Ultrasound-guided renal puncture followed by endoscopically guided tract dilatation vs standard fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous nephrolithotomy for non-opaque renal stones; a randomized clinical trial.

This study was designed to evaluate the non-inferiority of ultrasound puncture followed by endoscopically guided tract dilatation compared to the standard fluoroscopy-guided PCNL. Forty patients with non-opaque kidney stones eligible for PCNL were randomly divided into two groups. The standard fluoroscopy-guided PCNL using the Amplatz dilator was performed in the XRAY group. In the SONO group, the Kidney was punctured under an ultrasound guide followed by tract dilatation using a combination of the Amplatz dilator based on the tract length and an endoscopically guided tract dilatation using a bi-prong forceps in cases of short-advancement. The primary outcome was successful access. In 90% of cases in the XRAY and 95% in the SONO group access dilatation process was performed uneventfully at the first attempt (p = 0.5). In 45% of cases in the SONO group, bi-prong forceps were used as salvage for short-advancement. In one case in the X-ray group over-advancement occurred. One month after surgery, the stone-free rate on the CT-scan was 75% for the X-ray group and 85% for the SONO group (p = 0.4). There were no significant differences in operation time, hospitalization duration, transfusion, or complication rates between the two groups. We conclude that ultrasound-guided renal puncture, followed by endoscopically guided tract dilatation can achieve a high success rate similar to X-ray-guided PCNL while avoiding the harmful effects of radiation exposure and the risk of over-advancement.

The Efficacy and Safety of Endoscopic Balloon Dilatation in the Treatment of Functional Post-Sleeve-Gastrectomy Stenosis.

Background and Objectives: Functional gastric stenosis, a consequence of sleeve gastrectomy, is defined as a rotation of the gastric tube along its longitudinal axis. It is brought on by gastric twisting without the anatomical constriction of the gastric lumen. During endoscopic examination, the staple line is deviated with a clockwise rotation, and the stenosis requires additional endoscopic manipulations for its transposition. Upper gastrointestinal series show the gastric twist with an upstream dilatation of the gastric tube in some patients. Data on its management have remained scarce. The objective was to assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic balloon dilatation in the management of functional post-sleeve gastrectomy stenosis. Patients and Methods: Twenty-two patients with functional post-primary-sleeve-gastrectomy stenosis who had an endoscopic balloon dilatation between 2017 and 2023 were included in this retrospective study. Patients with alternative treatment plans and those undergoing endoscopic dilatation for other forms of gastric stenosis were excluded. The clinical outcomes were used to evaluate the efficacy and safety of balloon dilatation in the management of functional gastric stenosis. Results: A total of 45 dilatations were performed with a 30 mm balloon in 22 patients (100%), a 35 mm balloon in 18 patients (81.82%), and a 40 mm balloon in 5 patients (22.73%). The patients' clinical responses after the first balloon dilatation were a complete clinical response (4 patients, 18.18%), a partial clinical response (12 patients, 54.55%), and a non-response (6 patients, 27.27%). Nineteen patients (86.36%) had achieved clinical success at six months. Three patients (13.64%) who remained symptomatic even after achieving the maximal balloon dilation of 40 mm were considered failure of endoscopic dilatation, and they were referred for surgical intervention. No significant adverse events were found during or following the balloon dilatation. Conclusions: Endoscopic balloon dilatation is an effective and safe minimally invasive procedure in the management of functional post-sleeve-gastrectomy stenosis.

