Cold renal ischemia: comparison of efficacy between two techniques of cooling, in a swine model.

OBJECTIVES: In a swine model of renal ischemia, we compared the effectiveness of the transurethral retrograde cold saline perfusion technique to the traditional method of renal cooling with ice slush, in achieving adequate parenchymal temperatures for functional preservation of the organ. Physiological and histological effects were also assessed. METHODS: Twenty-four domestic male pigs were sampled into four groups to be submitted to a 60-minute ischemia of the left kidney without cooling, with either one of the two cooling techniques (cold saline retrograde perfusion or ice slush), or sham surgery. All of them had also a concomitant right nephrectomy. Renal cortical and medullary temperatures were recorded throughout the experiment. Urinary output was measured, and serum renal function tests were carried on, pre- and postoperatively. After 5 days, the animals were euthanized and their kidneys were submitted to histological analysis. RESULTS: Mean renal temperature fell in both groups submitted to kidney cooling. With ice slush, a faster drop was observed and a lower minimum temperature was achieved (5.0 degrees C in the cortex and 6.3 degrees C in the medulla, vs. 25.4 degrees C and 24.9 degrees C with retrograde cooling). In the other groups, temperature was unchanged. Urinary output and serum creatinine worsened after the experiment, but without significant differences among groups. The histological analysis showed no differences among the four groups, for the studied ischemia time. CONCLUSIONS: Ice slush and retrograde perfusion of cold saline are both effective for cooling the kidney during ischemia. Ice slush is faster in doing so, and it allows much lower temperatures to be achieved in the renal parenchyma. With ischemia time of 60 minutes, no significant differences on the occurrence of functional and histological alterations were detected, even for the group without a cooling procedure.

Laparoscopic management of iatrogenic lesions.

PURPOSE: To present our series of patients who underwent laparoscopic correction of iatrogenic lesions and a review of the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We evaluated 23 patients who underwent laparoscopic correction of iatrogenic lesions. Thirteen patients had open surgery, 6 had an endoscopic procedure, and 4 had a laparoscopic approach as the first surgical procedure. Vesicovaginal fistulas (VVF) developed in seven patients after open abdominal hysterectomies, and 1 patient presented with a VVF after ureterolithotripsy. A urethral cutaneous fistula developed in one patient after a laparoscopic resection of endometriosis nodules, and 1 patient presented with a ureterovaginal fistula after a perineoplasty. Three patients presented with encrusted ureteral stents after ureterolithotripsy. Ureteral stenosis developed in seven patients: three after open abdominal surgery, three after ureteroscopy, and one after pyeloplasty. One patient had a ureteral injury during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, and two patients had bowel injuries after a tension-free vaginal tape procedure and a laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. RESULTS: All patients underwent laparoscopic correction of the iatrogenic injuries. One patient had an early recurrence of a VVF, and one patient had a recurrence of a ureteral stenosis. There was one conversion to open surgery because of technical difficulties and one major bleeding event that necessitated blood transfusion. A lower limb compartmental syndrome developed in one patient. CONCLUSION: Despite the small number of patients and different types of surgeries performed, laparoscopic management of iatrogenic lesions seems to be feasible and safe in experienced hands. Its precise role in the management of this stressful condition still needs to be determined.