Langzeitergebnisse, Risikofaktoren und chirurgische Überlegungen

In allen in dieser Schrift vorgestellten Arbeiten werden Daten von an der Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin transplantierten Kindern analysiert. Es werden Einflussfaktoren auf das Transplantat- und Patientenüberleben der transplantierten Kinder identifiziert, chirurgische Verbesserungsmöglichkeiten evaluiert und Strategien zur Optimierung der pädiatrischen Nierentransplantation aufgezeigt. Die ersten beiden Arbeiten analysieren Daten von Kindern, die in dem Zeitraum 1997 bis 2013 transplantiert wurden. Die dritte Arbeit verwendet Biopsien von niereninsuffizienten Kindern und altersgematchten Kontrollen bis 2016. Die Arbeit Nummer vier wertet Lebendspenden Transplantationen zwischen 1989 bis 2011 aus und die letzte hier dargestellte Arbeit beschreibt Operationen der jüngeren Zeit von 2012 bis 2021

Introducing a New Technique for Fascial Closure to Avoid Renal Allograft Compartment Syndrome in Pediatric Recipients: The Use of Tutoplast® Fascia Lata

Introduction: Renal allograft compartment syndrome (RACS) is a complication that infrequently occurs after renal transplantation. Tight muscle closure may lead to RACS due to compression of renal parenchyma or kinking of the renal vessels. Many techniques have been proposed in an attempt to achieve tension-free closure, which can be specially challenging in child recipients. We present our experience with Tutoplast® Fascia Lata (RTI Surgical Tutogen Medical GmbH Industriestrasse 6, 91077 Neunkirchen am Brand, Germany) closure. Methods: All pediatric patients who underwent renal transplantation in our center between 2012 and 2021 were reviewed. Eight patients with Tutoplast® Fascia Lata placed at the time of initial transplantation were identified. Donor and recipient characteristics, Doppler ultrasound findings, and overall patient and graft survival rates were analyzed. Results: Doppler ultrasound was performed intra-operatively after abdominal wall closure. If any sign of vascular compromise was seen, the abdominal wall was opened and the graft was revised. The Tutoplast® Fascia Lata implant was used to perform tension-free fascia closure and, afterwards, a Doppler ultrasound was performed to confirm the optimal renal artery perfusion and venous patency. Three of the renal transplantations were from a cadaver donor, with two of them en bloc. Living donor transplantation was performed in four cases. Among which, there was a case of auto-transplantation due to bilateral renal artery stenosis. None of the patients presented any complications of either short or long term that was derived from the abdominal closure with Tutoplast® Fascia Lata. There was also no record of graft failure till datum. Conclusions: Restricted volume of the recipient pelvic cavity and the size discrepancy between the recipient pelvic cavity space and the donor adult kidney may lead to RACS. Other situations that occur more infrequently, i.e., as en bloc or auto-transplantation, are prone to suffer the same problem. Tutoplast® Fascia Lata is a safe option for these patients

Surgical Management of Neurogenic Sphincter Incompetence in Children

We report on the results of a literature review regarding the indications and results of operations to increase bladder outlet resistance to achieve dryness in children with neurogenic sphincter incompetence (NSBD). The relative advantages and disadvantages of injection of bulking agents, periurethral slings, bladder neck reconfiguration, artificial sphincters, and bladder neck closure based on a literature review and our combined clinical experience are discussed. Based on this review and our experience, we propose that periurethral injection of bulking agents is not justified as a primary treatment. Likewise, operations that reconfigure the bladder neck are not very useful since most patients also require bladder augmentation and an abdominal catheterizable channel. Bladder neck slings with autologous tissues are effective, mostly in females bur in the majority of patients a bladder augmentation is necessary. There is a role also for implantation of artificial urinary sphincters but when done as an isolated procedure, close monitoring to detect possible detrusor changes is needed. Bladder neck closure is an effective measure when other methods have failed

Effectiveness of Prenatal Intervention on the Outcome of Diseases That Have a Postnatal Urological Impact

We reviewed the literature addressing outcomes of fetal intervention of conditions that require post-natal urological management including lower urinary tract obstruction, hydrometrocolpos, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and myelomeningocele. Despite several decades of fetal intervention for these conditions, benefits remain elusive in part because of the enormous difficulty of conducting prospective randomized studies. In this review, we reached the following conclusions: Prenatal intervention in lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) improves survival in the worst cases by improving pulmonary function and it may be advantageous for renal function, particularly in patients with adverse urine parameters.Prenatal treatment of female fetuses at risk of having congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) reduces virilization. Non-invasive fetal DNA analysis allows earlier diagnosis, reducing the risk of treating with dexamethasone males and non-affected fetuses.Fetal treatment of myelomeningocele (MMC) is gaining momentum. Prospective studies including standardized urologic evaluation will determine if the encouraging results reported by some hold on the long term follow-up

