Urology resident experience with an elective in interventional radiology: a pilot evaluation.

PURPOSE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the initial experience with an elective in interventional uroradiology. METHODS: Seven urology residents completed a minimum 2-month elective in interventional radiology (IR). A survey was administered before and immediately after the elective. The survey sought information on proficiency in uroradiology procedures and the role of IR in current training and future practice based on a 5-point ascending Likert response scale. Procedures performed during the elective were reviewed and recorded from the resident case logs. RESULTS: Urology residents reported an increased proficiency in all interventional procedures after the IR rotation. Endovascular techniques, ablative therapies, and needle biopsy had significant increases in performance proficiency (P=0.031). On completion, residents strongly agreed that interventional uroradiology should be a part of residency training, and image-guided therapies will play a significant role in the future of urology. Residents performed on average 14.9 arterial interventions, 28.5 venous interventions, 15.8 genitourinary interventions, and 3.1 tumor ablations per month. In addition, urology residents performed image-guided biopsies, drainages, as well as gastrointestinal and biliary interventions gaining experience with performing and interpreting ultrasonography, fluoroscopy, and CT. CONCLUSION: Interventional uroradiology provides urology residents invaluable experience with image-guided procedures, increasing comfort with performance and interpretation. Residents believed that interventional uroradiology should be incorporated into the residency curriculum.

Laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) partial nephrectomy short-term outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To present our experience of transumbilical laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) partial nephrectomy (PN) with pathological and short-term oncological and renal functional outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In all, 15 LESS-PNs were performed for cT1a tumours between July 2008 and August 2011 by one surgeon. All patients underwent transumbilical LESS using a 5-mm flexible-tip laparoscope and a combination of flexible and conventional laparoscopic instruments. The technique for transperitoneal LESS-PN otherwise replicated conventional laparoscopic PN. Demographic, perioperative, and postoperative variables were recorded and analysed. RESULTS: Of the 14 patients (eight men), undergoing 15 distinct LESS-PN, the mean (sd) age was 57.9 (8.7) years and the mean (sd, range) tumour size resected was 2.4 (0.8; 1.2-4.0). There were 12 renal cell carcinomas, two angiomyolipomas, and two metanephric adenomas on final pathology, all with negative margins. The mean (sd) operative duration was 169 (47) min with a mean (sd, range) warm ischaemia time of 14.7 (13.4; 0-37) min; bull-dog clamps were used for hilar-control in nine cases with the remaining six cases done without hilar vascular clamping. The mean (sd) estimated blood loss in this series was 293 (325) mL (median 200 mL) and no cases required intraoperative or postoperative blood transfusions. The mean (sd) hospital stay was 2.7 (0.8) days and mean inpatient analgesic requirement in morphine equivalents was 21.7 (11.6) mg. Follow-up surveillance imaging showed no recurrence at a mean (sd, range) follow-up of 18.3 (12.2; 6-36) months and a negligible change in serum creatinine (<0.1 mg/dL) at a mean (sd, range) follow-up of 17.1 (11.9; 1-36) months. CONCLUSION: LESS-PN is a feasible and effective operation, providing complete oncological resection along with excellent short-term oncological and renal functional outcomes.

Audio and visual analysis of urologic laparoscopic and robotic skills: objective criteria for surgical skill evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To assess intraoperative cognitive and motor skills using audio- and video-based analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study enrolled 11 surgeons who were categorized into novice (n = 4), intermediate (n = 4), and expert (n = 3) groups. Categorization of skill level was based on years of experience and as determined by the lead expert surgeon. A total of 32 cases were available for analysis, including 5 robotic and 27 laparoscopic renal cases. For each procedure, video and audio components were recorded and sent for grading to 4 blinded judges. The previously validated global rating scale (GRS) and operation-specific rating scale (ORS), as well as a novel cognitive rating scale (CRS), were used to assess performances. Statistical comparisons were performed by analysis of variance. RESULTS: Comparison of the 3 skill levels using analysis of variance showed that each scale was able to differentiate among the levels (P <.05). The mean scores for the before and after audio GRS, ORS, and CRS showed significant difference between the novice, intermediate, and expert groups, demonstrating construct validity. CONCLUSION: The use of intraoperative audio is an innovative way to assess the cognitive ability of the surgeon. The CRS demonstrated construct validity. The addition of the CRS to the already validated GRS and ORS may serve as a reliable system to objectively evaluate laparoscopic and robotic surgical skill.

