Shimon Meretyk

Laparoscopic Nephrectomy: Initial Case Report

A tumor-bearing right kidney was completely excised from an 85-year-old woman using a laparoscopic approach. A newly devised method for intra-abdominal organ entrapment and a recently developed laparoscopic tissue morcellator made it possible to deliver the 190 gm. kidney through an 11 mm. incision.

Endopyelotomy: Comparison of Ureteroscopic Retrograde and Antegrade Percutaneous Techniques

To date 2 approaches have been developed for performing endopyelotomy, that is the antegrade and retrograde approaches. Experience with antegrade transnephrostomy endopyelotomy is quite large and the results have been excellent. However, the need for percutaneous nephrostomy and prolonged hospitalization have been 2 drawbacks to this approach. In contrast, experience with retrograde transureteral endopyelotomy is scant. However, a ureteroscopic approach is attractive from the standpoint of eliminating the need for a large nephrostomy tube and because of the possibility of performing this procedure on an outpatient basis or during a short hospital stay. We report our experience with antegrade and retrograde endopyelotomy in 41 patients. The hospital stay (3.4 versus 4.0 days), nephrostomy tube size (8F to 10F versus 20F to 22F) and nephrostomy tube duration (2.9 versus 3.8 days) were all less with the retrograde approach. The initial success rate was similar between the 2 methods: 79% (retrograde) versus 78% (antegrade). However, the analgesic requirements (5.3 versus 3.5 doses) and the occurrence of significant complications (that is late ureteral stricture in 20%) were greater with the ureteroscopic approach. With the methods currently available, we believe that antegrade endopyelotomy is the preferred approach for endopyelotomy.

IS THE PEDIATRIC URETER AS EFFICIENT AS THE ADULT URETER IN TRANSPORTING FRAGMENTS FOLLOWING EXTRACORPOREAL SHOCK WAVE LITHOTRIPSY FOR RENAL CALCULI LARGER THAN 10 MM.

PURPOSE We determined whether the thin ureter of the young child transports stone fragments after extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) as efficiently as the adult ureter does. This determination was done by comparing the outcome after lithotripsy of renal stones greater than 10 mm. between young children and adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS Our study group consisted of 38 children 6 months to 6 years old (median 3 years) with renal stones greater than 10 mm. in diameter. This group was further divided into 3 subgroups according to the longest stone diameter on plain abdominal film. There were 21 children with a renal stone diameter of 10 to 15 mm. (subgroup 1), 8, 16 to 20 mm. (subgroup 2) and 9 greater than 20 mm. (subgroup 3). The control group consisted of 38 adults older than 20 years randomly selected from the local ESWL registry. Each adult was matched with a child regarding stone diameter and localization. The control group was similarly divided into subgroups 1a, 2a and 3a. ESWL was performed with the unmodified Dornier HM-3 lithotriptor (Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia). The stone-free rate, complication rate, and need for tubes, including stent or nephrostomy, and greater than 1 ESWL session were compared. RESULTS The stone-free rate was 95% in the study and 78.9% in the control group (p = 0.086). Stone-free rates were 95%, 100% and 89% in subgroups 1, 2 and 3, and 95%, 65% and 56% in subgroups 1a, 2a and 3a, respectively. There were 10 children and 4 adults who underwent greater than 1 ESWL session (p = 0.14). Then there were 10 children and 6 adults who required a tube before ESWL (p = 0.04), and almost all of them were included in subgroups 3 and 3a. Early complications were rare in both the study and control groups. Late complications had included 2 cases of Steinstrasse in the control and none in the study group. CONCLUSIONS The stone-free rate after ESWL for large renal stones is higher in young children compared to adults with matching stone size. Renal stones greater than 20 mm. often require more than 1 ESWL session. The pediatric ureter is at least as efficient as the adult for transporting stone fragments after ESWL.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is highly effective for ureteral calculi in children.

