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Introduction: The follow-up findings of patients who underwent prostate biopsy for prostate image reporting and data system (PIRADS) 4 or 5 multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) findings and had benign histology were retrospectively reviewed., Methods: There were 190 biopsy-naive patients. Patients with at least 12 months of follow-up between 2012 and 2023 were evaluated. All MRIs were interpreted by two very experienced uroradiologists. Of the patients, 125 had either cognitive or software fusion MR-targeted biopsies with 4 + 8/10 cores. The remaining 65 patients had in-bore biopsies with 4-5 cores. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels below 4 ng/mL were defined as PSA regression following biopsy. PIRADS 1-3 lesions on new MRI images were classified as MRI regression., Results: Median patient age and PSA were 62 (39-82) years and six (0.4-33) ng/mL, respectively, at the initial work-up. During a median follow-up period of 44 months, 37 (19.4%) patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 153 patients, 82 (53.6%) had persistently high PSA. Among them, 72 (87.8%) had repeat mpMRI within 6-24 months which showed regressive findings (PIRADS 1-3) in 53 patients (73.6%) and PIRADS 4-5 index lesion persistence in 19 cases (26.4%). The latter group was recommended to have rebiopsy. Of these 19 patients, 16 underwent MRI-targeted rebiopsy. Prostate cancer was diagnosed in six (37.5%) patients and of these four (25%) were clinically significant (>Grade Group 1). Totally, clinically significant prostate cancer was detected in 4/153 (2.6%) patients followed up., Conclusion: Patients should be warned against the relative relaxing effect of a negative biopsy after identification of PIRADS 4-5 index lesion. While PSA decrease was observed in many patients during follow-up, persistent MRI findings were present in nearly a quarter of patients with persistently high PSA. A rebiopsy is warranted in these patients, with significant prostate cancer diagnosed in a quarter of patients with rebiopsy., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Valveless trocars like AirSeal system are maintain a stable pneumoperitoneum and reduce instrument friction., Case Presentation: A 65-year-old man's robotic radical cystectomy was complicated by a missing needle while using AirSeal system. The needle was detected via backward inspection using the endo camera inserted through the trocar, tip at its most distal end let the visualization of the needle within the air channels and confirmed with a trocar X-ray., Conclusion: Our findings suggest that retrograde inspection and targeted radiography of the trocar, prior to patient imaging, can be helpful in locating the lost needle and prevent prolongation of surgeries., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: To investigate the predictable parameters associated with downgrading in patients with a Gleason score (GS) 8 (4+4) in prostate biopsy after radical prostatectomy., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 62 patients with a GS of 4+4 on prostate biopsy who underwent robotic radical prostatectomy between 2017 and 2022., Results: 38 of 62 (61.2%) were downgraded. In multivariable logistic regression model, Ga-68 prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) SUV max was independent predictor of downgrading (OR 0.904; p = 0.011) and a Logistic Regression model was constructed using the following formula: Y = 1.465-0.95 (PSMA PET/CT SUV max). The model using this variable correctly predicted the downgrading in 72.6% of patients. The AUC for PSMA PET/CT SUV max was 0.709 the cut off being 8.8. A subgroup analysis was performed in 37 patients who had no other European Association of Urology (EAU) high risk features. 25 out of 37 (67.5%) were downgraded, and 21 of these 25 had organ confined disease. Low PSMA SUV max (<8.1) and percentage of GS 4+4 biopsy cores to cancer bearing cores (45.0%) were independently associated with downgrading to GS 7., Conclusion: PSMA PET/CT can be used to predict downgrading in patients with GS 4+4 PCa. Patients with GS 4+4 disease, but no other EAU high risk features, low percentage of GS 4+4 biopsy cores to cancer bearing cores, and a low PSMA PET/CT SUV max are associated with a high likelihood of the cancer reclassification to intermediate risk group., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The aim was to ensure efficient utilization of PSMA PET-CT by examining the correlation of pathological lymph node metastasis with nomogram scores and risk classifications., Methods and Materials: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node dissections for pelvic lymph nodes were performed using the same template. Bilaterally pelvic lymph nodes were removed within the boundaries of genitofemoral nerves, psoas muscle and lateral pelvic wall laterally, ureteric crossing of the iliac vessels superiorly, lateral bladder wall medially, Cooper ligaments distally, and endopelvic fascia, neurovascular bundles and internal iliac arteries posteriorly. Clinical nomograms were used to calculate the probability of lymph node metastasis preoperatively. Using receiver operating characteristics analysis, discriminatory cut-offs were calculated. The diagnostic performance of PSMA PET-CT was determined for detecting lymph node metastasis., Results: For 81 patients, the median age was 64 years. The median PSA was 6.8 ng/ml. Most patients were in the D'Amico intermediate (56.8%) and high (37%) risk groups. Median Briganti 2017, MSKCC, and Partin scores were 35 (4-99), 37 (8-90), and 12 (2-38), respectively, in pN1 patients. The area under the curve for Briganti 2017, MSKCC, Partin nomograms and PSMA PET-CT scans were 0.852, 0.871, 0.862, and 0.588. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for Ga-68 PSMA PET-CT for lymph node metastasis detection were 21.4%, 94%, 42.9%, and 85.1%, respectively, for the whole group. By using higher threshold values for clinical nomograms (Briganti 2017 >32, MSKCC >12, Partin >5), PSMA PET-CT had higher sensitivity (42.9, 30, 27.2) in detecting lymph node metastasis., Conclusions: Patients in the D'Amico high-risk group and those with high nomogram scores are the best candidates who will benefit from preoperative PSMA PET-CT staging to estimate lymph node metastasis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare to have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Little is known regarding functional outcomes after robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) and intracorporeal neobladder (ICNB) reconstruction., Objective: To report on urinary continence (UC) and erectile function (EF) at 12 mo after RARC and ICNB reconstruction and investigate predictors of these outcomes., Design, Setting, and Participants: We used data from a multi-institutional database of patients who underwent RARC and ICNB reconstruction for bladder cancer., Surgical Procedure: The cystoprostatectomy sensu stricto followed the conventional steps. ICNB reconstruction was performed at the physician's discretion according to the Studer/Wiklund, S pouch, Gaston, vescica ileale Padovana, or Hautmann technique. The techniques are detailed in the video accompanying the article., Measurements: The outcomes measured were UC and EF at 12 mo., Results and Limitations: A total of 732 male patients were identified with a median age at diagnosis of 64 yr (interquartile range 58-70). The ICNB reconstruction technique was Studer/Wiklund in 74%, S pouch in 1.5%, Gaston in 19%, vescica ileale Padovana in 1.5%, and Hautmann in 4% of cases. The 12-mo UC rate was 86% for daytime and 66% for nighttime continence, including patients who reported the use of a safety pad (20% and 32%, respectively). The 12-mo EF rate was 55%, including men who reported potency with the aid of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (24%). After adjusting for potential confounders, neobladder type was not associated with UC. Unilateral nerve-sparing (odds ratio [OR] 3.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.88-7.85; p < 0.001) and bilateral nerve-sparing (OR 6.25, 95% CI 3.55-11.0; p < 0.001), were positively associated with EF, whereas age (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91-0.95; p < 0.001) and an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.25-0.89; p < 0.02) were inversely associated with EF., Conclusions: RARC and ICNB reconstruction are generally associated with good functional outcomes in terms of UC. EF is highly affected by the degree of nerve preservation, age, and comorbidities., Patient Summary: We investigated functional outcomes after robot-assisted removal of the bladder in terms of urinary continence and erectile function. We found that, in general, patients have relatively good functional outcomes at 12 months after surgery., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: We aimed to analyze the effect of preoperative risk assessment including Ga-68 PSMA PET and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) on nerve sparing practices, positive surgical margin (PSM) rates and oncological outcomes based on a comparison between patients underwent RARP with and without Neurosafe (NS)., Methods: Patients underwent RARP with NS (RARP-NS) or without (RARP-only) NS retrospectively evaluated. Suspicion for extracapsular extension on mpMRI and/or Ga-68 PSMA PET was recorded as i(imaging)T3. NS was performed according to the Martini-Klinik technique. PSM at preserved bundle side were called PSM at region of interest (ROI) while the others were elsewhere., Results: A total of 208 patients (90 in RARP-NS, 118 in RARP-only groups) were included. Preoperatively the RARP-only group showed significantly higher mean PSA (p = .01) and PIRADS 5 (p = .002) findings and had more D'Amico high risk (DAHR) patients (p = .08). The overall PSM rates for pT2 versus pT3 disease were 7.5% versus 21.6 and 15.6% versus 55% in RARP-NS and RARP-only groups, respectively. NS resulted in more bilaterally preserved bundles (81.1% vs. 66.3%) and less PSM at the ROI (3.3% vs. 23.4%) than RARP-only group. NS outperformed RARP-only in all clinical settings had its highest differential benefit in more bilateral nerve sparing and less PSM at ROI in patients with both DAHR and iT3 disease. BCR rates were 2.2% and 2.5% for RARP-NS and RARP only groups, respectively (p = .4). One patient in RARP-NS and 9 in RARP-only groups had PSA persistence (p = .02)., Conclusion: RARP-NS led to more preserved bundles with less PSM. It was especially useful in DAHR patients with preoperative extracapsular extension suspicion in imaging simultaneously., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The functional and oncological outcomes of zero ischemia robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) procedures were evaluated., Methods: A total of 56 patients underwent zero ischemia RPN transperitoneally, and their data were collected prospectively. Radius, exo/endophytic, nearness, anterior/posterior, location (R.E.N.A.L.) nephrometry, and PADUA scores were calculated. Patient and tumor characteristics were evaluated. Intra- and perioperative (0-30 days) complications were evaluated by Clavien classification. The change in serum creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) were evaluated during preoperative, immediate postoperative periods, and at postoperative 6th months., Results: The mean age of the patients was 52.2 ± 8.1 (27-75) years. R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry and PADUA scores were 6.1 ± 1.3 and 7.3 ± 1.0, respectively. The duration of surgery was 108.4 ± 18.2 min and estimated blood loss was 166.2 ± 124.7 mL. There were no intraoperative complications in any of the patients. Clavien Grade 1 and 3 complications were seen in 2 patients in the perioperative period. In the perioperative period (1-30 days), one patient required blood transfusion and angiographic intervention due to postoperative bleeding (Clavien Grade 3), and one patient required hospitalisation due to prolonged subileus (Clavien Grade 1) that resolved conservatively. The radiological and pathological tumor sizes were 3.1 ± 1.1 cm and 2.8 ± 1.4 cm, respectively. The surgical margins were positive in two patients with tumour sizes of 1.5 and 4 cm. Neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis was detected, during 33.6 ± 12.3 (3-76) months. There were no statistically significant differences between preoperative eGFR and serum creatinine levels, compared with those of immediate postoperative and postoperative 6th month periods., Discussion: Zero ischemia RPN is a safe and applicable method with acceptable oncological and functional outcomes in small renal tumors and even in selected larger renal tumors.

