Endoscopic combined ultrasound-guided access vs. ultrasound-guided access in endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To compare the outcomes of endoscopic combined ultrasound-guided access (EUGA) with the conventional ultrasound-guided access (UGA) to achieve percutaneous renal access in endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS).@*METHODS@#A retrospective review of 53 patients undergoing ECIRS to treat upper urinary tract calculi between January 2017 and October 2019 was con-ducted. All of the cases were of complex upper urinary tract stones larger than 2 cm in diameter. The com-plex stone situations, such as multiple renal calyces calculi or staghorn calculi necessitated ECIRS. Under general anesthesia, the patients were placed in the galdakao-modified supine valdivia (GMSV) position, thus allowing both antegrade and retrograde accesss. The patients were divided to UGA and EUGA groups according to the protocol of achieving percutaneous renal access. In 28 cases, endoscopic combined ultrasound-guided accesss were obtained. Puncture and dilation were performed under direct flexible ureteroscopic visualization, while percutaneous renal access of 25 cases were performed with the conventional technique employing ultrasound guidance. Demographic and perioperative information, such as stone burden, presence of hydronephrosis and number of calyces involved was compared. Primary outcomes included total operative time, renal access time, repeat puncture, hemoglobin level, perioperative complications, and stone-free rate.@*RESULTS@#No major intra-operative complication was recorded in all the 53 ECRIS. No significant difference was observed between the groups in age and gender. There was no significant difference in body mass index[BMI (29.21±3.14) kg/m2 vs.(28.53±2.56) kg/m2], stone burden (37.68±6.89) mm vs. (35.53±6.52) mm, number of calyces involved 2.72±0.68 vs. 2.86±0.71, presence of hydronephrosis (56.0% vs. 46.4%), total operative time (93.0±12.2) min vs. (96.8±14.2) min, hemoglobin level reduction (6.56±2.16) g/L vs. 97.54±2.64) g/L, stone-free rate (92.0% vs. 92.8%), hospital stay (5.52±0.59) d vs. (5.64±0.62) d, perioperative complication rate (8.0% vs. 7.2%). Two patients in EUGA group experienced perioperative complications (one urinary tract infection and one hematuria) while two patients in UGA group experienced perioperative urinary tract infection. None in both groups received blood transfusion. The patients undergoing EUGA had shorter renal access time [(4.0±0.7) min vs. (6.8±2.6) min, P < 0.01] and less repeat puncture (0 vs. 4 cases, P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EUGA is an optimal technique to establish percutaneous renal access in ECIRS, which minimizes access time and repeated procedures.

Clinical outcomes of simultaneous bilateral endoscopic surgery for bilateral upper urinary tract calculi / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To discuss the efficacy and safety of simultaneous bilateral endoscopic surgery (SBES) for bilateral upper urinary tract calculi, and to summarize the initial experience.@*METHODS@#Patients diagnosed with bilateral upper urinary tract calculi who underwent SBES in the Department of Urology, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital from January 2019 to January 2020 were enrolled retrospectively. The demographic and clinical data of the patients were recorded, and the operation status, stone free rate (SFR) and peri-operative complications were analyzed. The primary end point was SFR, and second end point was peri-operative complications.@*RESULTS@#A total of 23 patients underwent SBES, of which SBES was completed in 19 patients (12 males, and 7 females). The mean age was (41.3±12.0) years. Fourteen patients underwent modified supine position surgery and 4 patients in prone split-leg position. There was no statistical difference in the demographic and baseline clinical data of the patients in different positions. One patient underwent right percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and left endoscopic combined intra-renal surgery (ECIRS) in the prone split-leg position, while 18 patients received simul-taneous surgery with PCNL and contralateral retrograde intra-renal surgery (RIRS). The mean anesthesia and operation time was (128.7±26.5) min and (70.7±20.3) min, respectively, which was significantly longer in the patients with prone split-leg position than in the patients with modified supine position, anesthesia time in the patients with prone split-leg position and modified supine position: (148.4±20.4) min vs. (121.6±25.3) min, respectively, t=－2.121, P=0.049, while the operation time in the patients with prone split-leg position and modified supine position: (86.4±21.1) min vs. (65.1±17.4) min, respectively, t=－2.222, P=0.040. There was no significant difference between the two groups in indwelling of nephrostomy [prone split-leg position and modified supine position: (2.6±0.9) d vs. (2.1±1.0) d, respectively; t=－0.880, P=0.391] and the length of hospital stay [prone split-leg position and modified supine position: (6.0±2.7) d vs. (5.2±1.8) d, respectively; t=－0.731, P=0.475]. One month after the operation, the SFR was 78.9%, and 3 patients had minor peri-operative complications (Clavien-Dindo grades Ⅰ/Ⅱ) without any serious complications (Clavien-Dindo grades Ⅲ/Ⅳ/Ⅴ).@*CONCLUSION@#The simultaneous bilateral endoscopic surgery would decrease the operation time and anesthesia exposure under the premise of ensuring the SFR, which is helpful to reduce the risk of peri-operative complications, especially to the patients who can not tolerate the second-stage or long-time operation.

