Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that hypertensive disorders of pregnancy increase risk of hypospadias, but so far none have focused on the influence of maternal chronic hypertension (CH). This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of currently available observational data to assess the association of maternal CH with hypospadias risk.
Methods: Literature searches were performed using EMBASE, SCOPUS, Pubmed, and manual methods according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and MOOSE checklist. Eligible articles were included in the study and assessed for quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Extracted data were presented in review tables. Pooled analysis for unadjusted and adjusted effect sizes was used to determine OR and 95%CI using DerSimonian and Laird model. Heterogeneity was tested using I2 test, and publication bias was examined using funnel plots. Sensitivity analyses are done to address uncertainties.
Results: Searches yielded a total of 1130 publications with six eligible studies and high NOS quality score (6-9) were selected as depicted in extended summary figure. There were 519 hypospadias patients with maternal CH among those six eligible studies for analysis. After sensitivity analysis, there is one study that is excluded due to different hypospadias definition. Among the 5 remaining studies, it is found that there is an elevated risk of hypospadias in the context of maternal CH as determined by pooled unadjusted and adjusted OR (OR 1.50 95%CI 1.17-1.93; aOR 1.77 95%CI 1.54-2.04 respectively). Heterogeneity was high in unadjusted pooled analysis (I2 = 73% P = 0.005) and low in adjusted analysis (I2 = 0% P = 0.40)). Funnel plots were symmetrical in both analyses indicating a lack of publication bias.
Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates that maternal CH increases risk of hypospadias in male offspring. Future studies should weigh in biological mechanisms and pharmacological effects to elaborate the pathogenesis of this association.
Introduction: The prevelance of urinary system stone disease in children is emphasizing the need for minimally invasive treatments to decrease morbidity and recurrence risk. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has emerged as a preferred approach for pediatric patients with complex stones due to its minimally invasive nature, including miniaturized and vacuum-assisted access sheaths, advanced laser technology and tubeless and outpatient procedures. However, adult scoring systems have proven ineffective in predicting success and complications in pediatric PCNL. This highlights the need for specialized scoring systems, such as the Stone-Kidney Size (SKS) scoring system, tailored to pediatric patients and will be evaluated in our study for its association with the stone-free rate (SFR) and complications.
Materials and methods: The data of 144 patients aged <17 years who had undergone PCNL between January 2008 and December 2019 were evaluated retrospectively. Demographics, stone characteristics, perioperative/postoperative outcomes were recorded for each patient. The SKS scoring system comprises the stone kidney index (SKI) and the number of stones, assigns one or two points based on single or multiple stones and an SKI value of <0.3 or ≥0.3, respectively. The SKI is computed by dividing the stone's longest axis by the kidney's longest axis. Residual stones less than 4 mm on non-contrast computed tomography are considered clinically insignificant residual fragments (CIRFs). Stone-free and CIRF patients were considered successful results. The relationship between the SKS scoring system and SFR, success, and complication rates after surgery was investigated. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 22.0 software.
Results: The SFR was 67.36% and 74.31% when CIRF patients were included, respectively, with a complication rate of 27%. In multivariate analysis, stone treatment history, stone burden, and SKS score were statistically significantly associated with SFR (p < 0.001, p = 0.032, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the SKS score was the only variable that showed a statistically significant relationship with success. No significant association was found between SKS score and complications (p = 0.342).
Discussion: Our study demonstrates a relationship between the SKS scoring system and SFR in pediatric PCNL patients. However, shortcomings have been observed in its capacity to accurately predict post-PCNL complications. Despite being a retrospective analysis and having a single-center design, our study externally validates the relationship between the SKS scoring system and SFR after pediatric PCNL.
Conclusions: The SKS scoring system is associated with SFR in pediatric patients undergoing PCNL; however, this relationship has not been established for complications.
Introduction: Infravesical obstruction (IO) is a common urological condition in young boys. Patients may present with various signs and symptoms at different ages, with severity depending to a large extent on the degree of obstruction. Consensus concerning accurate and objective modalities to diagnose IO and to differentiate between an anatomical or functional cause is still lacking.
Objective: This study aimed to reach consensus on the diagnostic determinants that are important to assess the likelihood of anatomical IO in boys and differentiate between an anatomical or functional cause.
Study design: A Delphi method was used to establish a list of diagnostic determinants that can be utilized in order to diagnose anatomical IO in boys. An international and interdisciplinary panel of experts was recruited to reach consensus using three sequential rounds of electronic questionnaires. Data were collected using the online survey platform Qualtrics. Rounds one and two were used to define diagnostic determinants. Round three was used to stratify key determinants according to age.
Results: All rounds received a response rate of 100%. In round one, consensus was achieved on 44 of a total 79 items. In round two, consensus was achieved on 19 of a total 51 items. Round three identified a variation in key determinants per age group.
Discussion: To create an effective tool for assessing IO in boys, key determinants identified in this study will need to be validated in a prospective clinical trial. Due to a large number of determinants and sections, this will not be a trivial task. In addition, since a Delphi study is based on expert opinion, any consensus achieved remains subjective. Diagnostic determinants identified in this study will need to be validated using prospective clinical data. Artificial Intelligence provides techniques for uncovering complex associations that cannot easily be reduced to equations. It may therefore play a pivotal role in the future development of robust IO risk assessment tools.
Conclusion: An international group of experts agreed that a risk assessment tool for IO in boys would be beneficial for both clinical practice and research purposes. Using a Delphi study methodology, consensus was reached on a set of diagnostic determinants that were considered important to assess the likelihood of IO and differentiate between an anatomical or functional cause. This study paves the way for further research on IO in boys. Eventually this could lead to an accurate and standardized assessment tool for IO.
