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ABSTRACT Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common oncologic disease among men. Radical treatment with curative intent provides good oncological results for PCa survivors, although definitive therapy is associated with significant number of serious side-effects. In modern-era of medicine tissue-sparing techniques, such as focal HIFU, have been proposed for PCa patients in order to provide cancer control equivalent to the standard-of-care procedures while reducing morbidities and complications. The aim of this systematic review was to summarise the available evidence about focal HIFU therapy as a primary treatment for localized PCa. Material and methods: We conducted a comprehensive literature review of focal HIFU therapy in the MEDLINE database (PROSPERO: CRD42021235581). Articles published in the English language between 2010 and 2020 with more than 50 patients were included. Results: Clinically significant in-field recurrence and out-of-field progression were detected to 22% and 29% PCa patients, respectively. Higher ISUP grade group, more positive cores at biopsy and bilateral disease were identified as the main risk factors for disease recurrence. The most common strategy for recurrence management was definitive therapy. Six months after focal HIFU therapy 98% of patients were totally continent and 80% of patients retained sufficient erections for sexual intercourse. The majority of complications presented in the early postoperative period and were classified as low-grade. Conclusions: This review highlights that focal HIFU therapy appears to be a safe procedure, while short-term cancer control rate is encouraging. Though, second-line treatment or active surveillance seems to be necessary in a significant number of patients.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To describe the use of endocavitary ultrasound probe as an auxiliary tool when performing partial nephrectomy in cases of endophytic renal tumors, to standardize the method, and to report the preliminary results achieved with this technique. Methods: Fifteen patients diagnosed with completely endophytic underwent partial nephrectomy with the use of an endocavitary ultrasound probe. This article describes the technique involved in partial nephrectomy and details the preparation of the endocavitary ultrasound probe to ensure its safe use. Results: All the patients had a RENAL score between 8 and 11. The median time of warm ischemia was 26 and 18 minutes for laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgery, respectively. The median duration of surgery was 150 minutes, and the median console time was 145 minutes for the laparoscopic and robot-assisted surgery groups, respectively. The median estimate of blood loss was 200 mL. Only three patients in the laparoscopic group had focal positive surgical margins. There were no cases of infection at the site of probe entry. Conclusions: Intraoperative use of an endocavitary ultrasound probe for partial nephrectomy is possible and a safe alternative to the excision of endophytic tumors when neither robotic probes nor laparoscopic probes are available.

AimAchieve an international consensus on how to recover lost training opportunities. The results of this study will help inform future EAES guidelines about the recovery of surgical training before and after the pandemic.BackgroundA global survey conducted by our team demonstrated significant disruption in surgical training during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was wide-spread and affected all healthcare systems (whether insurance based or funded by public funds) in all participating countries. Thematic analysis revealed the factors perceived by trainees as barriers to training and gave birth to four-point framework of recovery. These are recommendations that can be easily achieved in any country, with minimal resources. Their implementation, however, relies heavily on the active participation and leadership by trainers. Based on the results of the global trainee survey, the authors would like to conduct a Delphi-style survey, addressed to trainers on this occasion, to establish a pragmatic step-by-step approach to improve training during and after the pandemic.MethodsThis will be a mixed qualitative and quantitative study. Semi-structured interviews will be performed with laparoscopic trainers. These will be transcribed and thematic analysis will be applied. A questionnaire will then be proposed; this will be based on both the results of the semi structured interviews and of the global trainee survey. The questionnaire will then be validated by the steering committee of this group (achieve consensus of >80%). After validation, the questionnaire will be disseminated to trainers across the globe. Participants will be asked to consent to participate in further cycles of the Delphi process until more than 80% agreement is achieved.ResultsThis study will result in a pragmatic framework for continuation of surgical training during and after the pandemic (with special focus on minimally invasive surgery training).