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Background We assessed preoperative pyuria as a significant predictor of intravesical recurrence (IVR) in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Patients and Methods We evaluated the data from 268 patients with UTUC without a history of bladder cancer who had undergone RNU from 2006 to 2016 at 4 academic institutions. The associations between the clinical variables and the presence of pyuria were evaluated by univariate analysis. IVR was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. Results The median postoperative follow-up of patients with IVR-free survival was 29.1 months (interquartile range, 15.4-55.3 months). The rate of IVR was significantly greater in the patients with than in those without pyuria (P = .025). Multivariate analysis showed that preoperative pyuria (hazard ratio [HR], 1.70; P = .007), a ureteral tumor site (HR, 1.64; P = .012), and positive surgical margins (HR, 2.70; P = .013) were associated with a significantly increased risk of IVR. A postoperative risk stratification model using these factors showed significant differences among the 3 subgroups of patients with low, intermediate, and high risk. The 5-year IVR-free survival rates for the patients with low, intermediate, and high risk were 69.1%, 51.8%, and 18.8%, respectively (P = .004). Conclusion Preoperative pyuria, a ureteral tumor site, and positive surgical margins were associated with a significantly increased risk of IVR. Although external validation is required, the presence of preoperative pyuria could be a significant predictor of IVR in patients with UTUC after RNU.

Background The host-related risk factors for surgical difficulty of partial nephrectomy include the presence of thick and adherent adipose tissue surrounding the kidney (adherent perinephric fat [APF]). The kidney and perirenal fat must be isolated in donor nephrectomy. Thus, APF is an important surgery-related factor. We analyzed whether the Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) score is related to APF and surgical outcomes in laparoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN). Methods Forty-six donors who underwent LESS-DN were selected. Determination of APF was based on a retrospective review of video-recorded surgical procedures during anterior perinephric fat dissection. The MAP score was evaluated from computed tomography images. Data regarding patient characteristics and operative outcomes were collected. We then examined the MAP score, APF, and related factors. Results Eleven patients (23.9%) had APF. The patients were divided into 2 groups (MAP score of 0 points and ≥ 1 point). The 2 groups showed significant differences in sex, age, body mass index, history of hypertension, and history of dyslipidemia. The operation time was significantly longer and the estimated blood loss volume was higher in patients with a MAP score of ≥ 1. Eight of 9 patients with a MAP score of ≥ 1 had APF. The only significant differences between patients with and without APF were in the body mass index, history of hypertension, and history of dyslipidemia. The operation time was significantly longer and the estimated blood loss volume was larger in patients with APF. Conclusions The MAP score could be useful when predicting surgical difficulty in patients undergoing LESS-DN.

Background Although cisplatin-based chemotherapy is a standard treatment for urothelial carcinoma, it often causes acute kidney injury (AKI). AKI and dysfunction are observed in 25–35% of cisplatin-based chemotherapy patients, who may require treatment down-titration or withdrawal. In this study, we evaluated whether urinary L-FABP is a marker for early diagnosis of cisplatin-caused AKI. Methods We included 42 adult patients who underwent cisplatin-based chemotherapy for bladder cancer or upper tract urothelial carcinoma from January 2018 to March 2019. Urinary L-FABP and serum creatinine were measured at 2 and 6 h, and 1, 2, 3, 7 and 28 days after taking cisplatin. Results In the first week after receiving cisplatin, 10 patients (23.8%) were diagnosed with AKI (AKI+ group). Pre-treatment (baseline) measurements did not significantly differ between the AKI+ and AKI− groups. However, urinary L-FABP concentrations rapidly increased in the AKI+ group and were significantly greater than in the AKI− group at Hour 2, Hour 6, Day 1 and Day 2. Serum creatinine also significantly differed between the AKI+ group and the AKI− group on Days 3 and 7. ROC analysis was performed to evaluate the superiority of urinary L-FABP magnification which had the highest at the hour 6. The urinary L-FABP magnification and levels of aria under curve was 0.977. Based on ROC analysis, the best cut-off value of urinary L-FABP magnification was 10.28 times urinary L-FABP levels at the hour 0 (base line urinary L-FABP). Conclusions Acute renal function deterioration was predicted by increased urinary L-FABP excretion within 6 h after receiving CIS-CT and, in those with AKI, the increase in urinary L-FABP excretion preceded the rise in sCr by over 2 days. In contrast, no appreciable changes in urinary L-FABP levels were observed in patients with stable renal function throughout the whole observation period. So early increase in urinary L-FABP may identify patients at risk of cisplatin-induced AKI, who might benefit from treatment to prevent nephrotoxicity. Trial registration This study was retrospectively registered.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:The ability of nephrometry scoring systems, such as the R.E.N.A.L. (radius, exophytic/ endophytic, nearness to collecting system or sinus, anterior/posterior, and locatio...

