Evaluation of Factors Influenced on the Effectiveness of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy.

Background: Generally, there are many methods for the treatment of urinary stones, of which percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a minimally invasive and highly effective method, and now become the first-line management for urinary stones, especially in the cases of complex stones and staghorne calculi. Accurate assessment of stone location, stone morphology, degree of hydronephrosis as well as urinary system abnormalities is extremely important in the percutaneous nephrolithotomy strategy. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the S.T.O.N.E score as well as other factors that influenced the effectiveness of PCNL. Methods: Descriptive study on 71 patients with kidney stones, who underwent multi-slice CT scan of the urinary system before PCNL and then PCNL at Hanoi Medical University Hospital from July 2022 to July 2023. All patients received the informed consent and agreed to participate in the study. The factors included the stone area, the track length (from the skin surface to the stone central), the degree of urinary tract dilatation, the number of involved calyces, the density of stone, the renal parenchyma thickness, the ureteral wall thickness and fat infiltration measured on MSCT non-contrast phase. These factors were used to predict the effectiveness of PCNL including the stone clearance rate (SCR) and the operation time. Results: The mean age of the patient group was 53.8±12.3. The male/female ratio was 1.54. There was a significant difference (p<0.05) between the following factors and the operation time: the stone area (<400, 400-799, 800-1599 and >1600 mm2), the degree of urinary tract dilatation (no or might and moderate or severe dilatation), the number of involved calyces (≤ 2, 3 and staghorne calculi), the renal parenchyma thickness (<18 mm and ≥18mm). In contrast, there were no significant differences between the following factors and the surgery time (p>0.05): the track length (<100 and ≥100 mm), and the stone density (<950 and ≥950 HU). Regarding the S.T.O.N.E score (included five factors: Size, Track length, Obstruction, Number of involved calyces, and Evaluation of stone density), there was a strong correlation between S.T.O.N.E score and the surgery time (p<0.001, r=0.94), and the SCR (p=0.001, r=-0.97). Conclusion: The evaluation of these factors played an important role in the prediction of the effectiveness of PCNL.

Minimally Invasive Treatment of Chyle Leak After Thyroidectomy and Cervical Lymph Node Dissection in Patients with Thyroid Carcinoma: Results of a Study Involving 36 Patients.

Objective: Chyle leak (CL) after head and neck surgery is a rare but well-known complication. In patients with high-output leakage, the treatment can be complicated. This study aims to report on a recent innovation in lymphatic intervention for treating such patients. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of 36 patients with chyle leak after neck surgery for thyroid cancer was conducted to assess the efficacy of percutaneous lymphatic embolization and thoracic duct (TD) disruption. Results: Antegrade catheterization of the thoracic duct was achieved in 31 of 36 patients (86.1%). Therefore, embolization of the thoracic duct and thoracic duct branches was performed in 26 and 5 patients, respectively. In 5 cases of unsuccessful antegrade catheterization into the thoracic duct, transcervical access embolization was performed in 2 patients, and TD disruption (TDD) was performed in 3 patients. The pooled overall technical success rate of lymphatic embolization was 33/36 patients (91.7%). One patient who underwent thoracic duct embolization (TDE) with technical success (1/33 patients) but clinical failure had additional treatment directly sclerosing the TD under computed tomography scan. Cervical fluid collection sclerotherapy was done in 7 patients as an additional treatment. Resolution of the chyle leak after procedures was observed in all patients (100%). The mean time to resolution was 3 days (1-7 days). There was no complication intra and after procedures. Conclusion: TDE, selective TD branches embolization and TDD are safe and effective minimally invasive treatments for CL post-surgery for thyroid carcinoma. Sclerosing cervical fluid collection contributes to clinical success.

Percutaneous transhepatic bilioenteric neoanastomosis: A novel approach for managing bile duct injuries following choledochal cyst resection in patients with anatomical variations of the biliary tree: A case study.

Bile duct injuries are rare complications of hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery, leading to severe complications if not timely diagnosed and treated, with surgery traditionally being the primary treatment option. However, percutaneous transhepatic or endoscopic interventions have recently gained widespread use. We present a case study of a patient with variant biliary anatomy, who suffered biliary tract injury postcholedochal cyst resection and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy; successfully treated with percutaneous transhepatic bilioenteric neoanastomosis, guided by ultrasound and digital subtraction angiography (DSA).

Occlusion of thoracic duct stent resulting in recurrent chyluria: role of renal-lymphatic fistula embolization.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic duct (TD) stenting is considered a treatment option for certain pathological conditions caused by TD obstruction, such as chyluria. Several studies have reported on the efficacy of TD stent treatment for both obstructive and leakage condition of TD, but few have evaluated the stent patency. This report aims to describe the patency of TD stent and the effectiveness of renal-lymphatic fistula embolization in the treatment of chyluria. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of chyluria treated by TD stent previously, stent was placed at the TD venous junction four months before the symptoms recurred. At the second intervention we found the stent was obstructed by debris. We recanalized the stent and successfully catheterised the microcatheter through the stent retrograde into the TD then into the renal-lymphatic fistula branch. After embolization of that abnormal branch, the recurrent chyluria was treated and no further episode of chyluria was occurred during 12 months follow up. CONCLUSION: Stent in the TD may be occluded by debris. Embolization of renal-lymphatic fistula might be the most important treatment for spontaneous chyluria.