Comparative Analysis of Silicone Tube Intubation Versus Probing and Balloon Dilation for Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction (CNLDO) is a pediatric disorder with a wide range of pathology. If untreated, the condition may end up with serious complications. Multiple treatment options for CNLDO exist throughout the literature, and there is an ongoing debate on the best intervention for each disease subgroup and the best timing of such interventions. This study compares the success and failure rates of silicone tube intubation (STI) against probing and balloon dilation (BD). METHODS: The authors searched the literature for relevant articles using PubMed, Scopus, web of Science, and Cochrane Library until January 2024. Using RevMan 5.4, the authors compared STI's success and failure rates to probing and BD using risk ratios (RRs) and a random-effect model. In addition, the complication rate of monocanalicular intubation (MCI) versus bicanalicular intubation (BCI) was investigated. The authors used the leave-one-out method to check for influential studies and to resolve heterogeneity. RESULTS: The screening process resulted in 23 eligible articles for inclusion in the authors' review. Silicone tube intubation had a higher chance of resolving the symptoms of CNLDO than probing (RR = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.20; P = 0.004) while having less risk of surgical failure (RR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.76; P = 0.002]. Monocanalicular intubation showed no statistically significant difference when compared with BCI in terms of surgical success and failure; however, MCI had a lower risk of complications (RR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.97; P = 0.04). In addition, STI did not demonstrate any significant difference from BD. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in success/failure between MCI and BCI; monocanalicular had fewer complications. Silicone tube intubation did better in terms of surgical success than probing, especially in children over 12 months, suggesting that it is the preferred intervention for older patients with CNLDO.

Randomized control trial comparing hygroscopic cervical dilators to cervical ripening balloon for outpatient cervical ripening.

BACKGROUND: Outpatient term preinduction cervical ripening with mechanical agents has been associated with reduced length of stay, decreased cesarean delivery rates, low maternal and neonatal complications, and increased incidence of vaginal delivery within 24 hours. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to demonstrate equivalent efficacy between synthetic hygroscopic dilators and the single-balloon catheter for outpatient cervical ripening. STUDY DESIGN: This randomized control equivalence trial compared synthetic hygroscopic dilators with the 30-mL silicone single-balloon catheter in primiparous and multiparous patients undergoing labor induction. The primary outcome was time from admission to delivery, with a prespecified 3-hour margin of equivalence. The secondary objectives were patient outcomes and perspectives. RESULTS: Between March 1, 2019, and May 31, 2021, 1605 patients met the screening criteria, and 174 patients completed the study. The mean admission-to-delivery time was equivalent at 18.01 hours for the dilator group vs 17.55 hours for the balloon group (P=.04). The cesarean delivery rate of primiparous patients was similar at 28.1% with dilators vs 29.7% with the balloon. The groups had similar median cervical dilation and pain scores on insertion and admission. Overall patient satisfaction was high, 92.8% with dilators vs 96.2% with the balloon. The balloon group had significantly higher rates of early admission and device expulsion. CONCLUSION: Although the enrollment goal was not met, our study suggests that synthetic hygroscopic dilators and the single-balloon catheter for outpatient cervical ripening are both efficacious with similar time from admission to delivery, pain scores, and patient satisfaction with the procedure.

A novel technique for one-step dilation followed by bile aspiration using an ultra-tapered bougie dilator with side holes to minimize bile leakage during EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy.

Bile aspiration during endoscopic ultrasound-guided hepaticogastrostomy reduces the risk of bile leakage. Mukai and colleagues devised a method in which side holes for bile aspiration are created using a biopsy punch in a hard type ultra-tapered bougie dilator. Effective bile aspiration was achieved in all four cases attempted.

Long-term efficacy of balloon dilation of the pediatric Eustachian tube: A six-year matched cohort study.