The ability of nephrometry scoring systems, including the radius, exophytic/endophytic, nearness to collecting system or sinus, anterior/posterior, and location relative to polar lines (R.E.N.A.L.), to predict loss of renal function after robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) is still controversial. Therefore, we verified which combination of factors from nephrometry scoring systems, including tumor volume, was the most significant predictor of postoperative renal function. Patients who underwent RPN for cT1 renal tumors in our hospital were reviewed retrospectively (n=163). The preoperative clinical data (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], comorbidities, and nephrometry scoring systems including R.E.N.A.L.) and perioperative outcomes were evaluated. We also calculated the tumor volume using the equation applied to an ellipsoid by three-dimensional computed tomography. The primary outcome was reduced eGFR, which was defined as an eGFR reduction of ≥20% from baseline to 6 months after RPN. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between preoperative variables and reduced eGFR. Of 163 patients, 24 (14.7%) had reduced eGFR. Multivariate analyses indicated that tumor volume (cutoff value≥14.11 cm3, indicating a sphere with a diameter≥approximately 3 cm) and tumor crossing of the axial renal midline were independent factors for reduced eGFR (odds ratio [OR], 4.57; P=0.003 and OR, 3.21; P=0.034, respectively). Our classification system using these two factors showed a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) than previous nephrometry scoring systems (AUC=0.786 vs. 0.653–0.719), and it may provide preoperative information for counseling patients about renal function after RPN.

There are several nephrometry scoring systems for predicting surgical complexity and potential perioperative morbidity. The R.E.N.A.L. scoring system, one of the most well-known nephrometry scoring systems, emphasizes the features on which it is based (Radius, Exophytic/endophytic, Nearness to collecting system or sinus, Anterior/posterior, and Location relative to polar lines). The ability of these nephrometry scoring systems to predict loss of renal function after robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) remains controversial. Therefore, we verified which combination of factors from nephrometry scoring systems, including tumor volume, was the most significant predictor of postoperative renal function. Patients who underwent RPN for cT1 renal tumors in our hospital were reviewed retrospectively (n = 163). The preoperative clinical data (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], comorbidities, and nephrometry scoring systems including R.E.N.A.L.) and perioperative outcomes were evaluated. We also calculated the tumor volume using the equation applied to an ellipsoid by three-dimensional computed tomography. The primary outcome was reduced eGFR, which was defined as an eGFR reduction of ≥ 20% from baseline to 6 months after RPN. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between preoperative variables and reduced eGFR. Of 163 patients, 24 (14.7%) had reduced eGFR. Multivariable analyses indicated that tumor volume (cutoff value ≥ 14.11 cm3, indicating a sphere with a diameter ≥ approximately 3 cm) and tumor crossing of the axial renal midline were independent factors associated with a reduced eGFR (odds ratio [OR] 4.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.69–12.30; P = 0.003 and OR 3.50; 95% CI 1.30–9.46; P = 0.034, respectively). Our classification system using these two factors showed a higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) than previous nephrometry scoring systems (AUC = 0.786 vs. 0.653–0.719), and it may provide preoperative information for counseling patients about renal function after RPN.

Introduction: Urachal remnants are relatively rare. Generally, urachal remnants are detected in young people, and the removed specimen is small, comprising a good indication for laparoscopic surgery. Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) for urachal remnants is considered to be safe and result in an excellent cosmetic outcome. Therefore, we report our single-center experience with LESS for urachal remnants. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 30 patients with urachal remnants who underwent LESS from January 2011 to December 2017. The patients’ characteristics, surgical data, postoperative pain, and cosmetic assessment results were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Results: Mean total operative time was 151 min, mean pneumoperitoneal surgery time was 83 min, and mean estimated blood loss was 5.0 mL. All patients were started on an oral diet and began ambulating on postoperative day 1. Mean hospital stay was 5.5 days. LESS was completed successfully in all patients, with no conversion to conventional or open surgery. Conclusions: LESS is a viable option for the surgical treatment of urachal remnants. This technique may result in less pain than conventional techniques. Further accumulation of surgical outcomes (especially regarding safety and cosmesis) is required for LESS to become an established treatment for urachal remnants.

Sarcopenia and osteopenia are highly prevalent in older patients, and are associated with a high risk for falls, fractures, and further functional decline. However, related factors in kidney transplant recipients suffering from osteosarcopenia, the combination of sarcopenia and osteopenia, remain unknown.Fifty-eight transplant recipients (42 men and 16 women), with a mean age of 46.6 ± 12.7 years, were enrolled in this study. Sarcopenia was diagnosed according to the criteria of the Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia. Osteopenia was diagnosed according to World Health Organization criteria using bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine. Patients who met the diagnostic criteria of both diseases were defined as having osteosarcopenia.Ten patients had osteosarcopenia. According to univariate analyses, there were significant differences between osteosarcopenia group and non osteosarcopenia group in age (P = .002), duration of dialysis (P = .013), vitamin D levels (P = .002), and MET (P = .007). There was a significant positive correlation between vitamin D level and MET (r = .464; P .001). The results of the multivariate analysis indicated that only MET was a relevant factor in osteosarcopenia.Duration of dialysis, low vitamin D levels, and physical activity after kidney transplantation were related to osteosarcopenia. These results suggested that osteosarcopenia in kidney transplant recipients is a carryover from the dialysis period.

