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Primary renal neuroendocrine tumours are very rare clinical entities, and as such, relatively little is known about their clinical progression. Here, we outline the case of a young female patient presenting with abdominal pain and a large 14 cm right renal mass. Initial radiological studies demonstrated localised disease, but during surgical resection, widespread liver metastasis was identified. Histological analysis revealed a grade 2, well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumour pT3a. Whilst surgical resection remains the gold standard for localised disease, further work is required to understand the pathogenesis, prognostic indicators and treatment following metastatic spread. The poor prognosis seen in primary renal neuroendocrine neoplasia highlights the importance of further directed research in this area.

Giant hydronephrosis (GH) is very rare in adults. We report a case of a 46-year-old man who presented with progressively increasing abdominal swelling. A contrast-enhanced CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis was used for the diagnosis. Left side open nephrectomy was performed and 22 L fluid was evacuated. UPJ obstruction was noted intraoperatively. No recurrence of abdominal swelling was noted on follow up examination.

Ana Mimic,1 Carsten Bantel,2,3 Jelena Jovicic,1 Branko Mimic,4 Darija Kisic-Tepavcevic,5 Otas Durutovic,6,7 Nebojsa Ladjevic1,7 1Department of Anaesthesia, Urology Clinic, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; 2Department of Anaesthetics, Klinikum Oldenburg AöR, Oldenburg, Germany; 3Section of Anaesthetics, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK; 4East Midlands Congenital Heart Centre, University Hospital Leicester, Leicester, UK; 5Institute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia; 6Department of Urology, Urology Clinic, Clinical Centre of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia; 7Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia Purpose: There is an increasing interest in the identification of predictors for individual responses to analgesics and surgical pain. In this study, we aimed to determine psychological factors that might contribute to this response. We hence investigated patients undergoing a standardized surgical intervention (open nephrectomy). Patients and methods: Between May 2014 and April 2015, we conducted a prospective observational cohort study. The following psychological tests were administered preoperatively: Mini-Mental State Examination, Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Pain Catastrophizing Scale. The primary outcome, postoperative pain intensity (11-point numerical rating scale, [NRS]), was assessed in the “immediate early” (first 8 hours), “early” (12 and 24 hours), and “late early” periods (48 and 72 hours).Results: A total of 196 patients were assessed, and 150 were finally included in the study. NRS scores improved from 4.9 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.7–5.1) in the “immediate early” to 3.1 (95% CI: 2.9–3.3) in the “early” and 2.3 (95% CI: 2.1–2.5) in the “late early” postoperative period. Most (87%) patients received intravenous opioids, while 13% received analgesics epidurally. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated better pain management with epidural analgesia in the first two postoperative periods (F=15.01, p

Background: To review the presentation and outcomes of patients undergoing open radical nephrectomy (ORN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at a regional hospital in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients having undergone nephrectomy at St Aidan’s hospital between 2010 and 2015, focusing on those with RCC. Demographic, operative, histopathology and outcomes data were collected.Results: Fifty-two patients (51%) had ORN for suspected malignant disease. Forty-one RCCs were found including one incidental finding at simple nephrectomy. Data was insufficient to assess risk factors for RCC. HIV positive patients tended to present earlier (45 vs. 53 years). The mean tumour size was 10 cm and organ confined disease was present in 73.2% of patients. Only 11 patients (26.8%) had pT1 disease. The high-grade complication rate was 9.8%, in-hospital mortality rate 4.9% and transfusion rate 51.2%. The median operating time was 1h 50min and length of hospital stay 13 days.Conclusions: Open radical nephrectomy is the standard surgical treatment for RCC at regional level in South Africa. Patients tend to present at a younger age, particularly if HIV positive, and with large tumours. Further research into risk factors for RCC in the South African population is needed. There are high complication and transfusion rates in patients undergoing ORN. Review of accessibility of blood at St Aidan’s hospital and revision of the transfusion protocol is suggested. A followup study to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic nephrectomy in the resource-constrained South African environment is necessary.Keywords: Renal cell carcinoma, nephrectomy, open nephrectomy, radical nephrectomy, transfusion rate, complications, South Africa

