Robotic Medtronic Hugo™ RAS System Is Now Reality: Introduction to a New Simulation Platform for Training Residents.

The use of robotic surgery (RS) in urology has grown exponentially in the last decade, but RS training has lagged behind. The launch of new robotic platforms has paved the way for the creation of innovative robotics training systems. The aim of our study is to test the new training system from Hugo™ RAS System-Medtronic. Between July 2020 and September 2022, a total of 44 residents from urology, gynaecology and general surgery at our institution participated in advanced robotic simulation training using the Hugo™ RAS simulator. Information about sex, age, year of residency, hours spent playing video games, laparoscopic or robotic exposure and interest in robotics (90.9% declared an interest in robotics) was collected. The training program involved three robotic exercises, and the residents performed these exercises under the guidance of a robotics tutor. The residents' performance was assessed based on five parameters: timing, range of motion, panoramic view, conflict of instruments and exercise completion. Their performance was evaluated according to an objective Hugo system form and a subjective assessment by the tutor. After completing the training, the residents completed a Likert scale questionnaire to gauge their overall satisfaction. The rate of the residents' improvement in almost all parameters of the three exercises between the first and the last attempts was statistically significant (p < 0.02), indicating significant progress in the residents' robotic surgical skills during the training. The mean overall satisfaction score ± standard deviation (SD) was 9.4 ± 1.2, signifying a high level of satisfaction among the residents with the training program. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the training program utilizing the Hugo™ RAS System is effective in enhancing robotic surgical skills among residents and holds promise for the development of standardized robotics training programs in various surgical specialties.

The Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Transversus Abdominis Plane Block on Acute and Chronic Postsurgical Pain After Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: A Prospective Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: Use of a locoregional analgesia technique, such as the ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block (TAPb), can improve postoperative pain management. We investigated the role of TAPb in robotic partial nephrectomy, a surgery burdened by severe postoperative pain. METHODS: In this prospective trial, patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists class I-III physical status undergoing robotic partial nephrectomy were randomly assigned to standard general anesthetic plus ultrasound-guided TAPb (TAP group) or sole standard general anesthetic (NO-TAP group). The primary end point was morphine consumption 24 hours after surgery. Secondary outcomes were postoperative nausea and vomiting in the first 24 hours, sensitivity, and acute and chronic pain, as measured by multiple indicators. RESULTS: A total of 96 patients were evaluated: 48 patients in the TAP group and 48 in the NO-TAP group. Median morphine consumption after 24 hours was higher in the NO-TAP group compared with the TAP group (14.1 ± 4.5 mg vs 10.6 ± 4.6, P < 0.008). The intensity of acute somatic pain and the presence of chronic pain at three and six months were higher in the NO-TAP group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that TAPb can significantly reduce morphine consumption and somatic pain, but not visceral pain. TAPb reduced the incidence of chronic pain.

On-clamp versus off-clamp partial nephrectomy: Propensity score-matched comparison of long-term functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To compare long-term functional outcomes of off-clamp or on-clamp partial nephrectomy patients of two high-volume centers with cT1-2/N0 M0 renal tumors and baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate >60 mL/min. METHODS: A 3:1 propensity score-matched analysis was used to select two homogeneous cohorts to compare off-clamp versus on-clamp partial nephrectomy. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to compare the 2-8-year probabilities of estimated glomerular filtration rate modifications in both selected cohorts. The Kaplan-Meier method assessed the risk of developing a stage ≥3b chronic kidney disease during follow up. Multivariable analyses aimed to identify predictors of renal function deterioration. Perioperative complications and oncological outcomes were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 1073 patients were included (588 on-clamp and 485 off-clamp). After applying the propensity score-matched analysis, the two cohorts of 157 on-clamp and 472 off-clamp patients did not differ for all covariates, except for warm ischemia time and last estimated glomerular filtration rate. At joinpoint analysis, the off-clamp group showed higher probabilities of maintaining an unmodified estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.02). The probability of developing a stage ≥3b chronic kidney disease was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the on-clamp cohort. At multivariable analysis, estimated glomerular filtration rate at discharge and off-clamp approach were independent predictors of improved functional outcomes. Perioperative complications were comparable among the two cohorts (P = 0.67). There were not any statistically significant differences in terms of cancer-specific survival (P = 0.26) and overall survival (P = 0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Off-clamp partial nephrectomy seems to offer a higher probability of maintaining 100% estimated glomerular filtration rate after surgery. In our cohort, patients undergoing on-clamp partial nephrectomy presented a 7.3-fold increased risk of developing a severe chronic kidney disease during follow up.

