Intraoperative workload of the surgeon in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: a systematic review.

In the present study, we aimed to systematically evaluate the current evidence regarding the intraoperative workload of surgeons performing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) for prostate cancer. A systematic search was carried out in the PubMed-MEDLINE and Web of Science databases through April 2024 using the following search terms: "workload AND robot assisted radical prostatectomy", "workload AND robotic radical prostatectomy", "task load AND robotic radical prostatectomy", "task load AND robot assisted radical prostatectomy" and "NASA-TLX AND robot assisted radical prostatectomy" by combining population, intervention, comparison, and outcome (PICO) terms, following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We therefore selected studies that included patients with prostate cancer (P) who underwent robotic radical prostatectomy (I) and reported a workload/task load questionnaire (C) to assess the intraoperative workload/task load of the surgeon performing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (O). A total of 11 studies were identified. The surgeon's workload during RARP was assessed using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration task load index (NASA-TLX) and/or the surgery task load index (SURG-TLX) in the studies. Total NASA-TLX scores of the studies ranged from 22.7 ± 3.2 to 62.0 ± 6.4. Mental and physical demands, flow interruptions, surgeon experience, the use of single or multiple ports, and the relationship between the surgeon and other staff in the operating theater may play a role in the intraoperative workload of the console surgeon. The studies we reviewed suggest that RARP offers an acceptable workload for the console surgeon despite its mental demands.

The predictive ability of Mayo adhesive probability score for evaluating intraoperative bleeding in standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy in adult patients.

Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) score is one of the commonest tool to predict the adherence status of perirenal fat. The association between MAP score and intraoperative hemorrhage in patients undergoing micropercutaneous nephrolithotomy was comfirmed in a recent well designed study. We aimed to investigate if MAP score may predict the possibility for significant intraoperative bleeding in supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) performed with a 26 Fr rigid nephroscope. In this observational retrospective study, demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, perioperative (operation duration, hospitalization, intraoperative bleeding, success) and MAP score (perinephric fat stranding, posterior perinephric fat thickness and total MAP score) data of all patients who underwent supine PCNL between June 2021 and July 2023 were evaluated. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their MAP scores (79 [54.1%] patients with MAP score < 3 [low MAP score] and 67 [54.1%] patients with MAP score ≥ 3 [high MAP score]). The rate of patients with intraoperative bleeding was 47.8% in the patient group with a high MAP score, while it was 22.8% in the patient group with a low MAP score (p = 0.002). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, anticoagulant drug use history (OR = 2.525; 95% CI = 1.025-6.224; p = 0.044), presence of multiple stones (OR = 3.015; 95% CI = 1.205-7.543; p = 0.018), calyx localization of the stone (OR = 2.871;95% CI = 1.166-7.068; p = 0.022), higher renal parenchymal thickness (OR = 1.119; 95% CI = 1.049-1.193; p = 0.001) and MAP score > 3 (OR = 3.486; 95% CI = 1.579-7.696; p = 0.002) were defined as independent risk factors for significant intraoperative bleeding. In clinical practice, the MAP score can be used to predict bleeding before PCNL.

The effect of ureteral double J stent insertion on work performance in patients undergoing endoscopic stone treatment.

Introduction: Despite the developments in the material of the double J (DJ) stents and the production of thinner ones of desired sizes, patients continue to experience troublesome DJ stent-related symptoms in their lives. This study aimed to determine how DJ stenting affects patients' work performance after endoscopic stone surgery. Material and methods: A total of 107 patients underwent placement of a ureteral stent after ureterorenoscopy (URS)/retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS), and only active and full-time working patients were included. All patients were asked to complete the validated Turkish version of the work performance score (WPS) questionnaire in the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) the day before stent removal and again one month after stent removal. Results: Of the participants, 32.7% (n = 35) were female and 67.3% (n = 72) were male; the mean age was 41 (19-80) years. The workday loss had no statistically significant correlation with patient BMI, stone size, or stent indwelling time (p >0.005); however, a statistically significant negative correlation was detected with patient age (r = -0.335, p <0.001). The medians of WPSs with the stent and without the stent were 6 (3-15) and 3 (3-12), respectively (p <0.001). Conclusions: Although DJ catheterization is a crucial tool for urological practice, it may increase the social and economic burden of patients due to reduced work performance and lost workdays. Therefore, limiting the duration of the DJ stent's stay and providing treatments to minimize patient symptoms will positively impact their professional lives. It would be beneficial to avoid DJ stenting in routine practice unless medically necessary.