We evaluated and described the impact of prostatic indocyanine green (ICG) injection on extended pelvic lymph node (LN) dissection (ePLND) in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Between January 2019 and December 2021, we included consecutive 50 PCa patients who underwent ePLND during RARP with (n = 25) or without (n = 25) prostatic ICG injection. ICG injection was performed during abdominal port placement and robot docking. Pelvic LNs reflecting green color were initially excised and then the template was completed. The outcomes of two groups were compared. Overall, nine (36%) and five (20%) of the patients had metastatic LN involvement in the ICG and non-ICG groups, respectıvely. Of the 509 dissected LNs in the ICG group, 122 (23.9%) were fluorescence active. 20 LNs (3.9%) were metastatic in this group, 9 (45%) of which were ICG+. 408 LNs were resected on the non-ICG group with 8(1.9%) being metastatic. Eight (88.9%) of nine pN+ patients were florescent positive in the ICG group. Out of six patients with pN+ disease, Ga68 PSMA-PET/CT detected positive LNs preoperatively. In addition to preoperative Ga68 PSMA-PET/CT investigation, ICG-guided ePLND might increase identification and removal of metastatic LNs duirng RARP. Improvements ın stagıng and oncologıc outcomes may also be seen ın intermediate- and high-risk patients., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: To investigate the effect of antibiotic treatment on PSA when deciding on prostate biopsy., Methods: A total of 206 patients with an elevated PSA level (2.5-30) were included. Mp-MRI could be done on 129 patients. Patients were given ciprofloxacin (500 mg, b.i.d. p.o.) for 4 weeks and PSA measurements were repeated. Systematic prostate biopsy was performed regardless of PSA changes on all patients. Additionally, cognitive biopsies were performed from PI-RADs III, IV, and V lesions., Results: : Prostate cancer was detected in 36.4% of patients. 53.3% had Gleason score of 3+3, 46.7% had Gleason score ≥ 3+4. PSA values decreased in 56.3% and in 43.7% and remained the same or increased but cancer detection rates were not different: 34.5% vs. 38.9%, respectively (p = 0.514). PSA change in whole group was significant (6.38 ng/mL vs. 5.95 ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.01). No significant PSA decrease was observed in cancer patients (7.1 ng/mL vs. 7.05 ng/mL, p = 0.09), whereas PSA decrease was significant in patients with benign pathology (6.1 ng/mL vs. 5.5 ng/mL, p = 0.01). In patients with PI-RADs IV-V lesions, adenocarcinoma was present in 33.9% and 30.4% with or without PSA decrease, respectively (p = 0.209). Clinically significant cancer was higher in patients with after antibiotherapy PSA values >4 ng/mL regardless of PI-RADs grouping (p = 0.08). Addition of any PSA value to PI-RADs grouping did not have any significant effect on the detection of cancer., Discussion: PSA change after antibiotic treatment has no effect in detecting cancer and should not delay performing a biopsy.

