Percutaneous renal access: the learning curve of a simplified approach.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Fluoroscopically guided techniques to access the kidney percutaneously with low exposure to radiation have been used successfully for many years in our training center. The purpose of this study was to analyze the learning process and to establish the number of procedures necessary for a nonexperienced urologist to achieve competence at performing percutaneous renal access. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-two percutaneous renal accesses in patients with renal stones or ureteropelvic junction obstruction were evaluated. The time needed to perform a correct puncture and the fluoroscopic screening time were recorded for each renal access. Descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and a Markov chain were used to analyze the results. RESULTS: The rate of success increased from 82.5% to 97.6% after the first 40 punctures. Puncture time and fluoroscopy time decreased as the number of procedures increased. Incidence of complications was 30% for the first 20 cases, decreasing to 10% in the next 20 cases and 3.7% in the last 33 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The fluoroscopy-guided approach used in this study is an effective and reproducible technique. Our analysis revealed that at least 50 procedures are needed to acquire reliable competence in obtaining access to the kidney.

Management of infectious complications in percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Infectious complications are one of the most frequent and feared adverse medical events in percutaneous nephrolithotomy. They represent a dangerous and life-threatening condition, especially when postoperative septicemia or severe sepsis develops. In order to limit morbidity and mortality it is crucial to recognize preoperative and intraoperative risk factors that could be clear contributors to an adverse infectious event; those factors are mainly immunosuppression caused by some comorbidities, presence of urinary infection or colonization, stone characteristics, obstruction, long-lasting operation, and high intrapelvic pressure during nephrolithotomy. Close observation during the immediate and early postoperative period must be established and a high index of suspicion must be maintained to identify a major complication. The early recognition and prompt multidisciplinary management of sepsis is mandatory to optimize the final outcome. Appropriate therapy is a continuum of management of infection, ranging from adequate drainage and broad-spectrum antibiotics to aggressive fluid resuscitation and invasive monitoring with medical management in the intensive care setting until the causative agent is found and eradicated.

Comparison of the self-reported training level between Mexican and Western Europe residents in urology: results of an international survey.

OBJECTIVE: To find out how Mexican residents in urology perceive their own level of training in comparison with how residents in Europe perceive theirs. METHODS: A questionnaire of self-assessment was distributed to 104 European and 24 Mexican urologists-in-training. We assessed the perception of residents about their level of training and factors associated with self-perceived performance. RESULTS: Mean age of 128 residents was 32.69 +/- 3.33 years. Mexican residents spent significantly more time in urological departments than European residents. The weekly amount of hours spent at work was higher in Europe; while the number of residents per hospital was higher in Mexico. Mexican residents reported more reliable support from a supervising senior. European residents perceived they had a superior level regarding transplantation in female urology and urinary lithiasis, whereas Mexican residents felt more confident regarding urological infections and paediatric urology. Factors associated with better self-perceived performance were the number of months in urology, the number of non-urologic rotations and a supervising senior. CONCLUSION: Mexican residents in urology perceive that their own level of training is similar to that of European residents. The number of months of training in urology, the number of non-urologic rotations and a supporting senior are associated with a better self-perceived performance.

Síndrome de Guillain-Barré: experiencia en un hospital de tercer nivel / Guillain-Barreé syndrome: experience in a third level hospital

Introducción. El síndrome de Guillain-Barré es la causa más común de parálisis generalizada aguda. La enfermedad usualmente es benigna y tiende a autolimitarse, pero en casos severos puede causar la muerte por insuficiencia respiratoria. Objetivo: Describir la experiencia obtenida en un centro de referencia (Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y de la Nutrición Salvador Zubirán) para pacientes con síndrome de Guillain- Barré (SGB). Material y métodos: Se realizó una análisis retrospectivo de 28 pacientes con el diagnóstico de GB.Resultados: Se analizaron 28 pacientes durante un período de 10 años. La edad promedio del grupo fue 37.6 años + 17.2. 13 pacientes eran del sexo masculino (46 por ciento) y 15 (54 por ciento) eran mujeres. 9 pacientes (32 por ciento) tuvieron una infección de vías respiratorias superiores y 5 (18 por ciento) tuvieron un cuadro de gastroenteritis previo a los síntomas y 14 (50 por ciento) no tuvieron un factor precipitante. El tiempo de evolución tuvo una mediana de 7 días (2-15). 26 pacientes (93 por ciento) tuvieron una presentación clínica típica con una debilidad ascendente de extremidades y 18 (64 por ciento) tuvieron disestesias o parestesias. 18 pacientes (64 por ciento) correspondieron a la variante clínica clásica PDIA (Polirradiculopatía desmielinizante inflamatoria aguda), 5 (18 por ciento) correspondieron a la variante NASMA (Neuropatía axonal sensitivo-motora aguda), 3 (11 por ciento) NAMA (Neuropatía axonal motora aguda), y 2 (7 por ciento) presentaron el síndrome de Fisher-Miller. 24 pacientes (86 por ciento) tuvieron hiperproteinorraquia en el líquido cefalorraquídeo. 15 pacientes (54 por ciento) requirieron ventilación mecánica. 20 pacientes (71 por ciento) tuvieron una recuperación total, 6 (21 por ciento) tuvieron recuperación parcial y 2 (7 por ciento) pacientes no tuvieron ninguna respuesta.Discusión: Aunque la enfermedad tiende a autolimitarse en la mayoría de los casos, los cuadros más severos son frecuentes en las unidades de tercer nivel como se muestra en nuestro estudio donde el 54 por ciento requirieron ventilación mecánica, sin embargo la mayoría de estos casos tuvieron una buena respuesta (71 por ciento).