PURPOSE Treatment of ureteral calculi in the pediatric population represents a unique challenge. Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL*) and ureteroscopy have been advocated for the treatment of such stones. We present our experience with ESWL monotherapy for ureteral stones in children in the last decade. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1989 and 1999 we treated 21 boys and 17 girls with a mean age of 8 years (range 8 months to 14 years) with ureteral stones at our institution. Records were reviewed and analyzed for presentation, metabolic and anatomical anomalies, stone size and location, outcome and complications. Average stone size was 9.5 x 6.5 mm. (range 3 to 32). Stones were in the upper ureter in 17 cases, mid ureter in 2 and lower ureter in 19. All patients underwent ESWL with a Dornier HM3 lithotriptor under general anesthesia. Nephrostomies were placed in an anuric infant with bilateral ureteral obstruction and in 2 patients with nonfunctioning kidneys (4 renal units). Ureteral catheters were used in 15 patients for better identification and localization of the stone during ESWL. The catheters were removed immediately postoperatively. RESULTS Of the patients 31 (81.5%) were free of stones after 1 session of ESWL, 5 (13.1%) after 2 and 1 after 3. One patient underwent ureteroscopy for residual fragments after 2 ESWL sessions. The stone-free rate following 1 ESWL session was 100% for ureteral calculi 10 mm. or smaller regardless of location. Of the 12 patients with stones larger than 10 mm. 8 (67%) were free of stones following 1 ESWL session. The overall success rate of ESWL was 97.3%. No child had postoperative urinary infection or ureteral obstruction. CONCLUSIONS ESWL is an efficient and safe modality for the treatment of pediatric ureteral stones.

Endoureterotomy for Treatment of Ureteral Strictures

Advances in endosurgical technology have provided the urological surgeon with an alternative to open surgery for the treatment of ureteral strictures. We report the use of an endoscopic intraureteral incision (endoureterotomy) followed by balloon calibration to treat benign ureteral strictures in 13 patients. With an average subjective and objective followup among successful endoureterotomies of 20 months (all cases 12 months or greater), the overall success rate for this procedure is 62%. Of these patients 5 also received triamcinolone injections into the stricture bed following incision and dilation. This method appeared to influence favorably subsequent ureteral patency. The only operative complication was a urinoma, which resolved without intervention. Endoureterotomy appears to be a safe and reasonably effective modality for the treatment of ureteral stricture disease.

Endourological Treatment of Ureteroenteric Anastomotic Strictures: Long-Term Followup

In 1987 we reported our initial experience with an endosurgical incisional approach to ureteroenteric anastomotic strictures (that is endoureterotomy). We have extended that initial report to encompass 15 patients with 19 ureteroenteric strictures followed for an average of 2.5 years. In all cases an endosurgical approach was well tolerated, blood loss was less than 50 cc and hospital stay averaged 3.5 days. A 16 to 22F external stent was left in place for 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively in 14 strictures. A permanent external 12F catheter was left in 5 strictures due to the presence of metastatic disease (4) and a complete dense stricture (1). The only major complication was a ureteroenteric fistula that healed over a ureteral stent without any open surgical intervention. Among 14 ureteroenteric strictures in which the stent was removed, the ureteroenteric area has remained patent in 8 (57%) with an average followup of 28.6 months (range 9 to 57 months). Failures were associated with metastatic disease in 2 cases, generalized debility in 2 and unexplained in 2. In this series an endosurgical approach to ureteroenteric strictures provided long-term satisfactory management of the problem in the majority of patients with benign and malignant disease. By current standards, only 1 patient (7%) would have been considered a candidate for open surgical repair.

Ureteronephroscopic Marsupialization of Obstructing Peripelvic Renal Cyst

Flexible ureteronephroscopy has been used for numerous therapeutic applications in the upper urinary tract. We report a case of a large peripelvic renal cyst causing obstruction to the ureteropelvic junction, which was treated by incising the wall of the cyst into the renal pelvis with the ureteronephroscope.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy in prepubertal children: 22-year experience at a single institution with a single lithotriptor.

