Long-Term Outcomes of Orthotopic Neobladder Versus Ileal Conduit Urinary Diversion in Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy (RARC): Multicenter Results from the Asian RARC Consortium.

PURPOSE: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has gained traction in the management of muscle invasive bladder cancer. Urinary diversion for RARC was achieved with orthotopic neobladder and ileal conduit. Evidence on the optimal method of urinary diversion was limited. Long-term outcomes were not reported before. This study was designed to compare the perioperative and oncological outcomes of ileal conduit versus orthotopic neobladder cases of nonmetastatic bladder cancer treated with RARC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Asian RARC consortium was a multicenter registry involving nine Asian centers. Consecutive patients receiving RARC were included. Cases were divided into the ileal conduit and neobladder groups. Background characteristics, operative details, perioperative outcomes, recurrence information, and survival outcomes were reviewed and compared. Primary outcomes include disease-free and overall survival. Secondary outcomes were perioperative results. Multivariate regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2020, 521 patients who underwent radical cystectomy were analyzed. Overall, 314 (60.3%) had ileal conduit and 207 (39.7%) had neobladder. The use of neobladder was found to be protective in terms of disease-free survival [Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.870, p = 0.037] and overall survival (HR = 0.670, p = 0.044) compared with ileal conduit. The difference became statistically nonsignificant after being adjusted in multivariate cox-regression analysis. Moreover, neobladder reconstruction was not associated with increased blood loss, nor additional risk of major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Orthotopic neobladder urinary diversion is not inferior to ileal conduit in terms of perioperative safety profile and long-term oncological outcomes. Further prospective studies are warranted for further investigation.

Monopolar versus bipolar transurethral resection of bladder Tumour: post-hoc analysis of a prospective trial.

INTRODUCTION: Previously, in a randomised trial we demonstrated bipolar transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) could achieve a higher detrusor sampling rate than monopolar TURBT. We hereby report the long-term oncological outcomes following study intervention. METHODS: This is a post-hoc analysis of a randomized phase III trial comparing monopolar and bipolar TURBT. Only patients with pathology of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) were included in the analysis. Per-patient analysis was performed. Primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary outcomes included progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: From the initial trial, 160 cases were randomised to receive monopolar or bipolar TURBT. 24 cases of non-urothelial carcinoma, 22 cases of muscle-invasive bladder cancer, and 9 cases of recurrences were excluded. A total of 97 patients were included in the analysis, with 46 in the monopolar and 51 in the bipolar group. The median follow-up was 97.1 months. Loss-to-follow-up rate was 7.2%. Regarding the primary outcome of RFS, there was no significant difference (HR = 0.731; 95%CI = 0.433-1.236; P = 0.242) between the two groups. PFS (HR = 1.014; 95%CI = 0.511-2.012; P = 0.969), CSS (HR = 0.718; 95%CI = 0.219-2.352; P = 0.584) and OS (HR = 1.135; 95%CI = 0.564-2.283; P = 0.722) were also similar between the two groups. Multifocal tumours were the only factor that was associated with worse RFS. CONCLUSION: Despite the superiority in detrusor sampling rate, bipolar TURBT was unable to confer long-term oncological benefits over monopolar TURBT.

Liquid biomarkers in prostate cancer: recent advancements and future directions.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Traditional diagnostic approaches of prostate cancer like PSA are limited by high false-positive rates and insufficient capture of tumour heterogeneity, necessitating the development of more precise tools. This review examines the latest advancements in liquid biomarkers for prostate cancer, focusing on their potential to refine diagnostic accuracy and monitor disease progression. RECENT FINDINGS: Liquid biomarkers have gained prominence because of their minimally invasive nature and ability to reflect the molecular characteristics of prostate cancer. Circulating tumour cells provide insight into tumour cell dissemination and are indicative of aggressive disease phenotypes, with single-cell analyses revealing genomic instability and treatment resistance. Circulating tumour DNA offers real-time tumour genomic information, aiding in treatment decision-making in advanced prostate cancer, where it has been associated with clinical progression. MicroRNAs act as oncogenes or tumour suppressors and exhibit diagnostic and prognostic potential; however, their clinical utility is constrained by the lack of consistent validation. Extracellular vesicles contain tumour-derived biomolecules, with specific proteins demonstrating prognostic relevance. Applications of these markers to urinary testing have been demonstrated. SUMMARY: Liquid biomarkers show potential in refining prostate cancer management. Future research should aim to integrate these biomarkers into a cohesive framework in line with precision medicine principles.