Context: Current literature suggests that laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) in patients with xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis (XGP) is associated with high conversion and complication rate. Aims: To report contemporary outcome of patients with XGP, managed with either open nephrectomy (ON) or LN. Settings and Design: In this retrospective study, medical records of 37 patients with histopathologically confirmed XGP from January 2001 to October 2009 were reviewed. Materials and Methods: The clinical presentation, preoperative course, intraoperative findings, postoperative recovery and complications in ON and LN were analyzed. Statistical Analysis: Student's t test was used to perform statistical comparison between the LN and ON groups. Values are expressed as mean ΁ standard deviation. Results: In 37 patients, 20 underwent ON and 17 underwent LN. One patient in the LN group required conversion. He had ectopic pelvic kidney, and the vascular pedicle could not be identified because of dense adhesions. There were no intraoperative complications. The mean blood loss was 257.5 ΁ 156.67 ml and 141.18 ΁ 92.26 ml in ON and LN groups, respectively. Mean hospital stay was 15.45 ΁ 7.35 days and 9.71 ΁ 4.55 days in ON and LN groups, respectively. Postoperative complications were classified according to Clavien grading for surgical complications. Grade 2 complications were seen in 40% and 29.4% of patients in ON and LN groups, respectively. One patient in LN required secondary suturing of specimen retrieval site. Conclusions: LN in patients with XGP is often challenging and requires considerable experience in laparoscopy. In properly selected patients, all benefits of minimally invasive surgery can be availed with LN.

ResumenIntroducciónFue hasta la descripción por Clayman et al. en 1991, que la era de la cirugía renal laparoscópica inició, desde entonces se ha buscado demostrar sus ventajas y desventajas contra la cirugía convencional. Recientemente, esta modalidad terapéutica ha aumentado su aceptación a nivel mundial e incluso se ha convertido en una práctica usual, realizándose procedimientos de mayor dificultad técnica cada vez.Material y métodosSe realizó un análisis retrospectivo, incluyendo las nefrectomías realizadas entre 2009 a 2012 en la Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad (UMAE) N° 25, en Monterrey, N. L., México.ResultadosSe incluyeron 549 (n) nefrectomías, de las cuales 130 fueron laparoscópicas y 419 abiertas; de las 130 nefrectomías laparoscópicas, 83 fueron simples (NS), 7 parciales (NP) y 40 radicales (NR); 9 se convirtieron (7 %), con una tasa de complicación del 6.9 %. La única diferencia significativa encontrada fue el tiempo quirúrgico, se encontraron en promedio 232 minutos para los eventos laparoscópicos contra 179 minutos (p

Background: Open surgical procedures are associated with substantial postoperative pain; an alternative method providing adequate pain relief with minimal side effects is very much required. Aim: The aim of this study was a comparative evaluation of the efficacy of continuous thoracic paravertebral block (PVB) and thoracic epidural analgesia (EA) for postoperative pain relief in patients undergoing open nephrectomy. Settings and Design: Prospective, randomized, and single-blind study. Materials and Methods: Sixty adult patients undergoing open nephrectomy under general anesthesia were randomized to receive a continuous thoracic epidural infusion (Group E) or continuous thoracic paravertebral infusion (Group P) with bupivacaine 0.1% with 1 μg/ml fentanyl at 7 ml/h; both infusions were started after induction of anesthesia. The primary outcome measures were postoperative pain during rest (static pain), deep inspiration, coughing, and movement (getting up from supine to sitting position); the secondary outcome measures were postoperative nausea and vomiting, requirement of rescue antiemetic, hypotension, sedation, pruritus, motor block, and respiratory depression. These were assessed till the morning of the third postoperative day. Statistical Analysis: Results were analyzed by the one-way ANOVA, Chi-square test, and Mann–Whitney U-test. P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Both the groups were similar with regard to demographic factors (P > 0.05). The visual analog scale scores at rest, deep breathing, coughing and movement, and postoperative fentanyl consumption were similar in the two groups (P > 0.05); the incidence of side effects was also similar in the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Continuous thoracic PVB is as effective as continuous thoracic EA in providing pain relief in patients undergoing open nephrectomy in the postoperative period. The side effect profile of the two techniques was also similar.

Aim: To evaluate and compare the extent of surgical stress following laparoscopic nephrectomy (LN) and open nephrectomy (ON) in children. Materials and Methods: Twenty consecutive children undergoing nephrectomy were randomized to LN or ON groups. Acid-base balance, blood glucose, acute phase proteins (C-reactive protein [CRP]) and inflammatory markers (interleukin-6 [IL-6]) were measured pre-operatively, as well as 4 and 24 h after surgery. The differences between the two groups were analyzed statistically (significance value for P < 0.05). Results: The overall acid base status was more stable in LN. The fall in pH 4 h after surgery was more in ON (P = 0.440) and the difference in pH in ON 4 h and 24 h post-operatively was statistically significant (P = 0.002). In LN, significant difference was found in the base excess mean pre-surgery (mean –3.280 mEq/L) and 4 h post-surgery (mean –7.480 mEq/L) (P =