Purpose: To evaluate the contribution of the size and number of the sampled lesions to the diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer (CSPC) in patients who had PI-RADS 4 lesions., Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 159 patients who had PI-RADS 4 lesions and underwent In-bore MRI-Guided prostate biopsy were included. Patients with a lesion classified as Grade Group 2 and above were considered to have CSPC. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to evaluate the factors affecting the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) and CSPC., Results: A great majority (86.8%) of the patients were biopsy-naïve. About three-fourths (71.7%) had PCa, and half (54.1%) had CSPC. When the patients were divided into three groups according to the index lesion size (< 5 mm, 5-10 mm, and > 10 mm), the prevalence of PCa was 64.3, 67.5, and 82.4% and the prevalence of CSPC was 42.9, 51.2, and 64.7%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, age, index lesion size, prostate volume (< 50 ml) and being biopsy-naïve were found significant for PCa, while age and prostate volume (< 50 ml) were significant for CSPC., Conclusion: The number of lesions was found to be insignificant in predicting PCa and CSPC. While the size of PI-RADS 4 lesions was significant in predicting PCa, it had no significance in detecting CSPC., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare systematic, cognitive fusion, in-bore, and software fusion prostate biopsies regarding rates of and risk factors for pathological upgrading., Material and Methods: Charts of 291 patients with systematic biopsy (n = 105), magnetic resonance imaging- targeted cognitive fusion (n = 58), in-bore (n = 68), and software fusion biopsy (n = 60), and who subsequently underwent radical prostatectomy were retrospectively evaluated. The degree of similarity between the grade groups reported in the biopsy and radical prostatectomy pathology results was recorded. Analyses of the associated factors for concordance and discordance were performed with univariate and multivariate methods., Results: The concordance rates were as follows: systematic biopsy = 42.8%, cognitive fusion-targeted biopsy = 50%, in-bore fusion-targeted biopsy = 61.8, and software fusion biopsy = 58.4%. The upgrade rate of systematic biopsy (46.6%) was higher than cognitive fusion-targeted biopsy (27.6%), in-bore fusiontargeted biopsy (26.4%), and software fusion-targeted biopsy (18.3%). The number of positive cores was significantly associated with grade group concordance for the systematic biopsy group (P = .040). Within the cognitive fusion-targeted biopsy cohort, number of positive cores was the only parameter that exhibited a significant association with grade group concordance in multivariate analysis (P = .044). Considering the in-bore fusion-targeted biopsy group, maximum tumor length was statistically significant (P = .021). In the software fusion-targeted biopsy group, low prostate volume was found to be the only significant predictor for grade group accordance (P = .021)., Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsy techniques showed higher concordance and lower upgrade rates compared to systematic biopsy. For systematic biopsy and cognitive fusion-targeted biopsy, the number of positive cores was associated with grade group concordance, while maximum tumor length in in-bore fusion-targeted biopsy and low prostate volume for in-bore fusion-targeted biopsy were associated with grade group concordance. Among the MRI-targeted biopsy methods, in-bore fusion-targeted biopsy and software fusion-targeted biopsy were more accurate than cognitive fusion-targeted biopsy in terms of grade group.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the characteristics of a single visible tumor (Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System [PI-RADS]≥3) on upgrading and adverse pathology at radical prostatectomy (RP) in biopsy naïve low risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 64 biopsy naïve patients from 3 different referral centers between 2018 and 2020 with a PSA<10, cT1c disease, a single PI-RADS≥ 3 index lesion in multiparametric-MRI (mp-MRI), all bearing a GG 1 tumor sampled software fusion biopsy, who underwent RP. Preoperative clinical variables including the localization, number and tumor burden of positive cores for each PI-RADS category were related to upgrading and adverse pathology (GG>2 and/or pT3 and/or lymph node positive disease) at RP., Results: Overall 37 patients (57.8%) were upgraded with a significant difference of upgrading in PI-RADS3 (30.0%) versus PI-RADS 4 (67.6%) (P = .007) and PI-RADS 4-5 (70.5%) lesions (P = .002). Thirty-three of 37 GG1 tumors were upgraded to GG2, while 6 of these 33 (18.2%) had adverse pathology as well. Overall 9 patients (14.1%) had adverse pathology at RP all harboring PI-RADS4-5 lesions. The number of positive cores differed significantly between the upgraded and nonupgraded patients. Adverse pathology group had significantly higher tumor volume at RP., Conclusion: PI-RADS4-5 lesions are the independent predictors of upgrading and adverse pathology in low risk PCa with visible tumors. Upgrading and adverse pathology were closely related to the number of positive combined cores reflecting the role of tumor volume. This should be kept in mind in shared decision making of an individual patient with low risk disease and a visible tumor., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: After radical prostatectomy, prostate-specific antigen(PSA) value measuring ≥0.1 ng/mL is defined as persistent PSA(pPSA) and in many studies, it was found to be associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. Our aim in this study is to point out the pathological and clinical factors affecting pPSA among the patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP) in an experienced academic centre and to make a useful risk grouping algorithm that can predict pPSA value based on operative data., Methods: We examined records of 1273 patients who underwent RARP retrospectively. Preoperative, operative and postoperative data were collected. Based on the PSA values (ng/mL) measured after 4-to-8 weeks of RARP, patients were divided into two groups as pPSA group (Group1)(n = 97) with PSA values ≥0.1 ng/mL and undetectable PSA group (Group2)(n = 778) with PSA values <0.1 ng/mL. Later on, Group1 was further divided into Group1a (PSA:0.1-0.2 ng/mL) and Group 1b (PSA≥0.2 ng/mL) to evaluate biochemical recurrence(BCR)., Results: Multivariate logistic regression analyses of the collected data revealed that preoperative PSA≥20 ng/mL, operation time, a postoperative international society of urological pathology (ISUP) grade of ≥4, pT 3-4 and pN were independently associated with pPSA. Based on these results, a risk grouping algorithm predicting pPSA was developed. By looking at the risk grouping algorithm pPSA was found in 98.9% of the cases with a preoperative PSA value of ≥20 ng/mL, an operation time of 150 min, a postoperative ISUP grade of 4-5, a positive lymphovascular invasion (LVI) status, pT3-T4, and pN+; while pPSA was found in 25.5% of the cases with a preoperative PSA value of <20 ng/mL, an operation time of 100 min, a postoperative ISUP grade of <4-5, a negative LVI status, pT<3-4 and pN-. The estimated BCR-free survival time was 16.3 months in Group 1a and 57.0 months in Group2 (P < .001). Adjuvant treatment ratio was 64.9% in Group1 and 7.1% in Group2 (P < .001)., Conclusion: For the patients who underwent RARP, factors associated with aggressive disease can predict the PSA persistence. To plan our treatment modalities accurately, an applicable risk grouping algorithm in daily practice would be useful., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

