Stone Score (GSS) Based on Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP) Findings Predicting Upper Pole Access Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL) Outcomes

Objective. To predict the success rate and complications following percutaneous nephrolithotomy via the upper pole using the Guy's Stone Score (GSS) based on the findings of a preoperative intravenous pyelogram (IVP). Patients and Methods. Two hundred and twenty-seven renal operations, which were carried out using PCNL via the upper pole, were classified according to the GSS assigned. Any complications were classified according to the Clavien classification. The success rates and incidence of any complications were compared between each GSS. Results. The immediate success rates were 87.50% of GSS1, 71.43% of GSS2, 53.62% of GSS3, and 38.46% of GSS4, < 0.01. There were statistically significant differences between the groups in stone size, overall immediate success rate, operative time, number of access tracts, and frequency of tubeless PCNL. Major complications (a Clavien score of 3-5) were significantly higher in the cases with a higher GSS. Conclusion. A GSS based on an IVP is a simple and reliable tool in predicting the success rate and possible complications following upper pole access PCNL

Report of the third Asian Prostate Cancer study meeting.

The Asian Prostate Cancer (A-CaP) study is an Asia-wide initiative that was launched in December 2015 in Tokyo, Japan, with the objective of surveying information about patients who have received a histopathological diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) and are undergoing treatment and clarifying distribution of staging, the actual status of treatment choices, and treatment outcomes. The study aims to clarify the clinical situation for PCa in Asia and use the outcomes for the purposes of international comparison. Following the first meeting in Tokyo in December 2015, the second A-CaP meeting was held in Seoul, Korea, in September 2016. This, the third A-CaP meeting, was held on October 14, 2017, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the participation of members and collaborators from 12 countries and regions. In the meeting, participating countries and regions presented the current status of data collection, and the A-CaP office presented a preliminary analysis of the registered cases received from each country and region. Participants discussed ongoing challenges relating to data input and collection, institutional, and legislative issues that may present barriers to data sharing, and the outlook for further patient registrations through to the end of the registration period in December 2018. In addition to A-CaP-specific discussions, a series of special lectures were also delivered on the situation for health insurance in the United States, the correlation between insurance coverage and PCa outcomes, and the outlook for robotic surgery in the Asia-Pacific region. Members also confirmed the principles of authorship in collaborative studies, with a view to publishing original articles based on A-CaP data in the future

Correlation and diagnostic performance of the prostate-specific antigen level with the diagnosis, aggressiveness, and bone metastasis of prostate cancer in clinical practice

The common tool for diagnosing prostate cancer is serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing and digital rectal examination, but the disadvantage of the high sensitivity and low specificity of PSA testing in the diagnosis of prostate cancer is a problem in clinical practice. We studied the correlation and diagnostic performance of the PSA level with cancer diagnosis, aggressiveness of prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥7), and bone metastasis. Methods: A total 1,116 patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy were retrospectively studied. The patients were divided into subgroups by baseline PSA level as follows: ≤4, 4.1–10, 10.1–20, 20.1–50, 50.1–100, and ≥100 ng/mL. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AuROC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio of each PSA level were evaluated for correlation and diagnostic performance with positive biopsy, Gleason score for aggressiveness, and bone metastasis. Results: A positive biopsy result was found in 395 patients (35.39%). The PSA level corresponded well with the diagnosis of prostate cancer and a positive bone scan but moderately well with Gleason score as shown by AuROC for diagnosis of prostate cancer (0.82), positive bone scan (0.88), and Gleason score≥7 (0.78). The specificity of a PSA level of 4.1–10, 10.1–20, 21.1–50, 50.1–100, and ≥100 ng/mL in the diagnosis prostate cancer was 9.3, 55.5, 87.5, 98.2, and 99.7, respectively. Conclusions: The data showed a strong correlation of PSA level with tumor diagnosis, tumor aggressiveness, and bone metastasis. The prevalence of prostate cancer in this cohort was 35.39%. The chance of diagnosis of prostate cancer was greater than that for benign prostatic hyperplasia when the PSA level was higher than 20 ng/mL

The ideal puncture approach for PCNL: Fluoroscopy, ultrasound or endoscopy?

Percutaneous renal access is a common procedure in urologic practice. The main indications are drainage of an obstructed and hydronephrotic kidney and antegrade renal access prior to percutaneous renal surgeries such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and percutaneous endopyelotomy (EP). The contraindications for this technique are patients with history of allergy to topical or local anesthesia and patients with coagulopathy. The creation of a percutaneous tract into the renal collecting system is one of the important steps for percutaneous renal access. This step usually requires imaging. The advantages and disadvantages of each modality of image guidance are controversial. We performed a structured review using the terms: Percutaneous nephrostomy, guidance, fluoroscopy, ultrasonography, computed tomography (CT) scan, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The outcomes are discussed

Noninvasive Assessment of Patency of Internal Ureteral Stent: Role of Colour Doppler Ultrasound

To compare colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) and retrograde cystography in the assessment of the patency of internal ureteral stents. Patients and Methods: Thirty-two patients with 33 internal ureteral stents were evaluated for patency of the internal ureteral stent using both CDU and retrograde cystography. Real-time ultrasonography and CDU were performed before retrograde cystography. Stent patency was defined as seeing flow from the distal end of the stent in the urinary bladder or iodinated contrast in the renal pelvis. The two investigators had no prior knowledge of the other's results. After completion of both investigations, stent patency was proved by direct inspection of the stent after removal. Results: Both investigations showed the same result in 27 of the 33 stents. Stent patency was found if either investigation was positive. The accuracies of retrograde cystography, CDU and both were 73%, 79% and 85%, respectively. Conclusions: CDU is a noninvasive method with high accuracy. Detection of flow at the distal end of the stent is helpful, but absence of flow may or may not indicate an obstructed stent and further investigation should be performed

Infective complication following percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is a minimally invasive procedure for patients with large renal and upper ureteric stones. Although it is less invasive than open surgery, infection is still the most common complication arising from this procedure and some patients develop septicemia and septic shock, resulting in increase in mortality and morbidity. The incidence of septic shock following PCNL is 1%; however, its mortality rate is as high as 66–80%. Endourologists who perform this procedure need to know how to prevent and manage this common complication. Large calculi, staghorn calculi, positive pelvic urine and stone culture, prolonged operative time, and diabetes are factors that increase the incidence of postoperative infection. Recently, several studies suggested the importance of intraoperative microbiologic evaluation of factors such as intraoperative pelvic urine and stone cultures for selection of suitable postoperative antibiotics. The selection of prophylactic antibiotics, postoperative antibiotics, and specific PCNL techniques play an important role in preventing infection following PCNL. We reviewed the general background, the factors, and role of intraoperative microbiologic evaluation in the management of post-PCNL infection