Purely off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy: Preliminary 3-year oncological and functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To describe our surgical technique and to report perioperative, 3-year oncological and functional outcomes of a single-center series of purely off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy. METHODS: A prospective renal cancer institutional database was queried, and data of consecutive patients treated with purely off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy between 2010 and 2015 in a high-volume center were collected. Perioperative complications, and 3-year oncological and functional outcomes were assessed. Univariable and multivariable analyses were carried out to identify independent predictors of renal function deterioration. RESULTS: Out of 308 patients treated, 41 (13.3%) experienced perioperative complications, 2.9% of which were Clavien grade ≥3. The 3-year local recurrence-free survival and renal cell carcinoma-specific survival rates were 99.5% and 97.9%, respectively. No patient with preoperative chronic kidney disease stage ≤3B developed severe renal function deterioration (chronic kidney disease stage 4) at 1-year follow up. At multivariable analysis, preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = 0.005) was the only independent predictor of a new-onset chronic kidney disease stage ≥3 in patients with preoperative chronic kidney disease stages 1 or 2. CONCLUSIONS: Off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy is a safe surgical approach in tertiary referral centers, with adequate oncological outcomes and negligible impact on renal function.

Oncological outcomes of minimally invasive partial versus minimally invasive radical nephrectomy for cT1-2/N0/M0 clear cell renal cell carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare the oncologic outcomes of partial nephrectomy (PN) and radical nephrectomy (RN) for cT1-2/N0 renal tumors and pathologically confirmed pT1-pT3a-pNx clear cell (cc)-renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Few studies compared the oncologic outcomes of PN and RN for renal tumors >7 cm. METHODS: A prospective "renal cancer" database was queried for cT<3-cN0-cM0 and pT1a-pT3a-pNx cc-RCC. Out of 1650 cases treated between 2001 and 2013, 921 were cc-RCC and 666 met inclusion criteria, 232 of which treated with minimally invasive RN and 434 with MIPN. A 1:1 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis was employed to minimize the selection bias of non-random assignment of patients to PN as opposed to RN. Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the oncologic outcomes of the PSM cohorts. Survival rates were computed at 2, 5, and 10 years after surgery, and the log-rank test was applied to assess statistical significance between the two PSM groups. RESULTS: RN tumors were significantly larger (p < 0.001), with higher pT stages (p < 0.001), higher Fuhrman grades (p = 0.002) and a more frequent sarcomatoid differentiation (p = 0.04). After applying the PSM analysis, the two cohorts of 155 RN and 155 PN cases did not differ for all clinical and pathologic covariates (all p ≥ 0.32). PN and RN cohorts displayed comparable 5-year metastasis-free survival (88.9 vs 89.9 %, p = 0.811), local recurrence-free survival (94.2 vs 95.9 %, p = 0.283), overall survival (94.5 vs 96.8 %, p = 0.419) and cancer-specific survival (96 vs 98.6 %, p = 0.907) rates. CONCLUSIONS: PN and RN for patients with cc-RCC larger than 7 cm provided equivalent oncologic outcomes. Safety and reproducibility of our findings should be further investigated in larger multicentric cohorts.