One of the most important steps of the partial nephrectomy (PN) is hemostatic control of tumor bed which also effects the warm ischemia time (WIT). Argon beam coagulation (ABC) for decades is a well-known method for surface controls during major open surgical sites. This study aimed to compare peri- and postoperative relevant parameters in patients with ABC or internal renorrhaphy (IR) during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). One hundred seventy patients with ≤ 7 cm tumors, who underwent RAPN at our institutions, were included in this retrospective study. Tumor bed was controlled by either IR or by ABC after closing isolated overt collecting system defects. No additional IR was performed in patients with ABC. Estimated blood loss (EBL), WIT, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) change, on- vs. off-clamp procedure as well as Clavien-Dindo > 2 complications in both groups were compared. Eighty-seven (51.1%) patients had ABC and 83 (48.9%) had IR as their tumor bed control method. Tumor size, side and RENAL nephrometry score in both groups were similar. Mean warm ischemia time (WIT) was 20.8 min in ABC group and 23.8 min in IR group (p = 0.03). In 4-7 cm tumors, WIT was 19.9 min in ABC group while 26.6 min in IR group (p = 0.026). eGFR change from baseline and EBL favored ABC in entire cohort as well as in 4-7 cm tumors with statistical significance. There were more off-clamp procedures with ABC in ≤ 4 cm tumors. No ABC specific complications were observed. Within 2 years of follow-up, no patient developed recurrences. The control of the tumor base with ABC during RAPN shortens the warm ischemia times significantly compared to IR. Besides, ABC had better EBL and GFR changes outcomes. With close monitoring of intra-abdominal pressure and frequent venting, disturbing complications of ABC could completely be avoided. ABC was found to be feasible, safe and effective during RAPN., (© 2020. Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

