Shivagouda Patil

Flexible Ureteroscopy for Upper Ureteral Calculi in Children

INTRODUCTION Ureteroscopy is one of the therapeutic options in the management of urinary stone disease in children. Previous literature has described ureteroscopy primarily in mid to distal ureteral calculi. We report our experience with flexible ureteroscopy in the management of upper ureteral calculi. PATIENTS AND METHODS All children with upper ureteral stones were included prospectively in the study. Stone burden was measured in millimeters. Presentation, operative access, intraoperative complications, stone-free rates, and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS A total of 80 children (69 boys and 11 girls) underwent 88 ureteroscopic procedures. In 72 (90%) children, complete stone clearance was achieved after a single ureteroscopic session. In 6 (7.5%) others, complete stone clearance was achieved after the second ureteroscopic session. CONCLUSIONS Complete stone clearance after single ureteroscopy is possible if the calculi are single, small (<10 mm), and below the level of the pelviureteral junction.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for adrenal masses in children

OBJECTIVE The laparoscopic approach to the adrenal gland was first reported in 1992. Since then numerous studies have been published, comprising of adults. Experience with the laparoscopic technique for adrenal disease in children and adolescents has been limited. We have reviewed our experience with laparoscopic adrenal surgery in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS All children with pathologic adrenal masses undergoing laparoscopic adrenal surgery were included. The primary study outcome measures included operative time, conversion to open surgery, complications, duration of hospital stay and outcome of surgery. RESULTS Eighteen children underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy during the period January 2003-July 2009. The mean operating time was 95 min, mean blood loss was 30 ml and the average postoperative hospital stay was 50h. There were no conversions to open surgery and no major intra- or postoperative complications noted. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is a safe and feasible procedure with good results. It can be used to safely treat suspected benign and malignant adrenal masses in children with minimal morbidity and a shorter hospital stay.

Staged buccal mucosa urethroplasty in reoperative hypospadias

Introduction: Repeated attempts at surgical repair of serious complications involving either the partial or complete breakdown of the hypospadias repair are less likely to succeed because the penis is densely scarred, or significantly shortened, and the skin over the penis is immobile and hypovascular. Buccal mucosa (BM) has become the preferred material for reconstruction, whenever a child with skin-deficient hypospadias needs reoperation. We report the results of our surgical experience with staged reoperation using BM, in the repair of hypospadias in children with complications after multiple failed repairs. Materials and Methods: Children needing reoperation for hypospadias underwent a staged repair using buccal mucosa. The complications were noted. Results: Twenty-one children aged 3 – 16 years underwent this staged repair during the period May 2000 – April 2010. Two of these 21 children had a failed first stage. One child developed a urethro-cutaneous fistula following the second stage, which was corrected in an additional stage. Conclusions: The use of the buccal mucosa graft for urethral reconstruction in a child with hypospadias, needing a reoperation, is a successful method, with a low incidence of complications.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus and renal stones

Background: The incidence of urinary stone disease has shown a steep rise in recent decades along with marked modifications in dietary habits and life- style. There has been an increased prevalence of urinary stone disease in patients with diabetes. We took up this study to determine the association of diabetes mellitus with kidney stones in patients undergoing surgical treatment. Materials and Methods: Patients presenting with renal stones for surgical management formed the study group. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated by noting the weight and height of the patient. The extracted stone/stone fragments were analyzed to determine the chemical composition. Urinary pH was similarly noted in all. Results: The mean BMI among the diabetics was 26.35 ± 5.20 (range 17.75-35.60), whereas the mean BMI among the non-diabetics was 23.41 ± 2.85 (range 17.71-31.62) (P < 0.0004). The incidence of uric acid calculi in the diabetics was significantly high (P < 0.03). The mean urinary pH among the diabetics was 5.61 ± 0.36 and among the non-diabetics was 6.87 ± 0.32, which was significantly lower (P < 0.000044). Conclusions: There is a strong association between type 2 diabetes and uric acid stone formation. There is also a strong association between diabetes mellitus, BMI, and also with lower urinary pH.

Adrenal cysts: Our laparoscopic experience

INTRODUCTION: Cystic lesions of the adrenals are rare with an incidence of 0.06% in autopsies, and the most frequently found are either the endothelial cysts or the pseudocysts. We report our series of patients presenting with adrenal cysts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The case records of patients presenting with adrenal cysts were reviewed and analyzed. Age, gender, presenting symptoms, physical examination findings, laboratory investigations and imaging records were all noted and analysed. RESULTS: During the 10-year study period, 14 patients, with a mean age of 41.36 ± 5.57 years, were diagnosed to have adrenal cysts. Laparoscopic excision of cysts was performed in three and laparoscopic adrenalectomy in the remaining eleven. CONCLUSIONS: Adrenal cysts are rare, and intervention is indicated whenever they are large (>5 cm), symptomatic, functional, and potentially malignant. Laparoscopic management of these cysts in the form of either decortication/excision is safe, effective, minimally invasive, with minimal blood loss and shorter duration of hospitalization.

