Surgical management of obstructing ureteral stones during pregnancy: A systematic review of different techniques.

INTRODUCTION: Renal colic is the most common non-obstetric cause of abdominal pain during pregnancy and is associated with a higher risk of complications in these women. When invasive treatment is required, options are temporary drainage with ureteral stent (JJ) or percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN), or immediate definitive treatment with ureteroscopy (URS). Our goal was to review the safety and efficacy of these procedures in treating urolithiasis during pregnancy. METHODS: Adhering to the PRISMA checklist guidelines, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases for articles on the efficacy and complications of the three procedures in pregnant women. The quality of evidence and risk of bias were evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and the Institute of Health Economics tools. RESULTS: We included 45 articles, totaling 3424 interventions in pregnant women - 2188 URS, 719 JJ, and 517 PCN. URS was the most assessed procedure, with stone-free rates comparable to the non-pregnant patients. The most frequent complications were lower urinary symptoms and infections independently of the intervention. Obstetric complications for all interventions included 167 cases of preterm labor, resulting in 24 premature births. No statistically significant differences in post-operative complications were reported between the procedures in the few comparative studies. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the absence of high-quality studies, current evidence suggests that URS, JJ, and PCN are all safe and effective during pregnancy. As most patients submitted to temporary drainage require a second procedure post-delivery, primary URS appears more efficient. Therefore, it is the preferred option unless there are indications for temporary drainage.

Identification of patient characteristics that may improve procedure selection for the treatment of carotid stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting are common procedures for the treatment of carotid artery stenosis. The aim of this study was to identify factors that modify the effect between type of treatment and outcome, and could thus be used to refine the selection of treatment procedure. METHODS: All patients who underwent either carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting between 2012 and 2018 in German hospitals were included. The analysis of effect modification was focused on baseline patient characteristics. The outcome was a composite of any stroke or death until discharge from hospital. For multivariable analyses, a generalized linear mixed regression model was used. RESULTS: Some 221 282 patients were included, of whom 68% were male. In patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting, the risk of any stroke or death was 2.3% and 3.7% respectively. Patient age was statistically significantly associated with a higher risk of a composite outcome of any stroke or death (main effect of age: adjusted OR 1.21 (95% c.i. 1.17 to 1.26), P < 0.001). The age effect was stronger in patients treated with carotid artery stenting (interaction effect: adjusted OR 1.29 (95% c.i. 1.20 to 1.38), P < 0.001). Statistically significant interaction effects were identified for side of treatment, ASA grade, contralateral degree of stenosis, and the time interval between the index event and treatment. CONCLUSION: This analysis shows that carotid artery stenting may be particularly disadvantageous in older patients, in patients with right-sided stenosis, and in symptomatic patients treated within the first 2 days after the index event. In patients with contralateral occlusion, carotid artery stenting appears equivalent to carotid endarterectomy.

The internal carotid artery supplies the brain with blood from both sides of the neck. The vessel can be narrowed due to a thickened and sick wall. This increases the risk of a brain stroke. To treat this narrowing, a surgical approach that involves peeling out the diseased wall parts can be performed. A less invasive approach that involves covering with a stent is also possible. The treatment is done to lower the risk of a stroke or other bad events, such as death. The treatment itself can also trigger these events. In German hospitals every treatment of the carotid artery is recorded in a central database. This study uses a statistical method involving almost all the data from this database. The years 2012 to 2018 were covered. The authors try to find factors that improve the choice of therapy method. The analysis shows that older patients and patients with right-sided disease have a higher risk when treated with stenting. This also applies to patients who are treated within 2 days after warning symptoms. Patients with contralateral occlusion may benefit from both methods.

Thermo-expandable intraprostatic nitinol stents in the treatment of bladder outlet obstruction: a consecutive case series.

OBJECTIVE: In high-risk patients, prostatic stents may alleviate obstruction at the prostate level. Since 2020 we have used thermo-expandable intraprostatic nitinol stents. Here we document outcomes through the first years with the procedure. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed  patients who had undergone stent treatment between May 2020 and October 2023. Patient and procedural data, urinary symptoms, complications and side effects were recorded. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize outcomes and we evaluated predictors of success and complications using robust multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: We included 52 consecutive patients with a median age of 82 years (range 71-96) and a median Charlson Comorbidity Index of 6 (3-11). Forty-seven men used indwelling catheters, two used clean intermittent catheterization, and three had severe lower urinary tract symptoms. Stents were placed under general anesthesia, sedation, and local anesthesia in 39, 4, and 9 men, respectively. The median treatment time was 14 min (range 8-40). One complication, in the form of an infection requiring IV antibiotics, occurred. Subsequently, 45 men (87%) were able to void spontaneously without bothersome symptoms. After a median of 11 (2-44) months, 8 men had their stents removed due to recurring symptoms. This gives an overall success rate of 37/52 patients (71%). No predictors of success or complications were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Thermo-expandable intraprostatic nitinol stents demonstrate a high success rate with a low risk of complications and may serve as an alternative to permanent or intermittent catheterization for men who are unable or unwilling to undergo flow-improving surgery.