Background: It was aimed to compare open versus robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with intracorporeal ileal conduit (ICIC), versus RARC with extracorporeal ileal conduit (ECIC) formation for bladder cancer., Materials and Methods: Open, RARC-ECIC and RARC-ICIC groups were compared in terms of patient demographics, operative and postoperative parameters, pathological parameters, complications and functional outcomes., Results: Mean operative times were lower in the RARC-ECIC group (p = 0.004). Mean estimated blood loss was significantly lower (p < 0.01) in the robotic groups. The blood transfusion was lower in RARC-ICIC groups (p < 0.001). Rates of stage pT3-4 disease were the highest in the RARC-ICIC group (p = 0.004). LOS was significantly shorter in the RARC-ICIC group (p = 0.01). Numbers of Clavien 3-5 complications were lower in the robotic groups (p = 0.012)., Conclusions: RARC and ICIC is a complex procedure involving an increased operation time but with the advantages of lower estimated blood loss, transfusion rates, complications and hospital stays compared with open surgery., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In this study, we evaluated the role of the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) classification of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) to determine the likelihood of prostate cancer (PCa) in patients with haemospermia. Fifty-one patients presenting with haemospermia between 2018 and 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Forty-two of the patients (82.4%) were over 40 years, and the median prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was 1.4 ng/ml. Fourteen of the patients (27.5%) had recurrent haemospermia. All patients underwent mpMRI, and assessments were classified according to PI-RADS v2. The mpMRI revealed PI-RADS one to four lesions in 10 (19.6%), 30 (58.8%), 6 (11.8%) and 5 (9.8%) patients respectively. One patient with PI-RADS 3 and five with PI-RADS 4 lesions underwent cognitive fusion prostate biopsy depending on MRI findings, and two patients with PI-RADS 4 lesions were diagnosed with PCa. Patients with haemospermia and risk factors, that is aged over 40 years, a high PSA level or familial history of PCa, need a more thorough evaluation with mpMRI., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Results from prospective trials have shown higher accuracy of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-based positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in detection of lymph node metastasis (LNM) compared to conventional imaging., Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of 68 Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT for LNM detection in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) and extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND)., Design, Setting, and Participants: Between June 2014 and November 2020, 96 patients with 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT for primary staging underwent RP and extended PLND., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: The results from 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT were compared with histologic data from primary PLND in 96 patients. All 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans were centrally reviewed., Results and Limitations: Of 96 patients, 15.6% (n = 15) harbored LNMs. The median prostate-specific antigen at 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT was 8.0 ng/ml (interquartile range 5.5-11.7). The majority of patients had intermediate- (52.1%) or high-risk disease (41.7%). Biopsy grade group 4 and 5 was present in 22.9% and 15.6%, respectively. The 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans identified eight of 15 patients (53.3%) as LN-positive (true positive). The calculated per-patient sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT in the detection of LNM were 53.3%, 98.8%, 88.9%, 92.0%, and 91.7%, respectively. The per-patient sensitivity and specificity in the detection of LNMs larger than 2 mm were 61.5% and 98.8%, respectively. The main limitation is the retrospective design of the study., Conclusions: 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT is accurate in lymph node staging and the results support its use for primary staging of prostate cancer., Patient Summary: We compared prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-based positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) findings with histopathology results after extended lymph node dissection and showed that it is accurate in detecting lymph node metastases. Our results support the use of PSMA PET/CT for primary staging of prostate cancer., (Copyright © 2021 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To compare the patients who underwent robot assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) and extended pelvic lymph node dissection (EPLND) and whose pathology result was reported as micropapillary variant (MV), plasmacytoid variant (PV) and pure urothelial carcinoma (PUC)., Materials and Methods: The data of 133 patients who underwent RARC and EPLND with the postoperative pathology results reported as MV, PV and PUC were analyzed. According to the postoperative pathology results, patients were divided into two groups in initial analyses as variant pathologies group (n=14) and PUC group (n=119). In secondary analyses, patients were divided into three groups as MV group (n=7), PV group (n=7) and PUC group (n=119). The operative data, oncologic outcomes and complications were compared between the groups., Results: Median operation time and estimated blood loss were significantly increased in variant pathologies group (P <0.001 and P = .001, respectively). The postoperative pathological T stage, positive surgical margin rate and lymph node involvement were also significantly increased in variant pathologies (P = .001, P = 0.004, P <0.001, respectively). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significant decrease in OS and CSS times in PV group compared to PUC group (P = .048 and P = .016, respectively)., Conclusion: MV and PV are rarely seen variant pathologies with higher pathological T stages. RARC is a minimally invasive surgical technique that can be performed successfully by an experienced surgical team with low morbidity rates and similar oncological results, even in challenging cases.

Objectives: To evaluate the use and benefits of tumor navigation during performing robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP)., Patients and Methods: Borders of the visible tumor(s) was/were and surrounding structures marked on multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and 68 Ga-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen ligand using positron emission computed tomography (Ga68 PSMA-PET/CT). Three dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the images were done that were transferred to virtual reality (VR) headsets and Da Vinci surgical robot via TilePro. Images were used as a guide during RARP procedures in five cases. Indocyanine green (ICG) guided pelvic lymph node dissection (n = 2) and Martini Klinik Neurosafe technique (n = 2) were also applied., Results: Mean patient age was 60.6 ± 3.7 years (range, 56-66). All VR models were finalized with the agreement of radiologist, urologist, nuclear physician, and engineer. Surgeon examined images before the surgery. All VR models were found very useful particularly in pT3 diseases. Pathological stages included pT2N0 (n = 1), pT3aN0 (n = 1), pT3aN1 (n = 2), and pT3bN1 (n = 1). Positive surgical margins (SMs) occurred in two patients with extensive disease (pT3aN1 and pT3bN1) and tumor occupied 30% and 50% of the prostate volumes. Mean estimated blood loss was 150 ± 86.6 cc (range, 100-300). Mean follow-up was 3.4 ± 1.7 months (range, 2-6). No complication occurred during perioperative (0-30 days) and postoperative (30-90 days) periods in any patient., Conclusions: 3D reconstructed VR models by using mpMRI and Ga68 PSMA-PET/CT images can be accurately prepared and effectively applied during RARP that might be a useful tool for tumor navigation. Images show prostate tumors and anatomy and might be a guide for the console surgeon. This is promising new technology that needs further study and validation., (© 2020 The Authors. BJUI Compass published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJU International Company.)

Aim: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with intracorporeal Studer pouch formation (ICSPF) is increasingly being performed. Balbay's technique of ICSPF replicates the open approach with the additional advantages of inserting internal Double-J stents. Materials and Methods: Between June 2011 and April 2019, 22 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer were included who underwent RARC and ICSPF with Balbay's technique. Mean follow-up was 35.7 months. Operative, postoperative, and pathological measures, complications, and oncologic and functional outcomes were evaluated. Results: Mean operation time, estimated blood loss, mean lymph node yield, and mean duration of hospital stay were 9.2 hours, 361.4 mL, 38.6, and 10.5 days, respectively. Surgical margins were positive in 3 (9.1%) patients. Postoperative pT stages included pT0 ( n  = 4), pTis ( n  = 4), pT1 ( n  = 2), pT2 ( n  = 1), pT3a ( n  = 3), pT3b ( n  = 5), and pT4a ( n  = 3). Daytime continence outcomes were (patients with ≥1-year follow-up, n  = 17) as follows: 10 (58.8%) fully continent, 4 (23.5%) mild, and 3 (17.7%) moderate incontinence. Two-year cancer-specific survival, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival were 68.6%, 66.0%, and 69.7%, respectively. The retrospective nature of the study was the main limitation. Complications (modified Clavien-Dindo classification, n  = 32) included 23 minor and 2 major during the perioperative (0-30 days) period and 3 minor and 4 major during the postoperative (31-90 days) period. Ileus developed in 3 patients (9.3%). Readmission rates were 3 (13.6%) and 8 (36.4%) in perioperative and postoperative periods, respectively. Conclusions: RARC and ICSPF by Balbay's technique have acceptable morbidity, excellent surgical and pathological outcomes, and satisfactory oncologic and functional results with additional advantages of exclusion of external stents, exact replication of the open approach, and fewer gastrointestinal complications.

