Jonathon Olsburgh

Incidental renal stones in potential live kidney donors: prevalence, assessment and donation, including role of ex vivo ureteroscopy

Previously, donors with asymptomatic stones found incidentally on CT were not considered ideal donor candidates because of the presumed risk of morbidity to both the donor and recipient. Increasingly, studies show that these risks are low. This study aims to evaluate the long‐term safety of using ex vivo ureteroscopy to remove the stones from the donor kidney on the bench before donation. Outcomes so far suggest that this technique can safely render a kidney stone‐free before transplantation. This has led to 20 more transplants in our institution than would otherwise be possible.

Outcome of surgical complications following simultaneous pancreas–kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND Simultaneous pancreas-kidney (SPK) transplantation carries a higher risk of surgical complications than kidney transplantation alone. We aimed to establish the incidence of surgical complications after SPK transplantation and determine the effect on graft and patient survival. METHODS Outcomes of all SPK transplants performed at our centre were compared between patients who experienced a surgical complication (SC group) and those who did not (NSC group). RESULTS Our centre performed 193 SPK transplants in a 15-year period; 44 patients (23%) experienced a surgical complication. One-year and 5-year pancreatic graft survival was 89 and 80%, respectively; this was lower in the SC group. There was no significant difference in patient or kidney graft survival between the SC and NSC groups at 5 years (92 and 83%, respectively.) CONCLUSION Surgical complications following SPK transplantation can cause significant morbidity and adversely affect pancreas graft survival, but do not affect long-term kidney or patient survival.

Management of stones in renal transplant.

Purpose of review Increasingly, screening of both deceased and living donor organs has led to the early detection of kidney stones prior to donation. A number of transplant recipients will still present with donor-gifted and de-novo stones. A range of treatment modalities is available in the management of renal transplant stones. Recent findings Stones can be pretreated in the (living) donor prior to transplantation, managed at the time of transplantation or treated in the recipient post-transplant. The options include conservative management, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy, percutaneous nephrolithotomy, ureteroscopy or open surgery depending on the size and location of the stone(s). Various techniques to deal with a transplant kidney are described. Ex-vivo ureteroscopy or pyeloscopy can safely render a kidney-stone free prior to transplantation and in living donors this means without subjecting the living donor to an additional stone removing procedure. Summary The cause of renal transplant lithiasis is multifactorial. More research is needed to understand the factors associated with de-novo stone formation. Early detection of donor-gifted stones can allow stones to be removed at the time of transplantation. Close follow up of both living donors and transplant recipients is necessary to ensure long-term safety is maintained.

Diagnosis and management of intradiverticular bladder tumours

Intradiverticular bladder tumours (IDBT) account for approximately 1% of all urinary bladder tumours. The risk of developing a tumour within a bladder diverticulum is considered to be greater than in the main bladder, possibly owing to prolonged contact of potential carcinogens with the mucosal lining from urinary stasis. Patients with these tumours most commonly present with visible haematuria. Diagnostic tests include urine cytology, cystoscopy, ultrasonography, CT, MRI, and biopsy. Lack of muscle in the diverticula increases the risk of bladder perforation during biopsy and makes pathological staging difficult as there is no T2 stage; instead, data suggest that any invasion beyond the lamina propria should be described as T3. IDBT can be managed by transurethral resection and adjuvant intravesical therapy, diverticulectomy, or cystectomy (partial or radical), as outlined by the only guidelines to specifically address the management of IDBT, which were published by the Cancer Committee of the French Association of Urology (CCAFU) in 2012. The prognosis of patients with intradiverticular bladder tumours has always been perceived to be worse than those with intravesical tumours; however, the only study of 5-year survival rates for patients with IDBT suggests that prognosis might be comparable for these conditions.

Clinically Significant Peripancreatic Fluid Collections After Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplantation

Background Peripancreatic fluid collections (PPFC) are a serious complication after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation (SPKTx). Methods Retrospective study for all 223 SPKTx performed from December 8, 1996, to October 10, 2011, to evaluate the risk factors (RF) and impact of PPFCs on outcomes was conducted. Results Clinically significant PPFCs were seen in 36 (16%) cases, all within 3 months after transplantation. Radiologic drainage resolved 2 (6%) cases, and 34 required laparotomy (mean [SD], 4 [7]). Compared with the non-PPFC group (n=186), the PPFC group had similar patient and total kidney graft survivals but significantly lower total pancreas survival (68% vs. 85%) and greater incidence of infections (75% vs. 46%, all P<0.05) at 5 years. PPFCs were associated with early graft pancreatitis in 18 (50%), pancreatic fistula in 20 (56%, 9 with obvious duodenal stump leak) and infection in the collection in 20 (56%) cases. Comparison of PPFCs with pancreas graft loss to the PPFCs with surviving grafts showed that the incidence of pancreatic fistula was greater in the former (90% pancreas graft loss vs. 42% pancreas graft survival, P<0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis of RF for developing PPFC showed a donor age >30 years to be significant (P=0.03; odds ratio, 3.4; confidence interval, 1.1–10.5) and a trend of association with donor body mass index >30 and pancreas cold ischemia time greater than 12 hr. Conclusions PPFCs are associated with significant reduction in pancreas allograft survival and impact resource use. Donor age >30 years is a significant RF for their development. PPFCs associated with pancreatic fistula carry a greater risk for pancreas graft loss.

