Pankaj N Maheshwari

Predictive Value of Decreased Renal Pelvis Anteroposterior Diameter in Prone Position for Prenatally Detected Hydronephrosis

PURPOSE It is important to differentiate between those cases of prenatally detected hydronephrosis that are significant and those that are likely to resolve spontaneously. We evaluated the anteroposterior pelvic diameter of the renal pelvis postnatally in the supine and prone positions, and determined whether the difference between these 2 positions helps predict the outcome of prenatally detected hydronephrosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS From May 2009 to June 2011, 38 infants with prenatally detected unilateral ureteropelvic junction type hydronephrosis were evaluated. The anteroposterior pelvic diameter was noted in the supine and prone positions. Functional evaluation was done by radionuclide renogram. Those with a split function of less than 40% underwent pyeloplasty. All other patients were followed by serial ultrasound examination. RESULTS Six infants had an anteroposterior pelvic diameter larger than 40 mm with no change in diameter in the supine vs prone positions. Seven of 16 infants with an anteroposterior pelvic diameter between 30 and 40 mm, and 11 of 15 infants with an anteroposterior pelvic diameter between 15 and 30 mm had a smaller anteroposterior pelvic diameter in the prone position. These infants had normal renal function, improvement in hydronephrosis and did not need pyeloplasty. All the infants with no change in anteroposterior pelvic diameter in either position had poorer renal function, necessitating pyeloplasty. CONCLUSIONS Those cases of prenatally detected ureteropelvic junction type of hydronephrosis in which the anteroposterior pelvic diameter is smaller in the prone position than in the supine position showed improvement in hydronephrosis, while those with no change in anteroposterior pelvic diameter had worsening of hydronephrosis and needed surgical intervention.

Fluoroscopy guided percutaneous renal access in prone position

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a very commonly done procedure for management of renal calculus disease. Establishing a good access is the first and probably the most crucial step of this procedure. A proper access is the gateway to success. However, this crucial step has the steepest learning curve for, in a fluoroscopy guided access, it involves visualizing a three dimensional anatomy on a two dimensional fluoroscopy screen. This review describes the anatomical basis of the renal access. It provides a literature review of all aspects of percutaneous renal access along with the advances that have taken place in this field over the years. The article describes a technique to determine the site of skin puncture, the angle and depth of puncture using a simple mathematical principle. It also reviews the common problems faced during the process of puncture and dilatation and describes the ways to overcome them. The aim of this article is to provide the reader a step by step guide for percutaneous renal access.

Comparison of the efficiency and complications of lumenis and wolf morcellators after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate

Introduction: Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is a recognized option for the surgical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. While the laser parameters and enucleation techniques have been widely studied, the morcellation techniques still remain under-evaluated. The current study evaluates the two commonly used morcellation devices for their in vivo efficiency and patient safety. Materials and Methods: A total of 222 patients who underwent HoLEP at two medical centres between January 2011 to December 2013 by a single surgeon were included. Of these 222 patients, the Richard Wolf Piranha Morcellation System, Germany (WM), was used on 140 patients, while on the remaining 82, the Lumenis® VersaCut™ Morcellator, Yokneam, Israel (LM), was used. These devices were compared for safety parameters such as the incidence of bladder mucosal injury, deep muscle injury, bladder perforation, and bleeding requiring electrocoagulation. The morcellation efficiency (ME) defined as the ratio of the weight of morcellated tissue in grams to the time required for morcellation in minutes was also compared. Results: The incidence of bladder mucosal injury, deep muscle injury, and bleeding requiring electrocoagulation was statistically significantly lower for the WM than the LM. None of the patients had a full-thickness bladder perforation with either of the morcellators. The ME was higher for the LM. In eight patients, hard, smooth rounded adenomatous nodules could not be morcellated by the WM and had to be crushed by a stone grasping forceps before morcellation. Conclusions: While the LM is a faster morcellator, WM has a better safety profile.

Hydrocele with a surprise: Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis - Case report and review of literature

Hydrocele is a very common condition that is simple to evaluate and treat. Management of hydrocele is usually delegated to the junior members of the surgical team. Sometimes this simple condition can spring huge surprises. A 20-year-old man presented with acute onset large, painless fluctuant left hemi-scrotal swelling. Scrotal ultrasonography showed thickened tunica vaginalis. A diagnosis of left hydrocele was made and repair by excision of sac was planned. During the procedure, the sac was found studded with red nodular growths; histopathology reported malignant mesothelioma of tunica vaginalis. Metastatic evaluation showed extensive retroperitoneal lymph nodal involvement. Despite receiving adjuvant chemotherapy with radiotherapy patient died due to extensive metastasis within 16 months. This case is presented for rarity of diagnosis, young age of presentation, absence of etiological factor and rapidly progressive clinical course.

Cystoscopic stent removal using a guidewire loop

Stent removal is a simple procedure performed with a rigid cystoscope and a stent removal forceps. In the rare event when the stent removal forceps does not work or breaks down, a guidewire loop can be used to remove the stent.

A double J stent misplaced in the inferior vena cava during Boari flap repair.

A 30-year-old lady underwent a Boari flap repair for post-hysterectomy mid-ureteric stricture. The upper end of the double J stent inserted during the procedure was misplaced in the supra-renal inferior venal cava. Cystoscopic stent removal could be performed uneventfully, while the stricture was managed by endoureterotomy.

Laparoscopy-assisted Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement Using Amplatz Dilators: A New Technique With Results

OBJECTIVE To describe a new modified technique of laparoscopic placement of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) catheters and assess the early results. METHODS CAPD catheter implantation was performed in 100 consecutive patients. The technique used laparoscopically guided, extraperitoneal tunneling of the CAPD catheter using Amplatz dilators. The extraperitoneal tunneling helped to maintain the catheters orientation toward the deep pelvis. Omentopexy was performed on patients with long omentum. Wherever indicated, adhesiolysis was performed to eliminate compartmentalization that could affect the completeness of dialyzate drainage. The average duration of surgery, hospital stay, morbidity, mortality, and catheter survival were assessed. RESULTS The average operative time was 40 ± 7 minutes, and hospital stay was 3 ± 1 days. There were no conversions from laparoscopy to conventional catheter insertion methods. Exit site or tunnel infections, hemorrhagic complications, abdominal wall hernias, or catheter cuff extrusions were not detected. No patient had either catheter migration or displacement. Peroperative mortality did not occur in this series of patients. Catheter survival was 97% at 6 months. CONCLUSION The laparoscopic method described in this report is compliant with consensus guidelines for the best demonstrated practices in peritoneal access placement. Laparoscopy permits direct visualization of all procedure steps in a safe, efficient, and reproducible manner. The use of Amplatz dilators helps in better orientation of the catheter reducing the risk of catheter tip migration.