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: To evaluate the influence of previous experience as bedside assistants on patient selection, perioperative and pathological results in robot assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy., Materials and Methods: The first 50 cases of two robotic surgeons were reviewed retrospectively. Group 1 consisted of the first 50 cases of the surgeon with previous experience as a robotic bedside assistant between September 2016-July 2018, while group 2 included the first 50 cases of the surgeon with no bedside assistant experience between February 2009-December 2009. Groups were examined in terms of demographics, prostate volume, presence of median lobe, prostate specific antigen (PSA), preoperative Gleason score, positive core number, clinical stage, console surgery time, estimated blood loss, postoperative Gleason score, pathological stage, positive surgical margin rate, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay and biochemical recurrence rate., Results: Previous abdominal surgery and the presence of median lobe hypertrophy rates were higher in Group 1 than in Group 2 (20% vs. 4%, p=0.014; 24% vs. 6%, p=0.012; respectively). In addition, patients in Group 1 were in a higher clinical stage than those in Group 2 (cT2: 70% vs. 28%, p=0.001). Median console surgery time and median length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in Group 1 than in Group 2 (170 min vs. 240 min, p=0.001; 3 vs. 4, p=0.022; respectively). Clavien grade 3 complication rate was higher in Group 2 but was statistically insignificant., Conclusion: Our findings might reflect that previous bedside assistant experience led to an increase in self-confidence and the ability to manage troubleshooting and made it more likely for surgeons to start with more difficult cases with more challenging patients. It is recommended that novice surgeons serve as bedside assistants before moving on to consoles., Competing Interests: None declared., (Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.)

Aim: To report the outcomes of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection (BEPLND) and intracorporeal Studer pouch formation for bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: Overall 98 patients (92 males, 6 females) were included. Patient demographics, operative and postoperative variables, pathological parameters, complications, and functional outcomes were evaluated. Results: Mean age and American Society of Anesthesiologists score and body mass index were 60.9 years, 1.7 and 26 kg/m 2 , respectively. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was given to 18 patients. Mean operation time, intraoperative estimated blood loss, and mean lymph node (LN) yield were 8.22 hours, 314.6 mL, and 28.3, respectively. Mean hospitalization time was 13.6 days. There were one perioperative and one postoperative deaths, both due to cardiac arrest on postoperative 21st and 60th days. Drains were removed at a mean of 10 days. Surgical margins were positive in two patients. Postoperative pathological stages were reported as pT0 ( n  = 21), pTis ( n  = 7), pT1 ( n  = 7), pT2a ( n  = 14), pT2b ( n  = 14), pT3a ( n  = 15), pT3b ( n  = 11), and pT4a ( n  = 9). Positive LNs were found in 21 patients. Prostate cancer was incidentally detected in 23 patients. Twenty-five patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. At a mean follow-up period of 25.1 months, 13 patients died from metastatic disease and 7 from cardiac disease. According to the modified Clavien-Dindo system, 30 minor and 20 major complications were identified in the perioperative (0-30 days) period, and 6 minor and 7 major complications were detected in the postoperative (31-90 days) period. According to the available data of the 60 patients, 37 were fully continent, 14 had mild, 6 had moderate, and 4 had severe daytime incontinence. Conclusions: Due to our experience, RARC with BEPLND and intracorporeal Studer pouch reconstruction procedures are complex procedures with acceptable morbidity, excellent surgical and pathological outcomes, and satisfactory oncologic and functional results.

Objective: We evaluated the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) on urinary continence after robotic radical prostatectomy (RARP)., Patients and Methods: Overall, 99 patients with DM and 213 patients without DM who underwent RARP with at least 2-year follow-up were included. The preoperative prostate biopsy Gleason scores and clinical stages of the groups were similar. The patients who were dry or used one safety pad per day were regarded as continent. Early (0-3 months), mid-term (4-12 months), and late-term (>12 months) continence rates were evaluated., Results: In diabetic and nondiabetic groups, mean age was 63.3 ± 6.5 and 61.3 ± 6.8 years, respectively (p = 0.015). On the day of the removal of the urethral catheter, 61.6% (n = 61) of the diabetic patients and 99.1% (n = 211) of the nondiabetic patients were continent (p = 0.000). At third-month follow-up, 80.8% (n = 80) of the diabetic patients and 99.1% (n = 211) of the nondiabetic patients were continent (p = 0.000). At sixth-month follow-up, 89.9% (n = 89) of the diabetic patients and 99.1% (n = 211) of the nondiabetic patients were continent (p = 0.000). At first-year follow-up, 93.9% (n = 93) of the diabetic patients and 100% (n = 213) of the nondiabetic patients were continent (p = 0.001). At 18th-month follow-up, 96.0% (n = 95) of the diabetic patients and 100% (n = 213) of the nondiabetic patients were continent (p = 0.013). At second-year follow-up, 98.0% (n = 97) of the diabetic patients and 100% (n = 213) of the nondiabetic patients were continent (p = 0.115). Multivariate analysis showed that age and body mass index had no impact on urinary continence (p > 0.05). Presence of diabetes (p = 0.008) and duration (≥5 years) of diabetes (p = 0.004) were independent factors that had a significant negative impact on urinary continence., Conclusions: Diabetes seems to be a significant disadvantage in gaining urinary continence compared with nondiabetic patients particularly in the first 18 months after RARP. Diabetic patients should be informed about possible late recovery of postoperative urinary continence compared with nondiabetic patients after RARP.

Introduction: We present oncological and functional outcomes of patients who underwent testis-sparing surgery (TSS)., Methods: Overall, 13 patients were included. Mean patient age was 29.9±12.5 years. In five patients, TSS was performed for sequential bilateral testicular tumours. One patient underwent concurrent left radical orchiectomy and right TSS. In eight patients with normal contralateral testis, seven underwent left and one underwent right TSS., Results: Mean pathological tumour size was 14.6±12.5 mm. Intraoperative frozen section evaluation of the mass was performed in eight patients that revealed benign lesions. No intraoperative tumour bed biopsies were taken in this patient group. Regarding the remaining five patients, intraoperative tumour bed biopsies were taken and testicular intraepithelial neoplasia (TIN) was reported in two (40%) patients; no local testicular radiotherapy was given postoperatively. Tumour pathology was malignant in all but one lesion, including Leydig cell tumour (n=1), seminoma(n=2), embryonal carcinoma (n=1), and adenomatoid tumour (n=1). During 47.2±22.5 months of followup, local recurrence was detected in one patient who underwent radical orchiectomy. No additional local recurrence or systemic metastasis was identified in other patients with malignant lesions. For patients with malignant tumours, of the three patients with a normal preoperative testosterone levels, testosterone level was normal in one patient (with no erectile dysfunction [ED]) and was decreased in two patients (with ED) following TSS. No ED was reported in the nine patients with benign lesions., Conclusions: In carefully selected cases, TSS appears to be a safe, feasible procedure with adequate cancer control that could preserve sexual function.