Thoracic duct stent treatment for chyle leak after nephrectomy.

Chyle leak is a rare and serious condition caused by damaged lymphatic vessels. It can occur after retroperitoneal surgery involving extensive lymphadenectomy for kidney cancer. Besides lymphatic channel damage, the obstruction of the thoracic duct worsens the leakage. Managing patients with thoracic duct obstruction and postsurgical chyle leakage is challenging due to limited data on how to handle this condition. In this case report, a 28-year-old female patient underwent left nephrectomy for left kidney cancer. Three days after the surgery, milky fluid drained from the left renal fossa. Conservative treatment failed, and further examination through magnetic resonance lymphangiography revealed the absence of the thoracic duct and contrast extravasation at the left renal fossa. Lymphangiography confirmed distal thoracic duct obstruction. The patient's condition was successfully managed by using thoracic duct stenting. This report contributes to the understanding that thoracic duct obstruction can lead to lymphatic collateral circulation within the abdomen, thereby increasing the risk of postoperative chylous leak.

Chylous ascites after donor nephrectomy: MR lymphangiography and lymphatic embolization treatment.

Chylous ascites results from the leakage of lipid-rich lymphatic fluid into the peritoneal cavity. Most postsurgical chylous ascites occurs following abdominal aortic surgeries. However, rarely, it is a complication after laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Postsurgical chylous ascites are often managed with conservative treatment or surgery, but lymphatic embolization may be required. Here, we presented a 45-year-old male patient who was referred for abdominal distension for 1 week after left donor nephrectomy. The drain fluid was milky and fluid analysis revealed high concentrations of triglycerides and chylomicron, confirming diagnosis of chylous ascites. The patient was treated with conservative therapy including a low-fat diet and fluid drainage but continued to have high draining output (up to 1500-2000 mL/24 h). He underwent magnetic resonance lymphangiography and intranodal lymphangiography, revealing extravasation of contrast into the abdomen and the left renal fossa. We embolized the interstitial lymphatic of the left retroperitoneal and lymphatic vessels leak. The patient was discharged from hospital at the fifth day after intervention. In this article, we demonstrate lymphatic lesions, the safety, and success of this technique.

Management of chyluria using percutaneous thoracic duct stenting.

BACKGROUND: Thoracic duct stenosis or obstruction is one of the causes of chyluria. Although the diagnosis of chyluria is not difficult, treatment is still challenging. Although there have been no standard guidelines for the treatment of chyluria, interventional techniques now offer minimally invasive treatment options for chyluria such as interstitial lymphatic embolization, ductoplasty with balloon, or thoracic duct stenting. CASE PRESENTATION : Here, we report a case of chyluria due to obstruction of the junction between the thoracic duct and subclavian vein in a 64 -year- old female patient. The patient was treated with balloon plasty for lymphovenous junction obstruction and interstitial lymphatic embolization for chyluria. However, chyluria was recurrent after 6 months so intranodal lymphangiography was performed. Anterograde thoracic duct was accessed through a transabdominal to the cisterna chyli which showed that the thoracic venous junction was re-obstruction. The patient was successfully treated by placing a uncovered drug-eluting stent with the size of 2.5 mm x 15 mm in length for resolving the thoracic occlusion. CONCLUSION: This report demonstrates the feasibility of using thoracic duct stenting in the treatment chyluria due to lymphovenous junction obstruction.

Preoperative embolization of hypervascular spinal tumors: Two case reports.

The performance of preoperative embolization on a spinal tumor can be a useful adjunctive procedure that minimizes blood loss and complications, particularly for both metastatic and non-metastatic hypervascular tumors. We discuss two cases of hypervascular spinal tumors that were successfully treated with preoperative embolization and surgery. The first patient was an 18-year-old man who presented with cervical and shoulder pain for two months without paralysis or weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a tumor located in the D2 posterior vertebral arch that extended into the spinal canal and compressed the spinal cord. The second patient was a 68-year-old man with back pain that radiated to the legs for ten days. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a mass in the L4 vertebral body. Both patients received tumor embolization and surgery. After surgery, neither patient experienced any major complications. Histological examination revealed osteoblastoma in the first patient and plasmacytoma in the second patient.

Percutaneous transhepatic holmium laser lithotripsy for cholelithiasis and balloon dilation for common bile duct stone removal.

Biliary lithiasis is common in clinical practice. We present the case of a 53-year-old man referred to our hospital with a history of biliary lithiasis. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging revealed gallbladder stones and common bile duct stones. To avoid surgery, we opted to apply percutaneous transhepatic techniques to clear gallbladder and bile duct stones. This study reports our experience using these techniques, including percutaneous transhepatic holmium laser lithotripsy for cholelithiasis combined with balloon dilation to remove common bile duct stones and avoid open surgery.