V. Muthu

Management of Non-neoplastic Renal Hemorrhage by Transarterial Embolization

OBJECTIVES To assess the role of transarterial embolization (TAE) and critically appraise its feasibility and efficacy in the management of non-neoplastic renal hemorrhage. Percutaneous TAE is an effective method for the control of hemorrhage, irrespective of the cause. Injury to the renal artery or its branch, after trauma or during open or percutaneous urologic procedures, can be accurately diagnosed using angiography and treated by percutaneous embolization techniques. Because the technique and technology have evolved, it is now possible to perform highly selective embolization of the injured vessel while preserving vascularity of the rest of the renal parenchyma. METHODS The medical records of all patients who underwent angioembolization for hemorrhagic urologic emergencies at our institute from January 1996 to December 2007 were reviewed. RESULTS A total of 41 patients, aged 7-72 years, underwent TAE because of hemorrhage after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (n = 27), open pyelolithotomy (n = 3), renal biopsy (n = 8), and spontaneous occurrence (n = 3). All patients had a normal coagulation profile before surgery. A total of 35 patients (85.3%) underwent successful embolization and none required a postprocedural blood transfusion. Of those with postpercutaneous nephrolithotomy bleeding, angioembolization failed in 6 patients. Of these, only 2 required nephrectomy to save the patients life. No serious procedure-related complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS TAE is a minimally invasive, safe, simple, and highly effective modality, in expert hands, for the management of postprocedural renal bleeding. This option should be considered early in the management of these cases because it is not only a life-saving, but ultimately a kidney-sparing, procedure.

Transperitoneal Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty in Children

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction remains the most common cause of hydronephrosis in newborns and children. Open pyeloplasty has been the gold standard for management of UPJ obstruction in these patients. We report our technique and outcome with laparoscopic transperitoneal dismembered pyeloplasty in children. PATIENTS AND METHODS Nineteen patients, ages 2 to 14 years, underwent laparoscopic pyeloplasty at our center between June 2004 and December 2006. Thirteen pyeloplasties were on the left side and six on the right side. A transmesocolic approach was used in five left-sided UPJ obstructions. All operations were performed by the transperitoneal route using either three or four ports. RESULTS Sixteen patients underwent dismembered (Anderson-Hynes) pyeloplasty, while three had a nondismembered Foleys Y-V pyeloplasty. Mean operative time was 198 minutes (range 105-300 min). Mean estimated blood loss was 45 mL (range 30-130 mL). Mean length of stay was 4 days (range 3-5 d). Mean followup was 13.8 months (range 2-30 mos). Postoperatively, one child had a urinary tract infection that necessitated hospital admission and administration of intravenous antibiotics. Eighteen of 19 patients demonstrated improved drainage with no evidence of obstruction on diuretic renography and/or excretory urography. One patient is awaiting follow-up. There was no conversion to open surgery. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic pyeloplasty in children is a safe, minimally invasive treatment option that duplicates the principles and techniques of definitive open surgical repair. It is technically challenging; with increasing expertise, operative times are reduced significantly.

Novel Cost-effective Specimen Retrieval Bag in Laparoscopy: Nadiad Bag

OBJECTIVES To describe an innovative bag for effective specimen retrieval with the aim of reducing the cost of surgery. Retrieval bags are useful in specimen retrieval after ablative surgery. METHODS The components of the retrieval bag are a polyethylene roll, nylon thread, and a 5 ureteral catheter. The lower end is double-sewn with an autoseal device. The neck of the bag consists of a folded edge of the polyethylene bag, which is single-sewn. The folded tunnel accommodates the 5F ureteral catheter and nylon thread. Introduction is performed through the 10-mm port with the help of an atraumatic grasper without any special introducer sheath. Two laparoscopic instruments are required to open, place the specimen within, and close the bag. The bag is extracted by extending the port incision, if required. RESULTS The bag was used in 40 cases, including radical prostatectomy in 7, simple nephrectomy in 18, nephroureterectomy in 11, and adrenalectomy in 4. The running cost of the retrieval bag was <US

Task completion time: Objective tool for assessment of technical skills in laparoscopic simulator for urology trainees.

2, the least expensive of the specimen retrieval systems currently available. The bag had good laparoscopic visibility in all cases. Organ entrapment required a certain learning curve. The overall entrapment time was 7.6 +/- 3.4 minutes. None of the specimens ruptured during entrapment. The entrapment time differed depending on the type of specimen retrieved. The retrieval time for kidney, prostate, and adrenal specimens was 8 +/- 3, 3 +/- 2, and 3 +/- 1.3, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The retrieval bag is inexpensive and easy to make and maintain, and effectively useful with good maneuverability.

Evaluating graft function in pediatric recipients for living donor renal transplantation: Is laparoscopic donor nephrectomy safe?

