Central European Journal of Urology最新文献

Introduction: Radical cystectomy (RC) remains a surgery with important morbidity despite technical advances. Our aim was to determine the impact on outcomes and costs of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with full intracorporeal diversion.

Material and methods: We retrospectively included 196 consecutive patients undergone RC for bladder cancer between 2017 and 2022. Comparisons were done between the open radical cystectomy (ORC; n = 166) and RARC with full intracorporeal diversion (n = 30) in the overall cohort and after matched pair analysis.

Results: More neobladders were performed in the RARC group (40% vs 18.7%, p = 0.011). Peri-operative parameters continuously improved over time in the RARC cohort despite an increased proportion of elderly patients with higher comorbidity index. RARC patients had lower prolonged stay (33.3% vs 68.3%, p = 0.002), lower grade 1 complication rates (26.7% vs 53.3%, p = 0.016) and blood loss (185 vs 611 ml, p <0.001) than ORC patients. RARC was an independent favorable predictor for prolonged stay (OR 0.199) and complication (OR 0.334). Cost balance favored ORC, with an increase of hospitalization cost at 816 euros for RARC.

Conclusions: After matching, RARC with full intracorporeal diversion was associated with improved outcomes and a moderated increase of post-operative costs mainly due to the use of robotic devices.

Introduction: Robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) is a minimally invasive treatment for localized renal tumours, which can sometimes result in extended warm ischaemic time and serious complications. This study reports on surgical outcomes including feasibility, positive margins, and complications during and after surgery.

Material and methods: From January 2011 to November 2022, a single centre performed off-clamp sutureless RAPN on 287 patients. The study recorded preoperative patient characteristics, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and tumour features according to the preoperative aspects and dimensions used for an anatomical (PADUA) classification, and utilized the RENAL nephrometry scoring system. Intraoperative details and complications were documented. Postoperative complications within 30 days were classified according to the Clavien-Dindo system. Follow-up appointments were scheduled at 1, 3, and 6 months in the first year, followed by subsequent appointments every 6 months, and then annually.

Results: The study included 145 males and 142 females, with a mean age of 58.9 years and a mean body mass index of 26.7 kg/m². The mean PADUA score was 8.3, the average console time was 83 minutes, and the estimated blood loss was 280 mL. The average hospital stay was 3 days, and no intraoperative complications were observed. However, 4 patients (1.4%) experienced post-operative haemorrhage that required laparotomy (Clavien-Dindo stage IIIB), and 4 patients (1.4%) had positive surgical margins.

Conclusions: Off-clamp selective arterial clamping during minimally invasive partial nephrectomy is a safe and feasible approach for small renal tumours. Further randomized prospective studies are required to confirm if RAPN without clamping offers any renal functional benefits and reduces perioperative bleeding complications.

Introduction: The objective of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy, through the stone-free rate (SFR), as well as the costs, between retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), for 2-4 cm kidney stones.

Material and methods: We analysed the data relating to RIRS and PCNL performed in 3 reference centres for kidney stones, in the period between 1/2019 and 12/2021. The total number of procedures was 130 (63 RIRS and 67 PCNL). We defined SFR as the absence of lithiasic fragments or stones <3 mm. Results were compared between 2 groups depending on the stone size: 2-3 cm stones (group 1) and >3 cm stones (group 2).

Results: The duration of RIRS was 90 minutes for group 1 and 115 minutes for group 2, and for PCNL it was 135 minutes for group 1 and 145 minutes for group 2. RIRS had shorter duration with a significant difference in group 1 (p = 0.000014). SFR for RIRS was 78% for group 1 and 21% for group 2, and for PCNL it was 92% for group 1 and 81% for group 2. Therefore, there is a statistically significant difference, which is more evident for 3 cm and multiple stones (p = 0.0057 for group 1, p = 0.000146 for group 2). The difference in costs was estimated by calculating the expected costs for a single surgical procedure and the estimated cost per day for ordinary hospitalization.

Conclusions: 2-4 cm stones can be safely treated with both RIRS and PCNL, but RIRS should not be chosen as an option for stones >3 cm, except in selected cases. PCNL remains the gold standard for the treatment of complex stones, especially for stones >3 cm. Risk of postoperative complications is higher in PCNL, even if this difference is not great. The costs associated with RIRS, even when recalculating with the need for new treatments, remain cheaper.

Introduction: The aim of this article was to investigate the impact of chronic antithrombotic therapy (AT) use on the time of detection of bladder cancer, assuming that patients taking AT experience episodes of macroscopic hematuria earlier, and therefore have a more favorable histopathological grade and stage, as well as a smaller number and size of tumors compared to patients not taking AT.

Material and methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted, including 247 patients who underwent bladder cancer surgery for the first time at our institution during the three-year period (2019-2021) and who experienced macroscopic hematuria.

Results: A lower frequency of high-grade bladder cancer (40.6% vs 60.1%, P = 0.006), T2 stage (7.2% vs 20.2%, P = 0.014), and a lower frequency of tumors larger than 3.5 cm (29% vs 57.9%, P <0.001) were found in patients using AT compared to patients not using them. The patients using AT had a smaller mean tumor size (2.98 vs 4.51 cm, P <0.001). A multivariable regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, and number of comorbidities, showed a lower probability of having a high-grade cancer (OR 0.393, 95% CI 0.195-0.792, P = 0.009), T2 stage (OR 0.276, 95% CI 0.090-0.849, P = 0.025), and tumors larger than 3.5 cm (OR 0.261, 95% CI 0.125-0.542, P <0.001) in patients using AT.

Conclusions: More favorable histopathological grades, stages, and smaller tumor sizes were found in patients with bladder cancer who experienced macroscopic hematuria and were using AT compared to patients not taking AT.

Introduction: One of the main issues related to the use of high-power lasers is the associated rise in temperature. The aim of this study was to characterize temperature variations with activation of the Moses™ 2.0 laser.

Material and methods: An in vitro experimental study was designed using a high-fidelity uretero-nephroscope simulation model to assess changes in temperature during intracorporeal laser lithotripsy. Renal and ureteral temperature records were obtained from the treatment of BegoStones positioned in the renal pelvis. Different laser settings over three time periods and two possible irrigation flow speeds were evaluated. We considered 43°C as the threshold since it is associated with denaturation of proteins. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to assess quantitative variables and the Kruskal-Wallis test for categorical variables.

Results: The highest increase in intrarenal temperature was reached with 30 seconds of laser activation at a laser setting of 0.5 J/100 Hz (50 W) and a flow of 10 mL/min. Only 15 seconds of activation was sufficient for most settings to exceed 43°C. The ureteral temperature did not increase significantly, regardless of the combination of laser setting, time, or irrigation flow, except when 30 W was used for a 30 second period. Multivariate analysis showed that an irrigation flow of 20 mL/min produced an intrarenal temperature decrease of 4.7-9.2°C (p <0.001).

Conclusions: Use of high-power lasers, both for the ureter and kidney, should involve consideration of temperature increases evidenced in this study, due to the potential biological risk entailed.

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is a standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, but some patients experience side effects that lead to treatment discontinuation. Local side effects are typically mild, while systemic side effects can be severe and life-threatening. BCG therapy has immunotherapy effects on bladder cancer, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Due to its effect on the immune system, patients may also develop rare autoimmune complications, such as neuropathy. This case report suggests a potential association between BCG therapy and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), as a patient developed GBS after receiving intravesical BCG therapy for invasive bladder cancer.