Environmental impact on visual perception modulates behavioral responses of schooling fish to looming predators.

Aggregation in social fishes has evolved to improve safety from predators. The individual interaction mechanisms that govern collective behavior are determined by the sensory systems that translate environmental information into behavior. In dynamic environments, shifts in conditions impede effective visual sensory perception in fish schools, and may induce changes in the collective response. Here, we consider whether environmental conditions that affect visual contrast modulate the collective response of schools to looming predators. By using a virtual environment to simulate four contrast levels, we tested whether the collective state of minnow fish schools was modified in response to a looming optical stimulus. Our results indicate that fish swam slower and were less polarized in lower contrast conditions. Additionally, schooling metrics known to be regulated by non-visual sensory systems tended to correlate better when contrast decreased. Over the course of the escape response, schools remained tightly formed and retained the capability of transferring social information. We propose that when visual perception is compromised, the interaction rules governing collective behavior are likely to be modified to prioritize ancillary sensory information crucial to maximizing chance of escape. Our results imply that multiple sensory systems can integrate to control collective behavior in environments with unreliable visual information.

Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy versus no local treatment in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Introduction: Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in Chile, with 8157 new cases in 2020. Worldwide, 5 to 10% of men have metastatic disease at diagnosis, and androgen deprivation therapy with or without chemotherapy is the standard of care for these patients. The use of local treatment in this setting has no formal recommendation due to the lack of high-quality evidence. Some retrospective studies have sought to elucidate the benefit of surgery on the primary tumor in the setting of metastatic disease since it has been proven to be an effective local treatment for other metastatic malignant diseases. Despite these efforts, the benefit of cytoreductive radical prostatectomy as local treatment in these patients remains unclear. Methods: We searched Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from systematic reviews, reanalyzed data from primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis, and generated a summary results table using the GRADE approach. Results and conclusions: We identified 12 systematic reviews, including seven studies in total, none of which was a trial. Only six of those seven primary studies were used in the results summary. Despite the lack of high-quality evidence, the results summary shows the benefits of performing surgery on the primary tumor in terms of all-cause mortality, cancer-specific mortality, and disease progression. There was also a potential benefit in local complications related to the progression of the primary tumor, supporting the implementation of this intervention in patients with metastatic disease. The absence of formal recommendations highlights the need to evaluate the benefits of surgery on a case-by-case basis, presenting the available evidence to patients for a shared decision-making process and considering future local complications that could be difficult to manage.

Prostatectomía radical citorreductora comparado a no realizar tratamiento local en pacientes con cáncer de próstata metastásico / Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy versus no local treatment in patients with metastatic prostate cancer

Introducción El cáncer de próstata es uno de los cánceres más frecuentes en Chile, con 8157 nuevos casos en 2020. A nivel mundial, 5 a 10% de los hombres presentan metástasis al diagnóstico, y la terapia de deprivación androgénica con o sin quimioterapia es el estándar de cuidado para estos pacientes. El uso de tratamiento local en este contexto tiene una recomendación formal debido a la falta de evi-dencia de alta calidad. Algunos estudios retrospectivos han intentado dilucidar el beneficio de la cirugía sobre el tumor primario en el contexto de la enfermedad metastásica, ya que se ha demostrado que es un tratamiento local eficaz para otras neoplasias metastá-sicas. A pesar de estos esfuerzos, el beneficio de la prostatectomía radical citorreductora como tratamiento local en estos pacientes sigue sin estar claro. Métodos Se realizó una búsqueda en Epistemonikos, la mayor base de datos de revisiones sistemáticas en salud, que se mantiene mediante el cribado de múltiples fuentes de información, incluyendo MEDLINE, EMBASE y Cochrane, entre otras. Se extrajeron los datos de las revisiones sistemáticas, se volvieron a analizar los datos de los estudios primarios, se realizó un metanálisis y se generó una tabla de resumen de resultados utilizando el enfoque GRADE. Resultados y conclusiones Se identificaron 12 revisiones sistemáticas, que incluían siete estudios primarios en total, ninguno de los cuales era un ensayo alea-torizado controlado. Sólo seis de esos siete estudios primarios se utilizaron en el resumen de resultados. A pesar de la falta de evi-dencia de alta calidad, los resultados de este resumen muestran los beneficios de realizar la cirugía en el tumor primario en términos de mortalidad por cualquier causas, mortalidad específica por cáncer y progresión de la enfermedad. También se observó un bene-ficio potencial en las complicaciones locales relacionadas con la progresión del tumor primario, lo que apoya la realización de esta intervención en pacientes con enfermedad metastásica. La ausencia de recomendaciones formales subraya la necesidad de evaluar los beneficios de la cirugía caso por caso, presentando la evidencia disponibles a los pacientes para un proceso de toma de decisiones compartido, teniendo en cuenta las futuras complicaciones locales que podrían ser difíciles de manejar.