Angiographic findings of primary versus salvage varicoceles treated with selective gonadal vein embolization: an explanation for surgical treatment failure.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Gonadal vein angioembolization is a successful means of primary and salvage treatment for symptomatic varicoceles. We aim to investigate angiographic findings during embolization of primary varicoceles vs those with failed surgical ligation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1992 and 2010, 106 cases referred to our interventional radiologists for primary or salvage varicocelectomy were reviewed. These patients underwent venography and gonadal vein embolization using a combination of embolization coils and vascular plugs. All images were reviewed by an interventional radiologist to determine the anatomic etiology of the varicocele. Primary and salvage embolization cohorts were compared using t test and chi-square analyses for continuous and categorical variables, respectively. Angiographic parameters were analyzed using univariate and multivariable regression models to determine significance in predicting primary vs salvage status. RESULTS: Of the 106 patients, 46 patients (57 testicles) underwent primary and 60 patients (62 testicles) underwent salvage embolization. The salvage cohort of patients was younger (P<0.001) and comprised more solely left-sided pathology (P=0.002). An equivalent number of gonadal vein divisions and proportion of patent gonadal veins was found. However, there was a significantly higher proportion (27.8% vs 6.7%) of inguinal collateral vessels and combined presence of inguinal and retroperitoneal collateral veins (8.5% vs 2.1%) identified in the cohort undergoing embolization after failed surgical varicocelectomy. Presence of inguinal collaterals (P=0.008) as well as presence of both inguinal and retroperitoneal collaterals (P=0.038) on multivariable regression analysis revealed both as independent prognosticators of salvage status. CONCLUSION: Recurrence after surgical varicocelectomy is associated with increased inguinal collaterals. The pitfall presented by this anatomic variant to surgical ligation may be successfully managed with selective gonadal vein embolization.

Reproducibility and fidelity of the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The R.E.N.A.L nephrometry score (NS) was developed to characterize renal tumor anatomy to facilitate standardized reporting and ultimately clinical decision making. Up to three points are assigned for each of the following criteria: Tumor size (R), exophytic vs endophytic nature (E), nearness to the collecting system (N), anterior vs posterior (A), and polar location (L), with more complex lesions receiving higher scores. There are no independent studies to date that validate the reproducibility of this scoring system. Our aim was to validate the R.E.N.A.L. NS system by assessing interobserver variability, and therefore reproducibility and fidelity of this proposed assessment tool. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed our prospectively collected laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) database and identified 306 patients with available preoperative CT or MRI. Of these, 149 were independently read by two urology residents who assigned NS. The Pearson test was used to assess interobserver variability of total NS as well as each of the five components of the scoring system. RESULTS: Interobserver correlation of total NS calculated by the Pearson test was found to be 0.92 (P<0.001). Concordance rates for each of the individual nephrometry components R.E.N.A.L (hilar) were 96%, 92%, 86%, 96%, 89%, and 99% respectively. A t test showed no significant difference between final NS assigned by two different observers. CONCLUSION: The R.E.N.A.L. NS system is a comprehensive and reproducible tool that may aid surgeons in communicating tumor characteristics effectively. Interobserver correlation is high, rendering it a high fidelity assessment tool.

The comparison of three renal tumor scoring systems: C-Index, P.A.D.U.A., and R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry scores.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The centrality-index (C-Index), preoperative aspects and dimensions used for anatomic (P.A.D.U.A.) classification, and radius.exophyic/endophytic.nearness.anterior/posterior.location (R.E.N.A.L.) nephrometry schemes were developed as standardized scoring systems (SS) to quantify anatomic characteristics of kidney tumors. The objective of this study was to establish reliability and assess relationships between these three SS and perioperative and postoperative variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed in 101 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. The nephrometry schemes were correlated with intraoperative and postoperative parameters using Spearman correlations. In addition, interobserver reliability was assessed on 50 of the patients by interclass correlations comparing the scores assigned by two residents and one fellow who reviewed preoperative CT studies of these patients. RESULTS: The interobserver correlation was 0.84 for the C-Index, 0.81 for the P.A.D.U.A., and 0.92 for the R.E.N.A.L. scoring systems, demonstrating excellent interobserver reliability. All three SS were significantly associated with warm ischemia time (WIT) (C-Index, P=-0.44; P.A.D.U.A., P=0.25; R.E.N.A.L., P=0.32) and percent change in creatinine level (C-Index, P=- 0.33; P.A.D.U.A., P=0.37; R.E.N.A.L., P=0.37). There were no significant associations between any of the three SS assessed and the occurrence of complications, operative time, or estimated blood loss. No significant correlation was found between the P.A.D.U.A. and R.E.N.A.L. SS and length of stay; however, C-Index did show a significant relationship for patients with lower scores having longer hospital stays (P=-0.21). CONCLUSIONS: All three scoring systems demonstrated reliability among observers and represent novel methods of quantitatively describing renal tumors. They were all associated with WIT, percent change in creatinine level, and tumor size. They did not, however, correlate with any other perioperative parameters investigated. At this time, these SS provide a common language for describing renal tumors.

