Retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: A single-center Indian experience.

OBJECTIVE: Retroperitoneoscopy, by avoiding peritoneal breach and injury to intra-abdominal organs, provides a more direct and rapid access to the kidney and the renal hilum. Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy by retroperitoneal route (LPNR) is less commonly performed than transperitoneal route for early stage renal cancer. The objective of this study is to carry out the outcomes of partial nephrectomy using retroperitoneal approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients, who underwent LPNR from period 2008 to 2014, were retrospectively analyzed. Outcomes of interest included demographic data, preoperative data, perioperative variables, surgical complications, recurrence of disease, and mortality, if any, during their follow-up. RESULTS: Among 24 patients, 16 were male, and 8 were female. Mean age and mean body mass index, respectively, were 49.16 years (range: 25-75) and 25.35 kg/m2 (17.84-34.25). Among renal masses, the right-sided to left-sided distribution was 13:11. The proportions of low-risk and intermediate-risk nephrometry score (NS) cases were 13 (54.17%) and 11 (45.83%), respectively, as assessed by renal NS. Mean operative duration, mean warm ischemia time, mean estimated blood loss, and mean hospital stay, respectively, were 132.5 min (90-170), 21.83 min (15-44), 106 ml (25-300) ml, and 5.25 days. During the postoperative period, complications encountered were lung atelectasis in one, bleeding in two, and urinary leakage in one. Histopathology revealed malignancy in 23 patients and leiomyoma in the remaining one. All patients but two experienced a disease free survival during a median follow- up period of 33 months. CONCLUSION: Overall outcomes for LPNR is comparable to the outcomes for open and transperitoneal laparoscopic partial nephrectomy mentioned in the literature and is equally safe for the right-sided and left-sided lesions.

Seventy-seven kidney paired donation transplantations at a single transplant centre in India led to an increase in living donor kidney transplantations in 2015.

BACKGROUND: To ascertain the validity of kidney paired donations (KPDs) as an alternative strategy for increasing living donor kidney transplantations (LDKTs) in an LDKT-dominated transplant programme since directed kidney transplantation, ABO-incompatible or crossmatch-positive pairs are not feasible due to costs and infectious complications. METHODS: This was a prospective single-centre study of 77 KPD transplantations (25 two-way, 7 three-way and 1 six-way exchange) from 1 January 2015 to 1 January 2016 of 158 registered donor recipient pairs. During this period, a total of 380 kidney transplantations [71 deceased donor kidney transplantations (DDKTs), 309 LDKTs] were performed. The reasons for opting for KPD were ABO incompatibility (n = 45), sensitization (n = 26) and better matching (n = 6). RESULTS: KPD matching was facilitated in 62% (n = 98) of transplants. In all, 48.7% (n = 77) of the transplants were completed in 2015, whereas 13.3% (n = 21) of the matched patients were to undergo transplant surgery in early 2016 after getting legal permission. The waiting time for KPD was shorter compared with DDKT. The death-censored graft survival and patient survival were 98.7% (n = 76) and 93.5% (n = 72), respectively. In all, 14.2% (n = 11) of patients had acute rejection. Match rates among sensitized (n = 60) and O group patients (n = 62) were 58.3% (n = 35) and 41.9% (n = 26), respectively. Of these, 43.3% (n = 26) and 29% (n = 18) of transplants were completed and 15% (n = 9) and 12.9% (n = 8), respectively, are waiting for legal permission. CONCLUSIONS: LDKT increased by 25% in 1 year in our single-centre KPD programme. Our key to success was the formation of a KPD registry, awareness and active counselling programs and developing a dedicated team.

Past, present and future of kidney paired donation transplantation in India.