Introduction Prostate cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in Chile, with 8157 new cases in 2020. Worldwide, 5 to 10% of men have metastatic disease at diagnosis, and androgen deprivation therapy with or without chemotherapy is the standard of care for these patients. The use of local treatment in this setting has no formal recommendation due to the lack of high- quality evidence. Some retrospective studies have sought to elucidate the benefit of surgery on the primary tumor in the setting of metastatic disease since it has been proven to be an effective local treatment for other metastatic malignant diseases. Despite these efforts, the benefit of cytoreductive radical prostatectomy as local treatment in these patients remains unclear. Methods We searched Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is main-tained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from systematic reviews, reanalyzed data from primary studies, conducted a meta- analysis, and generated a summary results table using the GRADE approach. Results and conclusions We identified 12 systematic reviews, including seven studies in total, none of which was a trial. Only six of those seven primary studies were used in the results summary. Despite the lack of high- quality evidence, the results summary shows the benefits of performing surgery on the primary tumor in terms of all- cause mortality, cancer- specific mortality, and disease progression. There was also a potential benefit in local complications related to the progression of the prima-ry tumor, supporting the implementation of this intervention in patients with metastatic disease. The absence of formal recommendations highlights the need to evaluate the benefits of surgery on a case- by- case basis, presenting the available evidence to patients for a shared decision- making process and considering future local complications that could be difficult to manage.

Presentación inusual del síndrome de Lutembacher / Unusual presentation of Lutembacher’s syndrome

Resumen Introducción: El síndrome de Lutembacher corresponde a la asociación de un defecto interauricular (congénito o iatrogénico) e insuficiencia o estenosis mitral (congénita o adquirida). La etiología reumática es la causa más frecuente del compromiso mitral. Tiene una prevalencia reportada de 0.001 por cada 1.000.000 habitantes. Caso clínico: Paciente femenina de 6 años con cuadro de 10 meses de palpitaciones asociadas a dolor torácico. Se realizó un electrogardiograma en el que se evidenció bloqueo incompleto de la rama derecha del haz de His y prolongación del intervalo PR, además de un ecocardiograma en el que se visualizó una comunicación interauricular tipo ostium secundum no restrictiva de 28 mm, con cortocircuito de izquierda a derecha, dilatación del ventrículo derecho, prolapso de válvula mitral, valvas engrosadas e insuficiencia mitral moderada a grave. Se realizó plastia de válvula mitral y cierre quirúrgico de la comunicación interauricular, sin complicaciones. Durante el seguimiento se encuentra asintomática desde el punto de vista cardiovascular, en manejo farmacológico. Conclusiones: La asociación Lutembacher tiene una prevalencia de 0.001/1.000.000 habitantes; la mayoría tiene etiología reumática. La paciente no tiene historia de fiebre reumática y sería la paciente más joven reportada en la literatura con síndrome de Lutembacher.

