Decisional regret and impacts on quality of life following genitourinary reconstruction for neurogenic bladder: A comparison between acquired and congenital spinal cord injury.

INTRODUCTION: Patient expectations and baseline health are important drivers of outcomes following major genitourinary reconstructive surgery for neurogenic bladder (NGB). Differences in expectations and quality of life (QoL) improvements among different populations with NGB remain insufficiently explored in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To compare decisional regret (DR) and urinary-related QoL (UrQoL) in patients undergoing urinary diversion for NGB arising from spinal cord injury of acquired (A-SCI) and congenital (C-SCI) etiologies. We hypothesize that patients with A-SCI have higher expectations of improvement in QoL following surgery when compared with C-SCI, which may lead to higher DR and decreased UrQoL, postoperatively. DESIGN: In this cross-sectional survey study, we compared A-SCI to C-SCI in terms of DR, UrQoL, and postoperative changes in self-reported physical health, mental health, and pain using validated patient-reported outcome measures. SETTING: Participants were enrolled from a quaternary care institution via mail and MyChart. PARTICIPANTS: The A-SCI group consistied of 17 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury the C-SCI group was composed of 20 patients with spina bifida. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Decisional Regret Scale, Short form- Qualiveen (SF-Qualiveen), and Patient-reported outcomes measurement Information system-10 (PROMIS-10) Global Health surveys. RESULTS: The A-SCI group displayed poorer preoperative physical health than the C-SCI cohort, but absolute postoperative changes in this score, along with mental health score and pain level, were not significant after adjusting for baseline scores and follow-up time. SF-Qualiveen scores revealed significantly worse impact of NGB in UrQoL for A-SCI than for C-SCI when adjusted for other factors. No differences in DR were seen between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with A-SCI demonstrate lower self-reported baseline physical health compared with patients with C-SCI, which may have implications in setting patient expectations when undergoing urinary diversion. In this small cohort, we found a milder self-reported postoperative impact of NGB in UrQoL in patients with C-SCI.

Selective Use of Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy Is Associated with Greater Achievement of Partial Nephrectomy for High-complexity Renal Masses in a Solitary Kidney.

Background: Partial nephrectomy (PN) is preferred for a renal mass in a solitary kidney (RMSK), although tumors with high complexity can be challenging. Objective: To evaluate the evolution of RMSK management with a focus on achievement of PN. Design setting and participants: Patients with nonmetastatic RMSK (n = 499) were retrospectively reviewed; 133 had high tumor complexity, including 80 in the pre-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) era (1999-2008) and 53 in the TKI era (2009-2022). After 2009, 23/53 patients received neoadjuvant TKI and 30/53 had immediate-surgery. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Functional outcomes, adverse events and complications, dialysis-free survival, and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were the measures evaluated. Mann-Whitney and χ2 tests were used to compare cohorts, and the log-rank test was applied for survival analyses. Results and limitations: Overall, the median RENAL score was 10 and the median tumor diameter was 5.2 cm. Demographic characteristics, tumor diameter, and RENAL scores were similar between the pre-TKI-era and TKI-era groups. In the TKI era, 23/53 patients (43%) with clear-cell histology were selected for neoadjuvant TKI. These 23 patients had a greater median tumor diameter (7.1 vs 4.4 cm; p = 0.02) and RENAL score (11 vs 10; p = 0.07). After TKI treatment, the median tumor diameter decreased to 5.6 cm and the RENAL score to 9, and tumor volume was reduced by 59% (all p < 0.05). PN was accomplished in 21/23 (91%) the TKI-treated cases and in 27/30 (90%) of the immediate-surgery cases (2009-2022). PN was only accomplished in 52/80 (65%) of the patients from the pre-TKI era (p < 0.01). The 5-yr dialysis-free survival rate was 59% in the pre-TKI-era group and 91% in the TKI-era group. The 5-yr RFS rate was lower in the TKI-era group (59% vs 74%; p = 0.21), which was mostly related to more aggressive tumor biology, as reflected by a predominance of systemic rather than local recurrences. Conclusions: Management of RMSK with high tumor complexity is challenging. Selective use of TKI therapy was associated with greater use of PN, although a randomized study is needed. RFS mostly reflected aggressive tumor biology rather than failure of local management. Patient summary: For complex kidney tumors in patients with a single kidney, management is challenging. Use of drugs called tyrosine kinase inhibitors before surgery was associated with reductions in tumor size and greater ability to achieve partial kidney removal for cancer control. Most recurrences were metastatic, which reflects aggressive tumor biology rather than failure of surgery.

