUSSION: Both mPCL and TUCL are effective methods in the treatment of bladder stones of <30 mm in the preschool age group. Although TUCL has some advantages over mPCL, such as shorter hospital stays and catheterization times, there is a risk of urinary retention with increased stone sizes. It may be more advantageous to apply mPCL for the reduction of complications and reintervention rates, especially in small children with bladder stones of >20 mm.

Retrospective comparison of open vs minimally invasive cystotomy in 28 cats using a composite outcome score.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of cats undergoing open cystotomy with those undergoing minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for removal of cystic calculi by use of a composite outcome score. METHODS: Twenty-eight cats were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups: open cystotomy (n = 14) and MIS (n = 14). The primary outcome measure was a composite outcome score, including three variables: pain scores ⩾2 at either 6 or 12 h postoperatively; failure to remove all stones as determined by postoperative radiographs; and postoperative complications requiring a visit to the hospital separate from the planned suture removal appointment. Other data collected included signalment, history, other procedures performed during anesthesia, willingness to eat the day after surgery and the financial cost of the procedures. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age, weight, sex or breed between the two groups. The risk of experiencing the composite outcome was 3/14 (21.4%) in the MIS group and 10/14 (71%) in the open procedure group (P = 0.02). The cats in the open surgery group had 8.3 times greater odds of developing the composite outcome than cats in the MIS group (odds ratio 8.3, 95% confidence interval 1.3-74.4; P = 0.02). In the MIS group, 10/14 cats were eating the day after surgery vs 3/14 in the open procedure group (P = 0.02). The procedural cost was higher in the MIS group, with a median cost of US$945 (interquartile range [IQR] US$872-1021) vs US$623 (IQR US$595-679) in the open group (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study the composite outcome score provided evidence to support the use of MIS techniques in cats with cystic calculi. The composite outcome score should be considered in future veterinary studies as a promising method of assessing clinically relevant outcomes.

Surgical Management of Vesical Stones in Children: A Comparison Between Open Cystolithotomy, Percutaneous Cystolithotomy and Transurethral Cystolithotripsy With Holmium-YAG Laser.

Introduction: Bladder stone is more common in developing countries and it is one of the rare diseases affecting children. In recent years, there is an increasing tendency in urologists to have minimal invasive approaches. The aim of this study was to compare the results of surgical bladder stone management in our single tertiary center. Methods: From 159 children younger than 18 years with vesical stones treated during January 2000 to January 2015 in Shohada-e-Tajrish hospital, Tehran, Iran, 146 subjects entered to the study. According to type of intervention, patients stratified to three groups. First group included 80 patients that open cystolithotomy (OCL) was done for them, second group was 39 patients who underwent percutaneous cystolithotomy (PCCL) and third group was 27 patients who treated by transurethral cystolithotripsy with holmium-YAG laser (TULL). Demographic data, hospital stay, operation time, and post operation complications were recorded and comparison were drawn between the three groups. Results: Mean age was 8.3±5.1 years (8.6±5.1, 6±4.2 years for boys and girls, respectively). Mean stone size (MSS) was 2.76±1.07 cm and no significant differences were found between the three groups but it was larger in OCL group. Mean operative time (MOT) was 29.15±7.12 minutes in separate; MOT in TULL was significantly higher than PCCL and OCL respectively (36.3±5.97, 30.54±5.27 and 26.06±6.32 minutes/P =0.000). Mean hospital stay (MHS) in OCL group was 3.55±1 days that was higher than PCCL and TULL groups significantly (P =0.000). Conclusion: Based on our study, holmium:YAG lithotripsy has a high success rate, and is a minimally invasive management, therefore it is a safe method for children bladder calculi treatment if proper equipment was available and done by expert hands.

Minimally Invasive Management of Uroliths in Cats and Dogs.

Urolithiasis commonly affects cats and dogs. The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine established guidelines for the treatment of uroliths that reflect modern techniques prioritizing minimally invasive procedures with an emphasis on prevention strategies to limit morbidity and mortality. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy and endoscopic nephrolithotomy constitute some of the minimally invasive treatment modalities available for upper urinary tract uroliths. Cystoscopic-guided basket retrieval, cystoscopic-guided laser lithotripsy, and percutaneous cystolithotomy are minimally invasive options for the management of lower urinary tract uroliths. Following stone removal, prevention strategies are essential to help reduce morbidity and mortality associated with stone recurrence.

Advances in Urinary Tract Endoscopy.

The use of endoscopy in veterinary medicine has become the mainstay of diagnosis and treatment in the subspecialty of small animal urology over the past decade. This subspecialty is termed endourology. With the common incidence of urinary tract obstructions, stones disease, renal disease, and urothelial malignancies, combined with the recognized invasiveness and morbidity associated with traditional surgical techniques, the use of endoscopic-assisted alternatives using interventional endoscopic techniques has become appealing to both owners and clinicians. This article provides a brief overview of some of the most common urologic procedures being performed in veterinary medicine.

Interventional urology: endourology in small animal veterinary medicine.

The use of novel image-guided techniques in veterinary medicine has become more widespread, especially in urologic diseases. With the common incidence of urinary tract obstructions, stones disease, renal disease, and urothelial malignancies, combined with the recognized invasiveness and morbidity associated with traditional surgical techniques, the use of minimally invasive alternatives using interventional radiology and interventional endoscopy techniques has become incredibly appealing to owners and clinicians. This article provides a brief overview of some of the most common procedures done in endourology in veterinary medicine to date, providing as much evidence-based medicine as possible when comparing with traditional surgical alternatives.

Operative management of pediatric urolithiasis.

Surgical management of urinary stones in children remains challenging due to the smaller caliber of the urinary tract. Specific instruments have been designed to overcome some of the issues related to pediatric stone management. Endoscopic and percutaneous modalities for stone management have been shown to be as safe and effective in providing stone clearance in children as in adults. Technologies that have been shown to be safe in adults are being miniaturized for use in children. The current literature regarding pediatric urolithiasis was reviewed in an effort to identify trends in operative management. Additionally, techniques used successfully at our institution are described. Although not an exhaustive review of all available modalities and instruments, this review will provide an overview of the current techniques for the management of pediatric urolithiasis.