Double J Stents and Reno-Ureteral Lithiasis: Dynamic Changes in Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: To provide an evidence-based review of the use of ureteral stents in managing reno-ureteral lithiasis during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search was conducted between 2020 and 2023 using the PubMed and SCOPUS databases. As a part of the search query, we entered "ureteral stents" OR "double J stent" AND "renal colic" OR "ureteral obstruction" OR "reno-ureteral lithiasis" AND "COVID-19 Pandemic" OR "SARS-CoV-2 infection". RESULTS: Patients with lithiasis should be categorized into low priority, intermediate priority, high priority, and emergency under the COVID-19 pandemic scenario to manage their delay and save resources, including healthcare professionals, beds, and ventilators. However, immediate interventions are necessary for individuals at risk of life-threatening septic complications. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the feasibility of conducting or resuming elective activity depended on local circumstances, the accessibility of beds and ventilators, and the execution of screening protocols. If lithiasis surgery is delayed, consequences and increased effort will be inevitable. It is possible that teleconsultation could help guide these patients and cut down on unnecessary visits and exposure. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 has shifted treatment options for urinary stones, with ureteral stents being a safe, efficient, and cost-effective option for managing urolithiasis. Decompression is essential in emergency situations, while ureteral stents reduce the risk of infection and hospital visits.

Improvement of Hexacopter UAVs Attitude Parameters Employing Control and Decision Support Systems.

Today, there is a conspicuous upward trend for the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), especially in the field of multirotor drones. Their advantages over fixed-wing aircrafts are that they can hover, which allows their usage in a wide range of remote surveillance applications: industrial, strategic, governmental, public and homeland security. Moreover, because the component market for this type of vehicles is in continuous growth, new concepts have emerged to improve the stability and reliability of the multicopters, but efficient solutions with reduced costs are still expected. This work is focused on hexacopter UAV tests carried out on an original platform both within laboratory and on unrestricted open areas during the start-stop manoeuvres of the motors to verify the operational parameters, hover flight, the drone stability and reliability, as well as the aerodynamics and robustness at different wind speeds. The flight parameters extracted from the sensor systems' comprising accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers, barometers, GPS antenna and EO/IR cameras were analysed, and adjustments were performed accordingly, when needed. An FEM simulation approach allowed an additional decision support platform that expanded the experiments in the virtual environment. Finally, practical conclusions were drawn to enhance the hexacopter UAV stability, reliability and manoeuvrability.

Continuous vs conventional bipolar plasma vaporisation of the prostate and standard monopolar resection: a prospective, randomised comparison of a new technological advance.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate in a prospective, randomised trial the surgical efficiency and safety of a new energy source enabling a continuous bipolar plasma vaporisation of the prostate (C-BPVP) by comparing with standard vaporisation (S-BPVP) and monopolar transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). To comparatively assess the short-term functional outcome of the three methods. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 180 men with BPH with prostate volumes of 30-80 mL, maximum urinary flow rates (Q(max)) of <10 mL/s and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of >19 were equally randomised for C-BPVP, S-BPVP and monopolar TURP. All men were evaluated preoperatively and at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery by IPSS, Q(max), health-related quality of life (HRQL) score and post-void residual urine volume (PVR). The prostate volume and PSA level were postoperatively assessed at 6 months. RESULTS: The mean operation time was significantly reduced in C-BPVP vs S-BPVP and TURP, with a substantial 22.4% and 39.1% decrease in duration for C-BPVP when compared with S-BPVP and TURP, respectively. The mean haemoglobin level decrease (0.4 and 0.6 vs 1.4 g/dL), capsular perforation rate (1.7% and 3.3% vs 10%), postoperative haematuria rate (1.7% and 1.7% vs 13.3%), catheterisation period (24.1 and 23.9 vs 73.6 h) and hospital stay (2.1 and 2.2 vs 4.5 days) were significantly lower for C-BPVP and S-BPVP vs TURP. At 1, 3 and 6 months follow-up, there were statistically ameliorated IPSS and Q(max) measurements in the C-BPVP and S-BPVP series, while similar HRQL scores, PVRs, PSA levels and postoperative prostate volumes were found in all three study arms. CONCLUSIONS: The operation time for C-BPVP was on average 20% and 40% quicker than S-BPVP and TURP, respectively. Both C-BPVP and S-BPVP had better perioperative safety and improved follow-up voiding and symptom scores than TURP.

Bipolar plasma vaporization versus standard transurethral resection in secondary bladder neck sclerosis: a prospective, medium-term, randomized comparison.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective, randomized, medium-term trial aimed to assess the efficiency, safety and postoperative results of bipolar plasma vaporization (BPV) in comparison with monopolar transurethral resection (TUR) in cases of secondary bladder neck sclerosis (BNS). METHODS: A total of 70 patients with BNS secondary to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP; 46 cases), open prostatectomy for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH; 18 cases) and radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer (6 cases) were enrolled in the trial. The inclusion criteria consisted of maximum flow rate (Q max) <10 ml/s and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) >19. All patients were evaluated preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after surgery by IPSS, quality of life score (QoL), Q max and postvoiding residual urinary volume (PVR). RESULTS: The mean operation time (10.3 versus 14.9 minutes), catheterization period (0.75 versus 2.1 days) and hospital stay (1.1 versus 3.2 days) were significantly reduced in the BPV series. During the immediate postoperative follow up, recatheterization for acute urinary retention only occurred in the TUR series (5.7%). The medium-term retreatment requirements due to BNS recurrence were lower in the BPV study arm (2.8% versus 8.5%). At the 1, 3, 6, 12 and 18 months assessments, statistically similar parameters were found concerning the IPSS and QoL symptom scores, Q max and PVR values specific for the two therapeutic alternatives. CONCLUSIONS: BPV constitutes a valuable endoscopic treatment approach for secondary BNS. The method emphasized superior efficacy, a satisfactory safety profile and similar medium-term follow-up features when compared with standard TUR.