Patient Decision Making Prior to Radical Prostatectomy: What Is and Is Not Involved.

The current study assessed the decision-making process before surgery in prostate cancer patients. A structured telephone interview was conducted by an independent third party in 162 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for prostate cancer. Responders revealed that details regarding diagnosis and treatment alternatives were withheld from a significant number of patients. Radiation and active surveillance were presented as alternative options to surgery in 57 (39%) and 20 (14%) of responders, respectively. Twenty-six (18%) patients reported not being informed regarding potential surgical side effects. Patients were not active participants in critical aspects of decision making in 61 (42%) of the cases. Being inadequately informed and more frequent visits to the urologist appeared to make decisions more difficult. Treatment regret was reported by 23 (16%) of the patients who underwent surgery and was more common when the patient was not involved in the decision or was inadequately informed. As such, shared decision making should replace paternalism when managing patients with localized prostate cancer in urologic practice.

Is One Early Renographic Follow-Up Adequate to Measure the Success of Robotic Pyeloplasty?

PURPOSE: Diuretic renography (DRG) is commonly used to diagnose ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) and to evaluate the success of surgical repair (pyeloplasty). Duration, frequency, and interpretation of renographic follow-ups are still under dispute. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 94 consecutive patients diagnosed with UPJO who underwent a minimally invasive, robotically assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty at our institution between January 2009 and September 2015. DRG was carried out preoperatively and again routinely 4 to 6 weeks postoperatively the day after stent removal (early DRG). Patients were scheduled for repeat (late) DRG and follow-up examinations, including clinical status and ultrasonography. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with missing preoperative DRG were excluded from the study; the remaining 75 patients were eligible for statistical evaluation. At follow-up, 98.7% reported no or only very mild and rare symptoms. On early DRG, 52.5% had T1/2 ≤ 10 min (unobstructed), 39.3% had T1/2 between 10 and 20 minutes (equivocal), and 8.2% had T1/2 ≤ 20 minutes (obstructed). At late follow-up, the DRG results had improved to 80.8% unobstructed with 19.2% remaining equivocal, and no patients were obstructed; thus, the overall success rate was 80.8%. There was only one patient who worsened from unobstructed to equivocal from early to late DRG assessment. CONCLUSION: In case of complete symptom resolution, a nonobstructive diuretic half-time of ≤10 minutes on early DRG following stent removal suggests that further routine renographic follow-up is unnecessary. Patients with an equivocal early DRG (T1/2 between 10 and 20 minutes) require further scintigraphic follow-up, as they have a 42.1% chance of staying equivocal.

Does ureteral stenting matter for stone size? A retrospective analyses of 1361 extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy patients.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of our study was to determine the efficacy of ureteral stents for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) treatment of pelvis renalis stones and to compare the results and complications in stented and non-stented patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 1995 and 2011, 1361 patients with pelvis renalis stones were treated with SWL. Patients were subdivided into three groups according to stone burden: ≤1 cm(2) (group 1; n = 514), 1.1 to 2 cm(2) (group 2; n = 530) and >2 cm(2) (group 3; n = 317). Each group was divided into subgroups of patients who did and did not undergo ureteral stent implantation before SWL treatment. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by determining the effectiveness quotient (EQ). Statistical analysis was performed by chi-square, Fisher's exact and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: Of the 514, 530 and 317 patients in groups 1, 2 and 3 respectively, 30 (6%), 44 (8%) and 104 (33%) patients underwent auxiliary stent implantation. Steinstrasse rates did not differ significantly between stented and non-stented patients in each group. The EQ was calculated as 62%, 33% and 70% respectively in non-stented, stented and totally for group 1. This ratio calculated as 58%, 25% and 63% for group 2 and 62%, 26% and 47% for group 3. Stone-free rates were significantly higher for non-stented than for stented patients in groups 2 and 3. CONCLUSIONS: Stone free rates are significantly higher in non-stented than in stented patients with pelvis renalis stones >1 cm(2), whereas steinstrasse rates are not affected.

Does previous open nephrolithotomy affect the outcomes and complications of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children?