PURPOSE: Balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube (BDET) has not been evaluated extensively in children outside of retrospective case series. The purpose of this study is to report the long-term safety and efficacy of this procedure in children with matched controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a two-center retrospective matched cohort study. Children having undergone tympanostomy tube (TT) placement and adenoidectomy with recurrence of symptoms underwent BDET at an academic affiliated multi-specialty practice. Comparison was made with children receiving TT at a tertiary medical center, matching for number of prior TT, prior adenoidectomy, age, and sex. Outcome measures were risk of failure and the need for additional surgery. Kaplan-Meier survival plots were used to compare risk of failure. RESULTS: Thirty-three Eustachian tubes were dilated in 20 patients, aged 14 months-14 years. All patients had previously undergone TT insertion and adenoidectomy. Patients undergoing BDET had normal post-operative tympanograms in 80 % of cases. Mean follow up was 6.7 years with 2 patients failing in the BDET group and 8 in the TT insertion group. Dilated patients had a significantly lower risk of failure than those who underwent TT insertion (adjusted HR: 0.18; 95 % CI: 0.04, 0.81; p = 0.03). The probability of being failure free at six years was 88 % (95 % CI: 71, 95 %) in the BDET cohort and 53 % (95 % CI: 33, 70 %) in the TT insertion cohort. There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS: BDET appears to be safe and possibly superior to TT placement in children with refractory Eustachian tube dysfunction. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2b.

Significado do uso da prótese peniana de silicone no seguimento da braquiterapia pélvica / Significado do uso da prótese peniana de silicone no seguimento da braquiterapia pélvica / Meaning of the use of silicone penile prosthesis in the follow-up of pelvic brachytherapy

Objetivo: descrever o significado do uso da prótese peniana de silicone para dilatação vaginal no seguimento da braquiterapia em mulheres com câncer ginecológico. Método: pesquisa narrativa, realizada no Centro de Pesquisas Oncológicas, Brasil, com 34 mulheres, após braquiterapia pélvica, em seguimento no serviço de fisioterapia. Coleta de dados por entrevistas semiestruturadas, incluindo dados sociodemográficos, clínicos e o significado do uso da prótese peniana na dilatação vaginal, submetidas à análise de conteúdo e discutidas à luz do estudo From 'sex toy' to intrusive imposition. Resultados: o significado perpassa o exercício de dilatação vaginal; as dificuldades relacionadas às condições vaginais, doença, tratamento, dor, sexo, constrangimentos, preconceitos, falhas na educação em saúde; as motivações relacionam-se à busca por qualidade de vida, apoio dos companheiros e profissionais. Conclusão: a abordagem de possíveis barreiras emocionais, psicológicas, sociais e físicas deve ser planejada e executada para prevenção da estenose vaginal e melhor acolhimento.

Objective: to describe the meaning of the use of silicone penile prosthesis for vaginal dilation in the follow-up of brachytherapy in women with gynecological cancer. Method: narrative research conducted at the Centro de Pesquisas Oncológicas, Brazil, with 34 women after pelvic brachytherapy, under follow-up at the physical therapy service. Data collection through semi-structured interviews, including sociodemographic and clinical data and the significance of the use of penile prosthesis in vaginal dilation, submitted to content analysis and discussed in the light of the study From 'sex toy' to intrusive imposition. Results: the meaning permeates the vaginal dilation exercise; difficulties related to vaginal conditions, disease, treatment, pain, sex, constraints, prejudices, failures in health education; motivations are related to the search for quality of life, support of partners and professionals. Conclusion: the approach of possible emotional, psychological, social and physical barriers should be planned and executed for prevention of vaginal stenosis and better reception.

Objetivo: describir el significado del uso de una prótesis peneana de silicona para la dilatación vaginal posterior a la braquiterapia en mujeres con cáncer ginecológico. Método: investigación narrativa, realizada en el Centro de Pesquisas Oncológicas, Brasil, con 34 mujeres, después de braquiterapia pélvica, en seguimiento en el servicio de fisioterapia. Recopilación de datos a través de entrevistas semiestructuradas, incluyendo datos sociodemográficos y clínicos y el significado del uso de prótesis peneana en la dilatación vaginal, sometidos a análisis de contenido y discutidos a la luz del estudio From 'sex toy' to intrusive imposition. Resultados: el significado impregna el ejercicio de dilatación vaginal; dificultades relacionadas con condiciones vaginales, enfermedad, tratamiento, dolor, sexo, vergüenza, prejuicios, fallas en la educación para la salud; las motivaciones están relacionadas con la búsqueda de calidad de vida, apoyo de la pareja y profesionales. Conclusión: se debe planificar y ejecutar el abordaje de las posibles barreras emocionales, psicológicas, sociales y físicas para prevenir la estenosis vaginal y una mejor recepción.

