Impact of hospital volume and surgeon volume on robot-assisted partial nephrectomy outcomes: a multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of hospital volume (HV) and surgeon volume (SV) on perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent a RAPN from 2009 to 2015, at 11 institutions, were included in a retrospective study. To evaluate the impact of HV, we divided RAPN into four quartiles according to the caseload per year: low HV (<20/year), moderate HV (20-44/year), high HV (45-70/year), and very high HV (>70/year). The SV was also divided into four quartiles: low SV (<7/year), moderate SV (7-14/year), high SV (15-30/year), and very high SV (>30/year). The primary endpoint was the Trifecta defined as the following combination: no complications, warm ischaemia time (WIT) <25 min, and negative surgical margins. RESULTS: In total, 1 222 RAPN were included. The mean (sd) caseload per hospital per year was 44.9 (26.7) RAPNs and the mean (sd) caseload per surgeon per year was 19.2 (14.9) RAPNs. The Trifecta achievement rate increased significantly with SV (69.9% vs 72.8% vs 73% vs 86.1%; P < 0.001) and HV (60.3% vs 72.3% vs 86.2% vs 82.4%; P < 0.001). The positive surgical margins (PSM) rate (P = 0.02), length of hospital stay (LOS; P < 0.001), WIT (P < 0.001), and operative time (P < 0.001), all decreased significantly with increasing SV. The PSM rate (P = 0.02), LOS (P < 0.001), WIT (P < 0.001), operative time (P < 0.001), and major complications rate (P = 0.01), all decreased significantly with increasing HV. In multivariate analysis adjusting for HV and SV (model 3), HV remained the main predictive factor of Trifecta achievement (odds ratio [OR] 3.70 for very high vs low HV; P < 0.001), whereas SV was not associated with Trifecta achievement (OR 1.58 for very high vs low SV; P = 0.34). CONCLUSION: In this multicentre study HV and SV both greatly influenced RAPN perioperative outcomes, but HV appeared to have a greater impact than SV.

Comparison of adjustable continence therapy periurethral balloons and artificial urinary sphincter in female patients with stress urinary incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective was to compare the outcomes of the ACT® device with those of the artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) AMS 800 in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) due to sphincter deficiency in women. METHODS: All the women who underwent surgical treatment for SUI due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency from 2007 to 2017 were included in a single-center retrospective study. The primary endpoint was the functional outcome. Perioperative functional parameters of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Twenty-five patients underwent an ACT® implantation and 36 an AUS implantation. Patients in the AUS group were younger (62.9 vs 70.4 years; p = 0.03) with less comorbidity (ASA Score = 3 in 12.1% vs 33.3%; p = 0.005). Operative time and hospital stay were shorter in the ACT® group (45.7 vs 206.1 min; p < 0.001; 1.7 vs 7 days; p < 0.001 respectively). There was a higher rate of intraoperative complications in the AUS group (47% vs 8%; p < 0.001) but the rates of postoperative complications were similar between both groups. The ACT® was associated with an increased risk of urinary retention (20% vs 2.8%; p = 0.04). Results were in favor of AUS for: decrease in USP stress incontinence subscore (-7.6 vs -3.2; p < 0.001), number of pads per 24 h (- 4.6 vs -2.3; p = 0.002), PGII scale (PGII = 1: 61.1% vs 12%; p < 0.001), and cure rate (71.4% vs 21.7%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the present series, keeping in mind the significantly different baseline characteristics, AUS implantation was associated with better functional outcomes than the ACT® in female patients with SUI due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency, but with a higher intraoperative complications rate, longer operative time, and a longer stay.

Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy Versus Flexible Ureteroscopy for the Management of Upper Tract Urinary Stones in Children.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and morbidity of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) and flexible ureteroscopy (F-URS) for the management of upper tract urinary stones in children. METHODS: All SWL and F-URS performed in children in a single institution between 2000 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Only procedures performed to treat upper tract urinary stones (upper ureter or kidney) were included in this study. Preoperative and perioperative outcomes were compared between the SWL and F-URS groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate predictors of stone-free (SF) status. RESULTS: Over the study period, 100 SWL and 46 F-URS were conducted in 69 children. The SWL and F-URS groups were comparable in terms of stone size (14.6 vs 13.2 mm, p = 0.32), but there were more multiple stones (31% vs 57%; p = 0.003) and lower pole calculi (14% vs 37%; p = 0.003) in the F-URS group. The SF rate after one procedure was almost two times higher in the F-URS group compared with the SWL group (37% vs 21%; p = 0.04) without increasing the complication rate (21.7% vs 16%; p = 0.31). Similar results were observed in the subgroup of single renal stones <20 mm (SF rates: 78.6% vs 50%; p = 0.06). In multivariate analysis, the use of F-URS vs SWL was a predictor of an SF status (odds ratio = 3.7; p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: F-URS provides a higher single-session SF rate, despite more complex urinary stones (multiple, lower pole, etc.) and without increasing morbidity.

Artificial urinary sphincter implantation in women with stress urinary incontinence: preliminary comparison of robot-assisted and open approaches.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We aimed to compare outcomes of open and robot-assisted artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation in female patients. METHODS: The charts of all female patients who underwent an AUS implantation between 2008 and 2014 in a single center were retrospectively reviewed. From 2008 to 2012, AUS were implanted using an open approach and from 2013 to 2014 using a robot-assisted approach. Perioperative and functional parameters were compared between groups. The primary endpoint was continence status. RESULTS: Twenty-four women were assessed: 16 in the open group and eight in the robot-assisted group. Three patients had neurogenic stress urinary incontinence. Most patients had undergone previous procedures for urinary incontinence (15 in the open group and seven in the robotic group). Mean operative time was similar in both groups (214 vs. 211 min; p = 0.90). Postoperative complicationsrate was lower in the robot-assisted group (25 vs. 75 %; p = 0.02). There was a trend toward a lower intraoperative complication rate (37.5 vs. 62.5 %; p = 0.25), decreased blood loss (17 ml vs. 275 ml; p = 0.22), and shorter length of stay (3.5 vs. 9.3 days; p = 0.09) in the robot-assisted group. Continence rates were comparable in both groups (75 vs. 68.8 %; p = 0.75). Three AUS explantations were needed in the open group (18.8 %) compared with one in the robot-assisted group (12.5 %; p = 0.70). CONCLUSIONS: In female patients, the robot-assisted approach compared with open AUS implantation could decrease intraoperative and postoperative complication rates, length of hospital stay, and blood loss.