BACKGROUND Sarcopenia, or reduced muscle mass, can be an important complication in kidney transplant recipients. The skeletal muscles were recently reported to secrete various myokines, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and myostatin, to regulate their mass, function, or both. The aim of the present study was to analyze the interrelationship between myokines (BDNF and myostatin) and skeletal muscle mass in kidney transplant recipients. METHODS The study population comprised 40 patients who underwent kidney transplantation at Kansai Medical University Hospital. Twenty patients had low skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) values, as measured on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and were categorized into 2 groups (low SMI and normal). RESULTS Mean serum BDNF levels were 15.7 ng/mL in the low SMI group and 17.8 ng/mL in the normal group (P = .013). Mean serum myostatin levels were 362 pg/mL in the low SMI and 267 pg/mL in the normal group (P = .024). There was a significant positive correlation among metabolic equivalents and serum BDNF levels (r = 0.817; P < .001) and a significant negative correlation among metabolic equivalents and serum myostatin levels (r = -0.541; P < .001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that serum BDNF and level of area under curve was 0.712, and serum myostatin level of area under the curve was 0.690. Serum BDNF and myostatin levels showed no significant difference. CONCLUSION These results suggest that BDNF and myostatin are potential biomarkers of reduced muscle mass in kidney transplant recipients.

A 71-year-old man with gross hematuria and urinary retention showed a 7×8 cm polycystic mass compressing the prostate on the right ventral side on pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was 6.47 ng/ml. Prostate biopsy histopathology was consistent with prostate ductal carcinoma. Considering the difficulty of surgical therapy, endocrine therapy was undertaken prior to surgery for seven months. Almost all of the cyst disappeared ; robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy was then successfully performed. Prostate ductal carcinoma is a relatively rare pathology for which radical prostatectomy plays an important role if the disease is localized. However, when ductal carcinoma involves large cysts, surgical treatment may be difficult. This report discusses the usefulness of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy to reduce the size of the cystic lesions.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) involves many factors that can cause frailty and oral hypofunction. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of frailty and oral hypofunction and to examine the associations among kidney function, frailty, and oral function in adults with CKD in Japan. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted at two institutions. The participants included 109 patients with CKD stages 3–5 who visited outpatient clinics or were admitted for inpatient treatment. Frailty was evaluated using the Japanese version of the Cardiovascular Health Study frailty criteria. Oral function was evaluated by assessing oral motor skills [oral diadochokinesis (ODK) rate], masticatory ability, and the repetitive saliva swallowing test. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was used to indicate kidney function. We examined the associations among kidney function, frailty, and oral function using binomial logistic regression analysis. Results In total, 31 participants (28.4%) were classified as being frail. Univariate analysis showed that age, body mass index, eGFR, and haemoglobin level were significantly associated with frailty. ODK and swallowing function were significantly associated with frailty. Multivariate analysis revealed that frailty was significantly associated with eGFR [odds ratio (OR) 0.96, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.92–1.00, p = 0.048] and ODK rate (OR 0.68, CI 0.47–0.98, p = 0.038). However, no significant association was found between CKD severity and masticatory or swallowing function. Conclusion We found a high prevalence of frailty in patients with CKD and a significant association between frailty and oral motor skills, affecting the swallowing function of patients with nondialysis CKD. The high prevalence of frailty among patients with CKD suggests that routine assessment of frailty is necessary to prevent the development of severe complications. In addition, oral and kidney function should be carefully evaluated, and oral health education and interventions should be performed for patients with CKD.

Aim Optimizing nephron supply to recipient demand is a non-immunologic determinant of renal allograft outcome. Nephron reduction is usually caused by physical donor-recipient mismatch, but its pathologic relevance remains to be determined. Methods: Thirty-one recipients of living donor renal transplants were divided into three subgroups: those who received transplants from the same gender (n = 6, Group 1) and those who underwent male-to-female (n = 8, Group 2) and female-to-male (n = 17, Group 3) transplants. Renal mass was evaluated by three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) volumetry before and one year after transplantation. Glomerular volume was determined from protocol biopsies obtained one hour and one year after transplantation. Results Histologically determined glomerular volume in biopsied tissues showed a significant linear correlation with allograft size on 3D-CT volumetry (p

Sarcopenia is an involuntary decline in skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function that normally proceed with aging but may develop faster under some chronic disease conditions. In this study, we compared the physical activity between sarcopenia and non-sarcopenia subgroups in kidney transplant recipients. Fifty-eight recipients (42 males and 16 females) were enrolled in this study. Mean age of the recipients was 46.6 ± 12.7 years. Mean duration of dialysis was 2.8 ± 4.0 years. Diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia referred to those of the Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia. The physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the intensity of physical activity was expressed in metabolic equivalents (MET). Based on the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) as well as functional index (HGS, walking speed), the participants were classified into the three subgroups: 12 patients (20.7%) with sarcopenia (Group 1), 25 (43.1%) with presarcopenia (Group 2), and 21 (36.2%) non-sarcopenia (Group 3). Analysis with ANOVA and pairwise comparisons showed that physical activity measured as total MET-min/week was significantly greater in Group 2 (1292 ± 633) than in Group (1484 ± 262). Moreover, physical activity of Group 3 (2461 ± 1339)-min/week was significantly greater than those of Groups 1 and 2. Our data indicate that physical activity is restricted under presarcopenia and sarcopenia after kidney transplantation. Considering that the recipient age is now increasing, proper management of sarcopenia may become more crucial to improve the kidney survival and lifetime prognosis of the kidney transplant recipients.