Nasal dilator and physiological parameters associated to running performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Nasal dilators were created to expand the nasal valve area. The aim of this systematic review was to verify physiological parameters associated to running performance with the use of nasal dilators. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021225795). According to the PICOS framework studies were included: Population: healthy subjects; Intervention: nasal dilators; Comparison: control group, placebo, minimal intervention, health education or other intervention; Outcomes: cardiorespiratory parameters and subjective perceptions; Study: randomized controlled trials, repeated measures or within-subjects design. The databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL The Cochrane Library, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, PEDro and Scopus. The descriptors "Running", "Nasal Dilator", "Randomized Controlled Trial", and synonyms were used. The risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro scale. Random effects Der Simonian and Laird model were used. The assessment of the certainty of the evidence was carried out using the GRADE approach. Eleven articles were included. There was a difference in favour of the nasal dilator when compared to placebo for maximal oxygen uptake and rating of perceived exertion. The certainty of the evidence was very low. Future studies will probably have an impact on estimation of the effect.

Analysis of long-term effect of ureteral balloon dilatation combined with internal and external drainage tube in the treatment of benign ureteral stricture.

PURPOSE: There are few reports about balloon dilatation combined with internal and external drainage tube in the treatment of ureteral stricture under interventional therapy. The aim of the study is to explore the safety, effectiveness and long-term efficacy of this treatment strategy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a retrospective and observational study. From October 2013 to October 2016, 42 patients with benign lower ureteral stricture received interventional treatment. Balloon dilatation combined with internal and external drainage tube implantation were used. There were 25 male patients and 17 female patients. There were 7 cases (16.7%) with congenital ureteral stricture, 12 cases (28.6%) with inflammation, 15 cases (35.7%) with ureteral stricture after lithotomy or lithotripsy, and 8 cases (19.0%) with ureteral stricture after pelvic or abdominal surgery. After the drainage tube was removed, B ultrasound, enhanced CTU or IVP of urinary system were reexamined every six months. The follow-up time was 12-60 months. RESULTS: The age was 52.9 ± 11.6 years. The length of ureteral stricture was 1.1 ± 0.5 cm. 42 patients completed interventional treatment, the technical success rate was 100%, no ureteral perforation, rupture or other complications were identified. Preoperative urea nitrogen 9.2 ± 2.3 mmol/L and creatinine 175.8 ± 82.8umol/L. Urea nitrogen and creatinine were 3.8-9.1 mmol/L and 45.2-189.6 umol/L when removing the drainage tube. There were significant differences in the levels of urea nitrogen and creatinine before and after tube removal (P < 0.05). The ureteral patency rate was 100% at 6 months, 93% at 12 months, 83% at 18 months, 79% at 24 months, 76% at 30 months and 73% at 36-60 months. The overall success rate was 73%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that stenosis length was a risk factor for postoperative patency (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Balloon dilatation combined with internal and external drainage tube implantation in the treatment of benign lower ureteral stricture is safe and effective.