AMBRA1 and SQSTM1 expression pattern in prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed male diseases and a leading cause of cancer mortality in men. There is emerging evidence that autophagy plays an important role in malignant cell survival and offers protection from the anti-cancer drugs in prostate cancer cells. AMBRA1 and the autophagic protein sequestosome-1 (SQSTM1; p62) expression were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot on tissue samples from both benign and malignant prostatic lesions. The data reported in this pilot study demonstrated an increased expression of AMBRA1 and SQSTM1, which were also associated with an accumulation of LC3II in prostate cancer but not in benign lesion. In the present study we found that: (i) at variance with benign lesion, prostate cancer cells underwent SQSTM1 accumulation, i.e., clearly displayed a defective autophagic process but, also, (ii) prostate cancer accumulated AMBRA1 and (iii) this increase positively correlated with the Gleason score. These results underscore a possible implication of autophagy in prostate cancer phenotype and of AMBRA1 as possible cancer progression biomarker in this malignancy.

Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes of Off-Clamp Robotic Partial Nephrectomy for Cystic Renal Tumors: A Propensity Score Matched-Pair Comparison of Cystic versus Pure Clear Cell Carcinoma.

Few data are available on survival outcomes of partial nephrectomy performed for cystic renal tumors. We present the first long-term oncological outcomes of cystic (cystRCC) versus pure clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in a propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis. Our "renal cancer" prospectively maintained database was queried for "cystRCC" or "ccRCC" and "off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy" (off-C RPN). The two groups were compared for age, gender, tumor size, pT stage, and Fuhrman grade. A 1:3 PSM analysis was applied to reduce covariate imbalance to <10% and two homogeneous populations were generated. Student t- and Chi-square tests were used for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Ten-year oncological outcomes were compared between the two cohorts using log-rank test. Univariable Cox regression analysis was used to identify predictors of disease progression after RPN. Out of 859 off-C RPNs included, 85 cases were cystRCC and 774 were ccRCC at histologic evaluation. After applying the PSM analysis, two cohorts were selected, including 64 cystRCC and 170 ccRCC. Comparable 10-year cancer-specific survival probability (95.3% versus 100%, p = 0.146) was found between the two cohorts. Conversely, 10-year disease-free survival probability (DFS) was less favorable for pure ccRCC than cystRCC (66.69% versus 90.1%, p = 0.035). At univariable regression analysis, ccRCC histology was the only independent predictor of DFS probability (HR 2.96 95% CI 1.03-8.47, p = 0.044). At the 10-year evaluation, cystRCC showed favorable oncological outcomes after off-C RPN. Pure clear cell variant histology displayed a higher rate of disease recurrence than cystic lesions.

Zero-ischemia minimally invasive partial nephrectomy.

In the last decade, many authors reported single center experiences of "off-clamp", "clamp-less", or "unclamped" minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN). These procedures, despite the potential risk of increased intraoperative blood loss, attempted to minimize the loss of renal function by eliminating ischemic renal injury. "Zero ischemia" MIPN has emerged as new treatment option in 2011, initially performed under controlled hypotension, and later mainly by performing a "superselective microdissection". The former technique minimizes the arterial bleeding from the renal stump, allowing surgeon to dissect the tumor in a bloodless field; the latter consists of identifying, antegradely from the renal hilum, the tertiary and quaternary arterial branches directly supplying the kidney neoplasm, and then selectively controlling them before dissecting the renal mass. This review critically analyzes these techniques, focusing on perioperative, oncologic and functional outcomes.

Cefiderocol Efficacy in a Real-Life Setting: Single-Centre Retrospective Study.

The current carbapenem-resistant gram-negative bacteria (CR-GN) treatment guidelines lack strong evidence about cefiderocol (CFD) efficacy against CR-GN, especially CRAB. The study's purpose is to evaluate the effectiveness of CFD in a real-life setting. We made a single-center retrospective study of 41 patients who received CFD in our hospital for several CR-GN infections. Bloodstream infections (BSI) affected 43.9% (18/41) of patients, while CRAB affected 75.6% (31/41) of isolated CR-GN patients. Thirty-days (30-D) all-causes mortality affected 36.6% (15/41) of patients, while end-of-treatment (EOT) clinical cure affected 56.1% (23/41). Finally, microbiological eradication at EOT affected 56.1% (23/41) of patients. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that septic shock is an independent factor associated with mortality. Subgroup analyses showed no difference in CFD effectiveness between monotherapy and combination therapy.