Urinary continence in high-risk prostate cancer after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Urinary incontinence is common postoperative complication following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Despite the increasing adoption of RARP in the treatment of high-risk PCa (HRPC), concerns persist regarding the adequacy of reported continence outcomes in this subgroup. This review aims to illuminate the state of continence recovery in HRPC patients post-RARP. RECENT FINDINGS: Urinary continence (UC) recovery rates in HRPC was reported to be lower than the intermediate/low-risk counterparts from 6 to 24 months post-RARP. Predictive models showed that age, obesity, race, disease status, and surgical approaches represent predictors of continence recovery. Special techniques like NeuroSAFE technique and Retzius-Sparing approach also play a role in reducing incontinence also in the high-risk scenario. SUMMARY: RARP for HRPC appears to be associated with worse continence compared with other risk groups. A multimodality approach for prediction and prevention of incontinence after RARP is vital. Further research into this area is necessary to enhance continence recovery outcomes in HRPC patients undergoing RARP.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of acute type B thoracic aortic dissection, open, or endovascular repair.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare perioperative and mortality outcomes of endovascular aortic repair against open repair in acute type B thoracic aortic dissection. METHODS: A comprehensive search was undertaken among the four major databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid) to identify all published data comparing open vs endovascular repair in management of acute type B aortic dissection. Databases where evaluated and assessed to July 2017. The 95% confidence intervals were analyzed from the extracted data using relevant statistical methods. RESULTS: Overall, 18,193 patients were found in a combination of nine studies. Patients undergoing open repair were younger (mean, 61.3 ± 9.3 years vs 66.6 ± 12.5 years; P < .00001). Postoperative stroke and paraplegia were similar in both groups (P = .71 and P = .81 respectively); however, the rate of all neurologic complications were more common in the traditional open repair group (6.9% vs 4.8%; P = .006). The all-cause operative and 1-year death was reported as higher in the open repair group (18.6% vs 7.4% [P < .0001] and 24.3% vs 14.3% [P < .0001], respectively); however, at 5 years this rate is almost similar between both groups (46.7% vs 49.7%; P = .21). At 1 year, the rate of reintervention was reported to be higher in endovascular repair group of patients (15.4% vs 5.5%; P = .004). CONCLUSIONS: This study concludes that endovascular repair, in the setting of acute type B thoracic aortic dissection, provides an early surgical benefit; however, this finding has not yet been supported by long-term data. There seems to be a benefit with respect to all-neurologic events in favor of endovascular repair. Long-term comparative data and studies are required to give a better understanding of these two approaches.

Aortic valve repair or replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically compare clinical outcomes between aortic valve repair and replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was undertaken among the four major databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid) to identify all published data comparing clinical outcomes of aortic valve repair vs replacement. Database searched from inception to November 2018. RESULTS: A total of 1071 patients were analyzed in eight articles. Mean age was similar in both groups of patients (47.2 ± 12.8 vs 48.3 ± 12.7 years, P = 0.83, aortic valve repair and replacement, respectively). The preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction was better in the repair group (56.7% ± 4.8 vs 53.3% ± 4.2, P = 0.005). The rate of moderate-to-severe regurgitation and bicuspid aortic valve were similar in both cohorts (81% vs 78%, P = 0.90% and 58% vs 55%, P = 0.46). In-hospital and 1-year mortality was lower in repair cohort, although not reaching statistical significance (1.3% vs 3.6%, P = 0.12; 5.9% vs 9.3%, P = 0.77). Reoperation rate was higher in repair patients at 1 year (8.8% vs 3.7%, P = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Aortic valve repair offers comparable perioperative outcomes to aortic valve replacement in aortic regurgitation patients at the expense of higher late reintervention rate. Larger trials with long-term follow-up are required to confirm the long-term benefits of aortic valve repair.