One-Shot Dilatation vs Metal Dilator During Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy in Flank-Free Supine Position: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Background: The creation and dilatation of the nephrostomy tract is a fundamental step in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). In one-shot dilatation (OSD), we used a single Amplatz dilator over a central Alken rod. PCNL in the supine position is as effective and safe as in the prone position. The Barts flank-free modified supine position sums several advantages of the different supine positions. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of OSD compared with metal telescopic dilator (MTD) during PCNL while the patient was in Barts flank-free modified supine position. Materials and Methods: Within 2.5 years, 150 patients with kidney stone candidates for PCNL were randomized into two equal groups according to the dilatation technique. In the OSD group, dilatation was performed using a single Amplatz dilator (30F) and in the MTD group dilatation was performed by sequential MTD (9-30F). All PCNL procedures were done with patients in Barts flank-free modified supine position. Patient characteristics, operative data, and results were collected for statistical analysis. Results: There are no statistically significant differences between both groups regarding patients' characters. The tracts were effectively dilated in all patients. Statistical analyses show a significant difference (p ˂ 0.05) between both groups regarding the time of dilatation (seconds; 68 ± 15 vs 147 ± 18), time of X-ray exposure (seconds; during dilatation; 36 ± 10 vs 61 ± 15 and the total; 157 ± 16 vs 181 ± 20), hemoglobin loss (mg/dL; 0.7 ± 0.2 vs 1.2 ± 0.3), and hospital stay (days; 3 ± 0.6 vs 3.7 ± 0.7) with favorable results to OSD. Complication rates were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: OSD is efficient as MTD during PCNL while patients are in Barts flank-free modified supine position, with less dilatation time, X-ray exposure, blood loss, and hospital stay than MTD.

New Technologies for Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

BPH is a common disease in aging men which impacts quality of life. With advancing age expectation coupled with the rising demand for BPH therapy, new technologies have been developed that target rapid recovery and symptom relief, low complication rates, and the ability to perform the procedure in an outpatient setting with local anesthesia. MIST technologies have fostered BPH medical care with ejaculation preservation. Techniques and outcomes for BPH technologies including Aquablation, Rezum, UroLift, iTind, Optilume BPH, XFLO, Zenflow, and Butterfly are reviewed and evaluated. Given the novelty of these technologies, long-term data are required to assess safety and efficacy.

Design and Validation of an Automated Dilator Prototype for the Treatment of Radiation Induced Vaginal Injury.

Vaginal stenosis (VS) is a common late complication of radiation injury caused by cervical cancer radiotherapy. It is characterized by the narrowing or shortening of the vaginal canal, which is often detrimental to patient quality of life. To address this public health problem, an expandable vaginal dilator was designed for the prevention of VS in cervical cancer survivors. Modeling and benchtop experimentation were used to iteratively characterize the relationship among dilator pressure, expansion, and the load applied to the simulated vaginal wall. Both experimental and simulation results exhibited shared trends relating pressure, dilator expansion, applied load, and resultant displacement of the modeled vaginal walls. Future work will incorporate enhanced Mooney-Rivlin material assumptions and validation of the model with in vivo tests.Clinical Relevance- These results present a design opportunity and treatment paradigm shift to increase patient adherence to VS treatment after cervical cancer radiotherapy. Specifically, gradual expansion of the vaginal dilator increases comfort during the expansion of the vagina, while monitoring the dilator pressure enables the tracking of VS improvement and normalization of vaginal wall compliance.

Ex Vivo Model of Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation and Analysis of Adjunctive Papillary Muscle Repair.

Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is particularly challenging to repair with lasting durability due to the complex valvular and subvalvular pathologies resulting from left ventricular dysfunction. Ex vivo simulation is uniquely suited to quantitatively analyze the repair biomechanics, but advancements are needed to model the nuanced IMR disease state. Here we present a novel IMR model featuring a dilation device with precise dilatation control that preserves annular elasticity to enable accurate ex vivo analysis of surgical repair. Coupled with augmented papillary muscle head positioning, the enhanced heart simulator system successfully modeled IMR pre- and post-surgical intervention and enabled the analysis of adjunctive subvalvular papillary muscle repair to alleviate regurgitation recurrence. The model resulted in an increase in regurgitant fraction: 11.6 ± 1.7% to 36.1 ± 4.4% (p < 0.001). Adjunctive papillary muscle head fusion was analyzed relative to a simple restrictive ring annuloplasty repair and, while both repairs successfully eliminated regurgitation initially, the addition of the adjunctive subvalvular repair reduced regurgitation recurrence: 30.4 ± 5.7% vs. 12.5 ± 2.6% (p = 0.002). Ultimately, this system demonstrates the success of adjunctive papillary muscle head fusion in repairing IMR as well as provides a platform to optimize surgical techniques for increased repair durability.