Sutureless Purely Off-Clamp Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: Avoiding Renorrhaphy Does Not Jeopardize Surgical and Functional Outcomes.

To compare outcomes of sutureless (SL) vs. renorrhaphy (RR) off-clamp robotic partial nephrectomy (ocRPN), we retrospectively analyzed procedures performed at our center, from January 2017 to April 2021, for cT1-2N0M0 renal masses. All the patients with a minimum follow-up < 1 month were excluded from the analysis. The trifecta rate defined surgical quality. Any worsening from chronic kidney disease (CKD) I-II to ≧ IIIa (from IIIa to ≧ IIIb, and from IIIb to ≧ IV) was considered as significant stage migration (sCKDsm). A 1:1 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis minimized baseline imbalances between SL and RR cohorts in terms of age, gender, ASA score, baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), tumor size, and RENAL score. Logistic regression analyses identified predictors of trifecta achievement. Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis assessed the impact of RR on significant chronic kidney disease sCKDsm-free survival (SMFS), while Cox regression analyses identified its predictors. Overall, 531 patients were included, with a median tumor size of 3.5 cm (IQR: 2.7-5); 70 (13%) presented with a cT2 mass. An SL approach was pursued in 180 cases, but 10 needed conversion to RR. After PSM analysis, patients receiving SL showed a higher trifecta rate (94% vs. 84%; p = 0.007). SMFS probabilities were comparable at KM analysis (log-rank = 0.69). Age (OR: 0.97; 95%CI: 0.95-0.99; p = 0.01), a RENAL score ≧ 10 (OR: 0.29; 95%CI: 0.15-0.57; p < 0.001), and RR (OR: 0.34; 95%CI: 0.17-0.67; p = 0.002) were independent predictors of trifecta achievement. Age (OR: 1.04; 95%CI: 1.003-1.07; p = 0.03) and baseline eGFR (OR: 0.99; 95%CI: 0.97-0.99; p = 0.05) independently predicted sCKDsm. Compared to RR, our experience seems to show that the SL approach significantly increased the probabilities of achieving the trifecta in the observed group of cases.

The Impact of Metastasectomy on Survival Outcomes of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A 10-Year Single Center Experience.

OBJECTIVES: The role of surgical metastasectomy (MST) in solitary or oligometastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and its impact on survival outcomes remains poorly addressed. We evaluated the impact of MST on overall survival (OS) in patients with oligometastatic (m)RCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional renal cancer prospective database was examined for cases treated with partial or radical nephrectomy who developed metastatic disease during follow-up. Patients with evidence of clinical metastasis at first diagnosis were excluded. Patients considered unfit for MST received systemic treatment (ST); all others received MST. The impact of MST vs. the ST only cohort was assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method. Age, gender, bilaterality, histology, AJCC stage of primary tumor, surgical margins, local vs. distant metastasis and MST were included in univariable and multivariable regression analyses to assess the predictors of OS. RESULTS: Overall, at a median follow-up of 16 months after primary treatment, 168 patients with RCC developed asynchronous metastasis at the adrenal gland, lung, liver, spleen, peritoneal, renal fossa, bone, nodes, brain and thyroid gland. Nine patients unfit for any treatment were excluded. The site of metastasis was treated with surgical MST (77/159, 48.4%), with or without previous or subsequent ST, while 82/159 cases (51.2%) received ST only. The 2-year, 5-year and 10-year OS probabilities were 93.8%, 82.8% and 79.5%, respectively. After multivariable analysis, MST and the primary tumor AJCC stage were independent predictors of OS probabilities (p = 0.019 and p = 0.035, respectively). After Kaplan-Meier analysis, MST significantly improved OS probabilities versus patients receiving ST (p < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: The main drawbacks of our research were the small sample size from a single-tertiary referral institution, as well as the absent or different ST lines in the cohort of patients receiving MST. CONCLUSIONS: When an NED status is achievable, surgical MST of mRCC significantly impacts OS, delaying and not precluding further subsequent ST.