Context: Laparoscopic surgical simulation is a valuable training tool for urology trainees. Aims: We assessed the validity of task completion time (TCT) as an objective tool for practicing and acquiring technical skills in a simulated laparoscopy environment. Materials and Methods: Fifteen participants comprising postgraduate urology trainees from first to third year (n = 12), urology fellow (n = 1) and consultants (n = 2) underwent basic laparoscopic training on the “Beetle Universal” endotrainer. Training included 10 attempts each comprising four tasks; placing a ball in a cup (Task 1), threading five rings (Task 2), threading five balls (Task 3) and tying a suture (Task 4). Individual task (IT) time was measured. The TCT was defined as sum of IT time for a single attempt. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was done by Pearsons correlation coefficient and students t test using SPSS software 10. Results: The average TCT for the first attempt to complete the four tasks by the participants was 76.5 ± 13.0 min (range 38 to 92.5, skew −1.8), compared to the 10th attempt 33 ± 4.23 min (range 25 to 38.5, skew −0.5). There was statistically significant correlation (r = mean −0.91, range −0.97 to −.83, skew −0.5), (P = < 0.001) between the number of attempts and decreasing TCT for all participants. Correlation decreased when TCT between the sixth to 10th attempt was compared (r = mean −0.67, range −0.99 to 0.76). Conclusions: The TCT is practical, easy and a valid objective tool for assessing acquired technical skills of urology trainees in a laparoscopic simulated environment.

Balloon dilatation for male urethral strictures "revisited"

Objective: To evaluate the surgical and functional outcomes of laparoscopic graft procurement in pediatric patients undergoing renal transplantation. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review of the cohort records of 54 pediatric living donor renal transplant recipients from 1985 through June 2006 was performed. We compared results of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN, n = 15) and open donor nephrectomy (ODN, n = 39). Parameters analysed included donor technique and morbidity, operative complications, immediate postoperative renal function, the incidence of early and delayed graft function, and long-term graft survival. Results: The mean age of these recipients was 14.8 years (5-18) in the LDN group and 13.9 years (8-18) in ODN group. Serum creatinine (mg/dl) was 1.5 ± 0.7 vs 1.8 ± 1.3 at day 1 (P = 0.20), 1.0 ± 0.3 vs 1.4 ± 1.3 at day 2 (P = 0.12), 1.1 ± 0.9 vs 1.3 ± 1.0 at day 7 (P = 0.25), 1.2 ± 0.5 vs 1.6 ± 1.8 (P = 0.20) at day 14, 1.1 ± 0.7 vs 1.2 ± 1.4 (P = 0.39) at 1 month in LDN vs ODN groups, respectively. Early graft function was 35.7 vs 46.4% in the respective groups. There were two delayed graft function and one graft nonfunction in ODN group. Over all graft and patient survival at 1 year was 86.67 and 82.22% (P = 0.34) in LDN and ODN groups, respectively. Conclusion: Pediatric recipients of the LDN grafts have outcomes comparable to those of ODN graft recipients. Laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is safe and efficacious for graft procurement for pediatric recipients.

Laparoendoscopic single site surgery in urology: A single centre experience

Aims: To analyze the results of balloon dilatation for short segment male urethral strictures. Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis was done of 120 patients undergoing urethral balloon dilatation since January 2004 to January 2012. The inclusion criteria for analysis was a short segment (less than 1.5 cm) stricture, exclusion criteria were pediatric, long (more than 1.5 cm), traumatic, malignant strictures. The parameters analyzed included presentation of patients, ascending urethrogram (AUG) and descending urethrogram findings, pre- and postoperative International prostate symptoms score (IPSS), uroflowmetry (Qmax), and post-void residue (PVR). Need for self calibration/ancillary procedures were assessed. Failure was defined as requirement for a subsequent endoscopic or open surgery. A urethral balloon catheter (Cook Urological, Spencer, Indiana) is passed over a guide wire after on table AUG and inflated till 180 psi for 5 minutes under fluoroscopy till waist disappears. Dilatation is followed by insertion of a Foley catheter. Patients were followed up at 1, 3, and 6 months. Results: Mean age was 49.86 years. Mean follow-up was 6 (2–60) months. IPSS improved from 21.6 preoperative to 5.6 postoperatively. Qmax increased from 5.7 to 19.1 and PVR decreased from 90.2 to 28.8 (P < 0.0001*) postoperatively. At 1, 3, and at 6 monthly follow-up, 69.2% (n = 82) patients were asymptomatic. Conclusions: Balloon dilation is a safe, well-tolerated procedure with minimal complications. Further randomized studies comparing balloon dilatation with direct internal visual urethrotomy are warranted.