Yang-Monti’s Catheterizable Stoma in Children

Background In 1981, Mitrofanoff described a procedure to create a continent urinary stoma for clean intermittent catheterization. Since then several procedures have been described including Yang-Monti ileovesicostomy for effective catheterization. Objectives We report on our experience from the use of Monti’s procedure in children at our center. Patients and Methods Children < 18 years of age undergoing urinary diversion/reconstruction with Yang-Monti’s procedure for congenital conditions or neuropathic bladder formed the study group. All these children, post-operatively were taught clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) and put on a regime using a 14/16 Fr catheter every 3 hours. The children were followed regularly at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24months post-operatively, with special attention paid to any problems with catheterization and incontinence. Results During the period from Jan 2000 to Dec 2011, at our center, 19 children less than eighteen years of age underwent urinary diversion with Yang-Monti’s catheterizable stoma. The indications for urinary diversion was neuropathic bladder in eight, exstrophy bladder in seven , valve bladder syndrome in three and persistent urethral stricture in one. None of the children found CIC difficult during the post-operative period and there was no hindrance to the passage of the catheter. Conclusions Although the appendix remains the tissue of choice for creation of catherterizable stoma, the Yang-Monti ileovesicostomy is effective, convenient conduit for children. Long-term complications are minimal and children find this comfortable to do CIC.

Genital reconstruction in exstrophy patients.

Introduction: Surgery for bladder exstrophy has been evolving over the last four to five decades. Because survival has become almost universal, the focus has changed in the exstrophy-epispadias complex to improving quality of life. The most prevalent problem in the long-term function of exstrophy patients is the sexual activity of the adolescent and adult males. The penis in exstrophy patients appears short because of marked congenital deficiency of anterior corporal tissue. Many patients approach for genital reconstruction to improve cosmesis as well as to correct chordee. We report our series of male patients seeking genital reconstruction following exstrophy repair in the past. Materials and Methods: Fourteen adolescent/adult male patients attended urology services during the period January 2000-December 2009 seeking genital reconstruction following exstrophy repair in the past. Results: Three patients underwent epispadias repair, four patients had chordee correction with cosmetic excision of skin tags and seven patients underwent chordee correction with penile lengthening. All patients reported satisfaction in the answered questionnaire. Patients undergoing penile lengthening by partial corporal dissection achieved a mean increase in length of 1.614 ± 0.279 cm dorsally and 1.543 ± 0.230 cm ventrally. The satisfactory rate assessed by the Short Form-36 (SF-36) showed that irrespective of the different genital reconstructive procedures done, the patients were satisfied with cosmetic and functional outcome. Conclusions: Surgical procedures have transformed the management in these patients with bladder exstrophy. Bladders can be safely placed within the pelvis, with most patients achieving urinary continence and cosmetically acceptable external genitalia. Genital reconstruction in the form of correction of chordee, excision of ugly skin tags and lengthening of penis can be performed to give the patients a satisfactory cosmetic and functional system.

Modified Koyanagi's procedure for proximal hypospadias: Our experience

Koyanagi described an elegant technique for one‐stage proximal hypospadias repair. It is particularly suited for the most severe forms of hypospadias. A modified Koyanagi technique was used to repair the hypospadias in 14 children, aged 3–9 years. One child developed breakdown of the suture line, three other children developed small urethrocutaneous fistula needing closure and one child had post‐operative meatal stenosis. Despite the high rate of complications, modified Koyanagis procedure is a good procedure of choice for severe/proximal hypospadias.

Surgical outcomes of laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty in children with giant hydronephrosis secondary to ureteropelvic junction obstruction

OBJECTIVE Studies of surgical outcomes after reconstructive surgery for giant hydronephrosis (GH) secondary to ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction are limited. Over the past two decades, laparoscopic pyeloplasty has gradually replaced open repair in children in several centres. The objective of this study was to assess surgical outcomes of laparoscopic pyeloplasty in children with GH. MATERIALS AND METHODS Children with unilateral primary UPJ obstruction and GH were prospectively included and underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty. Postoperative ultrasonography was repeated at 3 and 12 months to assess renal parenchymal thickness, and similarly a renogram was repeated to assess improvement in differential renal function. RESULTS During the study period 2005-2009, 53 children underwent laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty for UPJ obstruction. Of these, 8 children had GH caused by UPJ obstruction. The postoperative differential renal function improved in all of them. The postoperative improvement in renal parenchymal thickness at the end of 12 months was comparable to that of the non-GH group. CONCLUSIONS At 12 months, surgical outcomes after laparoscopic pyeloplasty for GH were satisfactory. Relief of obstruction allows adequate and comparable nephron sparing.