The importance of periprostatic fat tissue thickness measured by preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in upstage prediction after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: We analyzed the surgical results of patients who were treated and followed up for prostate cancer in our clinic to predict the relationship between periprostatic adipose tissue and patients with and without pathologically upstaged disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included patients who had undergone robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and preoperative multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging between 18 February 2019 and 1 April 2022. The patients were divided into two groups, and the surgical and transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy pathology results were compared according to tumor grade and distribution in 124 patients who met the selection criteria. We analyzed the relationships between upgrading/upstaging and periprostatic adipose tissue thickness (PPATT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (SATT) as measured in magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: The median PPATT was 4.03 mm, whereas the median SATT was 36.4 mm. Upgrading was detected in 45 patients (36.3%), and upstaging was detected in 42 patients (33.9%). A receiver operating characteristic regression analysis revealed that a PPATT >3 mm was a predictive factor for upstaging after radical prostatectomy (area under curve=0.623, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.519-0.727, p=0.025). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that prostate specific antigen density ≥0.15 ng/mL/cm3 (odds ratio [OR] 5.054, 95% CI 2.008-12.724, p=0.001), International Society of Urological Pathology grade ≥4 (OR 9.369, 95% CI 2.109-21.626, p=0.003) and higher PPATT (OR 1.358, 95% CI 1.081-1.707, p=0.009) were independent risk factors for upstaging after radical prostatectomy. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the PPATT may be a predictive indicator for upstaging after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Is day-case surgery feasible for laser endoscopic enucleation of the prostate? A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Laser endoscopic enucleation of the prostate (EEP) for benign prostatic obstruction has become increasingly prevalent worldwide. Considering the medical cost-savings and concomitantly fewer nosocomial infections, the feasibility of same-day postoperative discharge of patients who have undergone laser EEP in terms of its safety and effectiveness has become a subject matter of growing interest. We aimed to review those studies focussing on day-case surgery (DCS) in patients undergoing laser EEP. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted using PubMed-MEDLINE and Web of Science databases until October 2022 with the following search terms: "same day discharge AND laser enucleation of the prostate", "day-case AND laser enucleation of the prostate", "same day surgery AND laser enucleation of the prostate" and "one day surgery AND laser enucleation of the prostate" by combining PICO (population, intervention, comparison, outcome) terms. We identified 15 eligible studies. RESULTS: While 14 of the studies focussed on holmium laser EEP, one focused on thulium laser vapoenucleation of the prostate. We observed an improvement in functional parameters in all studies we reviewed, and DCS success and readmission rates ranged between 35.3-100% and 0-17.8%, respectively. The complication rates varied between 0 and 36.7%, most of the complicatons were Clavien-Dindo (CD) I and II. CD ≥ III complications did not significantly differ between same day discharge (SDD) and non-SDD groups in the studies. CONCLUSION: Laser EEP is feasible and promising DCS treatment option delivering improved functional parameters compared to baseline values, and lower perioperative complication and readmission rates in certain patients.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Renal Resistive Index in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of renal resistive index (RRI)-based data on the effects of COVID-19 in transplant patients. We aimed to investigate the effect of COVID-19 on the RRI of renal transplant recipients and to review the outcomes of patients who underwent renal transplantation (RT) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The data of 90 recipients were retrospectively reviewed. The age, sex, body mass index, dialysis time before transplantation, history of COVID-19, postoperative serum creatinine levels (1, 6, and 12 months), and complications of the recipients were recorded. The before and after COVID-19 RRI values of 13 recipients at 1 week after transplant and 3 months after COVID-19 were compared. The outcomes and complications of recipients who underwent RT before the COVID-19 pandemic (group 1, n = 47) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (group 2, n = 43) were also compared. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in terms of the median RRI values of 13 recipients before and after COVID-19 (0.6 [0.53-0.76] vs 0.7 [0.62-0.9], respectively [P = .032]). At the 12-month follow-up, the serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate levels were found to be statistically significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (P = .001 and P = .004, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference between group 1 and group 2 regarding complication rates (53.2% vs 60.5%, respectively; P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: We found that COVID-19 affected RRI values in RT recipients. Our findings show that the outcomes of kidney transplants performed during the COVID-19 pandemic were no worse than those of transplants performed before the pandemic.

Is There Any Association Between Triglyceride-Glucose Index and Graft Function in Kidney Transplant Recipients?

BACKGROUND: Although previous studies have illustrated the relationship between chronic kidney disease, coronary artery disease, erectile dysfunction, and the triglyceride-glucose index (TyGi), the relationship between this index and postoperative graft function in patients undergoing renal transplantation has yet to be investigated. In the present study, we aimed to reveal the association between the TyGi and renal graft outcomes in patients who underwent renal transplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data on living and cadaveric kidney donor recipients between May 2019 and April 2022. The recipients' age, sex, body mass index, preoperative fasting glucose and triglyceride levels, TyGi, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and serum creatinine measurement data were recorded. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their GFR values (group 1: GFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2; group 2: GFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Follow-up serum creatinine-eGFR levels and TyGi measurements were compared between the recipients in group 1 and group 2. RESULTS: The mean TyGi measurements of the recipients were 8.79 ± 0.64 in group 1 and 8.83 ± 0.72 in group 2. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of the TyGi measurements between the 2 groups (P >. 05). No statistically significant correlation was found between the recipients' creatinine, eGFR, and TyGi at 1st, 6th, and 12th postoperative months (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the relationship between the TyGi and renal graft function can be more clearly understood in prospective studies that include a higher number of patients and a longer follow-up period.