The Risk of Tumour Recurrence in Patients Undergoing Renal Transplantation for End-stage Renal Disease after Previous Treatment for a Urological Cancer: A Systematic Review

CONTEXT Renal transplantation is the gold standard renal replacement therapy in end-stage renal disease owing to its superior survival and quality of life compared with dialysis. When the potential recipient has a history of cancer, the waiting period before renal transplantation is usually based on the Cincinnati Registry. OBJECTIVE To systematically review all available evidence on the risk of cancer recurrence in end-stage renal disease patients with a history of urological cancer. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to March 2017 for all relevant publications reporting oncologic outcomes of urological cancer in patients who subsequently received a transplantation or remained on dialysis. The primary outcome was time to tumour recurrence. Secondary outcomes included cancer-specific and overall survival. Data were narratively synthesised in light of methodological and clinical heterogeneity. The risk of bias of each included study was assessed. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Thirty-two retrospective studies enrolling 2519 patients (1733 dialysed, 786 renal transplantation) were included. For renal cell carcinomas, the risks of recurrence, cancer-specific, and overall survival were similar between transplantation and dialysis. For prostate cancer, most of the tumours had favourable prognoses consistent with nomograms. Studies dealing with urothelial carcinomas (UCs) mainly included upper urinary tract UC in the context of aristolochic acid nephropathy, for which the risks of synchronous bilateral tumour and recurrence were high. Data on testicular cancer were scarce. CONCLUSIONS Immunosuppression after renal transplantation does not affect the outcomes and natural history of low-risk renal cell carcinomas and prostate cancer. Therefore, the waiting time from successful treatment for these cancers to transplantation could be reduced. Except in the particular situation of aristolochic acid nephropathy, more studies are needed to standardise the waiting period after UC owing to the paucity of data. PATIENT SUMMARY Renal transplantation does not appear to increase the risk of recurrence of renal carcinoma or the recurrence of low-risk prostate cancer compared with dialysis. More reliable evidence is required to recommend a standard waiting period especially for urothelial and testicular carcinomas.

Renal Replacement and Male Sexuality

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) and dialysis have negative impact on lifestyle. Renal transplantation improves many facets of daily life. Male sexuality is a significant predictor of quality of life. This brief review summarizes the impacts of ESRD and renal replacement on a range of sexual domains as presented at the European Association of Urology meeting in Vienna.

Autotransplantation for the management of ketamine ureteritis

Ketamine-associated cystitis is a well-recognised syndrome; yet upper urinary tract involvement remains poorly understood. We present the case of a 33-year-old man who developed ketamine-associated cystitis and ureteritis. The patients severe bladder symptoms required subtotal cystectomy and orthotopic reconstruction. However, the associated ureteritis led to bilateral ureteric obstruction and renal failure. Bilateral autotransplantation with pyelovesicostomy was performed. This first case of autotransplantation for ketamine uropathy helps to demonstrate the potentially devastating effects of ketamine on the urinary tract.

Advanced native kidney renal cell carcinoma in renal transplant recipients: role of sirolimus as dual anti-cancer and anti-rejection agent

The incidence of native kidney renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in renal transplant recipients is 15 times higher than the general population. These tumors are often found incidentally when imaging is performed for another indication. At that stage tumors are usually small and asymptomatic but it is possible that they may escape detection until a more advanced stage. Early stage RCC can be treated with radical nephrectomy but the treatment of advanced RCC may be more complicated and is associated with a poorer prognosis. RCC in context of renal transplant presents a special therapeutic challenge; balancing treatment of a potentially lethal malignancy in a redundant organ whilst maintaining good allograft function.We describe 2 cases of advanced renal cell carcinoma of native kidneys in renal transplant recipients and present our experience with sirolimus as a dual immunosuppressive and anti-tumor agent.

TCC in Transplant Ureter—When and When Not to Preserve the Transplant Kidney

We present four cases of transitional cell carcinoma of the transplant ureter (TCCtu). In three cases, localized tumor resection and a variety of reconstructive techniques were possible. Transplant nephrectomy with cystectomy was performed as a secondary treatment in one locally excised case. Transplant nephroureterectomy was performed as primary treatment in one case. The role of oncogenic viruses and genetic fingerprinting to determine the origin of TCCtu are described. Our cases and a systematic literature review illustrate the surgical, nephrological, and oncological challenges of this uncommon but important condition.