Abstract Introduction: Lutembacher’s syndrome corresponds to the association of an atrial septal defect (congenital or iatrogenic) and mitral regurgitation or stenosis (congenital or acquired), with rheumatic etiology being the most-frequent cause of mitral regurgitation. It has a reported prevalence of 0.001 for every 1,000,000 inhabitants. Clinical case: Female patient six years of age with a 10-month condition of palpitations associated with chest pain. An electrocardiogram was performed with evidence of incomplete right His bundle branch block and PR interval prolongation; additionally, an echocardiogram showed 28-mm non-restrictive ostium secundum atrial septal defect, with left-to-right shunt, right ventricular dilation, mitral valve prolapse, thickened valves, and moderate-to-severe mitral regurgitation. Mitral valve plasty and surgical closure of the atrial septal defect were performed, without complications. During follow-up, she was asymptomatic from the cardiovascular point of view, under pharmacological management. Conclusions: Lutembacher’s association has a prevalence of 0.001/1´000.000 inhabitants; the majority with rheumatic etiology. Our patient has no history of rheumatic fever and would be the youngest patient reported in the literature with Lutembacher’s syndrome.

Psychological Health Status of Psychiatric Patients Living in Treatment Communities before and during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Brief Report.

Many studies investigated the psychological impact of lockdown measures on the general population, while few studies focused on the psychiatric population. This study aimed to investigate the role of therapeutic communities in the management and containment of symptoms of patients with psychosis living in psychiatric residential facilities. Data were collected at two different points: November 2019 (Coronavirus disease 19 had not yet spread) and April 2020 (during the lockdown in Italy). Twenty-two study participants were recruited from three residential accredited psychiatric facilities. During lockdown, the patients showed a small increase in symptomatology in terms of emotional isolation. In addition, it was been observed significant differences in certain functional areas of the behavior, measured as lower inclination towards violent behaviors during lockdown, and higher scores in substance abuse and medical impairment. The lockdown condition could represent a form of containment; daily routines, along with adequate social support, are important aspects of the stability and the level of behavioral functioning of psychiatric patients. Social support and continuity of care offered by psychiatric communities can be an effective safeguard against the psychological impact of the COVID-19 epidemic.

[Perioperative management of paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas]. / Manejo perioperatorio de feocromocitoma y paraganglioma.

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors, characterized by a high morbidity rate due to catecholamine excess. These high levels are independent of physiologic stressors. For the diagnosis, a biochemical workup is paramount. The most widely used are plasma-free metanephrines and urinary fractionated metanephrines. Imaging studies should be initiated once the biochemical diagnosis is established. Evaluation of the patient with pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas must be done taking into account the leading causes of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The two primary interventions that have reduced perioperative mortality are alpha-adrenergic blockade and intravascular volume normalization. Another significant advance has been the establishment of laparoscopic surgery as the gold standard for the surgical approach. No anesthetic technique has been found to be superior to another. Intraoperative hemodynamic instability has been correlated with poorer outcomes; thus one of the main intraoperative goals is maintaining hemodynamic stability. Lower morbidity and almost zero mortality rates due to preoperative and intraoperative management improvements have led to a focus on the immediate and long-term postoperative care. Anual lifelong follow-up is recommended to detect recurrent disease.

Los feocromocitomas y paragangliomas son tumores neuroendocrinos raros, caracterizados por una alta tasa de morbilidad debida a un exceso de niveles de catecolaminas. Este exceso de catecolaminas es independiente de los estresores fisiológicos. Para el diagnóstico de un feocromocitoma-paraganglioma son fundamentales las pruebas bioquímicas. Las más utilizadas son las metanefrinas fraccionadas urinarias o metanefrinas libres plasmáticas. Seguido del diagnóstico bioquímico, debe realizarse un estudio imagenológico. La evaluación del paciente con diagnóstico de feocromocitoma-paraganglioma debe realizarse teniendo presente sus principales causas de morbimortalidad perioperatoria. Las dos grandes intervenciones que han disminuido la mortalidad perioperatoria son la introducción del α bloqueo y la restauración de la volemia. El otro gran avance ha sido la introducción de la cirugía laparoscópica como el estándar de oro para el abordaje quirúrgico. En relación con el manejo intraoperatorio, no se ha identificado que alguna técnica anestésica sea superior a otra. Sí se ha logrado establecer criterios de inestabilidad hemodinámica que se correlacionan con mayor morbilidad, por lo que los principales objetivos intraoperatorios son mantener estabilidad hemodinámica. El avance en el manejo preoperatorio e intraoperatorio con la consecuente disminución en la mortalidad relacionada a esta patología ha llevado el foco al manejo postoperatorio tanto agudo como a largo plazo. También se debe considerar el riesgo de recurrencia tumoral, por lo que estos pacientes deben tener un control anual de por vida.