Introduction Sarcopenia is characterized by an involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and function. Previous studies suggest that it is generally associated with aging and chronic kidney diseases. The focus of this study was on the association between sarcopenia and pre-sarcopenia in kidney transplant recipients. Methods Fifty-one patients who underwent kidney transplantation at Kansai Medical University Hospital were enrolled, and their sarcopenia status was evaluated between April and July 2016. Sarcopenia was defined according to the criteria for the Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia. Skeletal muscle mass index was measured by using dual-energy radiograph absorptiometry; the cutoff points were Results Fifty-one recipients (36 men and 15 women) who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study. The mean age of the recipients was 46.2 ± 12.8 years, and the mean duration of dialysis was 2.72 ± 3.61 years. Overall, 6 recipients (11.8%) had sarcopenia, and 25 recipients (49.0%) had pre-sarcopenia; 20 (39.2%) did not have sarcopenia. There were significant differences in age, duration of dialysis, body mass index, and triglyceride levels between the subgroups of recipients with and without sarcopenia. Multivariate regression analysis showed that age and duration of dialysis were independent variables for sarcopenic status. Conclusions Our observations indicate that age and duration of dialysis before transplantation were independent determinants of sarcopenia and pre-sarcopenia in these kidney transplant recipients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the cosmetic outcomes of laparoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) and conventional laparoscopy (CL) in the treatment of ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) and urachal remnant removal. LESS is thought to produce better cosmetic results than CL; however, patients' perception of their scars has not been assessed. This study compared the subjective body image and cosmesis ratings of patients who had undergone LESS or CL for UPJO and urachal remnant removal.Fifty patients who underwent LESS or CL for UPJO or urachal remnant removal between June 2008 and June 2015 were included. Cosmetic outcomes were evaluated using the Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ) and Photo-Series Questionnaire (PSQ).The body image and cosmetic scores were significantly higher for patients who underwent LESS than for those who underwent CL, for both pyeloplasty and urachal remnant removal (p .05 each). When performed for either a pyeloplasty or urachal remnant removal, significantly greater BIQ and PSQ scores were observed in females after LESS compared to CL, but not in males.LESS for UPJO and urachal remnant removal has better self-reported body image and cosmesis ratings than CL. This trend is particularly strong in female patients.

Objective To compare the clinical outcomes between nephroscope-assisted “pulling thread” technique (NPT) and conventional open placement (OP) of catheters in peritoneal dialysis patients. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed 97 consecutive patients undergoing either NPT (n = 57) or OP (n = 40) for peritoneal dialysis catheter placement from March 2007 to May 2015. The operation-related data, early catheter-related complications, and long-term catheter survival were analyzed. Results The overall early catheter-related complication rate was lower in NPT compared with OP (P = .0035). Furthermore, OP had a significantly higher rate of catheter migration than NPT (15.0% vs 3.5%, respectively, P = .042). Patients undergoing NPT had better catheter survival than those undergoing OP, with 1-year survival rates of 93.5% and 81.1%, and 2-year survival rates of 83.0% and 63.3%, respectively (P = .007). Conclusion NPT exhibited superiority to OP in terms of the postoperative early complication rate and catheter survival. This novel technique would thus be ideal for peritoneal dialysis catheter placement.

Purpose: Urinary biomarkers of renal injury urinary may identify loss of renal function following nephron-sparing surgery (NSS). This study was designed to evaluate whether urinary l-type fatty acid-binding protein (l-FABP) is an early biomarker of loss of renal function after NSS. Specifically, the kinetics of urinary l-FABP level after NSS and its correlation with factors related to ischemic renal injury were analyzed. Methods: This study prospectively evaluated 18 patients who underwent NSS between July and December 2014, including 12 who underwent laparoscopic and six who underwent robot-assisted partial nephrectomy. Urinary l-FABP concentrations were measured preoperatively and 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after renal artery declamping. Loss of renal function loss was calculated by comparing the effective renal plasma flow, as determined by 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) clearance, on the operated and normal sides. The decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate from before surgery to six months after surgery was also measured. Results: Urinary l-FABP concentration peaked within 2 h of declamping, which may quantify nephron damage caused by ischemia. The decrease in MAG3 reduction ratio correlated with both the ischemia time and peak urinary l-FABP concentration. Peak urinary l-FABP concentration showed a significant correlation with MAG3 reduction ratio. Conclusions: l-FABP is a suitable urinary biomarker for predicting the extent of ischemic renal injury.