Introduction: The success of the robot assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) procedures depend on a successful team, however the literature focuses on the performance of a console surgeon. The aim of this study was to evaluate surgical outcomes of the surgeons during the learning curve in relation to the bedside assistant's experience level during RARP., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed two non - laparoscopic, beginner robotic surgeon's cases, and we divided the patients into two groups. The first surgeon completed the operations on 20 patients with a beginner bedside assistant in February - May 2009 (Group-1). The second surgeon completed operations on 16 patients with an experienced (at least 150 cases) bedside assistant in February 2015 - December 2015 (Group-2). The collected data included age, prostate volume, prostate specific antigen (PSA), estimated blood loss, complications and percent of positive surgical margins. In addition, the elapsed time for trocar insertion, robot docking, console surgery, specimen extraction and total anesthesia time were measured separately., Results: There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of age, co-morbidity, prostate volume, PSA value, preoperative Gleason score, number of positive cores, postoperative Gleason score, pathological grade, protection rate of neurovascular bundles, surgical margin positivity, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay, or estimated blood loss. The robot docking, trocar placement, console surgery, anesthesia and specimen extraction times were significantly shorter in group 2 than they were in group 1 (17.75 ± 3.53 min vs. 30.20 ± 7.54 min, p ≤ 0.001; 9.63 ± 2.71 min vs. 14.40 ± 4.52 min , p = 0.001; 189.06 ± 27.70 min vs. 244.95 ± 80.58 min, p = 0.01; 230.94 ± 30.83 min vs. 306.75 ± 87.96 min, p = 0.002; 10.19 ± 2.54 min vs. 17.55 ± 8.79 min, p = 0.002; respectively)., Conclusion: Although the bedside assistant's experience in RARP does not appear to influence the robotic surgeon's oncological outcomes during the learning curve, it may reduce the potential complications by shortening the total operation time., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None declared., (Copyright® by the International Brazilian Journal of Urology.)

Introduction: Hem-o-lok clip migration into the ipsilateral collecting system and formation of a distal ureteral stone after robot-assited partial nephrectomy (PN) is a rare condition of stone disease., Presentation of Case: A 48-year-old male presented with hematuria. Physical examination was unremarkable. Urinalysis showed presence of red blood cells. Serum multiple analysis and ultrasonography were within normal limits. Contrast enhanced abdominal computerized tomography scan revealed an 8-mm right distal ureteral stone, which was not associated with ipsilateral hydronephrosis., Discussion: With the widespread adoption of minimally invasive surgery, it is not uncommon to utilize foreign bodies as surgical facilitators which also have the potential to migrate to the urothelium-lined urinary tract and act as a stone nidus when used for endoscopic PN CONCLUSION: Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of migrated hem-o-lok clips serving as a nidus for urinary tract stone formation in patients who have undergone endoscopic PN., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The International Prostate Forum (IPF) originally started with three urology departments in Japan, Turkey, and the United States. The forum focused on talks and presentations with discussions covering almost all areas of prostatic diseases, including both benign prostatic conditions and prostate cancer, their diagnosis, imaging, multidisciplinary treatment, and preventive care. The meeting has been organized every 2 years in the United States, Japan, and Turkey with new colleagues joining the team. 1 In the recent years, the IPF meetings have attracted further attention and were organized with the American Urological Association congress, the Japanese Urological Association of Urology congress, and the Turkish Association of Urology congress. Table 1 summarizes the dates of the meetings, locations, and chairmen., (Copyright © 2019 Asian Journal of Andrology | Published by Wolters Kluwer – Medknow.)

Ureteral duplication is rarely seen malformation that could be diagnosed during radiological imaging. Herein, we present 5 patients with ureteral duplication who underwent robotic radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion for bladder cancer. Preoperative computerized tomography did not show presence of a ureteral duplication in any patient and all were identified intraoperatively. A Wallace type uretero-ureteral anastomosis was performed in all patients. During the follow-up period, we did not detect any ureterointestinal anastomotic strictures or complication related to the presence of a ureteral duplication following robotic cystectomy. We conclude that ureteral duplication might be missed during preoperative radiological imaging, might be a surprising and challenging issue for the robotic surgeon that could be safely managed intraoperatively.

