Outcomes of endovascular treatment of renal arterial stenosis in transplanted kidneys

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of endovascular treatment of TRAS with PTA. Materials and Methods We searched our prospectively collected database looking at cases of TRAS between January 2005-December 2011. CCT was the gold-standart for diagnosis of TRAS. Parameters analysed comprised technical aspects, arterial blood pressure variation, and renal function. A minimum follow-up of 24 months was considered. Results Of the 2221 renal transplants performed in the selected period, 22 (0.9%) patients were identified with TRAS. Fourteen (63.6%) were male and mean age was 377±14.8years (12-69). Kidney graft was from deceased donnors in 20 (80%) cases. On doppler evaluation, mean blood flow speed after transplantation, at TRAS diagnosis and after TAP was 210.6±99.5, 417±122.7 and 182.5±81.6mL/sec, respectively (p<0.001). For SBP and DBP, there was a significant difference between between pre-intervention and all post-treatment time points (p<0.001). After 1 month of the procedure, there was stabilization of the Cr level with a significant difference between mean Cr levels along time (p<0.001). After a mean follow-up of 16±4.2 (3-24) months, overall success rate was 100%. Conclusions Endovascular treatment with PTA/stenting is a safe and effective option for managing TRAS, ensuring the functionality of the graft and normalization of blood pressure and renal function.

Learning curve for radical retropubic prostatectomy

PURPOSE: The learning curve is a period in which the surgical procedure is performed with difficulty and slowness, leading to a higher risk of complications and reduced effectiveness due the surgeon's inexperience. We sought to analyze the residents' learning curve for open radical prostatectomy (RP) in a training program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective study from June 2006 to January 2008 in the academic environment of the University of São Paulo. Five residents operated on 184 patients during a four-month rotation in the urologic oncology division, mentored by the same physician assistants. We performed sequential analyses according to the number of surgeries, as follows: = 10, 11 to 19, 20 to 28, and = 29. RESULTS: The residents performed an average of 37 RP each. The average psa was 9.3 ng/mL and clinical stage T1c in 71 percent of the patients. The pathological stage was pT2 (73 percent), pT3 (23 percent), pT4 (4 percent), and 46 percent of the patients had a Gleason score 7 or higher. In all surgeries, the average operative time and estimated blood loss was 140 minutes and 488 mL. Overall, 7.2 percent of patients required blood transfusion, and 23 percent had positive surgical margins. CONCLUSION: During the initial RP learning curve, we found a significant reduction in the operative time; blood transfusion during the procedures and positive surgical margin rate were stable in our series.

Urological complication following aortoiliac graft: case report and review of the literature / Complicação urológica após enxerto aorto-ilíaco: relato de caso e revisão de literatura

CONTEXT: Ureteral stenosis and ureterohydronephrosis may be serious complications of aortoiliac or aortofemoral reconstructive surgery. CASE REPORT: A 62-year-old female patient presented with a six-month history of left lumbar pain. She was a smoker, and had mild chronic arterial hypertension and Takayasu arteritis. She had previously undergone three vascular interventions. In two procedures, Dacron prostheses were necessary. Excretory urography showed moderate left ureterohydronephrosis and revealed a filling defect in the ureter close to where the iliac vessels cross. This finding was compatible with ureteral stenosis, and the aortoiliac graft may have been the reason for this inflammatory process. The patient underwent laparotomy, which showed that there was a relationship between the ureteral stenosis and the vascular prosthesis. Segmental ureterectomy and end-to-end ureteroplasty with the ureter crossing over the prosthesis anteriorly were performed. There were no complications. The early and late postoperative periods were uneventful. The patient evolved well and the results from a new excretory urogram were normal. We concluded that symptomatic ureterohydronephrosis following aortoiliac graft is a real complication and needs to be quickly diagnosed and treated by urologists.

INTRODUÇÃO: Estenose ureteral e ureterohidronefrose podem ser sérias complicações da cirurgia reconstrutiva aorto-femoral ou aorto-ilíaca. RELATO DE CASO: Uma paciente de 62 anos apresentou-se referindo história de dor lombar a esquerda há seis meses. Ela era fumante, portadora de hipertensão arterial crônica leve e arterite de Takayasu. Havia sido submetida a três intervenções vasculares. Em dois procedimentos o uso de prótese de Dacron foi necessário. Uma urografia excretora revelou moderada ureterohidronefrose à esquerda e falha de enchimento no ureter próximo ao cruzamento dos vasos ilíacos. Esse achado era compatível com uma estenose ureteral e o enxerto aorto-ilíaco poderia ser a causa do processo inflamatório. A paciente foi submetida a laparotomia, que evidenciou a relação entre estenose ureteral e a prótese vascular. Ureterectomia segmentar e uretroplastia término-terminal com o ureter passando anteriormente à prótese foram realizadas. Não ocorreram complicações. Os períodos de pós-operatório precoce e tardio transcorreram sem intercorrências. A paciente evoluiu bem e uma nova urografia excretora apresenta-se normal. Concluímos que ureterohidronefrose sintomática após enxerto aorto-ilíaco é uma complicação real e precisa ser rapidamente diagnosticada e tratada pelo urologista.