Background This study used a questionnaire to objectively assess the body image of donors who underwent conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (L-DN) or laparoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN). Surgical outcomes were compared between the two groups. Methods Twenty patients underwent L-DN and 20 underwent LESS-DN. The postoperative outcomes of the two approaches were retrospectively compared and evaluated for differences in cosmesis and body image. The questionnaire comprised a body image questionnaire, including a body image scale (BIS) and cosmetic scale (CS), and a photo-series questionnaire (PSQ). A higher score indicated a more favorable assessment. Pain was assessed by comparing the number of times an analgesic was administered during hospitalization. Results There were no significant differences in operative outcomes between L-DN and LESS-DN. The average BIS score (maximum possible, 20 points) was 18.5 points for patients who underwent L-DN and 19.5 points for patients who underwent LESS-DN (P = .025). Patients who underwent L-DN had a median CS score (maximum possible, 24 points) of 17.5 points, whereas patients who underwent LESS-DN had a median CS score of 19.0 points (P = .113). The average PSQ score was 7.1 points for patients who underwent L-DN and 8.8 points for patients who underwent LESS-DN (P = .01). Patients who underwent LESS-DN were administered an analgesic was significantly number of times less than patients who underwent DN (P = .01). Conclusions LESS-DN results in a better body image and better cosmetic appearance than does L-DN, indicating the clinical usefulness of LESS-DN.

Various systemic inflammatory response biomarkers are associated with oncological outcome. We evaluated the superiority of prognostic predictive accuracy between neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), and the prognostic significance of their perioperative change in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy (RC). We retrospectively analyzed 302 patients who had undergone RC in four institutions. Comparison of predictive accuracy between NLR and LMR was performed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. Preoperative and postoperative LMR showed higher predictive accuracy for OS than NLR did (p = 0.034). Applying a cutoff of 3.41, change in perioperative LMR stratified patients into three groups (low, intermediate, and high risk), showing a significant difference in OS and CSS (p

Measuring muscle mass is an important step in detecting sarcopenia. The evaluation of sarcopenia is also important for kidney transplant recipients. Methods for estimating muscle mass have been established using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, which are considered the gold standards. But these methods are invasive and costly, and there is a need for a more practical and simple method using blood samples from kidney transplant recipients. The study population was 62 patients who underwent kidney transplantation at Kansai Medical University Hospital, and were evaluated from August to October 2017. Muscle mass was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum creatinine and cystatin C levels were measured by immunoassay. We analyzed 62 transplant recipients who met the inclusion criteria (20 females and 42 males, mean age of 45.6 ± 12.7 years). The creatinine/cystatin C ratio in the male group was > 1, whereas the creatinine/cystatin C ratio in the female group was

Laparoendoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESSDN) is a feasible and effective procedure because of its non-invasiveness and better cosmetic outcomes. However, there have been few multi-institutional studies conducted by multiple surgeons on LESSDN. We retrospectively compared the clinical data and outcomes between LESSDN and conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (LDN) at multiple institutes in Japan. From 2009 to 2015, the clinical data of 223 donors who underwent LESSDN and 151 donors who underwent LDN were collected from 10 institutes. All LESSDNs were performed transperitoneally, whereas LDNs were performed transperitoneally (P-LDN) in 75 patients and retroperitoneally (R-LDN) in 76 patients. In the LESSDN group, the single-incision site was pararectal in 155 (69.5%) patients and umbilical in 65 (29.1%) patients. Multiple surgeons (one to eight per institute) performed the LESSDN. No significant differences were observed between the three groups regarding estimated blood loss and warm ischemic time. The operative time was significantly shorter in the LESSDN group than in the R-LDN group (p = 0.018). No significant differences were observed regarding the rates of blood transfusion, open conversion, visceral injuries, and postoperative complications. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed regarding the dose of analgesic and the rate of delayed graft function. One patient required open conversion due to injury to the renal artery. Selection of LESS procedure was not an independent risk factor for the median serum creatinine level of above 1.27 mg/dL in recipients at 1 year after kidney transplantation. The results showed the technical feasibility of LESSDN compared with the standard LDNs in a multi-institutional and multi-surgeon setting. A few observed non-negligible complications and the significantly higher levels of serum creatinine in patients who underwent LESSDN indicate that this procedure should be employed cautiously when performed by surgeons without ample experience in performing LESS procedures.

We report a patient with seminoma which recurred as late relapse at the pelvis with elevated alphafetoprotein (AFP) levels. A 40-year-old man presented with a left testicular tumor and subsequently underwent high orchiectomy in 2006. Pathological findings showed that the tumor was a seminoma with invasion into the tunica albuginea (pT2N0M0). Seven years after surgery, computed tomography showed a 12×8.7 mm, well-circumscribed, pelvic cystic tumor, and AFP and human chorionic gonadotropin levels were elevated. He was clinically diagnosed with recurrent testicular cancer. Despite the fact that the patient had four courses of bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP), the tumor enlarged and AFP levels were still elevated. Therefore, we performed open excision of the pelvic tumor. Judging from the pathological report, we made the final diagnosis of mature cystic teratoma. The patient was free of recurrence or metastasis within 48 months of follow-up.

