Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy after heart transplantation

Prostate cancer [CaP] is the leading visceral malignancy in males. Patients who undergo cardiac transplantation are immune compromised, thus presenting a therapeutic challenge. Immunosuppresion could accelerate tumor growth, while medical intervention may be associated with increased treatment mortality or morbidity. Due to paucity of such cases, there are no randomized trials that address the treatment algorithm for cardiac transplant patients with CaP, with only a few scattered reports in the literature. Treatment options range from hormonal manipulation to radiation therapy to radical prostatectomy. To our knowledge, we report the first successful robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in a heart transplant patient with CaP

Transmesocolic robotic extended pyelolithotomy of a large gas-containing renal stone: case report and review of the literature

We present the fifth case in the world literature of a gas-containing urinary stone. Our patient is a 31-year-old woman referred for left flank pain and gross hematuria who was noted on imaging to have a 6.5 cm left renal pelvis stone containing gas. Cultures revealed Escherichia coli from the urine and stone material. Chemistry revealed underlying gouty diathesis. The stone was removed using robotic extended pyelolithotomy. Overall, renal function remained unchanged while drainage improved on nucleotide renography. Review of the world literature suggests that gas-containing renal stones are invariably associated with emphysematous pyelonephritis commonly caused by E. coli and Klebsiella. Contributing factors to gas-containing stone formation include urinary stasis, metabolic mineral derangement and, in a minority of the cases, diabetes

Robot-assisted urologic surgery in 2010 - advancements and future outlook

Robotic surgery is a cutting edge and minimally invasive procedure, which has generated a great deal of excitement in the urologic community. While there has been much advancement in this emerging technology, it is safe to say that robotic urologic surgery holds tremendous potential for progress in the near future. Hence, it is paramount that urologists stay up-to-date regarding new developments in the realm of robotics with respect to novel applications, limitations and opportunities for incorporation into their practice. Robot-assisted surgery provides an enhanced 3D view, increased magnification of the surgical field, better manual dexterity, relatively bloodless field, elimination of surgeon's tremor, reduction in a surgeon's fatigue and mitigation of scattered light. All these factors translate into greater precision of surgical dissection, which is imperative in providing better intraoperative and postoperative outcomes. Pioneering work assessing the feasibility of robotic surgery in urology began in the early 2000's with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and has since expanded to procedures such as robot-assisted radical cystectomy, robot-assisted partial nephrectomy, robot-assisted nephroureterectomy and robot-assisted pyeloplasty. A MEDLINE search was used to identify recent articles [within the last two years] and publications of specific importance, which highlighted the recent developments and future direction of robotics. This review will use the aforementioned urologic surgeries as vehicles to evaluate the current status and future role of robotics in the advancement of the field of urology