Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in patients with spinal cord injury: should all these patients be automatically assigned a Guy's stone score of 4?

PURPOSE: To assess the complication and stone-free rates of PCNL in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to evaluate whether this population should be assigned a Guy's stone score (GSS) of 4. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted, and electronic charts were reviewed to search for patients with SCI, bladder dysfunction, and kidney stones who had undergone PCNL. Control cases were randomly selected from among patients with complete staghorn calculus (GSS = 4). RESULTS: One hundred and seventeen patients were included. Patients with SCI had a significant shorter operative time (119 vs. 141 min; p = 0.018). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of the patients' position, number of renal tracts, bleeding or transfusion rate; however, there was a significantly higher complication rate (23.1% vs. 7.8%; p = 0.009) and a longer hospital stay (5.8 vs. 3.1 days; p = 0.002) among patients with SCI. With regards to the stone-free rate in patients with different grades of GSS patients with SCI who had a GSS of 1 had a stone-free rate of 85.7%, while those with a GSS of 2, 3, or 4 had 50%, 50%, and 31.5%, respectively (p = 0.024). Only patients with a GSS of 4 in the SCI group had outcomes that were similar to those of control patients (31.5% vs. 31.6%). CONCLUSION: Patients with SCI should not be automatically assigned GSS 4. Stone-free rate is related to stone burden in these patients, although they do show a higher complication rate and a longer hospital stay than non-neurological patients.

Densitometric study of the clavicle: bone mineral density explains the laterality of the fractures

Introduction: Epidemiological studies have shown laterality in clavicle fractures, such that the left side is more frequently fractured. The present study had the aim of evaluating whether the clavicle on the dominant side is denser and thus explaining the greater incidence of fractures on the non-dominant side. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive study on 52 healthy patients, who were classified according to age, sex and whether the dominant or non-dominant side was affected. Results: The participants comprised 28 women (53.8%) and 24 men (46.2%). Regarding the dominant side, 30 were right-handed (57.7%) and 22 were left-handed (42.3%). The mean age was 25 years. In this study, it could be seen that the non-dominant side had greater bone mass than the dominant side. It was also observed that the bone density was greater in the middle and distal thirds on the non-dominant side, with a statistically significant difference. In the women, the density was also greater on the non-dominant side; this difference was not significant in relation to the dominant side, but there were significant differences between the middle thirds (p<0.001) and the distal thirds (p <0.006). Conclusion: Variations in bone density, toward higher and lower bone mass, may have been responsible for the fractures. According to the findings from this study, fractures occur more in the middle third of the non-dominant clavicle, as a result of greater bone mineral mass, which gives rise to lower flexibility and fractures in the region...

Introdução: Estudos epidemiológicos mostram uma lateralidade nas fraturas da clavícula, com o lado esquerdo mais frequentemente fraturado. O presente estudo tem como finalidade avaliar se a clavícula do lado dominante é mais densa e explicar, dessa forma, a maior incidência de fraturas no lado não dominante. Material e métodos: Estudo descritivo de 52 pacientes hígidos, classificados quanto a idade, sexo e lado dominante ou não. Resultados: Fizeram parte deste estudo 28 mulheres (53,8%) e 24 homens (46,2%); em relação ao lado dominante, 30 eram destros (57,7%) e 22, canhotos (42,3%); a idade média foi de 25 anos. Neste estudo, foi possível constatar que o lado não dominante teve maior massa óssea quando comparado ao lado dominante. Também observamos que a densidade óssea foi maior nos terços médios e distais no lado não dominante, com diferença estatisticamente significativa. Nas mulheres, a densidade também foi maior no lado não dominante; essa diferença não foi significativa quando comparado com o lado dominante, porém foi significativamente diferente entre os terços médio (p< 0,001) e distal (p< 0,006). Conclusão: As variacões da densidade óssea, tanto com maior como com menor massa óssea, podem ser responsáveis pelas fraturas. De acordo com os achados deste estudo, as fraturas ocorrem mais no terço médio da clavícula não dominante, em decorrência de uma maior massa mineral óssea, o que acarretaria uma menor flexibilidade da região e as fraturas...

Densitometric study of the clavicle: bone mineral density explains the laterality of the fractures.

INTRODUCTION: Epidemiological studies have shown laterality in clavicle fractures, such that the left side is more frequently fractured. The present study had the aim of evaluating whether the clavicle on the dominant side is denser and thus explaining the greater incidence of fractures on the non-dominant side. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive study on 52 healthy patients, who were classified according to age, sex and whether the dominant or non-dominant side was affected. RESULTS: The participants comprised 28 women (53.8%) and 24 men (46.2%). Regarding the dominant side, 30 were right-handed (57.7%) and 22 were left-handed (42.3%). The mean age was 25 years. In this study, it could be seen that the non-dominant side had greater bone mass than the dominant side. It was also observed that the bone density was greater in the middle and distal thirds on the non-dominant side, with a statistically significant difference. In the women, the density was also greater on the non-dominant side; this difference was not significant in relation to the dominant side, but there were significant differences between the middle thirds (p < 0.001) and the distal thirds (p < 0.006). CONCLUSION: Variations in bone density, toward higher and lower bone mass, may have been responsible for the fractures. According to the findings from this study, fractures occur more in the middle third of the non-dominant clavicle, as a result of greater bone mineral mass, which gives rise to lower flexibility and fractures in the region.

INTRODUÇÃO: Estudos epidemiológicos mostram uma lateralidade nas fraturas da clavícula, com o lado esquerdo mais frequentemente fraturado. O presente estudo tem como finalidade avaliar se a clavícula do lado dominante é mais densa e explicar, dessa forma, a maior incidência de fraturas no lado não dominante. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Estudo descritivo de 52 pacientes hígidos, classificados quanto a idade, sexo e lado dominante ou não. RESULTADOS: Fizeram parte deste estudo 28 mulheres (53,8%) e 24 homens (46,2%); em relação ao lado dominante, 30 eram destros (57,7%) e 22, canhotos (42,3%); a idade média foi de 25 anos. Neste estudo, foi possível constatar que o lado não dominante teve maior massa óssea quando comparado ao lado dominante. Também observamos que a densidade óssea foi maior nos terços médios e distais no lado não dominante, com diferença estatisticamente significativa. Nas mulheres, a densidade também foi maior no lado não dominante; essa diferença não foi significativa quando comparado com o lado dominante, porém foi significativamente diferente entre os terços médio (p < 0,001) e distal (p < 0,006). CONCLUSÃO: As variações da densidade óssea, tanto com maior como com menor massa óssea, podem ser responsáveis pelas fraturas. De acordo com os achados deste estudo, as fraturas ocorrem mais no terço médio da clavícula não dominante, em decorrência de uma maior massa mineral óssea, o que acarretaria uma menor flexibilidade da região e as fraturas.