Radical prostatectomy is associated with complications including urinary incontinence. A significant association between specific features of the vesicourethral anastomosis and urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy has been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to identify the most useful predictor of postoperative urinary incontinence after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) according to the features of the vesicourethral anastomosis as determined by postoperative cystography.The final study cohort consisted of 150 patients. Postoperative cystography was performed within 1 week after RALP. The ratio between the longitudinal and horizontal lengths (L/H) of the bladder, the position of the urethrovesical junction (UVJ) and the bladder neck angle as seen on the cystogram were evaluated. Postoperative continence status was evaluated by a 1 h pad test 1 day after catheter removal and by the use of safety pads, retrieved retrospectively from patient records. The association between these variables and urinary incontinence was then analyzed. All patients were followed for at least 1 year postoperatively.The continence rates on the 1 h pad test and 1 month and 1 year after RALP were 31.3%, 56% and 93.3%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, urinary incontinence was significantly associated with nerve sparing, L/H and the vesical angle as determined on the 1 h pad test, but only with the vesical angle at 1 month and 1 year postoperatively.A narrow vesical angle measured on cystography is a useful predictor of postoperative urinary incontinence after RALP.

To evaluate safety and excellent cosmetic outcome with laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). In this study, we compared the usefulness and efficacy of LESS versus conventional laparoscopic surgery for the treatment of urachal remnants.We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 20 consecutive patients who underwent either conventional laparoscopic surgery or LESS from January 2007 to February 2015 at Kansai Medical University Hospital. Ten patients underwent surgery using the standard laparoscopic 3-port technique, and 10 patients underwent LESS. The patients included 12 males and 8 females (mean age, 24.5 years; range, 10-68 years). The patients' characteristics, surgical data, and postoperative pain assessment results were retrospectively collected and analyzed.The median operative time, pneumoperitoneal surgery time, and estimated blood loss did not differ between the LESS and conventional laparoscopic groups. However, the total incision length was longer in the conventional laparoscopic group than in the LESS group. The degree of pain at 2 to 5 days postoperatively according to the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale was lower in the LESS group than in the conventional laparoscopic group (p0.05).Less is a possible option in the surgical treatment for urachal remnants. In this very small cohort, there is no conversion to traditional laparoscopic surgery or open surgery. This technique is possibly feasible and may achieve less pain. Accumulation of surgical outcomes especially in safety and cosmesis is required to be an established method.

Computed tomography (CT) is considered the gold standard method for the diagnosis and characterization of sarcopenia. The aim of the present study was to determine the correlation between the volume of psoas muscle measured using CT and the measurement of muscle mass with dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioimpedance analysis (BIA) in kidney transplant recipients.Fifty-eight recipients (42 males and 16 females) were enrolled. Diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia were according to those of the Asia Working Group for Sarcopenia. The volume of psoas muscle was extracted using image recognition software from three-dimensional CT images.The volume of psoas muscle was 227.2 ± 61.3 mL in Group 1 (sarcopenia), 283.9 ± 75.3 mL in Group 2 (presarcopenia), and 363.7 ± 138.0 mL in Group 3 (without sarcopenia). Muscle mass measured using DXA was 15.80 ± 3.19 kg in Group 1, 16.36 ± 2.49 kg in Group 2, and 21.21 ± 4.14 kg in Group 3. Additionally, muscle mass assessed using BIA was 17.22 ± 4.11 kg in Group 1, 17.86 ± 3.30 kg in Group 2, and 21.48 ± 5.39 kg in Group 3. There were significant differences in the mean volume of psoas muscle between the 3 groups. There was a significant positive correlation between the volume of psoas muscle and the muscle mass assessed using DXA (r = 0.797; P .001) and BIA (r = 0.761; P .001). Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between DXA and BIA (r = 0.900; P .001).It was suggested that estimating muscle mass using DXA and BIA is a preferred method for diagnosis of sarcopenia in kidney transplant recipients.

Objective To determine whether conservative management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an appropriate option for patients with bladder stones. Methods The study cohort comprised 34 men who underwent endoscopic bladder stone removal with subsequent conservative management of BPH, including watchful waiting and medical therapy (alpha-blocker ± dutasteride), between April 2006 and January 2014. We recorded BPH-related complications after stone removal and compared International Prostate Symptom Scores, quality of life scores, and postvoid residual urine volume before and after treatment. Cumulative BPH-related complication-free survival and the preoperative parameters associated with the occurrence of BPH-related complications were also analyzed. Results Twenty-six patients (76.5%) treated with conservative management had no BPH-related complications, during a mean follow-up of 52.6 ± 30.9 months. Mean International Prostate Symptom Scores fell from 13.5 ± 7.1 before treatment to 9.7 ± 6.3 after treatment ( P = .025). One of the 34 patients (2.9%) experienced recurrent urinary infections, 2 (5.9%) had urinary retention, and 6 (17.6%) developed recurrent bladder stones. The cumulative BPH-related complication-free survival was 97.0% at 1 year, 81.8% at 3 years, and 70.5% at 5 years. Six of the men (17.6%) underwent invasive intervention for BPH after occurrence of these complications. Prostate volume was the only preoperative parameter associated with the occurrence of complications after stone removal ( P = .035). Conclusion Conservative management of BPH can be an appropriate treatment option in men with bladder stones and concurrent mild-to-moderate lower urinary tract symptoms.

