Nonaqueous magnetization following adiabatic and selective pulses in brain: T1 and cross-relaxation dynamics.

Inversion pulses are commonly employed in MRI for T 1 -weighted contrast and relaxation measurements. In the brain, it is often assumed that adiabatic pulses saturate the nonaqueous magnetization. We investigated this assumption using solid-state NMR to monitor the nonaqueous signal directly following adiabatic inversion and compared this with signals following hard and soft inversion pulses. The effects of the different preparations on relaxation dynamics were explored. Inversion recovery experiments were performed on ex vivo bovine and porcine brains using 360-MHz (8.4 T) and 200-MHz (4.7 T) NMR spectrometers, respectively, using broadband rectangular, adiabatic, and sinc inversion pulses as well as a long rectangular saturation pulse. Analogous human brain MRI experiments were performed at 3 T using single-slice echo-planar imaging. Relaxation data were fitted by mono- and biexponential decay models. Further fitting analysis was performed using only two inversion delay times. Adiabatic and sinc inversion left much of the nonaqueous magnetization along B 0 and resulted in biexponential relaxation. Saturation of both aqueous and nonaqueous magnetization components led to effectively monoexponential T 1 relaxation. Typical adiabatic inversion pulses do not, as has been widely assumed, saturate the nonaqueous proton magnetization in white matter. Unequal magnetization states in aqueous and nonaqueous 1 H reservoirs prepared by soft and adiabatic pulses result in biexponential T 1 relaxation. Both pools must be prepared in the same magnetization state (e.g., saturated or inverted) in order to observe consistent monoexponential relaxation.

Robotic Autotransplantation and Management of Post-transplant Anastomotic Strictures: the Future Is Here.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We set out to review the current published experience with robotic autotransplantation. Although the experience to date is limited, this surgery appears to be safe and technically feasible. We also examined the use of the robotic surgical platform for the management of post-transplant uretero-vesical anastomotic strictures. RECENT FINDINGS: To date, only four reported cases of robotic autotransplantation have been described with two being performed completely intra-corporeally. An intra-corporeal approach is feasible for benign conditions, while malignant masses should be inspected and dissected extra-corporeally. Ureteric strictures after renal transplantation are common. To date, the experience with robotic surgical management is limited but has also been shown to be safe and feasible. While robotic autotransplantation is still in its infancy, it is feasible and appears to be safe. Renal allograft function and surgical outcomes are favorable and provide patients the option to have a historically more morbid surgery performed with a minimally invasive approach.

Recurrent nephrolithiasis associated with keratinizing desquamative squamous metaplasia.

Keratinizing desquamative squamous metaplasia (KDSM) in the renal pelvis is a rare condition with unclear malignant potential. Recent reports suggest it is likely benign and favor endoscopic treatment approaches. Medical record review was completed on two cases at our center to obtain history, physical examination, radiographic findings, and management. A literature review was completed to identify all published cases of KDSM. Both patients at our center suffered recurrent urolithiasis, hypothesized to be secondary to KDSM. Both were managed with a percutaneous approach to ensure complete stone and KDSM plaque removal. Our cases highlight that percutaneous surgery is an excellent management option for stone and KDSM eradication from the collecting system. This approach also allows adequate oncologic surveillance of the underlying urothelium.

Deceased donor hyperglycemia and liver graft dysfunction.

CONTEXT: Hyperglycemia is common in deceased donors, and provokes numerous adverse events in hepatocytic mitochondria. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether hyperglycemia in deceased donors is associated with graft dysfunction after orthotopic liver transplant. METHODS: Charts on 572 liver transplants performed at the Cleveland Clinic between January 2005 and October 2010 were reviewed. The primary measure was time-weighted averages of donors' glucose measurements. Liver graft dysfunction was defined as (1) primary nonfunction as indicated by death or retransplant or (2) liver graft dysfunction as indicated by an aspartate amino transferase level greater than 2000 U/L or prothrombin time greater than 16 seconds during the first postoperative week. The relationship of interest was estimated by using a multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The incidence of graft dysfunction was 25%. No significant relationship was found between the range of donor glucose measurements and liver graft dysfunction after donor characteristics were adjusted for (P= .14, Wald test, adjusted odds ratio [95% CI] for liver graft dysfunction corresponding to a relative doubling in time-weighted average for donor glucose of 1.43 [0.89-2.30]). The results thus do not suggest that strict glucose control in donors is likely to improve graft quality.