Xanthogranulomatous orchitis: case report of a rare condition.

Xanthogranulomatous orchitis is a rare, non-neoplastic inflammatory condition. We present a case of a 55-year-old diabetic male with an increase in volume, pain and edema in right testicle with a one-year history. The examination involved the investigation of inflammatory markers and ultrasound. Exploration of the scrotum revealed important destruction of the tissue architecture. This case underscores the importance of including xanthogranulomatous orchitis in the differential diagnosis of a testicular lump.

Nefrectomía radical derecha con resección de trombo tumoral en vena cava inferior nivel III / Right radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus level III

INTRODUCCIÓN: El CCR presenta una tendencia conocida a propagarse mediante la formación de trombo tumoral a la vena renal o vena cava inferior (4-10 por ciento ) El nivel que alcanza dicho tumor, está en directa relación con la sobrevida estimada a 5 años. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se presenta un caso de un paciente de sexo masculino de 58 años de edad, con antecedentes de Dm2 No IR y Tabaquismo crónico, el cual consulto por cuadro de 10 meses de evolución caracterizado por hematuria macroscópica. Dentro de la analítica sanguínea, destacaba paciente anémico, con hemoglobina de 8 g/dL y creatinemia de 1.1mg/mL. Se solicita URO-TAC, evidenciándose tumor renal derecho, de 18 cms en su eje largo, asociado a trombo en vena cava inferior, que se alojaba hasta el diafragma (Nivel III), no observándose metástasis a distancia o adenopatías de aspecto patológico. RESULTADOS: Se propone nefrectomía radical abierta por vía anterior, posteriormente se aísla y controla VCI, la cual se abre en su eje longitudinal. Se realiza trombectomia convencional con cierre primario, verificando hermeticidad del vaso. El tiempo operatorio total fue de 260 minutos, con un sangrado estimado de 1600ml. Se requirió transfusión de 3U de GR intraoperatorios sin incidentes reportados. El manejo post-operatorio inmediato fue en unidad de cuidados intensivos por 24 hrs, con un tiempo hospitalario total de 5 días. El paciente evoluciona favorablemente, sin complicaciones, destacando dentro de los exámenes de control, creatinina de 1.3 mg/dL. A la fecha, no hay evidencia de enfermedad residual clínica, o radiológica. CONCLUSIÓN: La nefrectomía radical convencional con trombo en vena cava inferior (nivel III) es el estándar de tratamiento para pacientes cáncer renal localmente avanzado en condiciones para afrontar la cirugía

INTRODUCTION: CCR presents a known trend to spread by means of a tumor thrombus in renal vein or inferior vena cava (4-10 pertcent ) The level reached by such tumor has a direct relation with the 5-year survival rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 58-year old male patient presented with a history of Dm2 No IR and chronic tabaquism who enquired about 10-month symptoms, characterized by macroscopic hematuria. Amongst the blood analytics, an anemic patient stood out, whose hemoglobin level is 8 g/dL and 1.1mg/mL creatinemia. URO-TAC is requested which shows right kidney tumor, of 18 centimeters on its longer axis, associated to thrombus in the inferior vena cava, extended to the diaphragm (Level III), without presence of distant metastasis or adenopathies with pathological aspect. RESULTS: Anterior open radical nephrectomy is suggested, posteriorly isolated and VCI controlled, which is performed on its longitudinal axis. Conventional thrombectomy with primary closing and verification of vessel hermetism are performed. Operative time was 260 minutes. Estimated blood loss was 1600ml. 3U of GR intraoperative transfusion was required and no incidents were reported. Postoperative management took place in intensive care unit for 24 hours and the patient was discharged 5 days after surgery. The patient evolves favorably, without complications, presenting a 1.3 mg/dL creatinine level. To date, there is no evidence of clinical residual or radiological illness. CONCLUSION: Radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava thrombus (level III) is the standard treatment for kidney cancer patient presenting local progression in a condition to withstand surgery.

