Ali Fuat Atmaca

Robot-assisted nerve-sparing radical cystectomy with bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) and intracorporeal urinary diversion for bladder cancer: initial experience in 27 cases.

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Can we avoid percutaneous nephrolithotomy in high-risk elderly patients using the Charlson comorbidity index?

OBJECTIVE To determine whether Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) predicts the postoperative complications after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and could be a plausible option to avoid surgery and its potential risks in elderly patients with significant comorbidites. METHODS The data from 283 elderly patients (age ≥ 60 years) who underwent PCNL in 4 large referral hospitals were reviewed in the present multicenter study. For each patient, we evaluated pre-existing comorbidities and calculated the CCI score. The patients were classified to 3 CCI score categories (0, 1, ≥ 2) and compared regarding the stone-free and complications rates. RESULTS The mean patient age was 64.7, 65.6, and 67.7 years in the 3 groups. The stone-free rate after primary PCNL was 85.7% in group 1, 86.1% in group 2, and 75.0% in group 3. These rates increased to 90.8%, 95.4%, and 83.9% after a second intervention (P = .049). The overall postoperative complication rate was 38.8%. The most common complication was hemorrhage necessitating blood transfusion in 34 patients (12%), and we found an increased risk of hemorrhage associated with the CCI score (P = .011). Life-threatening medical complications developed in 7.6% of the patients in group 1, 12% of the patients in group 2, and 28.6% of the patients in group 3 (P = .001). A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a high CCI score, bleeding, and operative time had significant influence on the postoperative medical complication in this population. CONCLUSION Conservative management of asymptomatic large kidney stones appears to be a safe alternative to PCNL in elderly patients with significant comorbidites.

The effect of dietary ginger (Zingiber officinals Rosc) on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rat kidneys.

Oxidative stress has been considered as one of the possible mechanisms of ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury in the kidney. The aim of this study was to analyze the possible protective effect of dietary ginger (Zingiber officinals Rosc), a free radical scavenger, on renal I/R injury in rats. The protective effect of ginger against the damage inflicted by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during renal I/R was investigated in Wistar albino rats using histopathological and biochemical parameters. Thirty rats were randomly divided into five experimental groups (i.e., control, sham-operated, ginger, I/R, and I/R + ginger groups, n = 6 each). The ginger and I/R + ginger groups were fed on the test diet containing 5% ginger. The rats were subjected to bilateral renal ischemia followed by reperfusion in I/R and I/R + ginger groups. At the end of the reperfusion period, rats were sacrificed, and kidney function tests, serum and tissue oxidants and antioxidants, and renal morphology were evaluated. Serum urea, creatinine, and cystatin C (CYC) levels were significantly elevated in the ischemia group, but these levels remained unchanged in the ginger + I/R group compared to the I/R group. Reduction of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme activity was significantly improved by the treatment with ginger compared to I/R group. Administration of ginger resulted in significant reduction levels of tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), NO, protein carbonyl contents (PCC) in the ginger + I/R group compared with the I/R group. Ginger supplementation in the diet before I/R injury resulted in higher total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and lower total oxidant status (TOS) levels than I/R group. The ginger supplemented diet prior to I/R process demonstrated marked reduction of the histological features of renal injury. The findings imply that ROS play a causal role in I/R-induced renal injury, and ginger exerts renoprotective effects probably by the radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy with bilateral extended lymph node dissection and intracorporeal studer pouch construction: outcomes of first 12 cases.

PURPOSE We report our initial experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic neurovascular bundle (NVB) sparing radical cystoprostatectomy (RALRC), bilateral extended lymph node dissection (BELND) with intracorporeal Studer pouch construction for invasive bladder cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS After initially performing >50 cases of robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomies (RALRP), between December 2009 and April 2010, we performed 12 RALRC procedures with BELND. Bilateral (n=10) and unilateral (n=1) intrafascial NVB preservation was performed in 11 patients; nonnerve-sparing RALRC was performed in 1 patient. RESULTS Patient characteristics and surgical and postoperative parameters were mean patient age (y): 60 (43-80); American Society of Anesthesiologists score: 2 (1-3); body mass index (kg/m(2)): 24.5 (19.3-31.2); preoperative International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score: 25 (5-65); operative time (h): 10 (8.1-11.5); intraoperative blood loss (mL): 455 (100-700); lymph node (LN) yield: 21.3 (8-38); hospital stay (d): 10.7 (9-16); lodge drain removal (d): 10 (9-15). Five patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Surgical margins were negative in all patients. Postoperative pathologic stages were: pT(0) (n=2), pT(1) (n=1), pT(2a) (n=2), pT(2b) (n=2), pT(3a) (n=4), and pT(4a) (n=1). Positive LNs and incidental prostate cancer were detected in five and three patients, respectively. Perioperative death rate was zero. Right external iliac vein injury occurred in one patient during the performance of BELND; surgery was converted to an open procedure and the injury was repaired. Colonic fistula developed in one patient at postoperative day 40; the patient died from cardiac disease at day 60. At a mean follow-up of 7.1 ± 2.3 months, three patients died from metastatic disease. Of the available seven patients, six were fully continent and one had mild daytime incontinence. CONCLUSIONS Although RALRC with bilateral intrafascial NVB preservation, BELND, and intracorporeal Studer pouch formation is a complex procedure, it can be performed with excellent short-term surgical and pathological outcomes and satisfactory functional results after considerable experience gained with RALRP procedures.

Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-Binding Protein-3 in Localized, Metastasized Prostate Cancer and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Objective: Insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) are important mitogenic peptides and are thought to be significant factors involved in normal and malignant cellular proliferation including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PC). In particular, the association between IGF-I and PC has received much attention. Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) is the major carrier protein in serum for the IGF-I, thus is an important functional modulator of it. On the other hand, one of the functions of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is to cleave IGFBP-3. Epidemiological studies have shown that decreased levels of serum IGFBP-3 are associated with increased PC risk. Controversial results have also been reported on the value of serum IGF-I and/or IGFBP-3 in the detection of PC, especially of metastatic PC; as increased, decreased or unchanged when compared to BPH. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels change in localized and metastasized PC cases compared with BPH as the control cases. Method: The study included 45 BPH, 24 localized PC and 19 metastasized PC cases. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were measured by two-site immunoradiometric assay kits, and serum total and free PSA levels were assayed by chemiluminescence method. Results: Serum IGF-I levels in both localized and metastasized PC cases were similar to BPH cases (138.3 ± 58.2, 137.7 ± 39.0 and 147.7 ± 44.2 ng/ml, respectively), whereas serum IGFBP-3 levels were lower in metastasized PC group than in BPH group (1,795.6 ± 305.6 and 2,196.0 ± 505.7 ng/ml; p = 0.005). In localized PC, serum IGFBP-3 levels (1,911.00 ± 349.58 ng/ml) were similar to metastasized PC. There were significant correlations between serum IGFBP-3 and serum free PSA in three groups (r = –0.46, p = 0.02 for localized PC; r = –0.56, p = 0.01 for metastasized PC, and r = –0.31, p = 0.03 for BPH). Conclusion: These data reveal that serum IGF-I levels may not change either in localized or metastasized PC, and that decreased serum IGFBP-3 levels may be attributed to its proteolysis by PSA which is increased in PC.

Multiple subcutaneous nodular metastases from transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Skin metastasis from transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is rare. In this report an uncommon metastasis of TCC of the bladder is presented.

Incorporation of Anterior Rectus Fascial Sling into Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy Improves Postoperative Continence

Aim: To determine the impact of rectus fascial sling suspension at the time of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) on postoperative continence status. Patients and Methods: A total of 86 patients underwent RRP for clinically localized prostate cancer. Out of 86 patients, a rectus fascial sling procedure was incorporated into RRP in 40 randomly selected patients (group 1). The remaining 46 patients underwent standard RRP without any suspension operation (group 2). Results: The incontinence rates were 17.5 and 43.5% for groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.010). Incontinence degrees for each group were statistically significant (p = 0.03). The mean time to achieve full continence was 1.4 ± 2.2 (0–11) and 3.8 ± 3.8 (0–12) months for groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.026). Conclusion: Our results showed that incorporation of an anterior rectus fascial sling into RRP is a reasonable and efficient way of achieving improved rates of postoperative continence.

Open versus robotic radical cystectomy with intracorporeal Studer diversion.

Background and Objectives: To compare open versus totally intracorporeal robotic-assisted radical cystectomy, bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection, and Studer urinary diversion in bladder cancer patients. Methods: A retrospective comparison of open (n = 42) versus totally intracorporeal (n = 32) robotic-assisted radical cystectomy, bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection, and Studer urinary diversion was performed concerning patient demographic data, operative and postoperative parameters, pathologic parameters, complications, and functional outcomes. Results: Patient demographic data and the percentages of patients with pT2 disease or lower and pT3–pT4 disease were similar between groups (P > .05). Positive surgical margin rates were similar between the open (n = 1, 2.4%) and robotic (n = 2, 6.3%) groups (P > .05). Minor and major complication rates were similar between groups (P > .05). Mean estimated blood loss was significantly lower in the robotic group (412.5 ± 208.3 mL vs 1314.3 ± 987.1 mL, P < .001). Significantly higher percentages of patients were detected in the robotic group regarding bilateral neurovascular bundle–sparing surgery (93.7% vs 64.3%, P = .004) and bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection (100% vs 71.4%, P = .001). The mean lymph node yield was significantly higher in the robotic group (25.4 ± 9.7 vs 17.2 ± 13.5, P = .005). The number of postoperative readmissions for minor complications was significantly lower in the robotic group (0 vs 7, P = .017). Better trends were detected in the robotic group concerning daytime continence with no pad use (84.6% vs 75%, P > .05) and severe daytime incontinence (8.3% vs 16.6%, P > .05). No significant differences were detected regarding postoperative mean International Index of Erectile Function scores between groups (P > .05). Conclusions: Robotic surgery has the advantages of decreased blood loss, better preservation of neurovascular bundles, an increased lymph node yield, a decreased rate of hospital readmissions for minor complications, and a better trend for improved daytime continence when compared with the open approach.

Delayed massive hemorrhage due to external iliac artery pseudo- aneurysm and uretero-iliac artery fistula following robotic radical cystectomy and intracorporeal Studer pouch reconstruction: Endovascular management of an unusual complication

We report a very unusual complication of uretero-iliac artery fistula that developed following robotic radical cystectomy (RARC), bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection and intracorporeal Studer pouch reconstruction. Our patient was a 54-year-old male who was admitted 1 month after undergoing robotic surgery due to intermittently occurring massive transurethral bleeding necessitating blood transfusion that stopped by itself. Angiography showed a right external iliac artery pseudo-aneurysm and a fistula tract between the pseudo-aneurysm and Wallace type ureteral anostomosis that was successfully treated by an angiographic endovascular stent insertion at this level. Uretero-iliac artery fistula might occur following RARC, bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection and intracorporeal Studer pouch reconstruction leading to intermittently massive transurethral bleeding. Angiography and stenting are important for diagnosis and successful treatment of this rare entity.

Ureteric duplication is not a contraindication for robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy and intracorporeal Studer pouch formation.

The authors found that duplicated ureters was not a contraindication to robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy in this case.