Sternal Wound Infections, Risk Factors and Management - How Far Are We? A Literature Review.

Sternal wound infection (SWI) is one of the potential complications post cardiac surgery, and despite refined surgical techniques such as smaller incisions, antibiotic therapy, and optimised glycaemic control, the incidence rate is between <1% in elective cases with low risk factors and as high as 25% in patients with extensive risk factors. The presence of SWI will increase the perioperative morbidity and mortality rates and prolong the patient's hospital stay, therefore the prevention and diagnosis with appropriate management of such adverse outcomes at an early stage is important to prevent further progression as it can be fatal when the mediastinal structures are affected. Currently, the diagnosis typically consists of three main stages: clinical, biochemical including microbiology studies and imaging studies. In the current health care system, the use of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is valuable to define mediastinal abnormalities and can also help find the source of a descending infection. Management is through methods such as antibiotic therapy, surgical debridement, reconstruction with soft tissue flap coverage, sternal plating, and sternectomy. In this literature review, we aim to summarise current literature evidence behind appropriately diagnosing such a catastrophe.

Current challenges in open versus endovascular repair of ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.

A ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm is considered a surgical emergency; it is often fatal if it is not identified and managed immediately. Since the recognition of this clinical entity, open surgical repair has been the "gold standard" method of management. However, open surgical repair is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Among high-risk patients and as an alternative, thoracic endovascular repairs have since transpired, aiming to reduce the morbidity and mortality rates associated with open repair in a number of patients. The results of both treatment options are debatable, yet there is not a full concurrence on the advantages of endovascular repair in comparison to open repair as the gold standard method of managing such emergency cases, particularly ruptures involving the ascending and aortic arch. This literature review aimed to examine current literature evidence for the use of open or endovascular repair in the emergency setting of a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.

Innominate artery cannulation in aortic surgery: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: The innominate artery is considered an alternative site for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass in surgical procedures involving the thoracic aorta. This systematic review examines the use of innominate artery cannulation in aortic surgery. METHODS: A systematic literature search was undertaken among the four major databases (PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Ovid) to identify all studies that utilized innominate artery cannulation for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass and providing cerebral perfusion in thoracic aortic surgery. The data were reviewed up to September 2018. RESULTS: Acute type A aortic dissection contributed to 36% (n = 818) of the total 2,290 patients. 31.5% (n = 719) underwent surgery on the aortic root only; 54.5% (n = 1246) had ascending and hemi-arch replacement, while 11.5% had total aortic arch replacement and 2.5% had a frozen elephant trunk inserted. Postoperative stroke rate was 1.25% (n = 28), temporary neurological deficit was 4.8% (n = 111). All-cause 30-day mortality rate was 2.7% (n = 61). CONCLUSION: Innominate artery cannulation is a safe technique in patients who undergo thoracic aortic surgery. It can be utilized, in selected cases, as a reliable route for establishing cardiopulmonary bypass and maintaining cerebral perfusion.

Impact of Pre-Operative Ureteroscopy on Bladder Recurrence Following Nephroureterectomy for UTUC.

(1) Introduction: Diagnostic ureteroscopy (URS) is an important component in the workup of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Whether URS was associated with increased recurrence in the bladder was not fully concluded. The current study aimed to evaluate the implication of URS on the incidences of intravesical recurrence following radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in non-metastatic UTUC patients without prior history of bladder cancer via multi-institutional data. (2) Patients and Methods: Data were obtained from the Clinical Research Office of the Endourology Society Urothelial Carcinomas of the Upper Tract (CROES-UTUC) registry, a prospective, multicentre database. Patients with non-metastatic UTUC treated with RNU were divided into two groups: those undergoing upfront RNU and those having diagnostic URS prior to RNU. Intravesical recurrence-free survival (IVRS) was the primary endpoint, evaluated through Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression. Cases with adequate follow-up data were included. (3) Results: The analysis included 269 patients. Of these, 137 (50.9%) received upfront RNU and 132 (49.1%) received pre-RNU URS. The URS group exhibited an inferior 24-month IVRS compared to the upfront RNU group (HR = 1.705, 95% CI = 1.082-2.688; p = 0.020). Multivariate analysis confirmed URS as the only significant predictor of IVR (p = 0.019). Ureteric access sheath usage, flexible ureteroscopy, ureteric biopsy, retrograde contrast studies, and the duration of URS did not significantly affect IVRS. (4) Conclusions: Diagnostic URS prior to RNU was found to be associated with an increased risk of IVR in patients with UTUC. The risk was not significantly influenced by auxiliary procedures during URS. Physicians were advised to meticulously evaluate the necessity of diagnostic URS.