Healthcare-related carbon footprinting-lower impact of a coronary stenting compared to a coronary surgery pathway.

Healthcare is a major generator of greenhouse gases, so consideration of this contribution to climate change needs to be quantified in ways that can inform models of care. Given the availability of activity-based financial data, environmentally-extended input-output (EEIO) analysis can be employed to calculate systemic carbon footprints for healthcare activities, allowing comparison of different patient care pathways. We thus quantified and compared the carbon footprint of two common care pathways for patients with stable coronary artery disease, with similar clinical outcomes: coronary stenting and coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Healthcare cost data for these two pathways were disaggregated and the carbon footprint associated with this expenditure was calculated by connecting the flow of money within the economy to the greenhouse gases emitted to support the full range of associated activities. The systemic carbon footprint associated with an average stable patient CABG pathway, at a large tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia in 2021-22, was 11.5 tonnes CO2-e, 4.9 times greater than the 2.4 tonnes CO2-e footprint of an average comparable stenting pathway. These data suggest that a stenting pathway for stable coronary disease should be preferred on environmental grounds and introduces EEIO analysis as a practical tool to assist in health-care related carbon footprinting.

3-Dimensional printing in vascular disease: From manufacturer to clinical use.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has been used in medicine with applications in many different fields. 3D printing allows patient education, interventionalists training, preprocedural planning, and assists the interventionalist to improve treatment outcomes. 3D printing represents a potential advancement by allowing the printing of flexible vascular models. In this article, the authors report a clinical case using 3D printing to perform a physician-modified fenestrated endograft. An overview of 3D printing in vascular and endovascular surgery is provided, focusing on its potential applications for training, education, preprocedural planning, and current clinical applications.

The introduction of a mid-urethral stent for hypospadias surgery in toilet-trained children.

PURPOSE: To address the unique challenges presented by hypospadias repair in toilet-trained boys, we propose a modification to the standard stenting technique: implementation of a mid-urethral stent (MUS) extending beyond the urethroplasty, terminating distally to the sphincter mechanism. This modification upholds continence while facilitating normal voiding. METHODS: Toilet-trained boys undergoing hypospadias repair from 2009 to 2020 were retrospectively assessed. Patients were allocated into one of two groups: "Continent" drainage (a short stent was placed across the urethroplasty) or "incontinent" drainage (a standard stent or a Foley catheter was placed). Stent- related complications (dislodgement and obstruction) and surgical outcomes were compared. RESULTS: 545 children underwent hypospadias repair with 96 (17.6%) of them toilet-trained. The "continent" and "incontinent" groups consisted of 44 and 52 patients. No differences were found regarding age, severity of hypospadias, number of corrective procedures, operative time or surgical technique. Rates of stent-related complications did not differ. No significant difference was found regarding complications requiring additional surgery, including meatal stenosis and dehiscence. Post-operative fistula occurred in one patient in the continent group and in seven patients in the incontinent group. CONCLUSION: Use of a continence-preserving MUS is a safe alternative in toilet-trained patients undergoing hypospadias repair without increasing risk of complications.

Spontan øsofagusruptur.

Background: Spontaneous rupture of the oesophagus is a potentially fatal condition. Symptoms can vary and diagnosis can be challenging. Case presentation: A woman in her seventies presented to the emergency department with sudden-onset epigastric pain after a meal. A computed tomography (CT) showed signs of oesophageal rupture. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an oesophageal rupture, and a stent was placed. The patient developed fever, dyspnoea and hypotension after the procedure. Additional CT revealed increasing pleural effusion, pneumomediastinum and loculaments of air in the peritoneum, and a mediastinal abscess. Laparoscopy with lavage and debridement was performed. A catheter was placed in the abscess and a chest tube in her right hemithorax. The stent was removed after 27 days. Further investigation revealed eosinophil oesophagitis as the likely cause of her oesophageal rupture. Interpretation: This case highlights the importance of early diagnosis and proper treatment of spontaneous oesophageal rupture. Treatment depends on the cause of the rupture and severity of the patient's condition.