Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy and Combined Therapy in Children: Efficacy and Long-Term Results.

Background: Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is nowadays the first choice for the treatment of upper urinary tract stones smaller than 2 cm, considering its low complications and high success rate. Aim: To present an update of the current situation of ESWL treatment and to analyse our series of patients and the efficacy of combined lithiasis treatment in different locations and sizes. Patients and Method: Retrospective study including patients with urolithiasis treated with ESWL between 2007 and 2019. Collected data included: gender and age at treatment, presentation symptoms, imaging studies, stone location and size, complications and stone clearance. Success was defined as stone-free status or the presence of clinically insignificant residual fragments (<4 mm after 3 months follow-up). Patients with residual stones larger than 4 mm after 3 months were programmed for another ESWL session or received a combined sandwich therapy, followed by URS or percutaneous approach. Results: Between 2007 and 2019, 37 patients presented a total of 41 lithiasis episodes that were treated with ESWL sessions. Median age at first procedure was 9 years old (1-17) and median follow-up time was 6 years (3-12). Stones were located in the renal pelvis, followed by the lower, middle and upper calyx, proximal ureter, and 51% of our patients had multiple lithiasis. Median stone size was 12 mm (5-45), the main component being calcium oxalate (34%). During immediate postoperative period, 8 patients (19%) presented complications: renal colic, hematuria and urinary tract infection. After the first ESWL, 41% of the patients (n = 17) were stone-free. Out of the 24 residual lithiasis episodes (58%), three patients (7%) underwent a second ESWL session. In the remaining 19 patients, ESWL was combined with URS or percutaneous approach to achieve complete stone clearance. Overall stone free status after combined therapy was 95% (n = 39). Conclusion: These data support that ESWL is an effective minimally invasive technique, with low cost and morbidity, reproducible and safe for the treatment of stone disease in children. Even though lithiasis size seems to be a significant factor in ESWL success, in combination with other lithotripsy procedures it can reach very high rates of stone clearance.

Situación de la circuncisión por motivos religiosos en España / Situation of religious circumcision in Spain

Introducción: la realización de la circuncisión por motivos culturales o religiosos es una práctica cuya indicación no está bien definida dentro de nuestra práctica médica. El objetivo de nuestro trabajo es mostrar la diversidad de su práctica en España a fin de establecer un protocolo de actuación general con respecto a este tema. Material y métodos: se ha realizado una encuesta nacional en 49 centros públicos con disponibilidad de servicio de cirugía pediátrica, en la que se recogen datos epidemiológicos, descriptivos y de opinión tanto colectiva como del personal médico sobre las derivaciones recibidas para hacer circuncisión. Resultados: se enviaron 200 encuestas, de las que se obtuvieron un total de 142 respuestas, el 76,6% de los facultativos no realizan circuncisiones por motivo religioso en el ámbito público. El 89% de los pacientes vistos en consulta son derivados por su pediatra. Hasta el 65% de los médicos afirman que han tenido algún conflicto con la familia del paciente cuando rechazan la indicación de la circuncisión por esta razón. De los profesionales que aceptan la intervención, el 39% lo hace para evitar la cirugía en peores condiciones fuera del hospital. El 57% de los cirujanos desconoce si esta indicación está incluida en la cartera de servicios del Sistema Nacional de Salud. Conclusiones: en base a nuestra encuesta, la mayoría de los profesionales desconoce si esta indicación está dentro de la cartera de servicios y coinciden en la necesidad de tener un consenso de actuación. Es importante tener una actitud conjunta, conocer todas las opiniones, y crear un protocolo de manejo de esta situación

Introduction: the performance circumcision for cultural or religious reasons is a practice whose indication is not well defined within the scope of medical practice in Spain. The objective of this study was to illustrate the variability in its practice in Spain with the purpose of eventually establishing a general protocol on the subject. Material and methods: we conducted a nationwide survey of public hospitals with a paediatric surgery department to collect epidemiological and descriptive data and opinions, both general and from individual medical providers, on the referrals received for performance of circumcision. Results: we submitted 200 questionnaires and received 142 responses, and 76.6% of the responding physicians reported not performing circumcisions for religious reasons in their practice in the public health system. Of all patients seen for a consultation, 89% had been referred by their paediatricians. Up to 65% of doctors reported having conflict with families when they refused to perform circumcision for this indication. Of the professionals who agreed on religious reasons as an indication, 39% performed the surgery to prevent its being performed under poorer conditions outside a hospital. Of all paediatric surgeons, 57% did not know whether this indication is included among the services covered by the National Health System. Conclusions: based on our survey, most professionals do not know whether this indication is included in the services covered by the public health system and agree on the need of establishing a consensus guideline. We believe that it is important to have a homogeneous approach, to explore the opinions of the professional collective as a whole and to develop a general protocol for approaching this situation

Renal transplant outcome in children with an augmented bladder.

OBJECTIVE: Studies evaluating renal transplant (RT) outcome in children who underwent an augmentation cystoplasty (AC) are contradictory and the current knowledge is based on studies with a limited number of patients. The aim of this study is to compare RT outcome between children who underwent AC and those without augmentation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 20p who underwent an AC prior to the RT (12 with ureter and 8 with intestine) were enrolled in the study and were compared to a control group of 24p without AC, transplanted in the same time period (1991-2011). Data including; age at transplant, allograft source, urological complications, urinary tract infections (UTI) incidence, the presence of VUR, and patient and graft survival were compared between the groups. RESULTS: Mean age at RT and mean follow-up were 9.7 vs. 7.9 years and 6.9 vs. 7.9 years in the AC group and control group, respectively (NS). The graft originated in living donors for 60% of AC patients and 41.6% of the control RT patients. The rate of UTI were 0.01 UTI/patient/year and 0.004 UTI/patient/year in the augmented group and controls, respectively (p = 0.0001). In the AC group of 14p with UTIs, 10 (71%) had VUR and 5p out of 8 (62.5%) in the control group had VUR. In the AC group, of the 7p with ≥3 UTIs, 3 (43%) were non-compliant with CIC and the incidence of UTIs was not related with the type of AC or if the patient did CIC through a Mitrofanoff conduit or through the urethra. Graft function at the end of study was 92.9 ± 36.85 ml/min/m(2) in the AC group and 88.17 ± 28.2 ml/min/m(2) in the control group (NS). Graft survival at 10 years was also similar 88% in the AC group and 84.8% in controls. In the AC group 3p lost their grafts and 5 in the control group with respective mean follow-up of 10.6 ± 4.3 and 7.1 + 4.7 years. CONCLUSION: There are no significant differences in the RT outcome between children transplanted with AC or without. However, recurrent UTIs are more frequent in the former group and these UTIs are related with non-compliance with CIC or the presence of VUR but, even so, UTIs will not lead to impaired graft function in most of the patients.