The laparoscopic management of urachal remnants has gradually become a common practice. Recently, laparoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), a minimally invasive approach that provides excellent cosmetic results, has been adopted in several surgical procedures for treating urachal remnants. However, when suturing the bladder wall or peritoneal defect during LESS it may be difficult to conduct the procedure manually, and such cases require an additional port for suturing. Our strategy, however, employs a knot pusher to perform the suturing without the need for an additional port. We compared and examined the perioperative parameters of the patients with the additional port and one without it (knot-pusher group). For the additional-port and knot-pusher groups, the average operative time, was 146.8 and 161.7 minutes respectively, pneumoperitoneal surgery time was 90.8 and 88.0 minutes, respectively, suturing time for the bladder wall was 577 and 502 seconds, respectively suturing time for peritoneal defect was 758 vs 779 seconds, respectively, and estimated blood loss was 19 and 9.6 ml, respectively ; there being no significant difference between the two groups. We report our knot-pusher method because it can achieve comparable results without compromising the surgical outcome.

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sexual activity and sexual function using questionnaires distributed to middle-aged Japanese patients with localized prostate cancer.A total of 145 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy were enrolled in the survey reported on herein. Sexual activity and sexual function were investigated via the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) and an original self-reported questionnaire.Of participants, 24.1% and 20.7% had sexual activity within a month period as investigated via the EPIC and original questionnaire, respectively. However, 29.7% of all those who reported sexual activity rate reported "about once every 2 months to a year," as shown in the original questionnaire. Regarding sexual function as addressed through EPIC, no results within that questionnaire's measure of sexual function showed significant differences among patients with a rate of actual sexual activity.The present survey showed that more than quarter of preoperative middle-aged Japanese prostate cancer patients surveyed had actual sexual activity, though not within the preceding 4 weeks. To precisely evaluate sexual function of middle-aged Japanese patients, it is necessary to consider actual sexual activity.

Examination of the pyelocaliceal system using a flexible ureteroscope necessitates accurate orientation of the tip of the instrument. This study assessed the use of a novel real-time ureteroscopic navigation system in a pyelocaliceal phantom.The navigation system used a magnetic tracking device to determine the position of the ureteroscope in a pyelocaliceal phantom and displayed the position of the endoscope on a three-dimensional image that could be rotated. Twenty-eight urologists were divided into group A and group B (seven novice surgeons and seven experienced surgeons in each group). All participants were asked to examine the phantom and identify the positions of three designated calices, without the navigation system (Task 1) and with the navigation system (Task 2). In group A, participants performed Task 1 followed by Task 2. In group B, participants performed Task 2 followed by Task 1. The accuracy rate (AR) of identifying the calices, migration length (ML) of the tip of the ureteroscope, and time (T) taken to complete the task were recorded. The results were compared between Task 1 and Task 2, and between novice and experienced surgeons.The AR for Task 2 was 100% in both group A and group B. The AR was significantly lower in Task 1 than in Task 2 for both novice and experienced surgeons in both groups (group A: novice P=0.016, experienced P=0.034; group B: novice P=0.015, experienced P=0.015; Wilcoxon test). In Group A, T was significantly longer in Task 1 than in Task 2 for experienced surgeons. There were no significant differences in ML or T between novice and experienced surgeons.Our novel ureteroscopic navigation system improved the accuracy of ureteroscopic maneuvers. Further development of this system for use in clinical ureteroscopic procedures is planned.

Introduction: No studies have shown whether the enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol is superior to the conventional protocol after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP). We compared intestinal function and perioperative parameters of patients with prostate cancer after the ERAS and conventional protocols to determine the superior protocol for recovery of intestinal function. Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 198 consecutive patients who underwent RALP between August 2013 and June 2015 was conducted. Our study design included 2 cohorts. Patients underwent conventional care in one group (n = 123) and the ERAS protocol in the other group (n = 75). The primary outcome was the time to first defecation. Secondary outcomes were perioperative parameters and the complication rate. Results: The ERAS group showed a significantly shorter time to first defecation than did the conventional group (p = 0.006). Multivariate analysis showed that selection of the ERAS protocol was significantly associated with the number of days for first time to defecation. Conclusions: Successful application of an ERAS protocol was applied to our patients who underwent RALP and did not have major complications. The ERAS protocol included enhanced intestinal recovery. The ERAS group showed a significantly shorter time to first defecation than did the conventional group.