One third of healthy willing living kidney donors are rejected due to ABO blood group incompatibility and donor specific antibody. This increases pre-transplant dialysis duration leading to increased morbidity and mortality on the kidney transplantation waiting list. Over the last decade kidney paired donation is most rapidly increased source of living kidney donors. In a kidney transplantation program dominated by living donor kidney transplantation, kidney paired donation is a legal and valid alternative strategy to increase living donor kidney transplantation. This is more useful in countries with limited resources where ABO incompatible kidney transplantation or desensitization protocol is not feasible because of costs/infectious complications and deceased donor kidney transplantation is in initial stages. The matching allocation, ABO blood type imbalance, reciprocity, simultaneity, geography were the limitation for the expansion of kidney paired donation. Here we describe different successful ways to increase living donor kidney transplantation through kidney paired donation. Compatible pairs, domino chain, combination of kidney paired donation with desensitization or ABO incompatible transplantation, international kidney paired donation, non-simultaneous, extended, altruistic donor chain and list exchange are different ways to expand the donor pool. In absence of national kidney paired donation program, a dedicated kidney paired donation team will increase access to living donor kidney transplantation in individual centres with team work. Use of social networking sites to expand donor pool, HLA based national kidney paired donation program will increase quality and quantity of kidney paired donation transplantation. Transplant centres should remove the barriers to a broader implementation of multicentre, national kidney paired donation program to further optimize potential of kidney paired donation to increase transplantation of O group and sensitized patients. This review assists in the development of similar programs in other developing countries.

International kidney paired donation transplantations to increase kidney transplant of O group and highly sensitized patient: First report from India.

AIM: To report the first international living related two way kidney paired donation (KPD) transplantation from India which occurred on 17th February 2015 after legal permission from authorization committee. METHODS: Donor recipient pairs were from Portugal and India who were highly sensitized and ABO incompatible with their spouse respectively. The two donor recipient pairs had negative lymphocyte cross-matching, flow cross-match and donor specific antibody in two way kidney exchange with the intended KPD donor. Local KPD options were fully explored for Indian patient prior to embarking on international KPD. RESULTS: Both pairs underwent simultaneous uneventful kidney transplant surgeries and creatinine was 1 mg/dL on tacrolimus based immunosuppression at 11 mo follow up. The uniqueness of these transplantations was that they are first international KPD transplantations in our center. CONCLUSION: International KPD will increases quality and quantity of living donor kidney transplantation. This could be an important step to solving the kidney shortage with additional benefit of reduced costs, improved quality and increased access for difficult to match incompatible pairs like O blood group patient with non-O donor and sensitized patient. To the best of our knowledge this is first international KPD transplantation from India.

Impact of single centre kidney paired donation transplantation to increase donor pool in India: a cohort study.

In a living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) dominated transplant programme, kidney paired donation (KPD) may be a cost-effective and valid alternative strategy to increase LDKT in countries with limited resources where deceased donation kidney transplantation (DDKT) is in the initial stages. Here, we report our experience of 300 single-centre KPD transplantations to increase LDKT in India. Between January 2000 and July 2016, 3616 LDKT and 561 DDKT were performed at our transplantation centre, 300 (8.3%) using KPD. The reasons for joining KPD among transplanted patients were ABO incompatibility (n = 222), positive cross-match (n = 59) and better matching (n = 19). A total of 124 two-way (n = 248), 14 three-way (n = 42), one four-way (n = 4) and one six-way exchange (n = 6) yielded 300 KPD transplants. Death-censored graft and patient survival were 96% (n = 288) and 83.3% (n = 250), respectively. The mean serum creatinine was 1.3 mg/dl at a follow-up of 3 ± 3 years. We credit the success of our KPD programme to maintaining a registry of incompatible pairs, counselling on KPD, a high-volume LDKT programme and teamwork. KPD is legal, cost effective and rapidly growing for facilitating LDKT with incompatible donors. This study provides large-scale evidence for the expansion of single-centre LDKT via KPD when national programmes do not exist.

Six end-stage renal disease patients benefited from first non-simultaneous single center 6-way kidney exchange transplantation in India.

AIM: To avoid desensitization protocols and ABO incompatible kidney transplantation (KT) due to high costs and increased risk of infections from intense immunosuppression. METHODS: We present institutional ethical review board - approved study of single center 6-way kidney exchange transplantation. The participants comprised ABO incompatibility (n = 1); positive cross-match and/or presence of donor specific antibody (n = 5). The average time required from registration in kidney paired donation (KPD) registry to find suitable donors was 45 d and time required to perform transplants after legal permission was 2 mo. RESULTS: Graft and patient survival were 100%, and 100%, respectively. One patient had biopsy-proven acute borderline T cell rejection (Banff update 2013, type 3). Mean serum creatinine was 0.8 mg/dL at 9 mo follow-up. The waiting time in KPD was short as compared to deceased donor KT. CONCLUSION: We report first non-simultaneous, single center, 6-way kidney exchange transplantation from India. Our experience will encourage other centers in India to undertake this practice.

