Search

Josef Mang,1 Linda Hennig,1 lutz Liefeldt,2 Michael Duerr,2 Lukas J Lehner,2 Anna Bichmann,3 Bernhard Ralla,1 Hannes Cash,4 Martin Christopher Kanne,5 Robert Peters,1 Andreas Maxeiner,1,* Frank Friedersdorff1,5,* 1Department of Urology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany; 2Department of Nephrology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany; 3Department of Anesthesiology and Operative Intensive Care Medicine, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Berlin, Germany; 4PROURO, Berlin, Germany; 5Department of Urology, Evangelisches Krankenhaus Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Berlin, Germany*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Linda HennigDepartment of Urology, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, GermanyEmail linda.hennig@charite.dePurpose: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is a common cause for end-stage renal disease that can recur in the graft after kidney transplantation. The incidence of FSGS recurrence is reported in up to 47% of patients, predisposing those to possible poorer transplantation outcomes. Hence, we examined the incidence of FSGS recurrence and the effect on graft outcome in our patient cohort of living donor kidney transplantations (LDKT).Patients and Methods: We analyzed 194 adult patients who received a LDKT between 2011 and 2017 of which 22 (11%) had FSGS as underlying disease. Demographic data and clinical outcomes, especially regarding recurrence of FSGS, were evaluated.Results: FSGS recurrence was identified in three (14%) patients within three months after transplantation, of whom two patients (9%) lost their graft. There was no significant difference in graft survival comparing FSGS to other reasons for end-stage renal disease.Conclusion: Incidence of FSGS recurrence in the present patient cohort was within the range reported in the literature and comparatively low. Our data support LDKT as a treatment option in patients with end-stage renal disease due to FSGS.Keywords: FSGS, living donor nephrectomy, recurrence

