Robot-assisted intracorporeal orthotopic bladder substitution after radical cystectomy: perioperative morbidity and oncological outcomes - a single-institution experience.

OBJECTIVE: To report a single-institution experience with totally intracorporeal neobladder urinary diversion (UD) after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 158 patients underwent totally intracorporeal neobladder UD after RARC between 2003 and 2016. Patient demographics, intraoperative and pathological data, 30- and 90-day perioperative mortality and complications were recorded. Complications were classified according to the modified Clavien-Dindo classification. The 5-year overall (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates were estimated by Kaplan-Meier plots. RESULTS: Most of the patients were male (84%) and had clinical T Stage ≤2 (87%). The mean operation time was 359 (SD ±98) min, with a median (range) estimated blood loss of 300 (50-2200) mL. Most of the men (86%) received a nerve-sparing procedure and 38% of the females an organ-sparing approach. A lymph node dissection was performed in 156 (99%) patients, with a median (range) yield of 23 (7-48) nodes. Conversion to open surgery occurred in five patients (3%). We recorded negative margins in 156 patients (99%). The median (range) follow-up was 34 (1-170) months, with 30- and 90-day mortality rates of 0%. Clavien-Dindo Grade III-IV complications occurred in 29 of 158 (18%) patients at 30-days and in eight of 158 (5%) between 30-90 days, resulting into a 90-day overall high-grade complication rate of 23%. The unadjusted estimated 5-years recurrence-free survival, CSS and OS rates were 70%, 72%, and 71%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In our present series the complication and oncological results were similar to open RC series, suggesting that RARC followed by totally intracorporeal neobladder UD is a safe and feasible alternative.

The relationship between electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy criteria and echocardiographic mass in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

INTRODUCTION: Calcific aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular disease among the elderly. Often, AS leads to left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and symptoms of heart failure. Severe AS can be treated by transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Previous studies have shown that electrocardiogram (ECG) criteria for LVH correlate poorly with left ventricular mass (LVM) in echocardiography. However, such correlations have not been studied in TAVR patients. AIMS: To evaluate ECG LVH criteria as a method of diagnosing and quantifying LVH in patients with AS undergoing TAVR. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four patients, with neither pacemaker nor bundle branch block, who had undergone pre-TAVR ECG and echocardiography were included. The ECGs were evaluated using the Sokolow-Lyon, Romhilt-Estes and Cornell Voltage criteria for LVH as well as spatial maximal QRS-T angle and 3D QRS maximal spatial vector. The LVM was measured by echocardiography. RESULTS: 15 (63%) patients met the echocardiographic threshold for LVH. 7 patients (29%) were positive by the Sokolow-Lyon, 5 (21%) by the Romhilt-Estes and 12 (50%) by the Cornell Voltage criteria for LVH. There was no correlation between LVM and conventional ECG LVH criteria or spatial parameters. QRS duration correlated with LVM (r=0.56, R(2)=0.31, p=0.005). However, there was no correlation between QRS duration and LVM index or relative wall thickness (RWT). CONCLUSIONS: In TAVR patients, none of the ECG LVH criteria should be used for evaluation of LVM. QRS duration is moderately correlated to LVM and is the most useful ECG estimate of LVM.