Long-Term Follow-Up after Paediatric Kidney Transplantation and Influence Factors on Graft Survival: A Single-Centre Experience of 16 years

Introduction: To evaluate graft- and patient survival after paediatric kidney transplantation and detecting influence factors, which affect the post-transplant time. Materials and Methods: We analysed long-term survival rates and complications after paediatric kidney transplantation and searched for predictive parameters for graft function. Results: In 132 patients, 143 kidney transplantations were performed. Graft failure occurred in 25%. Chronic rejections were the leading cause of graft loss (42.9%). Graft survival rates were 92.2% after 1 year, 85.5% after 5 years, 71.1% after 10 years and 62.1% after 15 years. The following parameters strongly influenced graft survival: number of transplants (p = 0.014), year of transplant (p 50 min (p = 0.008), delayed graft function (p = 0.003) and deceased donation (p = 0.039). The percentage of patients who died was 5.6%. Overall patient survival rates were 99.3% after 1 year, 95.2% after 5 years, 94.2% after 10 years and 90.7% after 15 years. Various types of infections (42.9%) were the main causes of death. Conclusions: The main causes of death after kidney transplantations in paediatric recipients are malignancy and infections. To avoid vascular complications especially in young recipients (< 9 years), the cold ischemia time should be as short as possible

Morbidity and Quality of Life in Bladder Cancer Patients following Cystectomy and Urinary Diversion: A Single-Institution Comparison of Ileal Conduit versus Orthotopic Neobladder

Objective. To evaluate and compare noncontinent and continent urinary diversion after radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer. Methods. A total of 301 patients submitted to radical cystectomy at the Charité-University Hospital Berlin from 1993 to 2007 including 146 with an ileal conduit and 115 with an ileal neobladder. Clinical and pathological data as well as oncological outcome were retrospectively analyzed and compared. Quality of life was analyzed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and BLM30 questionnaires. Results. 69.1% and 69.6% of all patients who received an ileal conduit and ileal neobladder, respectively, developed early complications. The two groups differed significantly concerning the occurrence of postoperative ileus (P = 0.02) favoring patients who received an ileal conduit but not with regard to any other early-onset complication evaluated. Patients with ileal neobladder had a significantly better global health status and quality of life (P = 0.02), better physical functioning (P = 0.02), but also a higher rate of diarrhoea (P = 0.004). Conclusion. Cystectomy with any type of diversion remains a complication-prone surgery. Even if the patient groups are not homogeneous in all respects, there are many arguments in favor of the ileal neobladder as the urinary diversion of choice

Sexual function in adult patients who have undergone augmentation surgery in childhood: what is really important?

Problems relating to the development of a healthy approach to sex and intimacy during puberty, after augmentation cystoplasty, are scarcely discussed in literature. Therefore, this may suggest that such issues are insufficiently addressed by pediatric urologists. We gathered four experts in the field as well as an experienced leader of a patient group and mother of a girl with spina bifida and asked questions relevant to the following areas of care: (a) diversion, urinary incontinence, and sexual life; (b) impact of a stoma on body image perception and self-esteem; (c) specific female concerns with regard to fertility and recurrent urinary infections; (d) specific male concerns on anejaculation and erectile dysfunction. Their answers are discussed in view of the available literature. All experts and the patient group representative agreed that most of these patients will experience: lack of self-confidence as the most frequent obstacle to starting a relationship and incontinence as a barrier to sexual activity. The cosmesis of the stoma and abdominal scars might influence self-esteem and therefore the sexual activity, however it appears to be a less common concern in males than females. Our results outline the importance and influence that the body image, self-esteem, and confidence present for the individual expectations of the patients related to sex life and sexual activity. Physicians should be encouraged to ask all postpubertal patients about their sexual concerns at every visit. Further studies and exchange of information between clinicians are needed to provide meaningful and analyzable patient-related outcome measures (PROMs)

Reduced microvascular density in omental biopsies of children with chronic kidney disease