Research on planting area and industrial development strategy of Tibetan medicine / 中国中药杂志

Appropriate producing areas can guarantee the quality of Tibetan medicine, but research on the suitable ecological factors and suitable producing areas of Tibetan medicinal plants is scarce. This paper used the Geographic Information System for Global Medicinal Plants(GMPGIS) to analyze the ecological suitability of Tibetan medicinal plants nationwide. For the first time, the range of ecological factors and main soil types of Tibetan medicinal plants were extracted, such as the average annual temperature-19.4-24.2 ℃, annual average precipitation 17-4 088 mm, annual average sunshine 124.2-171.6 W·m~(-2). The main soil types were black calcareous soil, thin layer soil, chestnut soil and so on. Based on 337 sampling points, the largest ecological similarity area of Tibetan medicine across the country was obtained through ecological similarity analysis. In addition to Tibet and Qinghai provinces and Tibetan Autonomous Prefectures in Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan provinces, Jiuquan city and Linxia county in Gansu province, Panzhihua and Ya'an in Sichuan province, and Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, and Shanxi provinces also had larger suitable cultivation areas. In addition, by analyzing the current situation of Tibetan medicine industry, the research pointed out that there were some problems such as unreasonable development and utilization of resources, lack of standards and norms, weak basic research and imperfect industrial system, and made corresponding countermeasures for sustainable development of resources, formulation of standards and specifications, promotion of medicine through science and technology, expansion of domestic and foreign markets, etc. This study provided the basis for guiding the rational layout of production bases, introduction and breeding of plant Tibetan medicine nationwide, laying the foundation for the scientific and standardized production of high-quality Tibetan medicine, clarifying the development direction of Tibetan medicine industry, and providing ideas for the development strategy of Tibetan medicine and other national medicine industry.

Ecological Suitability Analysis of Production Areas and Industrial Development Strategy of Dai Medicine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The suitable production area can guarantee the quality of Dai medicine， but the research on the suitable ecological factors and suitable production area of plant Dai medicine is relatively scarce at present. In this study， gmpgis was used to analyze the ecological suitability of Dai medicine in China. For the first time， the range of ecological factors and main soil types in the main distribution areas of Dai medicine were extracted， such as annual average temperature of 8.6-23.7 ℃， annual average precipitation of 1212-1881 mm， annual average sunshine of 149.7-157.4 W·m-2， the main soil types are strong eluvial soil， alluvial soil， high activity strong acid soil， etc. Based on 179 sampling points， through the analysis of ecological similarity， the largest ecological similarity area of plant Dai medicine in the world was obtained， mainly including China， Brazil， the United States， Myanmar， Laos and other countries. In China， it is mainly concentrated in the West and south of Yunnan， including Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture， Dehong Dai Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture， Pu'er City， Baoshan City and Lincang City， which are suitable for cultivation. In addition， by analyzing the current situation of Dai medicine industry， this paper summarizes the problems such as the lack of talents， the decreasing of Dai medicine resources， the limitation of cultural heritage， and the weakness of scientific research， and puts forward strategies such as training high-quality talents of Dai medicine， the investigation and protection of Dai medicine resources， promoting the collection and arrangement of Dai medicine data and ancient books， and strengthening the basic and applied research of Dai medicine Enter the development of Dai medicine. This study provides a basis for guiding the rational layout， introduction and breeding of plant Dai medicine production base， and lays a foundation for the scientific and standardized production of high-quality Dai medicine.