To assess the results of endoscopic ureterocele treatments as well as the effects of ureterocele location (intravesical vs. ectopic) and anatomy (single vs. duplicated system) on treatment outcomes.
Following the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards, several medical databases as well as Google Scholar were searched comprehensively. Studies describing secondary operation outcomes for endoscopic transurethral incision and puncture were included. Studies were required to compare patients according to ureterocele location (intravesical or ectopic) and anatomy (single or duplex system) or preoperative reflux. Meta-analysis was conducted using Comprehensive Meta-analysis (CMA) software.
A total of 83 studies entered this systematic review consisting of 3022 patients. According to the meta-analysis of 16 studies, the risk ratio (RR) of reoperation after ureterocele incision was significantly higher in patients with ectopic vs. intravesical ureteroceles (RR: 2.42; 95% CI: 1.89–3.11; P < 0.001; I2: 14.89%). Also, a higher reoperation rate was reported in patients with duplex system ureteroceles (DSU) vs. single system ureteroceles (SSU) with little heterogeneity based on 9 studies. (RR: 2.50; 95% CI: 1.60–3.91; P < 0.001; I2: 13.83%).
Our results showed that ectopic ureteroceles and duplex systems are associated with higher reoperation rates after endoscopic procedures.
Children with Spina Bifida (SB) have considerable healthcare utilization, including Emergency Department use (EDU). We aimed to elicit reasons for EDU using qualitative analysis of interviews with both patient-caregiver dyads and stakeholders.
A cohort of children with SB followed at our institution between 2016 and 2020 was identified and patient and clinical characteristics abstracted. Purposeful sampling by age and degree of past EDU was performed. Semi-structured interviews of dyads were performed using iteratively revised interview guides. Spanish-language interviews were conducted by a native Spanish speaker and transcripts professionally translated. Supplemental interviews with stakeholders, namely knowledgeable healthcare professionals, were also conducted. A qualitative framework approach was used for analysis, including open followed by closed independent coding with calculation of inter-rater reliability. A final interpretation of coding reports assessing convergence, divergence, and variation in themes across participant characteristics.
116 families (4 Spanish-speaking) and 7 stakeholders were interviewed. Sampling yielded a heterogenous cohort for EDU (56% with 0–10, 44% with >10 visits) and age (25% 0–4, 44% 5–11, 31% > 11 years). IRR was optimal (κ = 0.9). Themes in perceived reasons for EDU were 1) desire for “one-stop-shop” care, 2) an emergent medical problem, 3) providers’ instructions, 4) negative past healthcare experience, 5) intrinsic caregiver moderators, and 6) temporospatial influences. Themes 1, 2, and 5 predominated in dyads, whereas themes 6, 3, and 5 were most common in stakeholders. Stakeholders focused largely on negative institutional and patient characteristics. Among dyads only, theme #1 was disproportionately emphasized by Spanish-speaking patients.
Families desired access to coordinated expert care, testing and imaging. The ED offers this for children with SB, regardless of clinical acuity. This may be especially valued by families with inherent challenges to navigating the healthcare system. Negative experiences in community clinical settings, healthcare provider recommendations and intrinsic parental factors were themes that seemed to contribute to seeking this “one-stop-shop” type of care. Care coordination may reduce ED reliance, but themes for the interviews suggest a systems-based efforts should weave in the community care setting.
For both stakeholders and caregivers, the ED represented a valued form of immediate access to multispecialty, expert care and testing in the context of perceived lack of timely, coordinated outpatient care. This may be moderated by intrinsic caregiver factors and negative past experiences. Although stakeholders discussed ideas that fit into patient-caregiver themes, the also unique
Over the years, Dorsal Inlay Graft (DIG) urethroplasty has gained worldwide acceptance for primary hypospadias repair. However, its safety and effectiveness for revision surgery are yet to be proven.
The aim of the study is to assess and compare complication rates and functional outcomes of DIG surgery in revision versus primary hypospadias repair.
We carried out a retrospective analysis of data collected from 53 consecutive DIG urethroplasties performed by a single surgeon at our institution. Patients were stratified in two groups – primary repair and redo-urethroplasty. For each group, we recorded standard pre-operative characteristics, surgical technicalities, complication rates and uroflowmetry parameters.
Out of 53 DIG urethroplasties, 21 (39.6 %) where primary and 32 (60.4 %) were re-do. As expected, the two groups differed for median age at surgery: 20 months for primary and 68.5 months for revision surgery (p < 0.001). Additionally, all 21 (100 %) primary interventions were performed with a preputial graft, whereas among revision DIG urethroplasties only 2 (6.3 %) where preputial and 30 (93.8 %) were buccal (p < 0.001). Catheterization time (7 vs 8 days, p = 0.155) and postoperative complication rates (14.3 % vs 9.4 %, p = 0.581) were comparable between the primary and revision surgery group, respectively (all p > .05). Forty-two of the 53 patients underwent uroflowmetry during follow-up. Of these, 19 (63 %) patients presented with abnormal uroflowmetry and 11 (37 %) had equivocal parameters with no difference between the two groups.
Dorsal Inlay Graft urethroplasty has long been known to be safe and effective for primary hypospadias repair. On the other hand, data on dorsal inlay graft urethroplasty as a salvage surgery after primary hypospadias repair failure is scarce. Surprisingly, according to our findings, surgical outcomes and complication rates are comparable between primary and revision hypospadias cases. Additionally, our results in the redo group are absolutely encouraging if compared to those reported in the literature for the same subset of patients.
According to our findings, DIG urethroplasty is a safe and effective option to treat revision hypospadias repair.