Safety and Efficacy of Immediate Hyperthermic Intravesical Chemotherapy Following Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour (I-HIVEC).

The recurrence rate following endoscopic treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) remains high. Standard treatment includes intravesical instillation of chemotoxic agents such as mitomycin C (MMC) to reduce recurrence. It is postulated that upfront administration of hyperthermic intravesical MMC (HIVEC) immediately after transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) may enhance its efficacy, but evidence from human trials is scant. This pilot study explored the safety of immediate intravesical MMC instillation following TURBT using a conductive HIVEC system (Combat BRS). Patients diagnosed with papillary bladder tumours scheduled for TURBT were recruited. Among 29 patients treated with HIVEC, there was minimal additional postoperative morbidity. The majority (79.3%) were discharged after a hospital stay of 1 d, and no patient required bladder irrigation. There were six grade I-II adverse events (20.7%) and one grade III event (3.4%). No recurrences were observed within 3 mo, and the 12-mo recurrence rate was 4.5%. The study findings demonstrate that immediate HIVEC MMC instillation following TURBT is safe. Further research is needed to assess long-term efficacy in comparison to standard cold MMC. PATIENT SUMMARY: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer is treated with tumour removal via a telescope inserted into the bladder through the urethra (called TURBT). We tested the safety of treating the bladder with a warm solution of a chemotherapy drug (mitomycin C) immediately after TURBT, as this may prevent tumour recurrence. The treatment was safe and well tolerated. Further trials are needed with more patients and longer follow-up to confirm the results.

Pre-Op Hydronephrosis Predicts Outcomes in Patients Receiving Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has gained momentum in the management of muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Predictors of RARC outcomes are not thoroughly studied. We aim to investigate the implications of preoperative hydronephrosis on oncological outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study analysed data from the Asian RARC consortium, a multicentre registry involving nine Asian centres. Cases were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of pre-operative hydronephrosis. Background characteristics, operative details, perioperative outcomes, and oncological results were reviewed. Outcomes were (1) survival outcomes, including 10-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), and (2) perioperative and pathological results. Multivariate regression analyses were performed on survival outcomes. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2020, 536 non-metastatic MIBC patients receiving RARC were analysed. 429 had no hydronephrosis (80.0%), and 107 (20.0%) had hydronephrosis. Hydronephrosis was found to be predictive of inferior DFS (HR = 1.701, p = 0.003, 95% CI = 1.196-2.418) and OS (HR = 1.834, p = 0.008, 95% CI = 1.173-2.866). Subgroup analysis demonstrated differences in the T2-or-above subgroup (HR = 1.65; p = 0.004 in DFS and HR = 1.888; p = 0.008 in OS) and the T3-or-above subgroup (HR = 1.757; p = 0.017 in DFS and HR = 1.807; p = 0.034 in OS). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of preoperative hydronephrosis among MIBC patients carries additional prognostic implications on top of tumour staging. Its importance in case selection needs to be highlighted.

Influence of cholesterol level on long-term survival and cardiac events after surgical coronary revascularization.