Microbiology of infection-related complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to describe the incidence, microbiology, and risk factors related to infectious complications after transrectal prostate biopsies. METHODS: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing prostate biopsies. Throughout the study period, the institutional recommendation for antibiotic prophylaxis was cephalexin and ciprofloxacin. Due to the desire to limit fluoroquinolone use, the ciprofloxacin duration of therapy was reduced from 48 to 24 hours in the middle of the study period. The primary outcome was the incidence of infection-related complications, defined as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bacteremia within 30 days post-procedure. RESULTS: A total of 1471 transrectal prostate biopsies were included. All patients received antibiotic prophylaxis, with 86.1% (1268/1472) of patients receiving both ciprofloxacin and cephalexin. The incidence of infection-related complications was 1.6% (24/1471). Four patients experienced bacteremia, all of which were due to E. coli, and all of these patients had received antibiotic prophylaxis with an active antibiotic. The use of ciprofloxacin was associated with a lower risk of infection-related complications (odds ratio [OR ] 0.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07, 0.55). Bacteriuria within one year prior to the procedure was associated with increased risk of infection-related complications (OR 4.77, 95% CI 1.34, 16.93). Four (0.3%) patients experienced an antibiotic-related adverse event. CONCLUSIONS: We observed a low rate of infection-related complications and antibiotic-related adverse events in the setting of antibiotic prophylaxis with ciprofloxacin and cephalexin for 24 hours, without pre-procedure rectal culture screening. Investigation into procedural or host factors may uncover opportunities to further reduce infection-related complications.

Evaluation of a Ureteral Stent Removal Protocol in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Existing literature on best practices to reduce the risk of infectious complications associated with ureteral stent removal in kidney transplant recipients is limited. Prior to 2021, a formal process surrounding stent removal was not in place at our institution. In June 2021, a stent removal protocol was established. This protocol included the following: obtaining a preprocedure urine culture, prescribing universal culture-directed antimicrobial prophylaxis, earlier stent removal posttransplant, and patient education. We performed a retrospective quasi-experimental study of kidney transplant recipients who had their stents removed between July 2020 and June 2022. The primary outcome was the incidence of infectious complications within 30 days. Infectious complications were defined as urinary tract infection and bacteremia due to urinary source, as well as hospitalization, emergency department visit, or outpatient encounter for possible urinary tract infection. Secondary objectives included infectious and immunologic complications within 30 days to 1 year from transplant. During this study period, 239 adult kidney transplant recipients were included: 88 in the preprotocol group and 151 in the protocol group. The median time to stent removal was shorter in the protocol group (25 vs 36 days, P < .001). More patients in the protocol group received preprocedure antibiotics (99% vs 36%, P < .001). Infectious complications were higher in the preprotocol group (9% vs 3%, P = .035). Overall, the stent removal protocol was associated with fewer infectious complications (odds ratio, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.73). Further investigation is necessary to determine which individual interventions, if any, drive this benefit.

Comparable graft and patient survival in lean and obese liver transplant recipients.

Obesity is among the great health problems facing Americans today. More than 32% of the US population is considered obese on the basis of a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 kg/m(2) . Obesity increases the risk for numerous perioperative complications, but how obesity affects the outcome of liver transplantation remains unclear. We compared graft/patient survival after orthotopic liver transplantation performed at the Cleveland Clinic between April 2005 and June 2011 in 2 groups: obese patients with a BMI ≥ 38 kg/m(2) and lean patients with a BMI between 20 and 26 kg/m(2) . We included 47 obese patients and 183 lean patients, whose demographics and baseline characteristics were well balanced after weighting with the inverse propensity score. After we controlled for observed confounding, no significant differences were observed in graft/patient survival between obese and lean patients (P = 0.30). The estimated hazard ratio for obese patients to experience graft failure or death was 1.19 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.85-1.67]. There were 134 patients who had follow-up for more than 3 years, and they included 27 obese patients and 107 lean patients. Within this subset, the odds of having metabolic syndrome were significantly greater for obese patients (46%) versus lean patients (21%; odds ratio = 4.76, 99.5% CI = 1.66-13.7, P < 0.001). However, no significant association between obesity and any other long-term adverse outcomes was found. In conclusion, this study shows that transplant outcomes were comparable for lean and obese recipients. We thus recommend that even morbid obesity per se should not exclude patients from consideration for transplantation.