Endothelial dysfunction is an early manifestation of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and consistently observed in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We hypothesized that CKD is associated with systemic damage to the microcirculation, preceding macrovascular pathology. To assess the degree of "uremic microangiopathy", we have measured microvascular density in biopsies of the omentum of children with CKD.Omental tissue was collected from 32 healthy children (0-18 years) undergoing elective abdominal surgery and from 23 age-matched cases with stage 5 CKD at the time of catheter insertion for initiation of peritoneal dialysis. Biopsies were analyzed by independent observers using either a manual or an automated imaging system for the assessment of microvascular density. Quantitative immunohistochemistry was performed for markers of autophagy and apoptosis, and for the abundance of the angiogenesis-regulating proteins VEGF-A, VEGF-R2, Angpt1 and Angpt2.Microvascular density was significantly reduced in uremic children compared to healthy controls, both by manual imaging with a digital microscope (median surface area 0.61% vs. 0.95%, p<0.0021 and by automated quantification (total microvascular surface area 0.89% vs. 1.17% p = 0.01). Density measured by manual imaging was significantly associated with age, height, weight and body surface area in CKD patients and healthy controls. In multivariate analysis, age and serum creatinine level were the only independent, significant predictors of microvascular density (r2 = 0.73). There was no immunohistochemical evidence for apoptosis or autophagy. Quantitative staining showed similar expression levels of the angiogenesis regulators VEGF-A, VEGF-receptor 2 and Angpt1 (p = 0.11), but Angpt2 was significantly lower in CKD children (p = 0.01).Microvascular density is profoundly reduced in omental biopsies of children with stage 5 CKD and associated with diminished Angpt2 signaling. Microvascular rarefaction could be an early systemic manifestation of CKD-induced cardiovascular disease

Selektive Aufmerksamkeit im Gesichtsbereich bei Personen mit einem kosmetisch-medizinischen Behandlungswunsch

Grocholewski A, Heinrichs N, Lingnau A. Selektive Aufmerksamkeit im Gesichtsbereich bei Personen mit einem kosmetisch-medizinischen Behandlungswunsch. Zeitschrift für Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie. 2007;36(1):57-66.Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Visuelle Aufmerksamkeitsprozesse spielen bei Personen mit dysmorphophoben Störungen eine große Rolle. Fragestellung: Trifft dies auch auf Menschen zu, die eine kosmetisch-medizinische Behandlung für als subjektiv hässlich empfundene Stellen im Gesichtsbereich planen oder ist das Vorliegen einer Dysmorphophobie Voraussetzung für verzerrte Informationsverarbeitungsprozesse? Methode: Dreißig Teilnehmer bekamen Gesichter von fünf Personen (darunter eine der Teilnehmer selbst) dargeboten. Mittels Blickkamera wurden Anzahl und Dauer der Fixationen zu bestimmten Gesichtsbereichen gemessen. Ergebnisse: Personen, die eine kosmetisch-medizinische Behandlung planen, richten ihre Aufmerksamkeit nicht spezifisch auf die als subjektiv “hässlich“ empfundenen Gesichtsregionen. Eine Analyse ausschließlich der Daten der Personen, die eine Dysmorphophobie mit klinischer Ausprägung aufweisen, zeigt hingegen eine spezifische Aufmerksamkeitslenkung auf die als subjektiv “hässlich“ empfundenen Gesichtsregionen. Schlussfolgerung: Theorien zur Dysmorphophobie lassen sich nicht ohne weiteres auf Personen mit kosmetisch-medizinischem Behandlungswunsch übertragen

Results of Onlay Preputial Flap Urethroplasty for the Single-Stage Repair of Mid- and Proximal Hypospadias

AimsTo report current results of preputial flap onlay urethroplasty using the principle of the total preputial flap (TPF) for the one-stage repair of mid- and proximal hypospadias.MethodsThis study was a retrospective chart review of patients in a prospectively kept database of all hypospadias operations performed at two institutions from January 1 2011 to August 2017. Inclusion criteria: all patients who underwent hypospadias repair using a preputial only flap urethroplasty based on the principle of the TPF. Demographic data, duration of follow-up, complications, and reoperations were recorded. A successful result was considered to be a straight penis, a glanular meatus, and absence of voiding symptoms. Whenever possible an uroflow was obtained during the follow-up visits.ResultsForty-nine children met the inclusion criteria. All patients had marked penile curvature. Three patients had chromosomal abnormalities. The mean age at the time of surgery was 22 months (11–110) and the mean duration of follow-up 23.4 months (1–79). In 48 cases, the urethral plate could be preserved without dividing it. The penile curvature was corrected with chordectomy alone in 10 patients, 38 required a dorsal plication of the tunica albuginea, and 1 required an additional ventral dermal graft. In 38 patients (77.5%), the initial operation was successful, and no further operations were needed. There were eight urethrocutaneous fistulas, three dehiscences of the glans approximation. One patient suffered a wound infection and partial loss of the flap.ConclusionOne-stage repair of mid- and proximal hypospadias preserving the urethral plate and using a TPF for the urethroplasty and coverage of the ventral penis is successful in 77.5% of cases. Complications in the remaining patients were easily managed or did not require treatment. Compared to a planned two-stage approach, the technique described in this report resulted in significantly fewer procedures till complete resolution of the problem