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the perioperative outcomes and complications associated with the use of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) in deceased donor kidney transplantation (KTX), with a particular focus on bleeding events., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 157 kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) who underwent KTX at Charité Berlin, Department for Urology, between February 2014 and December 2017. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with ASA in their preoperative medication (Group A, n = 59) and patients without ASA use (Group B, n = 98). Data on demographic information, medical conditions, surgical details, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Complications were classified using the Clavien-Dindo classification. Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression., Results: Group A had significantly older donors (59.7 ± 12.9 years vs. 52.0 ± 14.1 years, p < 0.001) and a higher incidence of coronary artery disease (42.4% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in perioperative hemoglobin loss and perioperative bleeding events between the groups, but a tendency towards higher rates of intraoperative bleeding (15.3% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.17) and postoperative transfusions (22% vs. 13.3%, p = 0.15) in Group A. Mortality was higher in Group A (18.6% vs. 4.1%, p = 0.003), with one death attributed to a cardiac event. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly inferior overall survival for Group A (p = 0.02), but no significant difference in graft survival (p = 0.18)., Conclusion: ASA use is associated with a trend towards increased intraoperative bleeding and postoperative blood transfusion but does not significantly increase major postoperative bleeding complications. Careful perioperative monitoring of patients with ASA is recommended., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical approval: This study has been conducted according to the Declaration of Helsinki; all organs were donated voluntarily with written informed consent, and this was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Istanbul. The article is exempt from the local Ethical Committee approval (Institutional Review Board of Charité Hospital Berlin) because of this study’s retrospective, noninterventional design and because patient data confidentiality and privacy were always maintained. Conflict of interest: Authors disclose, that there are no interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Objective: Our objective was to evaluate whether a very large prostate volume significantly affects the incidence of perioperative complications and compromises outcomes among patients undergoing holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP)., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data for 1815 adult patients who underwent HoLEP at Evangelisches Krankenhaus Königin Elisabeth Herzberge, Berlin, between January 2019 and May 2024. Patients were divided into two groups according to their prostate volume: ≤149 ml (group A) and ≥150 ml (group B). Propensity score matching on age, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status, and the presence of an indwelling catheter was used to balance baseline differences. A Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous variables between the groups, and a χ 2 test for comparison of categorical variables, with p  < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Postoperative complications were assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification., Key Findings and Limitations: After propensity score matching, 163 matched cases per group were analyzed. Group B had significantly longer median total operative time (76 vs 47 min; p  < 0.001), enucleation time (42 vs 26 min; p  < 0.001), coagulation time (11 vs 6 min; p  < 0.001), and morcellation time (15 vs 7 min; p  < 0.001). Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIb complications (8.7% vs 1.2%; p  = 0.02) and blood transfusion (2.5% vs 0%; p  = 0.045) were significantly more frequent in group B. Catheterization time (1.9 vs 2.0 d; p  = 0.01) and the proportion of patients with postoperative residual urine volume ≤50 ml (85.2% vs 80.2%; p  = 0.18) were comparable between the groups. Limitations include the retrospective and single-center study design., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: Prostate volume ≥150 ml is associated with a longer operative time, a higher rate of major complications, and a more frequent need for blood transfusion. Therefore, HoLEP for prostate glands ≥150 ml should be performed in experienced high-volume centers., Patient Summary: We compared outcomes of laser surgery for enlarged prostate glands of different sizes. We found that while the surgery is generally effective for very large prostates, it takes longer and has a higher risk of complications in comparison to more typical prostate sizes. However, this procedure is still the best treatment available for prostate enlargement and should be carried out in high-volume hospitals specializing in this treatment., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Background: Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) was established 20 years ago as an alternative to Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TUR-P) based on improved morbidity in patients with benign prostate syndrome (BPS). HoLEP can be applied independently to almost all sizes of prostate glands and is recommended in national and international guidelines. Although the HoLEP procedure has a good reputation, many patients still prefer conservative treatment due to fears of side-effects such as pain and urinary incontinence. The aim of this study was to identify patients' feelings, fears and perception of their HoLEP treatment based on Patient-reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) via questionnaires., Material Und Methods: During the time period from June to December 2020, 152 consecutive patients were treated by HoLEP due to BPS and were interviewed based on questionnaires right after their surgical treatment and 3 months later concerning their satisfaction as well as micturition and continence. Based on a written informed consent, 112 patients were included in the study, and a complete 3-month follow-up was available for 88 patients., Results: The mean volume of enucleated prostate tissue was 62.1 [g] and the mean prostate volume estimated pre-operatively (trans-rectal ultrasound) was 83.1 [cm3]. Overall patient-reported satisfaction with the hospital stay including surgical treatment was 94.6%; after 3 months it was 91.8%. Concerning micturition, 76.5% of the patients reported satisfaction after surgery and 80.4% were satisfied after 3 months. Urinary incontinence was reported in 8.3% initially and in 9.1% after 3 months. Positive answers to questions concerning the quality of life index [L] were obtained in 62.1% initially and their number increased to 85.7% after 3 months. The share of negative answers decreased from 11.7% after surgery to 3.4% within the 3-month follow-up., Discussion: HoLEP is a well-established treatment of BPS with lower side-effects compared with TUR-P according to the literature. To address doubts and misgivings, it is important to perform surveys on subjective patient satisfaction after the surgical procedure and over time. The high patient satisfaction could help future patients and the urologists treating them to establish the indication for HoLEP treatment earlier in order to avoid severe LUTS or catheterization., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

To evaluate the outcomes of kidney transplantations (KTs) in the Eurotransplant Senior Program (ESP) with a focus on the very old, defined as recipients ≥75 years. This retrospective clinical study included 85 patients, who under the ESP protocol underwent deceased donor kidney transplantation from January 2010 to July 2018 at the Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin in Germany. Recipients were divided in three age groups, i.e., Group 65-69, Group 70-74, Group ≥75, and compared. Prognostic risk factors for short and long-term outcomes of kidney transplantations were investigated. Graft survival at 1 and 5 years were respectively 90.7% and 68.0% for group 65-69, 88.9% and 76.2% for Group 70-74, and 100% and 71.4% for Group ≥75. Patient survival at 1 and 5 years were respectively 92.9% and 68.0% for Group 65-69, 85.7% and 61.5% for Group 70-74 and 100% and 62.5% for Group ≥75. Serum creatinine did not significantly differ between the three groups, with the exception of serum creatinine at 1 year. Increased recipient age and prolonged time on dialysis correlated with increased occurrence of postoperative complication. An increase in BMI, pretransplant diabetes mellitus and prolonged time on dialysis correlated with the occurrence of delayed graft function (DGF). History of smoking was identified as an independent risk factor for events of rejection. Increased human leukocyte antigen mismatches (HLA-MM) and prolonged cold ischemia time (CIT) correlated with higher rates of intensive care unit (ICU) treatment. This study supports kidney transplantations for the very old. End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients ≥75 years of age who underwent kidney transplantation experienced comparable results to their younger counterparts. A comprehensive evaluation of ESRD patients with consideration of prognostic risk factor is the most suitable mean of identifying adequate kidney transplant candidates.