Comparison between two shock wave regimens using frequencies of 60 and 90 impulses per minute for urinary stones

PURPOSE: Two different regimens of SWL delivery for treating urinary stones were compared. METHODS: Patients with urinary stones were randomly divided into two groups, one of which received 3000 shocks at a rate of 60 impulses per minute and the other of which received 4000 shocks at 90 impulses per minute. Success was defined as stone-free status or the detection of residual fragments of less than or equal to 3 mm three months after treatment. Partial fragmentation was considered to have occurred if a significant reduction in the stone burden was observed but residual fragments of 3mm or greater remained. RESULTS: A total of 143 procedures were performed with 3000 impulses at a rate of 60 impulses per minute, and 156 procedures were performed with 4000 impulses at 90 impulses per minute. The stone-free rate was 53.1 percent for patients treated with the first regimen and 54.8 percent for those treated with the second one (p = 0.603). The stone-free rate for stones smaller than 10 mm was 60 percent for patients treated with 60 impulses per minute and 58.6 percent for those treated with 90 impulses per minute. For stones bigger than 10 mm, stone-free rates were 34.2 percent and 45.7 percent, respectively (p = 0.483). Complications occurred in 2.3 percent of patients treated with 60 impulses per minute and 3.3 percent of patients treated with 90 impulses per minute. CONCLUSION: No significant differences in the stone-free and complication rates were observed by reducing the total number of impulses from 4000 to 3000 and the frequency from 90 to 60 impulses per minute.

Timoma: discussão sobre tratamento e prognóstico / Thymoma: discussion about treatment and diagnosis

Objetivo: Mostrar uma casuística de pacientes com timoma, tratados cirurgicamente, com ou sem outra terapia associada, no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Sudeste do Brasil, avaliando o prognóstico destes. Métodos: Entre 1965 e 1998 foram operados 104 pacientes com neoplasias do timo, sendo 69 (66,3 por cento) do sexo masculino; a idade média ao diagnóstico foi de 47,9 ± 16,3 anos, com faixa de variação de 13 a 76 anos de idade. Resultados: Dos 104 operados, 89 (85,6 por cento) foram submetidos a ressecção total do timoma, 6 (5,8 por cento) a ressecção parcial e 9 (8,6 por cento) a biópsia. O diagnóstico anatomopatológico (timoma x timoma maligno) e a cirurgia (biópsia x ressecção total x ressecção parcial) foram significativamente preditivos (p < 0,02) para o tempo médio de sobrevida. Conclusão: A ressecção completa é o tratamento de escolha para os timomas. Esses tumores, quando não invasivos e ressecados completamente, apresentam bom prognóstico imediato e tardio.

Quilotórax após o uso de artéria torácica interna esquerda na revascularizaçäo do miocárdio / Chylothorax after myocardial revascularization with the left internal thoracic artery

A 38-year-old male underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). A saphenous vein graft was attached to the left marginal branch. The left internal thoracic artery was anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). The early recovery was uneventful and the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day. After three months, he came back to the hospital complaining of weight loss, weakness, and dyspnea on mild exertion. Chest X-rays showed left pleural effusion. On physical examination, a decreased vesicular murmur was detected. After six days, the diagnosis of chylothorax was made after a milky fluid was detected in the plural cavity and total pulmonary expansion did not occur. On the next day, both anterior and posterior pleural drainage were performed by videothoracoscopy, and prolonged parenteral nutrition (PPN) was instituted for ten days. After seven days the patient was put on a low-fat diet for 8 days. The fluid accumulation ceased, the drains were removed and the patient was discharged with normal pulmonary expansion

Hemodiluicao normovolemica como alternativa para transfusao sanguinea / Normovolemic hemodiluition as an alternative to blood transfusion

A hemodiluicao vem ganhando espaco e criterios mais definidos nesta ultima decada como uma alternativa a transfusao sanguinea homologa e analoga. Isso porque os riscos inerentes as transfusoes sao cada vez mais conhecidos e quantificados...