Maximum swimming speeds of sailfish and three other large marine predatory fish species based on muscle contraction time and stride length: a myth revisited.

Billfishes are considered to be among the fastest swimmers in the oceans. Previous studies have estimated maximum speed of sailfish and black marlin at around 35 m s-1 but theoretical work on cavitation predicts that such extreme speed is unlikely. Here we investigated maximum speed of sailfish, and three other large marine pelagic predatory fish species, by measuring the twitch contraction time of anaerobic swimming muscle. The highest estimated maximum swimming speeds were found in sailfish (8.3±1.4 m s-1), followed by barracuda (6.2±1.0 m s-1), little tunny (5.6±0.2 m s-1) and dorado (4.0±0.9 m s-1); although size-corrected performance was highest in little tunny and lowest in sailfish. Contrary to previously reported estimates, our results suggest that sailfish are incapable of exceeding swimming speeds of 10-15 m s-1, which corresponds to the speed at which cavitation is predicted to occur, with destructive consequences for fin tissues.

A visual horizon affects steering responses during flight in fruit flies.

To navigate well through three-dimensional environments, animals must in some way gauge the distances to objects and features around them. Humans use a variety of visual cues to do this, but insects, with their small size and rigid eyes, are constrained to a more limited range of possible depth cues. For example, insects attend to relative image motion when they move, but cannot change the optical power of their eyes to estimate distance. On clear days, the horizon is one of the most salient visual features in nature, offering clues about orientation, altitude and, for humans, distance to objects. We set out to determine whether flying fruit flies treat moving features as farther off when they are near the horizon. Tethered flies respond strongly to moving images they perceive as close. We measured the strength of steering responses while independently varying the elevation of moving stimuli and the elevation of a virtual horizon. We found responses to vertical bars are increased by negative elevations of their bases relative to the horizon, closely correlated with the inverse of apparent distance. In other words, a bar that dips far below the horizon elicits a strong response, consistent with using the horizon as a depth cue. Wide-field motion also had an enhanced effect below the horizon, but this was only prevalent when flies were additionally motivated with hunger. These responses may help flies tune behaviors to nearby objects and features when they are too far off for motion parallax.

Report from the First Latin American Urological Oncology Symposium (SLAURO) 19-21 June 2014, Viña del Mar, Chile.

Cancer is one of the most important diseases in Chile, with alarming incidence and mortality rates that are among the highest in Latin America. Economic growth in South America has led to demographic change, with an aging population typical of developed countries, but also a growing population with cancer. The incidence and mortality of urological cancers in Chile is significant, and has led to the formulation of health laws and policies promoting the early treatment of urological cancers. It is also well known that there are regions of Chile with extremely high incidence and mortality of bladder cancer caused by arsenic exposure. SLAURO (Simposio Latinoamericano de Urología Oncológica [Latin American Oncological Urology Symposium]) is a new Latin American forum for discussing and promoting knowledge of urological cancers across the region.

Text complexity and eye movements measures in adults readers / Complexidade do texto e medidas de movimentos oculares em adultos leitores / La complejidad del texto y las medidas de los movimientos oculares en lectores adultos

