Andrea Gavazzi

Effectiveness of Procedural Simulation in Urology: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE We analyzed studies validating the effectiveness and deficiencies of simulation for training and assessment in urology. We documented simulation types (synthetic, virtual reality and animal models), participant experience level and tasks performed. The feasibility, validity, cost-effectiveness, reliability and educational impact of the simulators were also evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS The MEDLINE®, EMBASE™ and PsycINFO® databases were systematically searched until September 2010. References from retrieved articles were reviewed to broaden the search. RESULTS The study included case reports, case series and empirical studies of training and assessment in urology using procedural simulation. The model name, training tasks, participant level, training duration and evaluation scoring were extracted from each study. We also extracted data on face, content and construct validity. Most studies suitably addressed content, construct and face validation as well as the feasibility, educational impact and cost-effectiveness of simulation models. Synthetic, animal and virtual reality models were demonstrated to be effective training and assessment tools for junior trainees. Few investigators looked at the transferability of skills from simulation to real patients. CONCLUSIONS Current simulation models are valid and reliable for the initial phase of training and assessment. For advanced and specialist level skill acquisition animal models can be used but availability is limited due to supply shortages and ethical restrictions. More research is needed to validate simulated environments for senior trainees and specialists.

Development and implementation of centralized simulation training: evaluation of feasibility, acceptability and construct validity

A competent urologist should not only have effective technical skills, but also other attributes that would make him/her a complete surgeon. These include team‐working, communication and decision‐making skills. Although evidence for effectiveness of simulation exists for individual simulators, there is a paucity of evidence for utility and effectiveness of these simulators in training programmes that aims to combine technical and non‐technical skills training. This article explains the process of development and validation of a centrally coordinated simulation program (Participants – South‐East Region Specialist Registrars) under the umbrella of the British Association for Urological Surgeons (BAUS) and the London Deanery. This program incorporated training of both technical (synthetic, animal and virtual reality models) and non‐technical skills (simulated operating theatres).

Face, content and construct validity of a virtual reality simulator for robotic surgery (SEP Robot)

INTRODUCTION This study aims to establish face, content and construct validation of the SEP Robot (SimSurgery, Oslo, Norway) in order to determine its value as a training tool. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The tasks used in the validation of this simulator were arrow manipulation and performing a surgeons knot. Thirty participants (18 novices, 12 experts) completed the procedures. RESULTS The simulator was able to differentiate between experts and novices in several respects. The novice group required more time to complete the tasks than the expert group, especially suturing. During the surgeons knot exercise, experts significantly outperformed novices in maximum tightening stretch, instruments dropped, maximum winding stretch and tool collisions in addition to total task time. A trend was found towards the use of less force by the more experienced participants. CONCLUSIONS The SEP robotic simulator has demonstrated face, content and construct validity as a virtual reality simulator for robotic surgery. With steady increase in adoption of robotic surgery world-wide, this simulator may prove to be a valuable adjunct to clinical mentorship.

Clinical importance of lymph node density in predicting outcome of prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the prognostic role of lymph node density (LND) in patients affected by prostate cancer (PCa) and treated with radical prostatectomy (RP), pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), and adjuvant hormonal blockade. METHODS A total of 124 consecutive patients with lymph node positive PCa formed the basis of this report. Clinical and pathological parameters were collected. All patients were stratified in two groups according to LND: Group A (LND ≤ 32%) and Group B (LND ≥ 33%). Time to the first biochemical recurrence (BCR) was the main measure of outcome. RESULTS Mean number of lymph nodes removed was 5.2 (range 1-17). The mean number of positive lymph nodes was 1.6 (range 1-5). At a mean follow-up of 84.3 mo, 22 patients in Group A (43.1%) and 40 in Group B (54.7%) had BCR. The mean overall BCR-free survival was 46.2 mo (range 8-90). No significant correlation was found between the number of positive lymph nodes and BCR-free survival (P = 0.68). In addition, the patients with LND ≥ 33% had a poor prognosis with significantly decreased disease-specific and BCR-free survival rates (hazard ratio: 0.48; 95% CI, 0.28-0.78; P = 0.0039). At multivariate and artificial neural network (ANN) analyses, LND, Gleason score, and stage were identified as independent prognostic factors of BCR-free survival (P = 0.002; P = 0.003; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS The current study highlights the role of LND in predicting BCR-free survival in patients with lymph node positive PCa after prostatectomy. It also reinforces the need for a stratification of patients with nodal metastasis.

Prostate Growth and Prevalence of Prostate Diseases in Early Onset Spinal Cord Injuries

BACKGROUND Controversial data on modifications of prostate size, function and disease of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients has been previously reported. OBJECTIVE An analytical observational cohort study on male SCI patients was planned in order to evaluate prostate gland growth, including benign prostatic hyperplasia in relation to the age of the patient at SCI onset. Additional evaluations considered hormonal and biochemical parameters and prostate cancer. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS 113 SCI patients (mean age 61.3) and 109 age-matched able bodied subjects (mean age 65.4) were enrolled and stratified according to the patient age at SCI onset (< or = 30, 31-49, and > or = 50 years). INTERVENTION A complete medical history was then collected from all SCI patients and able bodied subjects. MEASUREMENTS Total prostate antigen (PSA) and testosterone (T) serum levels and urine culture were collected. Digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasonography were performed. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS Patients with SCI showed PSA value and prostate size significantly lower than those observed in able bodied subjects, and an inverse relationship was observed in SCI patients between these two parameters and patient age at the time of lesion onset. T serum levels were lower in SCI patients when compared to able bodied subjects. No SCI patient presented prostate cancer, while 9.7% of control subjects were affected by prostate cancer. CONCLUSIONS Prostate volume and PSA levels are lower in SCI patients and are inversely related to the patient age at lesion onset. Whether this effect is mediated directly or indirectly by a impaired nerve supply to the prostate remains to be determined. Despite the present observation of reduced prostate disease, as during the last twenty years life expectancy in SCI patients has improved significantly, the need to screen these patients for the occurrence of prostate disease should not be disregarded.

