Utilization of a novel valveless trocar system during robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of a novel valveless trocar system (VTS) on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). METHODS: A single-institution retrospective review was performed of 792 patients undergoing RALP. Preoperative patient variables, tumor characteristics, and perioperative variables were collected and analyzed. The first 150 patients were excluded from analysis to account for the learning curve of robotic surgery. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to assess factors affecting operative time (ORT). RESULTS: A total of 257 and 385 patients underwent RALP utilizing the VTS and conventional insufflation, respectively. There were no significant differences in American Society of Anesthesiologist score, body mass index (BMI), prostate volume, final Gleason score, estimated blood loss, and complications between the cohorts. The only difference noted was a significantly shorter mean ORT in the VTS cohort (149.5 vs. 170.1 min, p < 0.0001). In light of this finding, further analysis was performed to identify associations with ORT. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that VTS, BMI, final Gleason score, prostate volume, surgeon, and node dissection were significantly associated with ORT. The use of the VTS decreased mean ORT by 23.2 min when controlling for confounding factors (p < 0.001). The performance of a nerve sparing operation was found to decrease ORT by 15.9 min (p < 0.001), though more often performed for lower-risk disease. CONCLUSION: The use of a novel VTS demonstrated decreased ORT in patients undergoing RALP when controlling for confounding factors. Prospective randomized trials are needed to evaluate its ultimate benefit in various surgical cohorts.

Healthy live birth using theophylline in a case of retrograde ejaculation and absolute asthenozoospermia.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether the use of ready-to-use theophylline is a feasible option in a case of retrograde ejaculation and absolute asthenozoospermia. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: In vitro fertilization unit of a public hospital. PATIENT(S): Thirty-one-year-old nulliparous woman, and 39-year-old male with retrograde ejaculation and absolute asthenozoospermia. INTERVENTION(S): Retrieval of postejaculatory urine, restoration of motility using a methylxanthine, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, single-embryo transfer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm motility, fertilization, embryo quality, live birth. RESULT(S): Successful fertilization and a single-embryo transfer resulted in a healthy live birth. CONCLUSION(S): Theophylline turned out to be a safe, efficient agent for stimulating immotile spermatozoa in patients with retrograde ejaculation.

Pharmacological stimulation of sperm motility in frozen and thawed testicular sperm using the dimethylxanthine theophylline.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the use of theophylline improves sperm motility and treatment outcome in frozen-thawed testicular sperm extraction (TESE). DESIGN: Artificial sperm activation was offered to azoospermic patients between January and October 2010 in two different centers (identical lab conditions). SETTING: IVF units of public hospitals. PATIENT(S): Sixty-five patients participated and gave informed consent. INTERVENTION(S): Sibling oocytes were split into a study (intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] with thawed testicular sperm treated with theophylline) and a control group (ICSI with thawed untreated sperm). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Sperm motility, time for sperm selection, rates of fertilization, implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth. RESULT(S): All patients but one (98.5%) showed a significant improvement in testicular sperm motility when theophylline was used. In addition, sperm selection took significantly less time in the study as compared with in the untreated control group. Corresponding rates of fertilization (79.9% vs. 63.3%) and blastulation (63.9% vs. 46.8%) were significantly increased. Significantly more patients achieved clinical pregnancy if embryos/blastocysts derived from oocytes that had been injected with pharmacologically stimulated testicular spermatozoa were transferred (53.9% vs. 23.8%). This also holds true for the implantation rate. CONCLUSION(S): Theophylline turned out to be a reliable tool in stimulating testicular spermatozoa after thawing. Its immediate effect allows for faster and more accurate selection of viable sperm, which in turn improved fertilization and pregnancy outcome in this prospective study.