Influence of morphology and polymer:nanoparticle ratio on device performance of hybrid solar cells-an approach in experiment and simulation.

We present a thorough study on the various impacts of polymer:nanoparticle ratios on morphology, charge generation and device performance in hybrid solar cells, comprising active layers consisting of a conjugated polymer and in situ prepared copper indium sulfide (CIS) nanoparticles. We conducted morphological studies through transmission electron microscopy and transient absorption measurements to study charge generation in absorber layers with polymer:nanoparticle weight ratios ranging from 1:3 to 1:15. These data are correlated to the characteristic parameters of the prepared solar cells. To gain a deeper understanding of our experimental findings, three-dimensional drift-diffusion-based simulations were performed. Based on elaborate descriptions of the contributions of polymer and nanoparticle phase to device performances, our results suggest that a polymer:CIS volume ratio of 1:2 (weight ratio 1:9) is necessary to obtain a balanced hole and electron percolation. Also at higher CIS loadings the photocurrent remains surprisingly high due to the contribution of the CIS phase to the charge carrier generation.

Synthesis and optical characterisation of triphenylamine-based hole extractor materials for CdSe quantum dots.

We report the synthesis and optical characterisation of different triphenylamine-based hole capture materials able to anchor to CdSe quantum dots (QDs). Cyclic voltammetry studies indicate that these materials exhibit reversible electrochemical behaviour. Photoluminescence and transient absorption spectroscopy techniques are used to study interfacial charge transfer properties of the triphenylamine functionalized CdSe QDs. Specifically, we show that the functionalized QDs based on the most easily oxidised triphenylamine display efficient hole-extraction and long-lived charge separation. The present findings should help identify new strategies to control charge transfer QD-based optoelectronic devices.

The association between preoperative anemia and 30-day mortality and morbidity in noncardiac surgical patients.

BACKGROUND: Anemia has been associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. We used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to retrospectively assess the relationship between preoperative anemia and 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity in noncardiac surgical patients, careful to distinguish confounding variables from mediator variables. METHODS: Each patient with preoperative anemia was matched to one without anemia using propensity matching on potentially confounding baseline variables. Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between preoperative anemia and 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity. The primary hypothesis was evaluated after adjusting for covariables showing residual imbalance after matching. RESULTS: Within the database, 574,860 of 971,455 surgical cases met our inclusion criteria, and among those 145,218 (25.3%) were anemic at baseline. The unadjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for 30-day mortality comparing anemic patients with nonanemic patients was 4.69 (4.01-5.49). Among the propensity-matched group of 238,596 patients, the total effect (i.e., not adjusting for mediator variables) of preoperative anemia was estimated as an odds ratio of 1.59 (1.42-1.78). After adjusting for suspected mediator variables, preoperative anemia was only weakly associated with an odds ratio of 1.24 (1.10-1.40) for 30-day mortality. CONCLUSION: Preoperative anemia appears to be associated with baseline diseases that markedly increase mortality. Anemia per se is a rather weak independent predictor of postoperative mortality. Our analysis also illustrates how analyzing large variable-rich registries challenges investigators to discriminate between confounding variables and mediator variables, i.e., factors that might be considered as "causal pathways" for the effect of the exposure or intervention on outcome.

Connecting the (quantum) dots: towards hybrid photovoltaic devices based on chalcogenide gels.

CdSe(ZnS) core(shell) aerogels were prepared from the assembly of quantum dots into mesoporous colloidal networks. The sol-gel method produces inorganic particle interfaces with low resistance to electrical transport while maintaining quantum-confinement. The photoelectrochemical properties of aerogels and their composites with poly(3-hexylthiophene) are reported for the first time.

