Prostate anaesthetic block with ropivacaine for urologic surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate prostate anaesthetic block for haemodynamic tolerance and quality of analgesia during and after transurethral surgery. METHODS: Ninety adult males, ASA III/IV, were randomly assigned to receive a prostate anaesthetic block (n = 45) or spinal anaesthesia (n = 45). The main outcome measurement during anaesthesia, surgery and recovery was haemodynamic tolerance (number of hypotensive episodes, heart rate, systolic and mean blood pressures). Other outcome variables were pain scores during anaesthesia, surgery and every 4 h until 24 h after the end of surgery and amount of oral morphine required during the 24-h postoperative period. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were ASA III and 24 ASA IV. Ongoing cardiovascular therapies were comparable between groups. All surgical procedures were performed under good conditions. For patients receiving prostate anaesthetic block, the blood pressure and heart rate did not change significantly during the study period. For patients receiving spinal anaesthesia, the hypotension rate was 55.6% (n = 25) compared to 0 in the prostate anaesthetic block group (P < 0.001); 25 and 4 patients, respectively, required vascular filling and additional ephedrine administration. In both groups, all pain scores were <40 (100 mm visual analogue scale) during the study period. Oral morphine was given during the postoperative period to two prostate anaesthetic block patients and four who had received spinal anaesthesia (not significant). CONCLUSION: Transurethral surgery under prostate anaesthetic block is safe and assures adequate analgesia during and after surgery.

[Treatment of lymphocele after kidney transplantation]. / Traitement des lymphocèles après transplantation rénale.

Lymphocele is a possible postoperative complication of renal transplantation and its treatment is still controversial. Over a 3-year period (January 1992 to December 1993), 7 patients with a complicated lymphocele were treated by various modalities. Puncture-drainage was used in 7 cases, Povidone sclerotherapy was performed in 4 cases and internal drainage was performed by surgical marsupialization in one case and by laparoscopy in 4 cases. The results of external drainage and sclerotherapy were disappointing, with 1 good result out of 7 and 1 moderate result out of 4, respectively. On the other hand, internal drainage was effective in every case, whether it was performed by surgical or laparoscopic marsupialization. The latter technique avoids the disadvantages of open surgery in high-risk patients. Laparoscopy appears to be the treatment of choice for post-renal transplantation lymphoceles, as it is simple, rapid and effective.

Prospective analysis of 40 initial laparoscopic colorectal resections: a plea for a randomized trial.

The experience reported herein is on our initial 40 cases of laparoscopic-assisted (LA) colorectal resection that were prospectively evaluated. The operations were performed for colonic tumors of the right segment (n = 4), sigmoid (n = 11), or rectum (n = 7), diverticular disease (n = 17), and chronic constipation (n = 1). Among 22 tumors, 11 were malignant. The operative procedures were 4 right hemicolectomies, 28 segmental left colectomies, 5 anterior resections, 2 abdominoperineal resections, and 1 total colectomy. Thirty-one patients (77.5%) had a successfully completed LA resection. The reasons for conversion in the majority of the cases (66.6%) were difficulties in dissection. In the entirely LA procedures, the mean flatus postoperative day was 3, the mean postoperative hospitalization was 10.7 days, and there were 8 complications (25%) in 7 patients. Two patients were reoperated 2 and 3 months later for adhesion and ischemic stenosis of the colon above the anastomosis. There was 1 death in the LA group (3.2%). The length of operative specimen was 19.6 cm, and the mean number of resected lymph node was six. In contrast to laparoscopic biliary surgery, the benefits of LA colorectal surgery are not obvious. A randomized trial comparing LA and open colorectal resection must be carried out.

[Treatment of intradiverticular lithiasis by percutaneous methods (19 caliceal diverticuli)]. / Traitement de la lithiase intradiverticulaire par abord percutané (à propos de 19 diverticules calciels).

The main technical procedures in percutaneous nephrolithotomy are the direct puncture of the diverticulum (precise puncture may be required to place the tract directly on to the stone), and treatment duration the diverticulum could be coagulated and a large nephrostomy catheter could be left in place two days. No complication was encountered. One patient refused the treatment after unsuccessful puncture. The nephrostomy tube was left open for two days of drainage. Mean hospital stay was 5 days. Three patients required E.S.W.L because of persistent symptoms. One month after treatment 13 of 18 patients intravenous urography showed obliteration of the diverticulum (72%); Three months after 84% (15/18) of our patients were stone free and 94% (17/18) symptom free. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy should be performed for symptomatic patients, it has low complication rate and should be reserved for patients with persistent symptoms after E.S.W.L.