Increasing access to kidney transplantation for sensitized recipient through three-way kidney paired donation with desensitization: The first Indian report.

The combination of kidney paired donation (KPD) with desensitization represents a promising method of increasing the rate of living donor kidney transplantation (LDKT) in immunologically challenging patients. Patients who are difficult to match and desensitize due to strong donor specific antibody are may be transplanted by a combination of desensitization and KPD protocol with more immunologically favorable donor. We present our experience of combination of desensitization protocol with three-way KPD which contributed to successful LDKT in highly sensitized end stage renal disease patient. All recipients were discharged with normal and stable allograft function at 24 mo follow up. We believe that this is first report from India where three-way KPD exchange was performed with the combination of KPD and desensitization. The combination of desensitization protocol with KPD improves access and outcomes of LDKT.

Can deceased donor with recurrent primary brain tumor donate kidneys for transplantation?

Kidney transplantation from deceased donors is in its infancy in India. Cadaver organ donation was accepted legally in 1994 by the "Human Organs Transplantation Act." Marginal donors are now accepted by many centers for kidney transplantation. We report a case of procurement of both kidneys from a young deceased donor having recurrent primary brain tumor, transplanted into two adult recipients with successful outcome.

Isolated Spontaneous Renal Artery Dissection Presented with Flank Pain.

Spontaneous renal artery dissection is a rare but important cause of flank pain. We report a case of isolated spontaneous renal artery dissection in 56-year-old man complicated by renal infarction presented with flank pain. Doppler study pointed towards vascular pathology. Computed tomography (CT) angiography was used to make final diagnosis which demonstrated intimal flap in main renal artery with renal infarction.

Calcification in transitional cell carcinoma of urinary bladder: Does it have any implication on calcium metabolism and its management?

Although transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is most common histological subtype, calcification in TCC is rarely seen. We report a 64-year-old gentleman who on evaluation found to have calcification in TCC of urinary bladder and its implication on calcium metabolism and management.

Giant obstructive megaureter causing contralateral ureteral obstruction and hydronephrosis: a first-time report.

We report for the first time a "giant megaureter" causing symptomatic compression of the contralateral ureter in a 15-year-old girl. Extrinsic compression of the ureter by a contralateral giant hydronephrotic kidney, although rare, has been reported most commonly because of congenital pelviureteric junction obstruction. In this case, the possible etiology of megaureter, the differential diagnosis, and the clinical implications are discussed.

Latzko repair for vesicovaginal fistula revisited in the era of minimal-access surgery.

Latzko repair is a technique described for repair of post-hysterectomy supratrigonal vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) and is often practised by gynecologists, but it has not figured in the armamentarium of urologists the world over. Recently urologists have taken to laparoscopic repair of such fistula but laparoscopic repair is technically demanding with a steep learning curve. We reviewed our experience with the technique of Latzko repair. The study is a review of 10 patients operated by this technique between June 2000 and May 2005, with age ranging from 33 to 55 years (average 39 years). Fistula size ranged from 2 mm to 1 cm. There was no recurrence or sexual dysfunction due to shortening of vaginal length. The results were comparable with laparoscopic VVF repair in terms of morbidity, operative time, blood loss, and patient discomfort. Also, the learning curve involved is minimal. Thus this technique deserves wider adoption by the urological community and should be a benchmark for comparison with laparoscopic repair of VVF rather than the abdominal approach. Bearing in mind the simplicity of the procedure, urologists should feel encouraged to adopt this excellent age-old technique that has stood the test of time rather than exploring more-complex operations such as laparoscopic VVF repair and transurethral suture cystorrhaphy.

Generalized seizure: A rare etiology of intraperitoneal rupture of the urinary bladder.

Seizures can lead to different types of injuries which can be as simple as minor lacerations and at times as serious as fractures and head injuries. We are reporting a case wherein a female patient presented with a history of abdominal pain and not passing urine for 24h following an attack of seizure. After catheterization the urine drained was blood-stained. On clinical suspicion a cystogram was done which showed intraperitoneal rupture of the bladder. At laparotomy an isolated rent in the dome of the bladder was found which was repaired in three layers. Postoperative period was uneventful. To our knowledge this is the second case of its kind reported in the literature. Our case illustrates that a thorough abdominal examination is desirable while examining a patient following an episode of generalized seizure.