Background: The value of CT at the time of diagnosis for patients with cutaneous head and neck melanoma clinically asymptomatic for metastatic disease is unclear., Methods: A retrospective medical chart review was performed on 198 consecutive patients identified with primary T1b-T4b head and neck melanoma clinically asymptomatic for metastatic disease referred for sentinel lymph node biopsy procedures between 2004 and 2014., Results: Initial CTs identified clinically occult melanoma metastases in 8.1% and advanced second primary tumors in 3.5% of patients. CT findings were false-negative in 1% and false-positive in 6% of patients. Overall survival (OS) for patients with true-positive CT findings was lower than for the other patients (P < .001)., Conclusion: CT imaging when staging patients with head and neck melanoma seems to identify more metastases than has been reported for melanoma at other sites. Preoperative CTs decreased the number of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNBs), thus avoiding the stress and cost of this surgical procedure in 12% of patients., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Healthcare professionals encounter ethical dilemmas and concerns in their practice. More research is needed to understand these ethical problems and to know how to educate professionals to respond to them., Research Objective: To describe ethical dilemmas and concerns at work from the perspectives of Finnish and Dutch healthcare professionals studying at the master's level., Research Design: Exploratory, qualitative study that used the text of student online discussions of ethical dilemmas at work as data., Method: Participants' online discussions were analyzed using inductive content analysis., Participants: The sample consisted of 49 students at master's level enrolled in professional ethics courses at universities in Finland and the Netherlands., Ethical Considerations: Permission for conducting the study was granted from both universities of applied sciences. All students provided their informed consent for the use of their assignments as research data., Findings: Participants described 51 problematic work situations. Among these, 16 were found to be ethical dilemmas, and the remaining were work issues with an ethical concern and did not meet criteria of a dilemma. The most common problems resulted from concerns about quality care, safety of healthcare professionals, patients' rights, and working with too few staff and inadequate resources., Discussion: The results indicated that participants were concerned about providing quality of care and raised numerous questions about how to provide it in challenging situations. The results show that it was difficult for students to differentiate ethical dilemmas from other ethical work concerns., Conclusion: Online discussions among healthcare providers give them an opportunity to relate ethical principles to real ethical dilemmas and problems in their work as well as to critically analyze ethical issues. We found that discussions with descriptions of ethical dilemmas and concerns by health professionals provide important information and recommendations not only for education and practice but also for health policy., (© The Author(s) 2015.)

A survey of current literature on the topic of epistaxis revealed only a circumscript number of publications with a high methodologic value. The analysis of these publications showed that there is a controversy on the necessity of routine coagulation tests in epistaxis patients. These tests should only be performed in cases with clinical evidence of a coagulation disorder. Also, there is an ongoing controversy on the value of local cooling with ice or cold packs. Nasal creams and decongestive nose drops have been found to be effective in uncomplicated epistaxis. Rhinoscopically and endoscopically targeted coagulation of bleeding vessels and nasal packing are recommended treatment options. There is a debate on discontinuation of anticoagulant therapy, if INR is within normal limits in Cumadin patients. Intractable epistaxis requires a broad armamentarium of different diagnostic and therapeutic options. Recurrent epistaxis in hereditary syndromes remains to be a challenge, although some advances have been made in diagnosis and symptomatic treatment. Some new medical drugs, as Viagra or Cialis may have nosebleeds as side-effects.

Should nurses have their own ethics to match specific problems met in their daily routines? How do nurses act in a society that is changing from a 'monocultural' to an 'intercultural' structure? What are the ethical consequences of these changes for their many tasks? How can the ethical aspects be taught to nurses? This article describes the current status of nursing ethics in the curriculum taught in schools of higher education for nurses in The Netherlands. Aspects of the debate on nursing ethics are outlined and ideas about its future as a subject and discipline in nurse education are offered.