Assessing the Trade-off Between the Safety and Effectiveness of Off-clamp Robotic Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Masses with a High RENAL Score: A Propensity Score-matched Comparison of Perioperative and Functional Outcomes in a Multicenter Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tumors with a high nephrometry score represent a challenging surgical scenario for which robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) is a primary option in expert hands. OBJECTIVE: To compare perioperative and functional outcomes of off-clamp and on-clamp RPN in patients with renal masses with a high RENAL score (≥9). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: For this retrospective analysis, an RPN data set including 1604 patients treated at three institutions between 2003 and 2021 was queried for cases with a RENAL score ≥9. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We used 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) to select a cohort in which imbalances between the off-clamp and on-clamp groups were minimized. We used χ2 and Student t tests to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to compare the probability of having an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥45 ml/min during follow-up. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of a trifecta outcome (negative surgical margin status, no Clavien-Dindo grade ≥3 complications, eGFR decline ≤30%) and of retaining eGFR ≥45 ml/min over time. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: From an overall cohort of 354 patients (142 on-clamp, 212 off-clamp), a homogeneous PSM cohort of 78 patients in each group was selected (p ≥ 0.17). In the PSM cohort, operative time was significantly shorter in the off-clamp group (p < 0.001). There were no differences between the groups in the rates of severe complications (p = 0.32) and positive surgical margins (p = 0.24). The rate of trifecta achievement was significantly higher in the off-clamp group (83.3% vs 67.9%; p = 0.03). Warm ischemia time >20 min was independently negatively associated with trifecta achievement (odds ratio 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.14-0.74). Moreover, the off-clamp group had a significantly higher probability of retaining eGFR ≥45 ml/min over time (3 yr: 95.9% vs 81.6%; p = 0.03); every 1-min increase in warm ischemia time reduced this probability by 1.3%. CONCLUSIONS: We found a favorable trade-off between the benefits and risks of off-clamp RPN, with similar perioperative outcomes and a net benefit in terms of trifecta achievement and long-term renal function outcomes in comparison to on-clamp RPN. PATIENT SUMMARY: The complexity of surgery for kidney tumors can be assessed using the RENAL score, which is a measure of the location and size of a kidney tumor. In a multicenter series of patients with tumors with a high RENAL score, we compared outcomes between strategies with (on-clamp) and without (off-clamp) clamping of kidney blood vessels during robot-assisted removal of part of the affected kidney. We found that off-clamp surgery results in better postoperative kidney function.

Purely Off-Clamp Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy Stands the Test of Time: 15 Years Functional and Oncologic Outcomes from a Single Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Nephron-sparing surgery represents the gold standard treatment for organ-confined renal tumors. We present 15-years of outcomes after off-clamp laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (ocLPN). METHODS: a retrospective analysis was performed on patients who underwent ocLPN between May 2001 and December 2005. Baseline demographic, clinical, pathologic, surgical, functional and survival data were collected. The Kaplan-Meier method evaluated group-specific oncologic outcomes at 5, 10 and 15 years and the log rank test assessed differences between groups. The same analysis investigated the probabilities of developing a significant renal function impairment (sRFI) and achieving ROMeS. Cox analyses identified predictors of this latter tricomposite outcome. RESULTS: We included 63 patients whose median tumor size was 3 cm (IQR:2-4). At 15 years, the chances of developing local recurrence, metachronous renal cancers or distant metastases were 2 ± 2%, 23 ± 6% and 17 ± 5%, respectively. Consequently, disease-free, cancer-specific and overall-survival probabilities were 68 ± 6%, 90 ± 4% and 72 ± 6%. MCRSS and UCISS well predicted oncologic outcomes. Overall, nine (14%) patients experienced an sRFI and 33 (52%) achieved ROMeS. Age (HR: 1.046; p = 0.033) and malignant histology (low-risk cancers HR: 3.233, p = 0.048) (intermediate/high risk cancers HR: 5.721, p = 0.023) were independent predictors of ROMeS non-achievement. CONCLUSIONS: At 15 years from ocLPN, most of patients will experience both excellent functional and oncologic outcomes.

