Experimental and clinical applications and outcomes of using different forms of suction in retrograde intrarenal surgery. Results from a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the latest advances in suction devices and evaluate their effect in Retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and ureteroscopy for stones. BASIC PROCEDURES: A systematic literature search was performed on 4th January 2023 using Scopus, PubMed, and EMBASE. Only English papers were included; both pediatric and adult studies were accepted. Duplicate studies, case reports, letters to the editor, and meeting abstracts were excluded. MAIN FINDINGS: Twenty-one papers were selected. Several methods have been proposed for suction use in RIRS, such as through the ureteral access sheath or directly to the scope. Artificial intelligence can also regulate this system, monitoring pressure and perfusion flow values. All the proposed techniques showed satisfactory perioperative results for operative time, stone-free rate (SFR), and residual fragments. Moreover, the reduction of intrarenal pressure (induced by aspiration) was also associated with a lower infection rate. Even the studies that considered kidney stones with a diameter of 20 mm or higher reported higher SFR and reduced postoperative complications. However, the lack of well-defined settings for suction pressure and fluid flow prevents the standardization of the procedure. CONCLUSION: Aspiration device in the surgical treatment of urinary stones favours a higher SFR, reducing infectious complications, as supported by the included studies. RIRS with a suction system provided to be a natural successor to the traditional technique, regulating intrarenal pressure and aspirating fine dust.

Burns in pregnancy: effect on maternal and fetal outcomes.

Burn injury during pregnancy is known to have adverse effects on fetal and maternal survival. Any hope of reducing the high mortality lies in identifying the risk factors responsible for the poor maternal and fetal outcome. A prospective study cohort of 50 pregnant burned patients, a comparison cohort of 50 uncomplicated singleton pregnancies and another comparison cohort of 50 non-pregnant burned females were followed up for fetal and maternal survival or death at the Government Medical College & Hospital, Nagpur, India. The effect of maternal factors on the maternal and fetal survival were assessed. Most of the patients (64 per cent) were severely burned, i.e. > 60 per cent TBSA with 100 per cent fetal and maternal mortality. There was 50 per cent maternal and fetal loss in the 40-59 per cent TBSA group. A fetal loss of 11.1 per cent was noted in the 20-39 per cent TBSA group with no maternal loss. Survival analyses using the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the Cox Proportional Hazards model showed that TBSA burned was the only factor found to be statistically significantly (P < 0.0001) responsible for the adverse fetal and maternal outcome. Pregnancy did not alter the maternal survival. Adequate shock management and early excision with grafting could reduce the mortality figures. Prevention of injury during pregnancy still appears to be the best option.