[Radiation-induced sexual toxicity]. / Toxicité sexuelle induite par la radiothérapie.

Oncosexuality has recently become a new supportive care mission. Sexual morbidity is, routinely, underestimated and must be questioned. We report here the most frequent disorders for men and for women, how to prevent them and how to treat them.

Ephemeral history of the three-bladed tracheostomy dilator.

Tracheostomy remains a topical surgical procedure. The history of tracheostomy is marked by the development of various instruments, including the three-bladed tracheostomy dilator from the middle of the 19th century. The purpose of this historical note is to recall the use of this unusual instrument.

Topical estrogen, testosterone, and vaginal dilator in the prevention of vaginal stenosis after radiotherapy in women with cervical cancer: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the effects of different therapeutic options to prevent the evolution of vaginal stenosis after pelvic radiotherapy in women with cervical cancer. METHODS: open-label randomized clinical trial of 195 women, stage I-IIIB, aged 18-75 years, using topical estrogen (66), topical testosterone (34), water-based intimate lubricant gel (66), and vaginal dilators (29) to assess the incidence and severity of vaginal stenosis after radiotherapy at UNICAMP-Brazil, from January/2013 to May/2018. The main outcome measure was vaginal stenosis assessed using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) scale and percental changes in vaginal volume. The women were evaluated at four different times: shortly after the end of radiotherapy, and four, eight, and 12 months after the beginning of the intervention. Statistical analysis was carried out using Symmetry test, Kruskal-Wallis test and multiple regression. RESULTS: the mean age of women was 46.78 (±13.01) years, 61,03% were premenopausal and 73,84% had stage IIB-IIIB tumors. The mean reduction in vaginal volume in the total group was 25.47%, with similar worsening in the four treatment groups with no statistical difference throughout the intervention period. There was worsening of vaginal stenosis evaluated by CTCAE scale after 1 year in all groups (p < 0.01), except for the users of vaginal dilator (p = 0.37). CONCLUSIONS: there was a reduction in vaginal volume in all treatment groups analyzed, with no significant difference between them. However, women who used vaginal dilators had a lower frequency and severity of vaginal stenosis assessed by the CTCAE scale after one year of treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials, RBR-23w5fv . Registered 10 January 2017 - Retrospectively registered.

The Innovative Use of Ureter Catheter in the Surgery of Obstructive Uropathy.

PURPOSE: Relieving obstruction and protecting renal function are the main therapeutic purposes of obstructive uropathy which often involve surgical treatment, and the ureter catheter is one of the surgical instruments commonly used in surgery. We aimed to explore the innovative use of a ureter catheter in the surgery of obstructive uropathy. METHODS: We used a ureteral catheter to innovate the surgical procedure of the most common causes of obstructive uropathy: ureteral calculi and stricture, establishing an internal circulation system (ICS), proposing a three-step dilatation method, and reviewing their effects on patients. Furthermore, we introduced a simple real-time intrapelvic pressure measurement device to monitor intrarenal pressure during operation. RESULTS: Postoperative laboratory examination showed that blood CRP, leukocyte neutrophil level, changes in the hemoglobin, urine occult blood, and positive rate of urine culture in the ICS group are significantly lower than those in the control group, corresponding to a lower incidence of bleeding and infection-related complications clinically. A three-month follow-up revealed 1/3 rate of ureteral stricture in the ICS group comparing to the control. We applied the three-step dilatation in patients with severe stenosis in which the balloon could not pass; the overall effective rate was 90.9%. The pressure of the renal pelvis was displayed on the monitor in real time. The surgeon could estimate the degree of filling of the renal pelvis and adjust the intake volume through the data. CONCLUSION: The innovative application of ureteral catheters in the operation of obstructive uropathy can realize the real-time monitor of intraoperative renal pelvis pressure, reduce the incidence of lithotripsy postoperative complications, and expand the indications of balloon dilatation in ureteral stricture, which has certain clinical significance.