Human Urinary Volatilome Analysis in Renal Cancer by Electronic Nose.

Currently, in clinical practice there are still no useful markers available that are able to diagnose renal cancer in the early stages in the context of population screening. This translates into very high costs for healthcare systems around the world. Analysing urine using an electronic nose (EN) provides volatile organic compounds that can be easily used in the diagnosis of urological diseases. Although no convincing results have been published, some previous studies suggest that dogs trained to sniff urine can recognize different types of tumours (bladder, lung, breast cancer) with different success rates. We therefore hypothesized that urinary volatilome profiling may be able to distinguish patients with renal cancer from healthy controls. A total of 252 individuals, 110 renal patients and 142 healthy controls, were enrolled in this pilot monocentric study. For each participant, we collected, stabilized (at 37 °C) and analysed urine samples using a commercially available electronic nose (Cyranose 320®). Principal component (PCA) analyses, discriminant analysis (CDA) and ROC curves were performed to provide a complete statistical analysis of the sensor responses. The best discriminating principal component groups were identified with univariable ANOVA analysis. The study correctly identified 79/110 patients and 127/142 healthy controls, respectively (specificity 89.4%, sensitivity 71.8%, positive predictive value 84.04%, negative predictive value 80.37%). In order to test the study efficacy, the Cross Validated Accuracy was calculated (CVA 81.7%, p < 0.001). At ROC analysis, the area under the curve was 0.85. The results suggest that urine volatilome profiling by e-Nose seems a promising, accurate and non-invasive diagnostic tool in discriminating patients from controls. The low costs and ease of execution make this test useful in clinical practice.

Laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy with controlled hypotensive anesthesia to avoid hilar clamping: feasibility, safety and perioperative functional outcomes.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic and robotic assisted partial nephrectomy with controlled hypotensive anesthesia to avoid hilar clamping and eliminate renal ischemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 patients with renal tumors who were candidates for nephron sparing surgery and had no contraindication to hypotensive anesthesia underwent partial nephrectomy without hilar clamping and with controlled hypotension during tumor excision. A total of 40 laparoscopic partial nephrectomies and 20 robotic assisted partial nephrectomies were done. All patients who were candidates for laparoscopic or robotic assisted partial nephrectomy regardless of tumor site, size or growth pattern were included in study. The surgical field was assessed for bleeding and visibility using a numerical rating scale. RESULTS: Median tumor size was 3.6 cm (range 1.8 to 10), median operative time was 2 hours (range 1 to 3.5), median blood loss was 200 ml (range 30 to 700 ml) and median hospital stay was 3 days (range 3 to 8). All margins were negative. The median duration of controlled hypotension with a median mean arterial pressure of 65 mm Hg (range 55 to 70) was 14 minutes (range 7 to 16). No patient required intraoperative transfusion but 4 (6.6%) required transfusion postoperatively. Complications developed postoperatively in 3 patients, ie port site bleeding, hemorrhage and hematoma, respectively. Median preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine was 0.9 and 1.10 mg/dl, respectively. The median preoperative and postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate was 87.20 and 75.60 ml/minute/1.73 m2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Controlled hypotension allowed laparoscopic and robotic assisted partial nephrectomy to be done without renal hilar clamping. All procedures were completed safely and perioperative outcomes are encouraging.

Laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy without renal ischaemia for tumours larger than 4 cm: perioperative and functional outcomes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the technical feasibility, safety and functional outcomes of zero ischaemia laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy with controlled hypotension for renal tumours larger than 4 cm. METHODS: We evaluated 121 consecutive patients with American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) scores 1-2 who underwent laparoscopic (n = 70) or robotic (n = 51) partial nephrectomy with controlled hypotension with either tumour size ≤4 cm (group 1, n = 78) or tumour size >4 cm (group 2, n = 43) performed by a single surgeon from December 2010 to December 2011. Operative data, complications, serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rates and effective renal plasma flow calculated from 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine renal scintigraphy were compared. Differences between groups were evaluated by the Chi-square test and the Student's t test. RESULTS: A significant difference in mean intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complications was found between the two groups: 168 ml (range: 10-600 ml in group 1) and 205 ml (range: 90-700 ml in group 2); p = 0.005, and 6.4 % versus 18.6 %; p = 0.004, respectively. The mean percentage decrease of ERPF of the operated kidney was 1.8 % in group 1 and 4.1 % in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic and robotic partial nephrectomy with controlled hypotension for tumours >4 cm in ASA 1-2 patients was feasible with significant higher intraoperative blood loss and postoperative complications compared to smaller renal masses. The benefits of avoiding hilar clamping to preserve kidney function seem excellent.

Volatilome Analysis in Prostate Cancer by Electronic Nose: A Pilot Monocentric Study.

Urine analysis via an electronic nose provides volatile organic compounds easily usable in the diagnosis of urological diseases. Although challenging and highly expensive for health systems worldwide, no useful markers are available in clinical practice that aim to anticipate prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis in the early stages in the context of wide population screening. Some previous works suggested that dogs trained to smell urine could recognize several types of cancers with various success rates. We hypothesized that urinary volatilome profiling may distinguish PCa patients from healthy controls. In this study, 272 individuals, 133 patients, and 139 healthy controls participated. Urine samples were collected, stabilized at 37 °C, and analyzed using a commercially available electronic nose (Cyranose C320). Statistical analysis of the sensor responses was performed off-line using principal component (PCA) analyses, discriminant analysis (CDA), and ROC curves. Principal components best discriminating groups were identified with univariable ANOVA analysis. groups were identified with univariable ANOVA analysis. Here, 110/133 and 123/139 cases were correctly identified in the PCa and healthy control cohorts, respectively (sensitivity 82.7%, specificity 88.5%; positive predictive value 87.3%, negative predictive value 84.2%). The Cross Validated Accuracy (CVA 85.3%, p < 0.001) was calculated. Using ROC analysis, the area under the curve was 0.9. Urine volatilome profiling via an electronic nose seems a promising non-invasive diagnostic tool.

Off-clamp robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for purely hilar tumors: Technique, perioperative, oncologic and functional outcomes from a single center series.

OBJECTIVES: Purely hilar lesions and those abutting the main renal artery or vein may be significantly different in terms of surgical complexity, requiring different resection strategies. To describe surgical technique and to assess its safety, oncologic and functional outcomes of a single centre experience of Off-Clamp Robotic Partial Nephrectomy (Off-C RPN) for purely hilar renal masses. METHODS: The Institutional Review Board renal cancer database was queried for: "robotic", "partial nephrectomy" and "hilar". Baseline imaging was reviewed for all cases to strictly select patients with purely hilar tumors, defined as tumors arising into the renal hilum without any exophytic growth. Off-C RPN with straight access to the hilum was performed in all cases. We reported baseline, perioperative, oncologic and functional outcomes of the institutional series of purely hilar masses treated with Off-C RPN. RESULTS: Between 2011 and 2019, 680 Off-C RPN were performed. Overall, 20 cases were classified as "hilar" renal tumors. Ten lesions abutting the main renal artery or vein were excluded leaving 10 purely hilar cases for analysis. Median operative time was 85 (range 68-115) minutes. No high-grade complications occurred. One patient (10%) required blood transfusion. At a median follow-up of 27 months, one renal recurrence and one newly onset Chronic Kidney Disease stage 3A was observed. CONCLUSIONS: RPN for purely hilar tumors has been poorly addressed and distinguishing purely hilar from tumors abutting the hilar vessels may have significant technical implications. In tertiary referral centers, Off-C RPN for purely hilar tumors provides excellent perioperative, oncologic and functional outcomes.