Efficacy of plasma atherogenic index in predicting malignancy in the presence of Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System 3 (PI-RADS 3) prostate lesions.

PURPOSE: Plasma atherogenic index (PAI) was shown to be positively correlated with the presence of malignity in patients with suspicious findings for renal cell cancer and colon cancer in reported studies. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether there is an association with the presence of malignity in patients PI-RADS 3 prostate lesions and PAI. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed the data of 139 patients who underwent transrectal ultrasonography-guided systematic and cognitive fusion prostate biopsy for PI-RADS 3 lesions in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were divided to two groups as malign (n = 33) and benign (n = 106). The association between age, body mass index, comorbidities, smoking status, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PSA density, free/total PSA, prostate weight, lesion diameter, triglyceride value, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol value, PAI value data and presence of malignity were investigated by descriptive, multivariate and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: PSA, PSAD, lesion diameter and PAI value were statistically significantly higher in the malignant group compared to the benign group, and the free/total PSA ratio was lower. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, PSA > 9.9 ng/ml, free/total PSA < 12.1%, lesion diameter > 13.5 mm and PAI > 0.13 were identified as independent risk factors for presence of prostate malignancy. CONCLUSION: PAI was found to be a predictive parameter for prostate cancer in PI-RADS 3 prostate lesions. Our study can open new thoughts about PAI as metric to assess the prostate cancer risk.

The effect of percussion, diuresis and inversion therapy on RIRS success for lower renal pole stones.

Introduction: Inversion of the patient, forced diuresis after hydration, and mechanical percussion technique was developed for lower renal pole (LRP) stones with extracorporeal shock wave (ESWL). In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of percussion, diuresis and inversion (PDI) therapy on the success rates of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for the LRP stones. Material and methods: 114 patients who underwent RIRS for LRP stones <2cm were included in this study. Patients' demographic, clinical, radiological and anatomical features and success status were recorded prospectively. The patients were divided into two groups. One group received RIRS procedure only (non-PDI group) and the other group received PDI therapy after the RIRS procedure (PDI group). Results: PDI was performed to 60 (52.6%) patients, and not performed to 54 (47.4%) patients. The success rate (58.3%) for the PDI group was higher than the non-PDI group (25.9%), and this difference was statistically significant (p <0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, stone size (OR = 1.306; 95% CI = 1.019-1.674; p <0.001), IU (OR = 1.702; 95% CI = 1.383-2.096; p <0.001) and not performing PDI therapy (p <0.001) OR = 9.455; 95% Cl = 2.426-10.853; p = 0.001) were revealed to be independent risk factors for failure. Conclusions: PDI therapy increases the success rates of RIRS performed for the LRP stones.

Does surgical position affect infective complications in percutaneous nephrolithotomy?

The downward orientation of the access sheath during supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) allows the faster evacuation of fluids and stone fragments. It theoretically can contribute to the reduction of the high intrarenal pressure-associated complications. We aimed to investigate whether there is a difference between prone and supine PCNL in terms of infective complications. This retrospective study includes 182 patients who underwent supine and prone PCNL due to kidney stones in our clinic between April 2020 and May 2022. Demographic (age, sex, body mass index, comorbidities), radiological (cumulative stone burden, stone density, number of stones, stone localization, stone laterality, presence of hydronephrosis), clinical (previous stone surgery, previous urinary tract) and perioperative (prone or supine position, surgery duration, hospitalization, success, non-infective and infective complications) data of all patients were evaluated. All patients were divided into two groups, the prone position group, and the supine position group. These two groups were compared in terms of pre and postoperative data above. Infective complications were observed in 16 (18%) patients in the prone position group and in 7 (7.5%) patients in the supine position group, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.034). Surgery duration (OR = 1.041; 95% CI 1.021-1.061; p < 0.001), number of stones (OR = 4.09; 95% CI 1.093-7.309; p = 0.036), previous urinary tract infection (OR = 6.272; 95% CI 1.936-9.317; p = 0.002) and prone position (OR = 4.511; 95% CI 1.265-7.087; p = 0.02) were found as independent risk factors for infective complications. Prone position was proved as an independent predictor of postoperative infectious events. Supine PCNL will be further adopted as the standard PCNL approach by a continuously growing proportion of endourologists.