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the success and complication rates of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) performed in pediatric patients and to compare outcomes of the patients undergoing primary PCNL with those of patients who had undergone previous open nephrolithotomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2000 and 2011, PNL procedures were performed in 123 renal units (RU) of 111 children. We compared RU on which previous open surgery had been performed (group 1 RU = 26) on the same kidney with RU that had not been involved in previous surgery (group 2 RU = 97). Patient characteristics, pre- and postoperative hematocrit and creatinin levels, operative time, fluoroscopic screening time, stone free rate, complications and hospitalization time were documented and compared. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the groups in sex, stone burden, pre- and postoperative hematocrit levels. Mean age and pre- and postoperative creatinin levels were significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.05). Mean operative time, fluoroscopic screening time and hospitalization times were similar in each group (p > 0.05). The stone free rates after PCNL were 65.4% in group 1 and 81.4% in group 2 (p > 0.05). Multiple access rate was higher in group 1; however, this was not statistically significant (27% vs. 15%, p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: PCNL can be performed in pediatric patients who have previously undergone open nephrolithotomy but the success rates may be lower and risk of bowel injury higher. NCCT should be considered preoperatively for patients who have previously undergone open renal surgeries to investigate the presence of retrorenal colons. Our study includes relatively few patients with a history of open surgery and we believe that additional clinical studies with larger numbers of patients are needed to confirm our initial findings.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children with cystine stone: long-term outcomes from a single institution.

PURPOSE: We determined the effectiveness of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children with cystine stones and present the long-term outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the data of 65 renal units in 51 children who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy for cystine stones between 2000 and 2012. Of the patients 19 (37%) had undergone ipsilateral renal surgery and 11 (22%) had undergone extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Children were designated as being stone-free or having residual stone (any evidence of persistent stone fragments irrespective of size). Medical treatment with α-mercaptopropionylglycine, potassium citrate or potassium sodium hydrogen citrate was recommended for all patients after stone analysis. RESULTS: Median stone burden was 3.3 cm(2) (range 1 to 13) and median patient age was 6 years (1 to 17). Stone-free status was achieved in 41 renal units (63.1%). Stone-free status was increased to 73.8% with additional endoscopic procedures. The remaining patients with residual stones were followed. Complication rate was 15.4%. A total of 35 children (68.6%) receiving regular medical treatment were followed for a median of 95 months (range 6 to 136). The recurrence rate for children achieving stone-free status was 31.2%, and the regrowth rate for children with residual stones was 29.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is a safe and effective treatment for children with cystine stones. Our high recurrence and regrowth rates emphasize that our treatment schedule is inadequate to prevent recurrent cystine calculi. Additional investigation is needed to determine the optimal medical therapy for preventing recurrence and regrowth of cystine stones.

Predictive factors and management of steinstrasse after shock wave lithotripsy in pediatric urolithiasis--a multivariate analysis study.

OBJECTIVE: To define the predictive factors for the formation of steinstrasse (SS) after shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and determine the treatment strategies for this complication in pediatric urolithiasis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 341 renal units (RUs) treated with SWL for urolithiasis. The stone location, stone burden, auxiliary procedures, energy level, and number of shock waves were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed to detect the predictive factors for the formation of SS. In addition, the treatment of children with SS was evaluated. RESULTS: The mean age of the children was 8.31 years (range 1-17). Episodes of SS developed in 26 RUs (7.6%). Of the 26 RUs, 20 (77%) were localized in the lower, 5 (19%) in the upper, and 1 (4%) in multiple locations in the ureter. The stone burden was the only statistically significant factor predicting the formation of SS on logistic regression analysis (P = .001). Of the 26 RUs, 17 (65.4%) were successfully managed by repeat SWL monotherapy, 4 (15.4%) were managed with ureteroscopy after failure of SWL, 1 (3.8%) was managed by ureteroscopy monotherapy, and 4 (15.4%) were monitored with conservative management with antispasmodic drug plus hydration therapy. The mean number of SWL sessions was 1.72. CONCLUSION: The incidence of SS development in children after SWL treatment was similar to that in adult series. Our results suggest that the stone burden is a significant predictive factor for the development of SS after SWL in pediatric urolithiasis. Most children with SS could be easily and safely treated by repeat SWL.