Gentamicin in neonates at risk for sepsis - peak serum concentrations are not necessary.

BACKGROUND: Serum gentamicin concentrations (GSCs) are frequently obtained before and after gentamicin administration to newborns with, or at high risk for, sepsis. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether performing a peak GSC assay when the trough GSC is within the guidelines for care would add clinically relevant information for health care workers. METHODS: A retrospective review of the IWK Health Centre (Halifax, Nova Scotia) laboratory database for peak and trough GSC for infants <28 days after birth was performed. RESULTS: Of 5253 paired samples of trough and peak GSCs, 3001 (57%) had trough GSCs ≤2 µg/mL. Of these, only nine (0.3%) had a peak GSC >10 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Performing a peak GSC measurement does not provide further clinically important data and increases patient morbidity and hospital costs.

HISTORIQUE: On vérifie souvent les concentrations de gentamicine sérique avant et après l'administration de gentamicine aux nouveau-nés présentant une septicémie ou qui y sont très vulnérables. OBJECTIF: Déterminer si l'obtention de la valeur de pointe de la concentration de gentamicine sérique (CGS) lorsque la valeur seuil respecte les lignes directrices de soins ajoute de l'information pertinente sur le plan clinique pour les travailleurs de la santé. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Analyse rétrospective de la base de données du laboratoire de l'IWK Health Centre à l'égard des valeurs de pointe et des valeurs seuils du CGS obtenues chez des bébés de moins de 28 jours de vie. RÉSULTATS: Des 5 253 échantillons appariés, 3 001 (57 %) avaient une valeur seuil de la CGS égale ou inférieure à 2 µg/mL. De ce nombre, seulement neuf (0,3 %) avaient une valeur de pointe de la CGS supérieure à 10 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: L'obtention de la valeur de pointe de la CGS ne fournit pas de nouvelles données importantes sur le plan clinique, sans compter qu'elle accroît la morbidité des patients et les coûts pour l'hôpital.

Association between Industry Payments and Published Position on Use of Devices for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of industry payments to authors of opinion articles on the Urolift and Rezum devices. We also examined the extent to which authors omitted acknowledgements of financial conflicts-of-interest. METHODS: We searched Google Scholar for all articles that cite either of the respective pivotal trials for these devices. 2 blinded urologists coded the articles as favorable or neutral. A separate blinded researcher recorded industry payments from the manufacturers using the Open Payments Program database. RESULTS: We identified 29 articles written by 27 unique authors from an initial screening list of 235 articles. Of these articles, 15 (52%) were coded as positive and 14 (48%) were coded as neutral. 20 (74%) authors have accepted payments from the manufacturer of the device. Since 2014, these authors have collectively received $270,000 from NeoTract and $314,000 from Boston Scientific. Of the 20 authors with payments, 9 (45%) received more than $10,000 from either manufacturer. Of authors with payments, 65% (13/20) contributed to only positive articles. Authors who received payments had more than 4 times the number of article contributions than did authors without payments (42 vs 10). Authors of at least one favorable article were more likely to have received payments from the device manufacturers than authors of neutral articles (P = .014, Chi-squared test). Most (80%, 16/20) authors with payments did not report a relevant conflict-of-interest within any of their articles. CONCLUSION: These data suggest a relationship between payments from a manufacturer and positive published position on that company's device. There may be a critical lack of published editorial pieces by authors without financial conflicts of interest.

