Jeong Kyoon Bang

Factors Influencing Renal Function Reduction After Partial Nephrectomy

PURPOSE We investigated factors determining the degree of functional reduction by measuring changes in individual renal function before and after partial nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 117 patients who underwent elective partial nephrectomy the glomerular filtration rate of the renal units with tumor from the diethylenetetramine pentaacetic acid renal scan was measured before and at a mean of 6.5 months after surgery. Kidney volume was calculated using computerized tomography. Of these patients 52 and 65 underwent open and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, respectively. Satinsky clamps were used for renal artery-vein clamping in all patients. We analyzed patient, tumor and perioperative characteristics including surgical method with respect to changes in glomerular filtration rate. RESULTS Renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 101 (86.3%) patients. Between the laparoscopic and open partial nephrectomy groups significant differences were noted in tumor size (2.14 vs 3.72 cm, p <0.001) and warm ischemia time (33.5 vs 20.5 minutes, p <0.001). Reduction and percent reduction in glomerular filtration rate (13.3 vs 12.6 ml per minute per m(2), p = 0.662; 29.9% vs 33.2%, p = 0.337), and reduction and percent reduction in kidney volume (35.8 vs 36.4 cm(3), p = 0.886; 20.4% vs 24.0%, p = 0.151), respectively, were similar between the groups. On multivariate analysis renal volume reduction (%, p <0.0001) was the most significant, independent prognosticator for glomerular filtration rate reduction followed by polar location of the tumor (upper vs mid-lower pole, p = 0.012) and increasing age (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS Renal volume reduction, tumor location and patient age determine renal function after partial nephrectomy. In appropriate cases the laparoscopic method can show surgical and functional outcomes equivalent to those of the open method.

Association Between Metabolic Syndrome and the Presence of Kidney Stones in a Screened Population

BACKGROUND Components of metabolic syndrome have been associated with kidney stone disease, but little evidence is available to support a relationship between metabolic syndrome and kidney stone development in healthy large screened populations. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS Data were obtained from 34,895 individuals who underwent general health screening tests between January 2006 and December 2006 at the Asan Medical Center. PREDICTOR Metabolic syndrome was defined according to criteria established by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, American Heart Association, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. OUTCOMES & MEASUREMENTS The presence of kidney stones was evaluated using computed tomography or ultrasonography. RESULTS Of all those screened, 839 (2.4%) had radiologic evidence of kidney stones and metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 4,779 (13.7%). The multivariable-adjusted OR for kidney stones increased with an increasing quintile of waist circumference and systolic/diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.001). Age, sex, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome status were independent risk factors for kidney stones. The presence of metabolic syndrome had an OR of 1.25 (95% CI, 1.03-1.50) for kidney stone prevalence. In participants with hypertension, the OR for the presence of kidney stones was 1.47 (95% CI, 1.25-1.71) compared with that for participants without hypertension after adjustment for other variables. LIMITATIONS Cross-sectional design, absence of stone composition. CONCLUSION Metabolic syndrome is associated with a significantly increased risk of kidney stone development. Our findings suggest the need for interventional studies to test the effects of preventing and treating metabolic syndrome on the risk of kidney stone development.

Analysis of the late outcome of laparoscopic heminephrectomy in children with duplex kidneys

Study Type – Therapy (case series)
 Level of Evidence 4

Preoperative Clinical and Pathological Characteristics of pT0 Prostate Cancer in Radical Prostatectomy

Purpose To analyze the preoperative clinical and pathological characteristics of patients with pT0 prostate cancer. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 702 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) at our institution between January 2004 and July 2008 for clinically localized prostate cancer. If there was no evidence of residual tumor in the pathological specimen of the prostate, a patient was staged as pT0. Patients with pT0 disease were compared with a control group of patients who were operated on during the same period. Results Overall, 9 (1.3%) patients were staged as pT0 on the pathologic examination. Significant differences were observed between the pT0 group and the control patients in the biopsy Gleason score (p=0.004), the number of positive cores on biopsy (p=0.018), the tumor length of positive cores (p<0.001), and prostate volume (p=0.015). Cutoff values predictive of pT0 tumor status were defined as a biopsy Gleason score sum ≤6, 2 or fewer positive biopsy cores, tumor length on biopsy ≤2 mm, and prostate volume >30 cm3. Whereas 8 of the 9 (88.9%) pT0 patients showed all of these characteristics, only 55 of the 693 (7.9%) control patients fulfilled the criteria. The combination suggested above afforded a sensitivity of 88.8% and a specificity of 92.1% for the prediction of pT0 status. Conclusions The frequency of pT0 prostate cancer seen on RP was 1.3%. A combination of clinicopathological features, incorporating a biopsy Gleason score, the number of positive biopsy cores, tumor length on biopsy, and prostate volume, was useful to predict pT0 stage on RP.