Measuring stone surface area from a radiographic image is accurate and reproducible with the help of an imaging program.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze our experience of 87 cases with single port surgery, which is also known as laparoendoscopic single site surgery (LESS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case records of all LESS procedures performed between December 2007 and June 2010 were analysed. The procedures performed were donor nephrectomy (n=45), simple nephrectomy (n=27), radical nephrectomy (n=5), pyeloplasty (n=9), and ureteroneocystostomy (n=1). Parameters analysed were operating room (OR) time, estimated blood loss (EBL), visual analogue score (VAS), and complications in all patients undergoing LESS procedure and additionally, warm ischaemia time (WIT) and graft outcome in patients undergoing LESS donor nephrectomy. In reconstructive procedures, the functional assessment was performed with a diuretic renogram at 6 months. RESULTS: In LESS donor nephrectomy, the mean WIT was 6.9 ± 1.9 min. Mean serum creatinine in recipients at 1 month was 0.96 ± 0.21 mg%. We encountered one instance each of renal artery injury, renal vein injury, large bowel injury, minor cortical laceration at the upper pole and two instances of diaphragmatic injury. In LESS simple nephrectomy, the average OR time was 148.7 ± 52.2 min and hospital stay was 3.7 ± 1.2 days. There was one instance of large bowel injury during specimen retrieval. In LESS radical nephrectomy, the average OR time was 202.5 ± 35.7 min and average hospital stay was 4.2 ± 1.3 days. 6 patients of LESS pyeloplasty completed follow up with a diuretic renogram showing a good drainage. LESS ureteroneocystostomy could also be performed successfully without any complications. CONCLUSION: LESS surgery can be accomplished safely in nephrectomy and reconstructive procedures such as pyeloplasty and ureteroneocystostomy with equivalent outcomes as standard laparoscopy and with added benefits of cosmesis and quicker convalescence. LESS donor nephrectomy is a technically feasible procedure; current status of procedure needs to be proved with randomised controlled studies.

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: Oncological outcome analysis from a single-center Indian experience of 6 years.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The surface area of the stone from a radiographic image is one of the more suitable parameters defining stone bulk. The widely accepted method of measuring stone surface area is to count the number of square millimeters enclosed within a tracing of the stone outline on graph paper. This method is time consuming and cumbersome with potential for human error, especially when multiple measurements are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy, efficiency, and reproducibility of a commercially available imaging program, Adobe Photoshop 7.0 for the measurement of stone surface area. MATERIALS AND METHODS The instructions to calculate area using the software are simple and easy in a Windows-based format. The accuracy of the imaging software was estimated by measuring surface areas of shapes of known mathematical areas. The efficiency and reproducibility were then evaluated from radiographs of 20 persons with radiopaque upper-tract urinary stones. The surface areas of stone images were measured using both graph paper and imaging software. Measurements were repeated after 10 days to assess the reproducibility of the techniques. The time taken to measure the area by the two methods was also assessed separately. RESULTS The accuracy of the imaging software was estimated to be 98.7%. The correlation coefficient between the two methods was R(2) = 0.97. The mean percentage variation using the imaging software was 0.68%, while it was 6.36% with the graph paper. The mean time taken to measure using the image analyzer and graph paper was 1.9 +/- 0.8 minutes and 4.5 +/- 1.08 minutes, respectively (P < 0.001) CONCLUSION The imaging program is accurate, fast, and highly reproducible in estimating two-dimensional stone surface area from radiographs compared with manual measurements using graph paper.

Preliminary safety and efficacy results with robotic high-intensity focused ultrasound : A single center Indian experience

Background: There is a lack of published data on laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) in India. Although the published short-term oncologic outcomes after LRP are encouraging, intermediate and long-term data are lacking. Objective: We analyzed the oncological outcome after LRP based on 6 years of experience and compared it with the other single-center published literature. Materials and Methods: Of the 90 patients who underwent LRP for a clinical T2 localized disease, 73 patients with at least a follow up of one year were analyzed. Patients were classified as low-, intermediate-, and high-risk D′Amico groups in 22 (30%), 26 (36%), and 25 (34%) of the patient population, respectively. Progression of disease was defined as a PSA of 0.4ng/ml with a confirmatory rise. We used Kaplan-Meier product limit estimates to calculate actuarial 5-year probabilities of biochemical progression-free survival. Univariate analysis of risk factors for biochemical recurrence (BCR) was done. Results: The mean age of the patients was 63.3 ± 6.6 years. The average follow-up for patients was 22 (12-72) months. There was no prostatic cancer-specific mortality. Fourteen patients had BCR. The 5-year progression-free probability for men with low-, intermediate-, and high-risk prostate cancers was 91%, 82%, and 58%, respectively. High-risk group, Gleason sum more than 8, extracapsular extension, and positive surgical margin were significantly associated with biochemical progression. Conclusions: LRP provided a similar level of oncological success as reported by the other contemporary single-center published literature