Objective: Statins have been shown to delay the inevitable progression of atherosclerosis in native coronaries and saphenous vein grafts, thereby reducing ischemic events after surgical coronary revascularization. However, there is significant controversy as to whether titrating statin therapy to concrete cholesterol targets is appropriate. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis of 309 consecutive patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft in 2007 and 2008 was performed. Measurements of lipid profile subcomponents, namely total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides, in mmol/L, were obtained by retrospective review of electronic health records. The primary end point was cardiac death. The secondary end point was the composite of cardiac events, including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, hospitalization for unstable angina, and target lesion revascularization. Database lock date was August 15, 2020. Results: The median follow-up duration was 12.5 years. Cardiac death occurred in 6.8% of the cohort. Cardiac events occurred in 21.7% of the cohort. New-onset myocardial infarction occurred in 8.7% (n = 27), of which 48.1% (n = 13) underwent repeat revascularization. A 2-level nested Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed to determine whether cholesterol target attainment was independently associated with cardiac events. After risk adjustment, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, total cholesterol (TC), and TC/HDL-C ratio were independently associated with cardiac death. In receiver operating characteristics analyses, the optimal cut-off values for non-HDL-C, LDL-C, and TC/HDL-C ratio were 3.2 mmol/L, 2.3 mmol/L, and 3.5, respectively. Conclusions: Exposure to elevated LDL-C and non-HDL-C cholesterol levels independently predicted long-term cardiac death after coronary artery bypass graft.

Lymph node dissection for upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a systematic review, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, investigating the role of lymph node dissection (LND) during nephroureterectomy (NU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC); focussing on survival and complication outcomes. METHODS: A comprehensive systematic search was completed using a combination of Medical Subject Headings terms and keywords related to UTUC and LND on multiple databases. Meta-analyses were performed when outcomes were reported under the same definition in two or more studies. Where meta-analysis was not possible, outcomes were reviewed in a narrative manner. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies were included in the qualitative analysis and 11 cohort studies in the quantitative analysis. Our review did not detect significant improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-1.92), cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.54-1.46) and overall survival (OS) (HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.93-1.30). However, when focussing on studies only including patients with pT2/pT3 UTUC, not performing LND significantly worsened RFS (HR 2.83, 95% CI 1.72-4.66). Reports of removing more than eight lymph nodes may also provide prognostic benefits in pN0 patients. The performance of LND was not associated with a higher rate of postoperative complications (risk ratio 1.06, 95% CI 1.00-1.13). CONCLUSION: Overall, LND did not provide additional benefit in RFS, CSS and OS. However, there was a potential benefit in RFS in patients with muscle-invasive and advanced UTUC. LND was also not associated with increased risks of postoperative complications.Abbreviations: CIS: carcinoma in situ; CSS: cancer-specific survival; HR: hazard ratio; LND: lymph node dissection; NU: nephroureterectomy; OS: overall survival; PRISMA: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses; RFS: recurrence-free survival; RoB, risk of bias; RR: risk ratio; (UT)UC: (upper tract) urothelial carcinoma.

Bioprosthetic Aortic Valve Replacement in <50 Years Old Patients - Where is the Evidence?

Aortic valve disease is one of the most common valvular heart diseases in the cardiovascular category. Surgical replacement of the diseased aortic valve remains the definitive intervention for most diseases. There is a clear consensus that in young patients who require aortic valve replacement, a mechanical prosthesis is the preferred choice due to its durable prosthesis without fear of wear and tear over time. However, this comes at the expense of increased risk of bleeding and thromboembolic events; in addition, there is a lack of strict evidence in using bioprosthesis in patients younger than 50 years. The objective of this review article is to assess the current evidence behind using bioprosthetic aortic valve in this young cohort.

Bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement in <50 years old patients - where is the evidence?

Abstract Aortic valve disease is one of the most common valvular heart diseases in the cardiovascular category. Surgical replacement of the diseased aortic valve remains the definitive intervention for most diseases. There is a clear consensus that in young patients who require aortic valve replacement, a mechanical prosthesis is the preferred choice due to its durable prosthesis without fear of wear and tear over time. However, this comes at the expense of increased risk of bleeding and thromboembolic events; in addition, there is a lack of strict evidence in using bioprosthesis in patients younger than 50 years. The objective of this review article is to assess the current evidence behind using bioprosthetic aortic valve in this young cohort.