This study aimed to investigate eye movement patterns of adults normal readers, while reading texts with two different degrees of difficulty, and with three distinct texts: everyday situations, textbooks and newspapers. Twenty-four participants read texts aloud while monocular eye movements were recorded and answered questions related to text comprehension. Results indicated that the average reading time by word, number of ocular fixations and number of regressive saccades, varied according to complexity and theme of texts. Data were discussed considering the increase in cognitive demand required for reading comprehension, such as semantic integration skills, working memory and the occurrence of inferences. This data can help in the construction of assessment tools for subjects with developmental dyslexia.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar padrões de movimentos oculares de adultos bons leitores durante a leitura de textos com dois níveis de dificuldades e com três tipos de conteúdo: situações cotidianas, textos didáticos e jornalísticos. Vinte e quatro participantes leram os textos em voz alta enquanto o movimento monocular foi gravado e responderam a questões relacionadas à compreensão dos textos. Resultados indicam aumento da média de tempo de leitura por palavra, do número de fixações e de sacadas regressivas de acordo com a complexidade e o assunto do texto. Os dados foram discutidos em função do aumento de demanda cognitiva e utilizados para a compreensão do texto, como habilidades de integração semântica, memória de trabalho e inferências. Esses dados auxiliam na construção de instrumentos de avaliação para indivíduos disléxicos.

Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo investigar los patrones de movimiento oculares de adultos buenos lectores en textos con dos niveles de dificultad y tres tipos de contenido: situaciones cotidianas, libros de texto y textos periodísticos. Veinticuatro participantes leyeron los textos en voz alta com grabacion de movimiento monocular en cuanto respondían a preguntas de comprensión. Resultados indican aumento del tiempo promedio de lectura por cada palabra, número de fijaciones y sacadas regresivas oscilaron según la complejidad y el contenido del texto. Los datos fueron discutidos de acuerdo com el aumento de la demanda cognitiva necesaria para la comprensión del texto como las habilidades de integración semántica, memoria de trabajo y deducciones. Estos datos ayudan en la construcción de instrumentos de evaluación para sujetos disléxicos.

Structure and property based design of factor Xa inhibitors: pyrrolidin-2-ones with monoaryl P4 motifs.

Structure and property based drug design was exploited in the synthesis of sulfonamidopyrrolidin-2-one-based factor Xa inhibitors, incorporating neutral and basic monoaryl P4 groups, ultimately producing potent inhibitors with effective levels of anticoagulant activity and extended oral pharmacokinetic profiles. However, time dependant inhibition of Cytochrome P450 3A4 was a particular issue with this series.

Laparoscopic repair of an iliac artery injury during radical cystoprostatectomy.

Laparoscopy has experienced significant growth in the last 5 years and became more popular among practicing urologists. Even though laparoscopy is considered a safe technique it is not free of complications, some of which can be devastating. Vascular injuries are the second most frequent complication during laparoscopic surgery with a reported incidence of 0.22% to 1.1%. With the standardization of surgical techniques and the increasing proficiency of the teams performing it, serious surgical complications may be corrected without the need for conversion. We report a case in which the right external iliac artery was injured while pelvic lymph node dissection was carried out before a planned laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy. The complication was successfully managed entirely by means of laparoscopy.

Structure and property based design of factor Xa inhibitors: biaryl pyrrolidin-2-ones incorporating basic heterocyclic motifs.

Structure and property based drug design was exploited in the synthesis of sulfonamidopyrrolidin-2-one-based factor Xa (fXa) inhibitors, incorporating basic biaryl P4 groups, producing highly potent inhibitors with significant anticoagulant activities and encouraging oral pharmacokinetic profiles.

Structure and property based design of factor Xa inhibitors: pyrrolidin-2-ones with biaryl P4 motifs.

Structure and property based drug design was exploited in the synthesis of sulfonamidopyrrolidin-2-one-based factor Xa (fXa) inhibitors, incorporating biaryl P4 groups, producing highly potent inhibitors with encouraging oral pharmacokinetic profiles and significant but sub-optimal anticoagulant activities.

Bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has become the gold standard in the surgical management of adrenal pathology. Bilateral adrenalectomy is indicated in patients with Cushing's disease secondary to macroadenoma or hypophysial hyperplasia in whom medical treatment and transsphenoid surgery have failed. Also, it is the first choice for bilateral benign tumors and metastatic neoplasia. We present our experience with bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy, analyzing its indications, feasibility, results, and complications. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between November 1999 and December 2005, 221 laparoscopic adrenalectomies were performed by the same surgeon (OAC) at our institution. Of the 221 adrenalectomies, 44 were bilateral. A total of 20 patients underwent bilateral synchronic laparoscopic adrenalectomy (91%); the remaining 2 had two-stage procedures. There were 6 cases of bilateral pheochromocytoma, 6 patients with Cushing's disease, 3 cases of metastasis, 3 congenital adrenal hyperplasias, 2 hyperaldosteronisms, and a single case each of adrenal adenoma and myelolipoma. The average patient age was 41.6 years (range 17-72 years), and the male-to-female ratio was 1:2.6. RESULTS: Total laparoscopic adrenalectomy and partial adrenalectomy were performed on 37 and 7 occasions (84% and 16%), respectively. The mean tumor size was 4.15 cm (range 1-11 cm). The mean operative time for each adrenalectomy was 79.2 minutes (range 25-210 minutes). The estimated intraoperative blood loss was on average 65.4 mL (range 0-500 mL). Only one patient required a blood transfusion. There was only one intraoperative complication (2.2%), a renal-vein injury that was controlled with intracorporeal suturing. There were no open conversions. The mean hospital stay was 3.19 days (range 2-5 days). CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy is technically feasible and can be performed with minimal bleeding in a reasonable surgical time.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for suspected metastasis of adrenal glands: our experience.

OBJECTIVES: To present our experience in laparoscopic adrenalectomy for isolated adrenal metastasis. METHODS: A total of 34 adrenalectomies were performed in 32 patients for incidental adrenal masses discovered at primary tumor diagnosis or during follow-up. The primary tumors diagnosed were 13 cases of lung carcinoma, 9 of renal cell carcinoma, 2 of colorectal carcinoma, 2 of bladder carcinoma, and 1 each of ovarian carcinoma, breast cancer, gastric cancer, and melanoma. Two patients had no history of a primary tumor. The mean patient age was 59 years (range 26 to 75). The male/female ratio was 1.9:1. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 87 minutes (range 40 to 240). The average blood loss was 89 mL (range 0 to 1000). No conversions to open surgery were needed. The mean hospital stay was 3 days (range 1 to 5). One intraoperative diaphragmatic lesion developed that was repaired laparoscopically, and 1 patient had a pancreatic fistula that was managed by percutaneous drainage. The mean tumor size was 4.3 cm (range 1.5 to 9). The microscopic analysis revealed 22 malign lesions (64.7%) and 12 cases of benign pathologic features (35.3%). The mean survival time was 26 months (range 4 to 64) for the 22 patients with malign lesions. In 2 patients (9.1%), the surgical margins were positive. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for small isolated metastases is feasible. However, because of the high risk of positive margins, this procedure should only be done by expert laparoscopists. We did not find a correlation between mass size and malignancy. Nevertheless, we believe that longer follow-up is mandatory before definitive conclusions can be drawn.

Transmesocolic pyeloplasty: experience of a single center.

PURPOSE: We present our experience with dismembered left-sided pyeloplasty using a transmesocolic technique as a way to reduce operative time and facilitate repair by avoiding colon displacement. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2004 and January 2006, a total of 11 transmesocolic laparoscopic pyeloplasties were performed by the same surgeon at our institution. The mean patient age was 41.6 years (range 14-65 years). Operative records and follow-up were reviewed. RESULTS: A dismembered Anderson-Hynes pyeloplasty was carried out in nine patients (82%), while a Y-V plasty (9%) and a Fengerplasty (9%) were done in one patient each. Crossing vessels were observed in 8 patients (73%). A ureteral stent was left in all patients. The mean operative time was 88.6 minutes (range 60-125 minutes), and blood loss was minimal. Compared with classic transperitoneal laparoscopic left pyeloplasties, transmesocolic cases showed a significant reduction in operative time (88.6 minutes v 117 minutes; P < 0.05). There were no intraoperative complications or open conversions. The mean hospital stay was 2.1 days (range 2-3 days). Only 1 patient (9%) demonstrated narrowing of the anastomosis, which occurred 12 months after a Fengerplasty. CONCLUSIONS: The transmesocolic approach to a dilated left pelvis enables a shorter operative time without increasing morbidity. More patients and longer follow-up are necessary to determine its effect on convalescence.