Functional recovery after partial nephrectomy: next generation analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To provide a more rigorous assessment of factors affecting functional recovery after partial nephrectomy (PN) using novel tools that allow for analysis of more patients and improved accuracy for assessment of parenchymal volume loss, thereby revealing the potential impact of secondary factors such as ischaemia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 1140 patients managed with PN (2012-2014), 670 (59%) had imaging and serum creatinine levels measured before and after PN necessary for inclusion. Recovery from ischaemia was defined as the ipsilateral glomerular filtration rate (GFR) saved normalised by parenchymal volume saved. Acute kidney injury was assessed through Spectrum Score, which quantifies the degree of acute ipsilateral renal dysfunction due to exposure to ischaemia that would otherwise be masked by the contralateral kidney. Multivariable regression was used to identify predictors of Spectrum Score and Recovery from Ischaemia. RESULTS: In all, 409/189/72 patients had warm/cold/zero ischaemia, respectively, with median (interquartile range [IQR]) ischaemia times for cold and warm ischaemia of 30 (25-42) and 22 (18-28) min, respectively. The median (IQR) global preoperative GFR and new baseline GFR (NBGFR) were 78 (63-92) and 69 (54-81) mL/min/1.73 m2 , respectively. The median (IQR) ipsilateral preoperative GFR and NBGFR were 40 (33-47) and 31 (24-38) mL/min/1.73 m2 , respectively. Functional recovery correlated strongly with parenchymal volume preserved (r = 0.83, P < 0.01). The median (IQR) decline in ipsilateral GFR associated with PN was 7.8 (4.5-12) mL/min/1.73 m2 with loss of parenchyma accounting for 81% of this loss. The median (IQR) recovery from ischaemia was similar across the cold/warm/zero ischaemia groups at 96% (90%-102%), 95% (89%-101%), and 97% (91%-102%), respectively. Independent predictors of Spectrum Score were ischaemia time, tumour complexity, and preoperative global GFR. Independent predictors of recovery from ischaemia were insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, refractory hypertension, warm ischaemia, and Spectrum Score. CONCLUSIONS: The main determinant of functional recovery after PN is parenchymal volume preservation. A more robust and rigorous evaluation allowed us to identify secondary factors including comorbidities, increased tumour complexity, and ischaemia-related factors that are also independently associated with impaired recovery, although altogether these were much less impactful.

Management and Outcomes of Ileal Pouch-Urethral Fistulas.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a single-center experience with the management of ileal pouch-urethral fistulas (IPUF) following restorative proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA). METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients with documented IPUF managed at our institution from a urethral fistula cohort and analyzed their cases. RESULTS: Thirteen patients who underwent surgeries for IPUF management from 2005-2022 were identified. Median age at IPAA was 29 years (range 11-53). Indications for IPAA included familial adenomatous polyposis (n=3) and ulcerative colitis (n=10). Median time from IPAA to fistula diagnosis was 15 years (range 0.5-38.5). Eleven patients were initially diverted with either loop (n=8) or end ileostomy (n=3). Overall, two patients had resolution of IPUF symptoms with a loop ileostomy alone and eight eventually underwent pouch excision with end ileostomy, one of which subsequently underwent redo IPAA. Seven patients were managed with primary closure of the urethral defect at the time of pouch excision, five of which also underwent gracilis muscle interposition. With a median follow-up of 4 years (range 0.3-13 years), all patients had resolution of their fistulae without any recurrences. CONCLUSION: IPUFs are a rare complication after IPAA. In this cohort, all patients had their urinary tract preserved, but most ultimately had permanent fecal diversion. These results can help guide management of this complex issue.

Single-Port, Robot-Assisted Transanal Harvest of Rectal Mucosa Grafts for Substitution Urethroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a novel single-port, endorobotic technique for harvesting rectal mucosa grafts (RMGs) for urethral reconstruction. METHODS: A 57-year-old man with prior transurethral procedures developed recurrent obstructive voiding symptoms. Urethrography revealed a panurethral stricture, meatus to the bulbomembranous junction. It was decided to proceed with surgical repair. Owing to the stricture's length, available oral mucosa would require additional material, and repair with a single rectal mucosa graft was offered instead. Single-port (SP) endorobotic approach offered ideal access for transanal harvest. With the patient placed in a modified lithotomy position, a GELPOINT Path transanal access platform was inserted through the anal canal. Pneumorectum was established at 12 mmHg with an AirSeal CO2 insufflator. A Da Vinci SP surgical system was docked, equipped with Maryland bipolar forceps and a monopolar spatula. After injection of ORISE gel, endorobotic submucosal dissection began posteriorly proximal to the dentate line. RESULTS: Proceeding cranially through the rectal submucosa, a 21 ✕ 3 cm strip of mucosa was obtained with appropriate hemostasis. The resulting graft was thoroughly thinned. The robot was undocked, and the patient repositioned to high lithotomy. The patient underwent a penis-inverting, dorsolateral approach augmentation urethroplasty. With an indwelling catheter placed, the patient was discharged on postoperative day 2 with no postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: Transanal rectal mucosal dissection with a single-port endorobotic approach can be an enticing and minimally invasive harvesting technique to provide substitution grafts for long-segment urethral reconstruction.