Flexible Ureteroscopy as a Major Ambulatory Surgery Procedure. Single Center Experience and Analysis of Variables Related to Hospital Readmission.

OBJECTIVE: To assess our experience in flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) in major ambulatory surgery (MAS) and to detect variables related to unplanned medical assistance after surgery. MATERIAL & METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study among patients with renal stones undergoing a fURS from 2014 to 2019 in MAS at our hospital. VARIABLES: Age, gender, ASA physical status, type of anesthetic technique performed, stone characteristics, influence of double J stent before or after surgery, and postoperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo modified classification. We evaluated variables related to hospital readmission or visit to the emergency room after surgery. RESULTS: A total of 222 consecutive fURS for stone disease were performed in MAS. Patients' average age was 52.9 ± 13.91 years old. The mean operating time was 57.86 ± 21.11 minutes. The mean stone size was 1.92 ± 1.43 with a diameter of 10.01 ± 4.24 mm. 47.3% of patients had a double J stent before fURS, and in 35.14% of cases, a stent was placed after surgery. 7.65% of patients required unplanned hospitalization. 14.86% of patients presented to the emergency room in the following month after surgery. Among them, one-third consulted for symptoms related to the double J. Patients who carried a double J stent before the fURS had 64% less risk of visiting the emergency department in the following month after surgery [OR = 0,363; IC95% (0.153-0.798)]. All other variables (age, gender, operating time...) did not modify the risk of unplanned medical assistance. CONCLUSION: The low complication rate following flexible ureteroscopy allows its performance as an ambulatory surgery. Patients who carry double J stent before the procedure have less risk of requiring unplanned medical assistance after the surgery.

Clinical relevance of amyloid in prostate samples: a report on 40 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical findings in patients with incidental prostatic amyloidosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective search in the database of the Department of Pathology, Hospital de Bellvitge, for prostate specimens with amyloid. Congo red and immunohistochemical staining of the sections. Review of the patients' clinical charts for symptoms attributable to systemic amyloidosis. RESULTS: Amyloid deposition in the prostate was identified and reported in 40 patients between 2001 and 2022. Median age was 76.5 years (range = 62-90 years). Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 25 patients. Only four patients had a previous diagnosis of amyloidosis. In the remaining 36 the prostate sample (31 needle biopsies, two transurethral resections (TUR), two simple prostatectomies, one radical cystectomy for bladder cancer) provided the initial diagnosis. Amyloid deposits were mainly located in the wall of small vessels and rarely in the prostatic stroma. Immunohistochemistry was available in 32 cases, 26 of which were positive for TTR. All patients showed at least one symptom indicative of systemic amyloidosis, the most frequent being hearing loss (55%), carpal tunnel syndrome (42,5%) or other osteoarticular symptoms (tendinopathies, osteoarthritis), cataracts (37.5%) and cardiac symptoms (32.5%), among others. CONCLUSION: The prostate is a target tissue for amyloid deposition. The incidental finding of amyloid in prostate corresponds, in the majority of cases, to previously undiagnosed systemic TTR amyloidosis in patients lacking signs of heart involvement but having mainly osteoarticular symptoms, hearing and visual impairment.