Retrospective Analysis of Ultrasound-guided Flexible Ureteroscopy in the Management of Calyceal Diverticular Calculi / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the most widely recommended treatment for calyceal diverticular calculi, providing excellent stone-free results. However, its invasiveness is not negligible considering its major complication rates. Flexible ureteroscopy (FURS) is currently used to treat calyceal diverticula. However, the greatest drawback of FURS is locating the diverticulum since its neck is narrow and concealed. In such a case, the FURS procedure must be converted to PCNL. The aim of this study was to evaluate ultrasound-guided flexible ureteroscopy (UFURS) identifying diverticulum and the management of calyceal diverticular calculi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective analysis was conducted on 24 patients who had calyceal diverticular calculi. In all 12 patients in the UFURS group, direct FURS failed to find evidence of calyceal diverticula but were confirmed with imaging. The other 12 patients in the PCNL group received PCNL plus fulguration of the diverticular walls.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Puncture of calyceal diverticulum was successful in all 12 UFURS patients. Two patients in this group had postoperative residual calculi and two patients developed fever. In the PCNL group, percutaneous renal access and lithotomy were successful in all 12 patients. One patient in this group had residual calculi, one had perirenal hematoma, and two patients developed fever. No significant difference was found in the operating time (UFURS vs. PCNL, 91.8 ± 24.2 vs. 86.3 ± 18.7 min), stone-free rate (UFURS vs. PCNL, 9/12 vs. 10/12), and rate of successful lithotripsy (UFURS vs. PCNL, 10/12 vs. 11/12) between the two groups (all P> 0.05). Postoperative pain scores in the FURS group were significantly lower than that in the PCNL group (2.7 ± 1.2 vs. 6.2 ± 1.5, P< 0.05). Hospital stay in the UFURS group was significantly shorter than that in the PCNL group (3.4 ± 0.8 vs. 5.4 ± 1.0 days, P< 0.05). All patients were symptom-free following surgery (UFURS vs. PCNL, 10/10 vs. 12/12).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ultrasound-guided puncture facilitates identification of calyceal diverticula during FURS and improves the success rate of FURS surgery.</p>

Multidetector row-CT in evaluation of living renal donors / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Multidetector-row CT (MDCT) has been evolving to the standard evaluating method of potential living donor in most centers, and can provide excellent details for selecting candidates and determining surgical technique. This study aimed to assess the value of MDCT in evaluation of the anatomy of living kidney donors and to reveal the prevalence of renal vascular variations in a Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred and four potential donors underwent MDCT and the data sets were post-processed for reformatted images with various techniques, such as maximum intensity projection (MIP), a volume-rendering technique (VR), and multiplanar reformation (MPR). Donor nephrectomies were performed on 97 candidates after MDCT evaluation with the findings during surgery constituting the standard of reference. Resulting MDCT images were compared with actual anatomy found during surgery.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MDCT images accurately displayed the anatomic structure of the main renal arteries and veins as well as the upper ureters, except in one case with horseshoe kidney. The prevalence of accessory arteries revealed in images was 27.2% (28/103) and early branching was found in 12.6% (13/103). Compared with findings during surgery, the detection of accessory arteries in MDCT images was 85.7% (6/7), and the detection of larger accessory arteries (> 1.5 mm in diameter) was 100%. Detection of early branching was 100%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MDCT helps accurately evaluate the renal anatomy of potential donors thus facilitating the planning of surgery.</p>

Testis necrosis following repeated misdiagnosis of testicular torsion: a case report and literature review / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To improve clinicians' ability of diagnosing testicular torsion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We reviewed the data of a case of testicular torsion that resulted in necrosis because of delayed presentation and repeated misdiagnosis, and analyzed its anatomic features, clinical manifestations, ultrasound results, the causes of misdiagnosis and relevant literature.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patient presented 5 hours after the onset of symptoms, complaining of severe paroxysmal pain in the lower left abdomen, accompanied with nausea and vomiting, and was twice misdiagnosed as having enterospasm or ureteral calculus at two different hospitals. Fifteen hours later, surgical exploration revealed an about 900-degree testicular torsion in the spermatic cord, which necessitated orchiectomy for non viability of the testis. Postoperative pathological examination confirmed testicular necrosis and diffused hemorrhage in the testis and epididymis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Timely presentation, correct diagnosis and proper treatment are keys to saving the affected testis. Color Doppler ultrasound is an ideal option for the definite diagnosis of acute scrotal diseases, and it offers a valuable guidance for related surgery as well.</p>