Objectives: To design a methodology to predict operative times for robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) based on variation in institutional, patient, and disease characteristics to help in operating room scheduling and quality control., Patients and Methods: The model included preoperative variables and therefore can be used for prediction of surgical times: institutional volume, age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, history of prior surgery and radiation, clinical stage, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, type, technique of diversion, and the extent of lymph node dissection. A conditional inference tree method was used to fit a binary decision tree predicting operative time. Permutation tests were performed to determine the variables having the strongest association with surgical time. The data were split at the value of this variable resulting in the largest difference in means for the surgical time across the split. This process was repeated recursively on the resultant data sets until the permutation tests showed no significant association with operative time., Results: In all, 2 134 procedures were included. The variable most strongly associated with surgical time was type of diversion, with ileal conduits being 70 min shorter (P < 0.001). Amongst patients who received neobladders, the type of lymph node dissection was also strongly associated with surgical time. Amongst ileal conduit patients, institutional surgeon volume (>66 RARCs) was important, with those with a higher volume being 55 min shorter (P < 0.001). The regression tree output was in the form of box plots that show the median and ranges of surgical times according to the patient, disease, and institutional characteristics., Conclusion: We developed a method to estimate operative times for RARC based on patient, disease, and institutional metrics that can help operating room scheduling for RARC., (© 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Robot-assisted (RA) procedures are increasingly being performed as minimally invasive surgical approaches. Less insensible losses due to a closed abdomen, smaller incisions with less retractor strain, decreased analgesic requirements, and earlier postoperative ambulation are suggested advantages of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). Patients who undergo open radical cystectomy are also candidates for RARC procedure. However, the steep Trendelenburg position and pneumoperitoneum develop a non-physiological condition. Intra-abdominal adhesions preventing the placement of the ports and patients who cannot tolerate the pneumoperitoneum and/or steep Trendelenburg position are special contraindications of RARC. Besides, body mass index >30 kg/m 2 , presence of extravesical disease, bulky lymphadenopathy, previous vascular surgery, previous distal colorectal surgery, previous pelvic radiation, previous pelvic trauma, and/or preexisting cardiovascular/pulmonary disease that is compromised with positioning are not certainly contraindicated but unwanted conditions in which the RARC may be performed successfully as the surgeons gain experience., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Introduction: Our goal was to evaluate benign and malignant lesions and testicular intraepithelial neoplasia (TIN) in the neighbouring normal-appearing testis tissue in men who underwent radical orchiectomy for testicular mass with a pathologic tumour size of ≤3cm., Methods: In this retrospective, multicentre study, data of 252 patients from 11 different institutions were included. Patients were divided into three groups based on tumour size: Group 1 (0-1 cm; n=35), Group 2 (1.1-2cm; n=99), and Group 3 (2.1-3 cm; n=118). Benign lesions and TIN were sought in the neighbouring testicular tissue and compared between groups., Results: Mean patient age was 32.3 years. Benign lesions were reported in 54.3%, 33.3%, and 14.4% of Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.05 between groups). TIN was detected in 20%, 42.4%, and 41.5% of Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.05 for Group 1 vs. Groups 2 and 3; p>0.05 for Groups 2 vs. 3). Multifocality was detected in 8.6%, 4%, and 0% of Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p<0.05 for both Group 1 vs. Group 3 and for Group 2 vs. Group 3; p>0.05 for Group 1 vs. Group 2). A tumour cutoff size of 1.5 cm was found to be significant for detecting benign tumour. TIN and multifocality rates were similar in patients with a tumour size of ≤1.5 vs. >1.5 cm (p>0.05)., Conclusions: Benign lesions and TIN in the neighbouring testis were significantly decreased and multifocality was increased in patients with a tumour mass size of ≤1 cm. Testis-sparing surgery should be performed with caution and a safety rim of normal tissue should also be excised.

To evaluate the protective role of bosentan (BOS), an endothelin-1 (ET-1) receptor antagonist, and to show the changes in rats with experimentally induced diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED), a total of 24 albino Wistar rats were allocated into four groups. Group 1 was the healthy group and Group 2 had diabetes mellitus (DM) induced by intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg kg -1 streptozotocin (STZ). Following the establishment of DM, Group 3 and Group 4 were treated with oral BOS doses of 50 mg kg -1 and 100 mg kg -1 , respectively, for 60 days. At the end of the treatment, we evaluated yawning and erection response to apomorphine treatment and then the animals were sacrificed. ET-1, eNOS, iNOS, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, ET-RA and ET-RB mRNA expressions were analysed in cavernosal tissue. It was observed that yawning and erection response decreased in the diabetic group; however, both of these improved with BOS treatment. While ET-1, TNF-α and iNOS gene expressions increased, eNOS, ET-RA and ET-RB gene expressions decreased in the DM group compared to the healthy group. DM has a negative impact on cavernosal tissue blood flow through activating vasoconstrictor mediators in cavernosal tissue. BOS regulates significantly eNOS, iNOS and TNF-α expressions in a dose-dependent manner., (© 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.)

In this practical review, we discuss current surgical techniques reported in the literature to perform intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) after robotic radical cystectomy (RARC), emphasizing criticisms of single approaches and making comparisons with extracorporeal urinary diversion (ECUD). Although almost 97% of all RARCs use an ECUD, ICUD is gaining in popularity, in view of its potential benefits (i.e., decreased bowel exposure, etc.), although there are a few studies comparing ICUD and ECUD. Analyzing single experiences and the data from recent metanalyses, we emphasize the current critiques to ICUD, stressing particular technical details which could reduce operative time, lowering the postoperative complications rate, and improving functional outcomes. Only analysis of long-term follow-up data from large-scale homogeneous series can ascertain whether robotic intracorporeal urinary diversion is superior to other approaches.

Purpose: To examine the effect of steep Trendelenburg position (ST) on intraocular pressure (IOP), resistive index of the central retinal artery, and venous impedance index of the central retinal vein during robotic prostatectomy and cystectomy., Methods: A total of fifty-three male patients were included into the study (prostatectomy: 43, cystectomy: 10). During robotic surgery, the effect of the ST on IOP, resistive index of the central retinal artery (CRA-RI), and venous impedance index of the central retinal vein (CRV-VI) was prospectively examined. The measurement times of IOP are as follows: T1: before anesthesia while supine and awake; T2: anesthetized and supine; T3: anesthetized and ST; T4: anesthetized, ST, and intraperitoneal insufflation; T5: anesthetized in ST at the end of the procedure with CO 2 ; T6: anesthetized in ST after desufflation; and T7: anesthetized supine before awakening., Results: There was no difference between the IOP values of the right and left eyes in both groups. The highest IOP values were reached at T4 and T5. CRA-RI values were different, while CRV-VI values were similar at T1 and T4., Conclusions: Despite staying in the ST for a long time provided that the ophthalmologic examination was normal, ocular complication risk is low in robotic prostatectomy and cystectomy.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to gauge whether removal of a specimen with traction during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy causes a positive surgical margin or not., Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty-nine patients with localized prostate cancer who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from 2009 to 2011 were included in the study. After dividing the patients into two groups, we recorded their characteristics and pre-op/post-op evaluations., Results: There were 111 and 58 patients in groups 1 (with traction) and 2 (without traction), respectively. We evaluated the patients' ages, follow-up time, body mass index (BMI), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) values, pre-op and post-op Gleason score values, pathological stage, positive surgical margin rates, and biochemical PSA recurrence rates. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for age, pre-op PSA values, BMI, pre-op and post-op Gleason scores, positive surgical margin rates and biochemical recurrence rates. There was a significant difference between prostate weight, tumor volume, and clinical stage., Conclusion: Removing the specimen with traction during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy does not cause a positive surgical margin. The incision should be as small as possible for cosmetic appearance.