PURPOSE The sophistication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy and ureteroscopy challenges the efficacy of ESWL for urolithiasis in prepubertal patients. We evaluated our long-term experience with ESWL in these patients and determined its efficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all prepubertal patients who underwent ESWL. We evaluated the need for tubing, the 3-month stone-free rate, the need for additional ESWL, and the effect of stone size and location, and cystinuria on the 3-month stone-free rate. RESULTS Between 1986 and 2008, 119 males and 97 females with a mean age of 6.6 years who had urolithiasis underwent ESWL using the Dornier HM3 lithotriptor. We treated 157 children with renal calculi with an average +/- SD diameter of 14.9 +/- 8.9 mm, of whom 66 (42%) required a tube in the urinary system. The 3-month stone-free rate was 80% and 31 patients (19.7%) needed an additional procedure. Stone location did not affect the stone-free rate but stone size did. We treated 59 patients for ureteral stones with an average stone length of 9.5 +/- 4.8 mm, of whom 41 (69%) required tube insertion. The 3-month stone-free rate was 78% and 13 patients (22%) needed an additional procedure. The 3-month stone-free rate did not depend on stone location or size. The rate was 37.5% in patients with cystinuria and 82.5% in all others (p <0.0001). Six patients (2.8%) had complications. CONCLUSIONS The 3-month stone-free rate after ESWL in prepubertal patients is 80% and 20% of patients require additional procedures. ESWL is most effective for kidney stones less than 11 mm. ESWL has inferior results for cystine stones compared to other calculi. Complications are rare.

Endopyelotomy for Secondary Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction in Children

Percutaneous endopyelotomy has been shown to be successful in treating ureteropelvic junction obstruction in adults. Little data have been published regarding this procedure in children. We describe 4 patients 6.5 weeks to 5.5 years old who underwent percutaneous endopyelotomy to treat ureteropelvic junction obstruction following failed open dismembered pyeloplasty. Preoperative obstruction was demonstrated by a nephrostogram, diuretic renogram and/or ultrasonography. Percutaneous endopyelotomy was successful in relieving the obstruction in all 4 patients, although 2 required secondary endoscopic procedures. One patient had persistent obstruction 40 days after endopyelotomy at the ureteropelvic junction and, subsequently, required percutaneous resection of a persistent flap of obstructing tissue. In another patient a ureterovesical stricture was noted at the time of stent removal, which was treated by endoscopic incision. All patients have been followed from 1.5 to 3 years postoperatively. Followup diuretic renograms, ultrasound and/or excretory urography demonstrated a patent ureteropelvic junction in all patients and all have remained asymptomatic. Endopyelotomy appears to be safe and effective in treating secondary ureteropelvic junction obstruction in children.

Urothelial Cancer of the Renal Pelvis in Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Patients

Introduction: The association between staghorn calculus of the kidney long-standing and urothelial tumors of the renal pelvis is well documented. We describe 3 patients with urothelial cancer in a kidney who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of our series of more than 500 PCNLs revealed 3 patients in whom urothelial cancer of the renal pelvis was diagnosed during or following percutaneous stone removal. Preoperative assessment included IVP, renal sonography and renal scan using DTPA in all 3 patients, and CT in 2 patients. Imaging did not raise the suspicion of a neoplastic lesion. Results: All patients had a long history of urolithiasis and urinary infections. No patient was diagnosed preoperatively. One patient was diagnosed postoperatively, when a CT demonstrated a renal lesion. The second patient underwent simple nephrectomy due to a non-functioning kidney, and the tumor was found on pathological analysis. In the third patient, biopsies were taken from a suspicious-looking tissue in the renal pelvis during the PCNL session. All patients had transitional cell carcinoma: 1 associated with sarcomatoid features and 1 with squamous carcinoma. They all died from metastatic disease 2–19 months after the diagnosis of urothelial cancer. Conclusions: The preoperative diagnosis of urothelial cancer in patients with staghorn stones is difficult due to the existing stone and inflammation. Since the prognosis of urothelial cancer is extremely poor, biopsies of the renal pelvis, obtained directly through the nephroscope during the PCNL session, may be the only key for early diagnosis and treatment. A high index of suspicion should be raised when patients suffering from infected staghorn calculi are encountered, and such intraoperative biopsies should be considered.