ABSTRACT
The initial experience in laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been performed transperitoneally. To further minimize the invasiveness, the concept of retroperitoneal laparoscopy was developed and is rapidly gaining grounds as the standard of care. Locally, surgeons have been reluctant in adopting this remarkable alternative due to lack of facilities, experience and support. Thus, only 4 cases of laparoscopic adrenalectomies, all via the transperitoneal approach, had been performed for the past 4 years. Considering the limited experience, inadequate facilities and instruments, still, it was successfully performed with some procedural innovations and technical modifications. It follows the principles of minimally invasive surgery that can avoid some of the physiologic and technical complications of transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy in the country. It proves the possibility of the procedure in the local setting. As an innovative addition to urological practice, retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy can therefore serve as an alternative treatment procedure for benign adrenal pathologies. (Author)
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study is designed to determine the correlation between a voiding cystourethrogram in children and a single and isolated recurrent urinary tract infection, as well as the most frequent presenting symptom in children yielding a positive resultMATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred ninety seven (197) children, ages 0-6 years old, diagnosed to have a urinary tract infection based on history, physical examination, urinalysis and urine culture. Group I included those with single and isolated urinary tract infection: Group II, those with recurrent urinary tract infection. All patients in both groups underwent a voiding cystourethrogramRESULTS: Of one hundred ninety-seven (197), sixty-seven (67) of them were assigned to Group I, while one hundred thirty (130) were assigned to Group II. Sixteen (16) out of sixty-seven (67) in Group I (23 percent) and forty-four (44) out of one hundred thirty (130) in Group 2 had a positive VCUG. High grade fever was the most common presenting symptomCONCLUSION: The frequency of a urinary tract infection did not significantly affect positivity with voiding cystourethrogram. However, the presence of high grade fever correlated better with a (+) VCUG. (Author)
Subject(s)
ChildABSTRACT
Graft substances such as skin, bladder and buccal mucosa have been used for urethral replacement when local epithelial tissue is not available. However, these subtances have been associated with meatal prolapse, stricture and fistula formation. We tried tunica vaginalis as a urethral graft in rabbitsA graft of tunica vaginalis was placed in the excised portion of the urethra in five experimental rabbits. After 6 weeks retrograde urethrograms revealed no strictures and a fistula formation in one rabbit. The histopathologic examination revealed that the tunica vaginalis was covered by the transitional epithelium of the urethra. The tunica vaginalis could be used as a urethral graft in animals with a fistula formation as a complication. (Author)