Abnormalities of penile curvature: chordee and penile torsion.

Congenital chordee and penile torsion are commonly observed in the presence of hypospadias, but can also be seen in boys with the meatus in its orthotopic position. Varying degrees of penile curvature are observed in 4-10% of males in the absence of hypospadias. Penile torsion can be observed at birth or in older boys who were circumcised at birth. Surgical management of congenital curvature without hypospadias can present a challenge to the pediatric urologist. The most widely used surgical techniques include penile degloving and dorsal plication. This paper will review the current theories for the etiology of penile curvature, discuss the spectrum of severity of congenital chordee and penile torsion, and present varying surgical techniques for the correction of penile curvature in the absence of hypospadias.

Predictors of hemorrhage after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To identify risk factors associated with hemorrhage during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN), and to determine the impact of hemorrhage on hospital course. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed prospective data from 335 LPNs to identify clinicopathologic factors associated with hemorrhagic complications (blood loss requiring ≥ 1 U transfusion) and extended length of hospitalization (≥ 3 days). We excluded patients with a coagulopathy or perioperative vascular injuries. RESULTS: We identified 23 patients (7%) undergoing LPN with hemorrhagic complications (group 1 and 312 patients (93%) without complications (group 2). Mean age was 64.1 ± 14.4 vs 57.6 ± 12.7(P = .006), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score ≥ 3 seen in 61% vs 37% (P = .02), mean tumor size (cm) was 2.90 ± 2.02 vs 2.59 ± 1.15 (P = .93), mean total operative time (min) was 250.1 ± 116.1 vs 191.8 ± 69.2 (P = 0.006), and mean hospital stay (days) was 4.7 ± 3.4 vs 3.1 ± 3.0 (P = .0002), for groups 1 and 2, respectively. Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal insufficiency, obesity, smoking, and coronary artery disease-congestive heart failure were present in group 1 vs group 2: 39.1% vs 31.4% (P = .4), 17.4% vs 8% (P = .12), 8.7% vs 1.9% (P = .09), 4.3% vs 3.5% (P = .57), 17.4% vs 5.4% (P = .04), and 8.7% vs 2.2% (P = .11), respectively. On multivariate analysis, smoking (P < .0437) and ASA score ≥ 3 (P < .0233) were associated with hemorrhagic complications. Hemorrhagic complications were 3.5 times more likely in smokers than nonsmokers (95% confidence interval, 1.0-11.7), and 2.9 times more likely with an ASA class ≥ 3. Only age (P < .0002) and operative time (P < .0001) were associated with longer hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS: High ASA scores and smoking are risk factors for hemorrhagic complications during LPN. Hemorrhagic complications did not significantly affect hospitalization length.

Delayed haemorrhage after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: frequency and angiographic findings.

OBJECTIVES: • To determine the frequency of delayed postoperative haemorrhage requiring selective angioembolization (SAE) after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN). • To describe the clinical presentation and characterize the angiographic findings encountered in this setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: • Prospective data from 640 LPNs performed between August 1993 and May 2009 were retrospectively analyzed, from which patients with delayed postoperative haemorrhage (defined as 'gross haematuria ≥ 7 days postoperatively that persists for more than 24 h') and requiring SAE were identified. • Clinicopathological, preoperative and perioperative factors were reviewed. • Selective catheterization and angiography of the renal artery was performed for persistent gross haematuria and for haemodynamic instability associated with a significant drop in haematocrit level. • Arteries feeding the bleeding site were identified and embolized with endovascular coils. RESULTS: • Patients presented with delayed haemorrhage between 7 and 30 days after surgery. SAE was required in 13 patients (2%) for delayed postoperative bleeding. • Of the 640 LPNs, 68 (10.6%) were performed without hilar occlusion ('off-clamp') of whom one (1.5%) had a delayed haemorrhage, which was successfully embolized. • For patients with and without delayed haemorrhage after LPN, the mean tumour size was 2.7 cm and 3.3 cm (P= 0.31), the mean warm ischaemia time was 28.2 min and 14.3 min (P < 0.001), and the mean estimated blood loss 403.8 mL and 308.2 mL (P= 0.26), respectively. • Percutaneous angiography showed renal artery pseudoaneurysm in 10 patients and arterial contrast extravasation in three patients, two of whom also had an arteriovenous fistula. • Following embolization, creatinine levels remained stable in all patients. CONCLUSIONS: • Clinically significant delayed postoperative bleeding after LPN occurs in a small percentage of patients. • Angiography will accurately make the diagnosis of RAP or AVF and SAE is safe and effective procedure that allows for preservation of renal function.

Laparo-endoscopic single-site radical prostatectomy: Feasibility and technique.