Head pre-cooling improves symptoms of heat-sensitive multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Damage to the central nervous system by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) leads to multiple symptoms, including weakness, ambulatory dysfunction, visual disturbances and fatigue. Heat can exacerbate the symptoms of MS whereas cooling can provide symptomatic relief. Since the head and neck areas are particularly sensitive to cold and cooling interventions, we investigated the effects of cooling the head and neck for 60 minutes on the symptoms of MS. METHODS: We used a double blinded, placebo controlled, cross-over study design to evaluate the effects of head and neck cooling on six heat-sensitive, stable, ambulatory females with MS (Extended Disability Status Scale 2.5-6.5). To isolate the effects of perceived versus physiological cooling, a sham cooling condition was incorporated, where subjects perceived the sensation of being cooled without any actual physiological cooling. Participants visited the clinic three times for 60 minutes of true, sham, or no cooling using a custom head and neck cooling hood, followed by evaluation of ambulation, visual acuity, and muscle strength. Rectal and skin temperature, heart rate, and thermal sensation were measured throughout cooling and testing. RESULTS: Both the true and sham cooling elicited significant sensations of thermal cooling, but only the true cooling condition decreased core temperature by 0.37 °C (36.97 ± 0.21 to 36.60 ± 0.23 °C). True cooling improved performance in the six minute walk test and the timed up-and-go test but not visual acuity or hand grip strength. CONCLUSIONS: Head and neck cooling may be an effective tool in increasing ambulatory capacity in individuals with MS and heat sensitivity.

Simulation-Based Percutaneous Renal Access Training: Evaluating a Novel 3D Immersive Virtual Reality Platform.

Introduction: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the gold standard treatment for patients with a large stone burden. There are a variety of methods to teach this important endourologic procedure, including simulation. We evaluated three different PCNL simulation platforms for potential use in teaching and assessing percutaneous renal access skills. Materials and Methods: Urology residents, fellows, and faculty were recruited to participate in this study, which included completing standardized tasks on three PCNL simulation platforms: a virtual reality (VR) simulator (PercMentor, 3D Systems™), a porcine tissue simulator (Cook™ Medical), and a new 3D immersive VR simulator-Marion K181 (Marion Surgical™). Participants were asked to complete a standardized task-gaining prone percutaneous renal access using a fluoroscopic-guided technique. Participants were asked to rate the simulators, and performance data were recorded for analysis. Results: A total of 18 participants with varying levels of PCNL experience completed the study. The Marion K181 had higher ratings by participants in all domains (realism, tactile feedback, instrument movement, renal anatomy, fidelity of simulation, utility as teaching tool) compared with the PercMentor (p < 0.05) but did not differ in any domain when compared with the porcine PCNL model. Participants felt that the Marion K181 was comparable with the porcine PCNL model as a teaching tool, but had the advantage of not requiring radiation exposure. Fluoroscopy time was the variable that most consistently correlated with participant PCNL experience and level of training, across all three PCNL simulation platforms. Conclusions: There are a variety of PCNL simulation platforms available for teaching percutaneous renal access skills. Based on our initial comparative study, there is validity evidence to support the use of the novel Marion K181 PCNL simulator as a training tool rather than higher fidelity models requiring real radiation exposure. However, evidence is yet lacking for its use as an assessment tool.

Assessing the Necessity of Routine Crossmatching for Blood Transfusion in Renal Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Routine crossmatch of packed red blood cells (pRBCs) is completed preoperatively at many centers despite conflicting evidence on the incidence of blood transfusions with renal transplantation. In the current economic climate, resource adjudication should be judicious and medically appropriate. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, timing, and predictors of early postoperative pRBC transfusion in patients undergoing renal transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing renal transplantation at our institution from January 2013 to May 2016 was performed. Demographic, biochemical, and clinical parameters were recorded. The primary outcome was early postoperative transfusion, defined as an intraoperative transfusion or within 2 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify associations with early postoperative transfusion. RESULTS: We identified 428 patients during the study period (average age 55 years, 60% male, 30% obese, 67% deceased donor, and 43% preoperative antithrombotic use). Forty (9.3%) patients required early postoperative transfusion (mean: 2.8 pRBCs/transfusion) and most did not require blood urgently. Only 20 (4.7%) patients required a transfusion intraoperatively or on the same day of surgery. Lower preoperative hemoglobin (per g/L unit: odds ratio [OR]: 0.943), female gender (OR: 2.752), and preoperative antithrombotic use (OR 2.369) were associated with a need for early postoperative transfusion. CONCLUSION: Transfusion in the early postoperative period following renal transplantation was less than 10%, suggesting that routine crossmatch may not be necessary for all patients. Preoperative hemoglobin, female gender, and preoperative antithrombotic use were associated with increased risk and may be useful to risk-stratify patients who require crossmatch.

Are Routine Laboratory Investigations Necessary Following Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy?

