Successful long-term implantation of plastic prosthesis in the pelvis of a transplanted kidney

Summary Complications affecting the healing of the ureters of transplanted kidneys may lead to extensive scaring. Since further ureterostomy is rarely practicable, in many cases removal of the graft becomes necessary.Methods: A pyelo-cysto-neostomy was performed around a plastic endoprosthesis.Results: Despite reflux, the hydronephrosis disappeared. After seven months, the endoprosthesis was still in place and was not encrusted. The urine was sterile.Conclusion: The use of modern plastic materials, a low urinary calcium level and low urinary osmolarity have made a simple technique feasible for rescueing transplanted kidneys in cases of ureteric scarring.     

Urological involvement in renal transplantation

Historically, urologists were the primary surgeons in renal transplantation. Specialization and increased complexity of the field of transplantation, coupled with a de‐emphasis of vascular surgical training in urology, has created a situation where many renal transplants are carried out by surgeons with a general surgery background. Because of its genitourinary nature, however, urological input in renal transplantation is still vital. For living donors, a urologist should be involved to help evaluate and prepare certain patients for eventual donation. This could involve both medical and surgical intervention. Additionally, urologists who carry out living donor nephrectomy maintain a sense of ownership in the renal transplant process and provide a unique opportunity to the trainees of that particular program. For renal transplant recipients, preoperative evaluation of voiding dysfunction and other genitourinary anomalies might be necessary before the transplant. Also, occasional surgical intervention to prepare a patient for renal transplant might be necessary, such as in a patient with a small renal mass that is detected by a screening pretransplant ultrasound. Intraoperatively, for patients with complex urological reconstructions that might be related to the etiology of the renal failure (urinary diversion, bladder augmentation), a urologist who is familiar with the anatomy should be available. Postoperatively, urological evaluation and intervention might be necessary for patients who had a pre‐existing urological condition or who might have developed something de novo after the transplant. Although renal transplant programs could consult an on‐call urologist for particular issues on an as‐needed basis, having a urologist, who has repeated exposure to the particular issues and procedures that are involved with renal transplantation, and who is part of a dedicated multidisciplinary renal transplant team, provides optimal quality of care to these complex patients.     

A meta-analysis and systematic review of holmium laser treatment of bladder stones

BackgroundHolmium lasers have been used to treat bladder stones and achieve good therapeutic effects, but its efficacy remains to be explored.MethodsThe PubMed, Embase, Medline, Ovid, Springer, and Web of Sciences databases were searched from their establishment to December 31, 2020. Studies of randomized control trials (RCTs) examining the treatment of vesical calculi by holmium laser lithotripsy were identified. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention 5.0.2 was used to assess risk bias, and Rev Man5.3 was used to conduct the meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 10 studies, comprising 1,642 subjects, were included. The meta-analysis results showed that the surgery time and the hospitalization time of patients treated with holmium laser lithotripsy decreased, and the calculus removal rate increased. The experimental group had a lower incidence of adverse reactions, such as postoperative urinary tract infection, mucosal damage, vesical perforation, residual calculi, hematuria, and abdominal pain than the control group; however, no notable difference was observed in relation to surgery time, hospital stay, the calculus removal rate, mucosal damage, bladder perforation, hematuria, and abdominal pain between the 2 groups.DiscussionHolmium laser lithotripsy significantly reduced the hospitalization time of patients treated with holmium laser lithotripsy and elevated the removal rate.     

泌尿外科医务人员感染新型冠状病毒的路径及其影响

目的分析泌尿外科医务人员感染新型冠状病毒的路径、途径、诊断与治疗及其心理反应,为泌尿外科从业者突发公共卫生事件中预防感染提供参考。方法以武汉大学中南医院泌尿外科感染新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)的3名医生和3名护士为调查对象,采用专用问卷及访谈相结合的方法,从感染路径、感染途径、可能的感染因素、首发症状、确诊后的诊断与治疗、感染后心理情绪的变化等方面进行研究。结果全部纳入6位被感染的医护人员,直接或间接被1例患新型冠状病毒肺炎的血尿患者所感染。主要的感染因素为对该病的不知情导致意识及防护不足所致。最主要的症状为发热。确诊后均得到了及时、有效的诊断和治疗,使用最多的药物为抗病毒药盐酸阿比朵尔。确诊后被感染人员的心理压力和情绪均发生了很大的变化,引起变化的首位原因为对自身疾病的担忧。均建议医院从应急方案和工作流程、开展全员培训、医务人员防护、关注医务人员健康这4个方面进行改善。结论泌尿外科属于低风险的感染科室,需进一步加强应对突发性传染性疾病的培训及提升相关的意识,特别是在传染性疾病高峰时节应做好相关防护。     

Optimize the management of urological tube-related emergencies during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic

BackgroundTo introduce and determine the value of optimized strategies for the management of urological tube-related emergencies with increased incidence, complexity and operational risk during the global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).MethodsAll emergent urological patients at Tongji Hospital, Wuhan, during the period of January 23 (the beginning of lockdown in Wuhan) to March 23, 2020, and the corresponding period in 2019 were recruited to form this study’s COVID-19 group and control group, respectively. Tongji Hospital has the most concentrated and strongest Chinese medical teams to treat the largest number of severe COVID-19 patients. Patients in the control group were routinely treated, while patients in the COVID-19 group were managed following the optimized principles and strategies. The case incidence for each type of tube-related emergency was recorded. Baseline characteristics and management outcomes (surgery time, secondary complex operation rate, readmission rate, COVID-19 infection rate) were analyzed and compared across the control and COVID-19 periods.ResultsThe total emergent urological patients during the COVID-19 period was 42, whereas during the control period, it was 124. The incidence of tube-related emergencies increased from 53% to 88% (P<0.001) during the COVID-19 period. In particular, the incidence of nephrostomy tube-related (31% vs. 15%, P=0.027) and single-J stent-related problems (19% vs. 6%, P=0.009) increased significantly. The mean surgery times across the two periods were comparable. The number of secondary complex operations increased from 12 (18%) to 14 (38%) (P=0.028) during the COVID 19-period. The number of 2-week postoperative readmission decreased from 10 (15%) to 1 (3%) (P=0.049). No participants contracted during the COVID-19 period.ConclusionsUrological tube-related emergencies have been found to have a higher incidence and require more complicated and dangerous operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the optimized management strategies introduced in this study are efficient, and safe for both urologists and patients.     

Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in urology: A review

Venous thromboembolism is potentially a lethal problem, and is associated with chronic morbidity. Venous thromboembolism is frequently diagnosed after urological surgery, yet the role of perioperative venous thromboembolism prophylaxis is not clearly defined. Any current recommendations are largely based on evidence derived from other surgical specialties. Even within different guidelines, there remains significant variation, suggesting a consensus is required. The present review aims to define the problem of venous thromboembolism within the urological population, and identifies patients at risk. It evaluates the role of various types of mechanical and pharmacological prophylaxis, along with its timing and duration of administration in common urological operations. The current guidelines are summarized and compared in order to give the reader a better perspective of this vital condition.     

Urogynaecological complications in pregnancy: an overview

The urinary tract undergoes numerous physiological adaptions in response to pregnancy. These normal adaptions can increase the risk of complications, such as acute infection and urinary retention, which in turn increase the risk of poor outcomes for the pregnancy. Other urogynaecological complications, for example urological injury at caesarean section, can significantly increase long term morbidity. Therefore, it is important that obstetricians are aware of the potential complications that can occur. This article aims to give a general overview of urogynaecological complications that can arise in pregnancy and how to manage them.