BACKGROUND: As laparoscopy becomes a standard approach in many urological procedures, researchers strive to make minimally invasive surgery less invasive. Our objective was to apply recent innovations in equipment and surgical approaches to develop the technique and perform laparo-endoscopic single site radical prostatectomy (LESS-RP). METHODS: The technique for LESS-RP was derived by combining existing techniques of standard laparoscopic RP and developing techniques of urological LESS. This incorporated newly available low-profile trocars, flexible instruments and a flexible-tip laparoscope. The procedure was performed through a single 3-cm transverse infra-umbilical incision. LESS-RP was completed successfully via a single operative site without auxiliary needles or trocars. Perioperative variables and postoperative outcomes were recorded and measured. RESULTS: The operative time was 424 min and the hospital stay was 10 days because of a vesicourethral leak and ileus. The anastomotic leak resolved and the urethral catheter was removed at 4 weeks after surgery. The final pathology showed negative margins and Gleason 3 + 4 pT2c prostatic adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: LESS-RP is feasible by replicating laparoscopic RP techniques and incorporating the LESS technique with the advent of flexible-tip laparoscopes and flexible instruments. After a learning curve has been overcome, this should be further tested prospectively to compare oncological and functional outcomes with laparoscopic and robotic-assisted RP.

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery of the kidney with no accessory trocars: an initial experience.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: As laparoscopy becomes more commonplace for urologists, ongoing attempts are under way to minimize the number and size of incisions used for access. Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) was developed and has been increasingly attempted as an extension of classic laparoscopy. Investigators hypothesize that LESS may offer a superior cosmetic result, faster recovery, and equivalent efficacy to laparoscopic surgery. Our aim is to present our experience with renal LESS. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective data collection was performed on all patients who were undergoing renal LESS at our institution. A total of 11 renal LESS procedures were performed between July and November 2008: four LESS donor nephrectomies, two LESS radical nephrectomies, three LESS partial nephrectomies, and two LESS pyeloplasties. All LESS procedures replicated laparoscopic techniques but were performed through a single operative site using a 5-mm flexible-tip laparoscope and flexible working instruments. RESULTS: Six of the patients were men. The mean operative time was 162.4 +/- 38.5 minutes. The mean estimated blood loss was 104.5 +/- 41.6 mL, with a mean length of hospitalization of 2.4 +/- 0.8 days. There were no intraoperative complications or blood transfusions. Postoperative pain requirements were tabulated and revealed a mean in-hospital analgesic requirement of 44.8 +/- 46.7 mg (range 7-158 mg) of morphine equivalents with three patients receiving intravenous ketorolac. CONCLUSION: Renal LESS is feasible as flexible laparoscopes and instruments continue to develop. In our initial experience, expert laparoscopic surgeons were able to perform these LESS procedures with equivalent efficacy without compromising perioperative measures, including operative time, blood loss, and hospital stay. Further prospective investigation through randomized studies is necessary to elucidate differences, if any, in postoperative analgesic requirements and patient satisfaction with postoperative cosmesis, and to confirm equivalent efficacy when compared with current standards.

Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for hilar tumors: evaluation of short-term oncologic outcome.

OBJECTIVES: To present our experience performing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) for hilar renal tumors and demonstrate the feasibility and short-term oncologic efficacy. METHODS: The patients who had undergone LPN for excision of a hilar tumor, defined as a renal tumor that came in direct contact with the renal artery and/or vein, were identified. The clinicopathologic parameters, perioperative course, complications, and oncologic outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 18 patients with a hilar renal mass (4.4%) underwent elective LPN. The mean tumor size was 3.24 cm (range 1.3 to 8), and the mean preoperative creatinine was 1.04 mg/dL (range 0.6 to 1.8). The mean operating room and warm ischemia time was 173 minutes (range 93 to 337) and 29.4 minutes (range 17 to 50), respectively. The pelvicaliceal system was entered and repaired in 10 patients (55.6%), and the median estimated blood loss was 394.4 mL (range 100 to 1500). The mean hospital stay was 3 days (range 2 to 5). Histopathologic examination confirmed renal cell carcinoma in 13 patients (72.2%). The surgical margins and frozen sections of the tumor base were negative in all cases. The tumor stage was pT1 in 11 patients (85%), pT2 in 1 patient (7.7%), and pT4 in 1 patient (7.7%). The mean postoperative creatinine was 1.2 mg/dL (range 0.6 to 2.3). Postoperative transfusion was required in 4 patients (22.2%), including 1 patient who required intraoperative transfusion (5.5%) and 1 who required angioembolization (5.5%). During a mean follow-up of 12.3 months (range 0.2 to 66), no patient had evidence of local recurrence or metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: Experienced laparoscopic surgeons can safely perform LPN for hilar renal tumors. The short-term oncologic results have been promising; however, long-term follow-up is necessary.