OBJECTIVE: To determine how effective routine postoperative blood work is in identifying complications after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), the gold standard treatment for large volume stone disease. Although major complication rates are low, hemorrhagic and sepsis-related complications are serious and can occur. Routine post-PCNL complete blood count is routinely performed by most endourologists but may be a low-value practice. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all PCNL procedures at our center over a 3-year period. Patient demographic, stone characteristics and postoperative data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred and eighty-five patients (196 female and 189 males) underwent PCNL for the treatment of urolithiasis. Mean age was 55.8 years and mean length of stay in hospital was 1.74 days. Most patients (82.9%) had neither ureteric stent nor percutaneous tube prior to PCNL. Postoperatively, 4 patients (1.0%) required a blood transfusion and 14 patients (3.6%) developed urosepsis. Patients who required either a transfusion or developed urosepsis demonstrated abnormal vital signs (tachycardia, hypotension, or fever) postoperatively. Sixteen patients (4.2%) had normal vital signs but had an extended hospital stay only to monitor abnormal blood work results. None these patients required a transfusion nor developed urosepsis but had a length of stay that was a mean of 1.5 days longer patients with normal postoperative vital signs and blood work. CONCLUSION: Abnormal vital signs alone identified all patients that required transfusion or treatment for urosepsis after PCNL. Routine complete blood count testing postoperatively may not improve detection of infectious or bleeding complications and may prolong hospital admission unnecessarily.

Late Pleistocene human genome suggests a local origin for the first farmers of central Anatolia.

Anatolia was home to some of the earliest farming communities. It has been long debated whether a migration of farming groups introduced agriculture to central Anatolia. Here, we report the first genome-wide data from a 15,000-year-old Anatolian hunter-gatherer and from seven Anatolian and Levantine early farmers. We find high genetic continuity (~80-90%) between the hunter-gatherers and early farmers of Anatolia and detect two distinct incoming ancestries: an early Iranian/Caucasus related one and a later one linked to the ancient Levant. Finally, we observe a genetic link between southern Europe and the Near East predating 15,000 years ago. Our results suggest a limited role of human migration in the emergence of agriculture in central Anatolia.

Indications and contraindications for shock wave lithotripsy and how to improve outcomes.

For over 35 years shock wave lithotripsy has proven to be an effective, safe and truly minimally invasive option for the treatment of nephrolithiasis. Various technical factors as well as patient selection can impact the success of the procedure. We used published work focusing on outcomes of shock wave lithotripsy, risk of complications, and strategies for improving stone fragmentation to create this review. Multiple patient and technical factors have been found to impact success of treatment. Skin to stone distance, stone density and composition, size and location of the stone within the urinary system all influence stone free rates. A slower rate with a gradual increasing voltage, precise targeting, proper coupling will improve stone fragmentation and decrease risk of complications. The selection of appropriate patients through a shared decision making process and attention to the technical factors that improve stone free rates is key to providing an effective treatment and patient satisfaction.

A survey of Canadian renal transplant surgeons: Use of ureteric stents and technique of the ureteroneocystotomy.

INTRODUCTION: The role of ureteric stenting in renal transplant has been well-demonstrated. The goal of this survey was to determine the utilization of ureteric stents by Canadian transplant surgeons, and how the ureteroneocystotomy and followup is performed. METHODS: An online survey was sent to the 40 surgeon members of the Canadian Society of Transplantation. The primary outcome was the rate of ureteric stent use at the time of renal transplantation. The secondary outcomes were the ureteric stent dwell time, use and type of prophylactic antibiotics, and the use of routine post-transplant ultrasonography. RESULTS: All respondents (25) used ureteric stent routinely and 92% remove the stent between four and six weeks postoperatively. Prophylactic antibiotics were used 64% of the time for ureteric stent removal. The majority of surgeons do not routinely perform a post-stent removal ultrasound. Fifty-six percent of respondents perform a refluxing anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteric stents are routinely used in renal transplant in Canada. Areas for improvement and topics of debate identified from this survey are the need for peri-stent removal antibiotics, the role of post-stent removal ultrasound, the duration of stent dwell time, and the need for a non-refluxing ureteroneocystotomy.