Alkaline citrate reduces stone recurrence and regrowth after shockwave lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrolithotomy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preventive effects of alkaline citrate on stone recurrence as well as stone growth post-ESWL or PCNL in patients with calcium-containing stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 76 patients with calcium calculi who were stone-free or had residual stones less than 4 mm following ESWL and PCNL were enrolled. All patients were independently randomized into two groups. The treated group (N = 39) was given 81 mEq per day of oral potassium-sodium citrate (27 mEq three times a day), and the untreated group (N = 37) serving as controls. Blood, twenty-four hour urine analysis, and plain KUB were measured and compared at the baseline and after 12 months. RESULTS: At baseline, hypocitraturia was found in 20 of 39 patients (46.05 percent) of Group I and 15 of 37 patients (40.5 percent) of Group II. At 12 months, hypocitraturia was found in 3 of 39 (7.69 percent) and 14 of 37 (37.83 percent) of Group I and Group II, respectively (p = 0.007). At the 12 month follow-up, of the stone-free group, 92.3 percent of the treated group and 57.7 percent of the control group were still stone free. Of the residual stone group, 30.8 percent and 9.1 percent of treated and control group were stone-free, respectively. The increased stone size found in 7.7 percent and 54.5 percent of treated and control groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Sodium-potassium citrate provides positive effects on stone-forming activities in calcium stone patients suffering from urolithiasis following treatment with ESWL and PCNL procedures at the 12-month follow-up.

The risks of lymph node metastasis and the prognostic factors in carcinoma of the penis: analysis of 50 patients treated with bilateral ilioinguinal lymphadenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the risks of inguinal and pelvic lymph node metastasis as well as the prognostic factors in carcinoma of the penis. METHOD: Fifty patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis who consecutively underwent immediate bilateral ilioinguinal lymphadenectomy after treatment of the primary tumor. Clinical features were evaluated to determine the risk of inguinal and pelvic lymph node metastasis as well as prognostic factors. RESULTS: Patients with palpable inguinal lymph node had a high risk of inguinal lymph node metastasis compared with patients with a non palpable inguinal lymph node (p = 0.002). Patients with poor differentiated tumors had a high risk of pelvic lymph node metastasis compared with patients with well or moderately differentiated tumors (p = 0.021). Prognostic factors significantly related to survival were the clinical status of the inguinal lymph node, histological grade and the status of lymph node metastasis (N stage). None of the patients with stage N0 and N1 died with the longest follow-up at 85 and 67 months, respectively. Cumulative survivals were 0.6 at follow-up at 36 months for the patients with stage N2 and 0.5 at follow-up at 18 months for patients with stage N3. CONCLUSION: The clinical status of inguinal lymph node was related to the risk of inguinal lymph node metastasis. Histological grade was related to the risk of pelvic lymph node metastasis. The clinical status of the inguinal lymph node, histological grade and pathological N stage were the important factors affecting the prognosis.

Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy for upper ureteric calculi.

Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy was performed on 10 patients with upper ureteric stones indicated for open ureterolithotomy after failed prior minimally invasive approaches. Stone size ranged from 7 to 15 mm. (mean 9.3). The routes of approach were all done transperitoneally except in one case in which the retroperitoneal route was initially attempted and later converted to transperitoneal route due to contracted space and unclear landmarks. Stones were all removed successfully with the operating time ranging from 120 to 270 min. (mean 181.5). The only significant complication encountered was urine leak interval postoperatively which were long in 4 patients in whom ureterotomy was not sutured. The longest urine leak interval was seen in a patient whose ureterotomy was neither sutured nor stented. Postoperative pain was rewarding in that seven patients required a single dose of 50 mg of pethidine, two required only oral paracetamol and one required no analgesic at all. Postoperative hospital stay ranged from 5 to 23 days which was actually overwhelmed by urine leak complication. Recovery period was satisfactory which ranged from 10 to 28 days (mean 18.1). Overall laparoscopic ureterolithotomy offers an alternative procedure to open ureterolithotomy with the advantages of minimal postoperative pain and short recovery period.