Characterizing the tumor microenvironment in rare renal cancer histological types.

The tumor microenvironment (TME), including immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, endothelial cells, adjacent normal cells, and others, plays a crucial role in influencing tumor behavior and progression. Here, we characterized the TME in 83 primary renal tumors and matched metastatic or recurrence tissue samples (n = 15) from papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) types 1 (n = 20) and 2 (n = 49), collecting duct carcinomas (CDC; n = 14), and high-grade urothelial carcinomas (HGUC; n = 5). We investigated 10 different markers of immune infiltration, vasculature, cell proliferation, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by using machine learning image analysis in conjunction with immunohistochemistry. Marker expression was compared by Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests and correlations across markers using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Multivariable Poisson regression analysis was used to compare marker expression between histological types, while accounting for variation in tissue size. Several immune markers showed different rates of expression across histological types of renal carcinoma. Using pRCC1 as reference, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of CD3+ T cells (IRR [95% confidence interval, CI] = 2.48 [1.53-4.01]) and CD20+ B cells (IRR [95% CI] = 4.38 [1.22-5.58]) was statistically significantly higher in CDC. In contrast, CD68+ macrophages predominated in pRCC1 (IRR [95% CI] = 2.35 [1.42-3.9]). Spatial analysis revealed CD3+ T-cell and CD20+ B-cell expressions in CDC to be higher at the proximal (p < 0.0001) and distal (p < 0.0001) tumor periphery than within the central tumor core. In contrast, expression of CD68+ macrophages in pRCC2 was higher in the tumor center compared to the proximal (p = 0.0451) tumor periphery and pRCC1 showed a distance-dependent reduction, from the central tumor, in CD68+ macrophages with the lowest expression of CD68 marker at the distal tumor periphery (p = 0.004). This study provides novel insights into the TME of rare kidney cancer types, which are often understudied. Our findings of differences in marker expression and localization by histological subtype could have implications for tumor progression and response to immunotherapies or other targeted therapies.

On-Clamp vs. Off-Clamp Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy for cT2 Renal Tumors: Retrospective Propensity-Score-Matched Multicenter Outcome Analysis.

We compared perioperative outcomes after on-clamp versus off-clamp robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) for >7 cm renal masses. A multicenter dataset was queried for patients who had undergone RAPN for a cT2cN0cM0 kidney tumor from July 2007 to February 2022. The Trifecta achievement (negative surgical margins, no severe complications, and ≤ 30% postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) reduction) was considered a surrogate of surgical quality. Overall, 316 cases were included in the analysis, and 58% achieved the Trifecta. A propensity-score-matched analysis generated two cohorts of 89 patients homogeneous for age, ASA score, preoperative eGFR, and RENAL score (all p > 0.21). Compared to the on-clamp approach, OT was significantly shorter in the off-clamp group (80 vs. 190 min; p < 0.001), the incidence of sRFD was lower (22% vs. 40%; p = 0.01), and the Trifecta rate higher (66% vs. 46%; p = 0.01). In a crude analysis, >20 min of hilar clamping was associated with a significantly higher risk of sRFD (OR: 2.30; 95%CI: 1.13−4.64; p = 0.02) and with reduced probabilities of achieving the Trifecta (OR: 0.46; 95%CI: 0.27−0.79; p = 0.004). Purely off-clamp RAPN seems to be a safe and viable option to treat cT2 renal masses and may outperform the on-clamp approach regarding perioperative surgical outcomes.