Definition, treatment and outcome of residual fragments in staghorn stones.

Technological advances in minimally invasive treatment of stone disease and its integration with concomitant clinical practice are amongst the most important achievements in urology. Despite the wealth of information accumulated over the years and the richness of existing literature, the knowledge about the definition, treatment and outcomes of residual stone fragments after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) is still insufficient. Due to the high stone load a lot of patients with staghorn stones have residual fragments (RFs) after treatment with PNL, which depends on the size of tract, definition of stone free rate (SFR), timing of evaluation and the imaging used. No consensus exists on the imaging modality or their timing in the evaluation of possible RFs. The treatment of residual stones is apparently different depending on the facilities of the department and the preference of the surgeon, which includes active surveillance, shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) or a second look PNL.

Prostate cancer diagnosis: the feasibility of needle-based optical coherence tomography.

The objective of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of needle-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) and functional analysis of OCT data along the full pullback trajectory of the OCT measurement in the prostate, correlated with pathology. OCT images were recorded using a commercially available C7-XR™ OCT Intravascular Imaging System interfaced to a C7 Dragonfly™ intravascular 0.9-mm-diameter imaging probe. A computer program was constructed for automated image attenuation analysis. First, calibration of the OCT system for both the point spread function and the system roll-off was achieved by measurement of the OCT signal attenuation from an extremely weakly scattering medium (Intralipid® 0.0005 volume%). Second, the data were arranged in 31 radial wedges (pie slices) per circular segments consisting of 16 A-scans per wedge and 5 axial B-scans, resulting in an average A-scan per wedge. Third, the decay of the OCT signal is analyzed over 50 pixels ([Formula: see text]) in depth, starting from the first found maximum data point. Fourth, for visualization, the data were grouped with a corresponding color representing a specific [Formula: see text] range according to their attenuation coefficient. Finally, the analyses were compared to histopathology. To ensure that each single use sterile imaging probe is comparable to the measurements of the other imaging probes, the probe-to-probe variations were analyzed by measuring attenuation coefficients of 0.03, 6.5, 11.4, 17, and 22.7 volume% Intralipid®. Experiments were repeated five times per probe for four probes. Inter- and intraprobe variation in the measured attenuation of Intralipid samples with scattering properties similar to that of the prostate was [Formula: see text] of the mean values. Mean attenuation coefficients in the prostate were [Formula: see text] for parts of the tissue that were classified as benign (SD: [Formula: see text], minimum: [Formula: see text], maximum: [Formula: see text]) and [Formula: see text] for parts of tissue that were classified as malignant (SD: [Formula: see text], minimum: [Formula: see text], maximum: [Formula: see text]). In benign areas, the tissue looked homogeneous, whereas in malignant areas, small glandular structures were seen. However, not all areas in which a high attenuation coefficient became apparent corresponded to areas of prostate cancer. This paper describes the first in-tissue needle-based OCT imaging and three-dimensional optical attenuation analysis of prostate tissue that indicates a correlation with pathology. Fully automated attenuation coefficient analysis was performed at 1300 nm over the full pullback. Correlation with pathology was achieved by coregistration of three-dimensional (3-D) OCT attenuation maps with 3-D pathology of the prostate. This may contribute to the current challenge of prostate imaging and the rising interest in focal therapy for reduction of side effects occurring with current therapies.

Is age a prognostic factor for treatment outcome in renal cell cancer-A comprehensive review.

Life expectancy gradually increases in the Western part of the world. Older patients may present with small, localized tumours and/or advanced or metastatic disease and still, potentially, have a considerable life expectancy. The consequence of the increased life span is that in older patients all potential treatments have to be discussed. A critical review of the literature regarding the treatment of different stages of renal cell cancer (RCC) in the elderly patient group was conducted. Elderly people with small renal masses are up to 3.5 times more likely to have a benign lesion. The oncological outcome from nephron sparing surgery (NSS), whether by means of laparoscopy or by means of open surgery, seems not to be different between young and old patients. No relationship between local recurrence and metastatic progression rates and patient age has been demonstrated. The outcome from systemic treatments in advanced/metastatic disease has been studied, no differences were observed between age groups, although toxicity profiles might differ between the younger and older patient groups.

Haemostasis in laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: current status.

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is increasingly performed all over the world. However, as in its open counterpart, achieving a satisfactory haemostasis may be challenging. Our goal is to describe the different methods employed to control bleeding during LPN. We performed a non-structured review of the literature on the different haemostatic methods used during LPN. The techniques and materials used are divided into two main groups: LPN with ischemia and LPN without ischemia. The techniques to achieve warm, cold and regional ischemia are described. Energy sources and sealants are discussed in the section on LPN without ischemia. Case selection is of capital importance in the choice the appropriate haemostatic tools for LPN. Some refinements, related to the nature of the laparoscopic procedure, are still required to reach an effective cold ischemia. A broad variety of energy sources have been tested in animal models and in human setting. Major disadvantages are tissue scarring, smoke creation and low progression speed. To date none has been demonstrated to be superior to the conventional suturing. Fibrin and thrombin promoters as bio-glues are an important adjuvant method during LPN. Bipolar current devices together with fibrin sealants or coagulation promoters are used in small peripheral tumors. In bigger or central tumors, additionally suturing over Surgicel bolsters, the most popular technique is to secure the suture by means of clips. The level of the recommendations is based on comparative cohorts. We conclude that haemostasis is achieved during LPN adapting the protocols used in open nephron sparing surgery to the laparoscopic approach. Renal ischemia and bolster sutures are still mandatory in complicated LPN while in case of small exophytic tumors a satisfactory haemostasis may be achieved by using only a sealant product.

Clinical utility of "blind placement" prostatic stent in patients with benign prostatic obstruction: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of two versions of a blind placement temporary prostatic stent in the treatment of patients with benign prostatic obstruction. METHODS: Two versions of a prostatic stent (blind placement stent 1 [BPS-1] and BPS-2) were blindly inserted in an outpatient setting under local anesthesia. An assessment of voiding function, symptom scores, and complications was performed at baseline, directly after stent insertion, and at 14 and 28 days after stent placement. RESULTS: A total of 55 men were enrolled in the trial. Most stents of both types were successfully placed. Spontaneous voiding was achieved in all patients immediately after stent insertion, with improvements in voiding parameters and symptom scores. In patients with the BPS-1, migration occurred in 85%. In patients with the BPS-2, migration occurred in 5%. The median indwelling time of the stent was 16 and 38 days for the BPS-1 and BPS-2, respectively. Removal was successful in all but 1 case (BPS-2). CONCLUSIONS: The BPS-1 is not suitable for clinical practice because of the significantly high migration rate. The bulbar segment of the BPS-2 can prevent stent migration. However, patients experienced significant discomfort after insertion of the BPS-2. The voiding parameters and symptom scores of the BPS-2 were not significantly improved. Therefore, the BPS-2 is also not useful for clinical practice. Additional adjustment in the design of the BPS is needed to overcome these problems.