Regular Moderate Intake of Red Wine Is Linked to a Better Women's Sexual Health

INTRODUCTION While some evidence does exist for a positive correlation between moderate wine intake and mens sexual health, there is no study addressing the potential correlation between red wine intake and womens sexual function. AIM The aim of our study was to assess whether there is a tie between daily red wine intake and sexual function in a sample of healthy Italian women, living in the Chianti area (Tuscany) not complaining of any sexual disorders. METHODS We recruited 798 women (age 18-50), living in the Chianti area (Tuscany), not complaining of any sexual disorders. We divided the participants into three groups: daily moderate (one to two glasses) red wine intake (group 1); teetotallers (group 2); and daily intake of more than two glasses of red wine and/or other types of alcoholic drinks (including white wine), as well as of those reporting occasional drinking (group 3). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES All participants completed anonymously the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and were asked to report on their amount and type of alcohol consumption. RESULTS Group 1 had significantly higher total (P = 0.001), as well as desire and lubrication domain (P = 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively) FSFI scores than participants in groups 2 and 3. No significant differences between the groups were observed concerning sexual arousal, satisfaction, pain, and orgasm. Univariate analysis showed a significant correlation between age, alcohol consumption (P = 0.009), and a better score at questionnaire examination. During multivariate analysis, alcohol consumption was identified as an independent prognostic parameter (P = 0.002) in predicting the better score at questionnaire examination. CONCLUSIONS The finding that regular moderate intake of red wine is associated with higher FSFI scores for both sexual desire, lubrication, and overall sexual function as compared to the teetotaller status is intriguing. While this finding needs to be interpreted with some caution, because of the small sample size, self-reported data, and the lack of support from laboratory exams, it nevertheless suggests a potential relationship between red wine consumption and better sexuality.

Current status of robotic partial nephrectomy

Purpose of review In recent years, robotic partial nephrectomy has emerged as a technique for treatment of small renal masses alongside laparoscopic and open partial nephrectomy. Since this technique is still in a phase of adoption, many technical improvements, alterations and early experiences are published. We aim to review the recent literature, focus on recent advances in techniques and give an overview of published series. Recent findings Recent series confirm the feasibility of robotic partial nephrectomy and demonstrate perioperative data and short-term oncological outcomes that are at least comparable to laparoscopic series. The development of better renorrhaphy techniques and optimal use of the robotic features to gain console surgeon independence seem to be the main focus. Also alternative hilar control, early unclamping and off-clamp techniques are being developed to lower the ischaemic effect on the kidney. The learning curve seems to be less steep than laparoscopic techniques. Conclusion Robotic partial nephrectomy proves to be a well tolerated and efficacious minimally invasive option in the treatment of renal lesions. Main areas of interest are decreasing warm ischaemia time and modified renal closure techniques.

Accuracy of prostate volume measurements using transrectal multiplanar three-dimensional sonography

Abstract  The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of three‐dimensional (3D) ultrasound in comparison with conventional bidimensional (2D) sonography in prostatic calculations. The study was performed using a Kretztechnik Voluson 530D machine with a 7.5 MHz endocavitary transducer. From March 1998 to March 2000, we examined 80 patients (63–74 years, mean 68 years). There were 59 patients with benign prostate hypertrophy (BPH) and 21 with prostate cancer awaiting a radical prostatectomy. The mean absolute error in 3D ultrasound measurement was ±0.2–3 mL. (range of error was 6.5%). Volume measurement using 2D ultrasound methods was much less accurate than 3D ultrasound methods: ±0.4–5 mL. (range of error was 35%). Both 2D and 3D measurements show that the margin of error depends on the frequent presence of a third prostatic lobe, on the morphology, and on the size of the prostatic gland. The precise estimation of prostate volumes may provide information on the real effectiveness of some therapies that act on the reduction in volume of benign alteration, such as in prostatic hypertrophy, and may eliminate the current limits of 2D sonography with a significant clinical contribution for virtually no extra cost.

891 FACE, CONTENT AND CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF A VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATOR FOR ROBOTIC SURGERY (SEP ROBOT)

INTRODUCTION This study aims to establish face, content and construct validation of the SEP Robot (SimSurgery, Oslo, Norway) in order to determine its value as a training tool. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The tasks used in the validation of this simulator were arrow manipulation and performing a surgeon’s knot. Thirty participants (18 novices, 12 experts) completed the procedures. RESULTS The simulator was able to differentiate between experts and novices in several respects. The novice group required more time to complete the tasks than the expert group, especially suturing. During the surgeon’s knot exercise, experts significantly outperformed novices in maximum tightening stretch, instruments dropped, maximum winding stretch and tool collisions in addition to total task time. A trend was found towards the use of less force by the more experienced participants. CONCLUSIONS The SEP robotic simulator has demonstrated face, content and construct validity as a virtual reality simulator for robotic surgery. With steady increase in adoption of robotic surgery world-wide, this simulator may prove to be a valuable adjunct to clinical mentorship.

Florence robotic intracorporeal neobladder (FloRIN): a new reconfiguration strategy developed following the IDEAL guidelines.

To describe our step‐by‐step technique for robotic intracorporeal neobladder configuration, including the stages of conception, development and exploration of this surgical innovation, according to the Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long‐term follow‐up (IDEAL) Collaboration guidelines.