OBJECTIVE To assess the prognostic value of perioperative changes in the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 323 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy at our institutions. Overall survival was assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS Preoperative and postoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios were significantly correlated with overall survival (both P = 0.0001). Changes in perioperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio stratified the patients into two groups, designated favorable- and poor-risk groups, with significantly different 5-year overall survival rates (75.1% and 41.4%, respectively; P

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is the common pre-malignant B cell disorders with a general prevalence of 3–5 % at age over 50. Because of the potential malignant transformation and immune insufficiency, pre-transplant MGUS recipient should be carefully followed after allograft transplantation. The post-transplant prognosis and quality of life (QOL) in patient with MGUS have not yet been fully determined. The aim of this study is to evaluate function and pathology of the renal allograft and self-assessment QOL changes during 2 years after transplantation in our case of MGUS-bearing recipient. We here studied the clinical course and QOL improvement before and 20 months after transplant in a 56-year-old woman, who had pre-existing MGUS and underwent living donor kidney transplantation. After the renal allograft transplant, the patients maintained normal GFR and had neither acute rejections nor histologic evidence of renal injuries related to the monoclonal gammopathy on the protocol biopsy of 1 year post-transplant. During further 20 months follow-up, the pre-transplant MGUS remained uneventful without any hematologic abnormalities and other medical complications, i.e., infection. Evaluation of QOL using a self-assessment questionnaire showed significant improvement for physical and mental items on both 6 and 18 months post-transplant. The renal transplant thus successfully provided a greater satisfaction for the recipient on both physical and mental health aspects. Our observations suggest that renal transplantation is beneficial even in those who had pre-existing MGUS if managed and followed carefully, which ultimately could significantly improve the patient QOL.

BACKGROUND Live donor pre-transplant and recipient post-transplant kidney volumes based on three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) have been related to post-transplant renal function. We examined this association and the effect of sex/size differences between donor and recipient on kidney growth rate. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 30 live donors who underwent pre-transplant and post-transplant 3DCT. We determined donor (Dvol) and recipient renal volumes (Rvol) based on 3DCT and calculated changes in graft volume after transplantation (Vol-ratio). We also divided Dvol by recipient body weight (Dvol/RWgt) and compared the correlations between Vol-ratio and Dvol/RWgt and post-transplant renal function after one yr. We determined the rates of change in kidney volume and renal function according to the sexes of the donor and recipient. RESULTS The mean Dvol and Rvol were 141.7 and 178.4 mL, respectively. The mean Vol-ratio was 127.3%. Dvol/RWgt showed a significant linear correlation with remaining renal function after one yr (r = 0.6745, p < 0.0001). The combination of female donor and male recipient resulted in the fastest increase in kidney volume (p < 0.001) and highest level of proteinuria (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Pre-transplant and post-transplant kidney volumes are correlated with post-transplant graft function, and graft growth is affected by the relative sexes of the recipient and donor.

Renin-angiotensin system blockade has been effective for the treatment of patients with several types of malignancy. This study evaluated the prognostic impact of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors, including angiotensin-2 converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin 2 receptor blockers, in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy. This retrospective study included 269 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy. The oncologic outcomes of patients treated or not treated with renin-angiotensin system inhibitors after surgery were evaluated. Overall survival and cancer-specific survival were assessed by the Kaplan–Meier method and by Cox regression analysis. The median follow-up duration after radical cystectomy in survivors was 44.5 months. The 5-year, cancer-specific survival rates in patients who did and did not receive renin-angiotensin system inhibitors were 79.0 and 66.4 %, respectively (P = 0.011). Similarly, the 5-year overall survival rates were 76.1 and 61.4 %, respectively (P = 0.0097). Multivariable analyses showed that use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors was an independent prognostic factor for cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio 0.47, P = 0.036) and for overall survival (hazard ratio 0.36, P = 0.022). Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors significantly reduced the risks of cancer-specific and overall mortality after radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer. Renin-angiotensin system inhibitors may improve oncologic outcomes in high-risk patients with bladder cancer.

To evaluate the role of intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) as a predictive factor for adverse clinical outcomes in patients treated with dutasteride for lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE).In total, 111 patients treated with dutasteride for symptomatic BPE were analyzed. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression was applied to evaluate predictors for acute urinary retention (AUR) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)-related surgery. We applied an IPP cutoff value of 10 mm. The clinical variables were assessed using univariate analysis.Of 111 patients, 27 (24.3%) developed AUR or required surgical intervention. On multivariate analysis, IPP remained as the independent predictor for AUR and need for BPH-related surgery (odds ratio, 1.27; P .001). Both international prostate symptom score and maximum urinary flow rate significantly improved in patients with low IPP (P = .03 and P .001, respectively), but not in those with high IPP. No significant reduction was found in the degree of IPP despite the significant reduction in prostate volume after dutasteride treatment (P = .84 and P .001, respectively). The 3-year cumulative incidence of AUR or BPH-related surgery in the low IPP group vs the high IPP group was 9.9% vs 71.5%, respectively (P .001).High IPP is associated with a higher risk of treatment resistance, AUR, or the need for prostatic surgery in patients receiving dutasteride treatment for symptomatic BPE. Dutasteride might not be effective for IPP reduction.

A 24-year-old man with end-stage renal disease secondary to congenital renal hypoplasia under-went a preemptive renal transplant. Although a vascular complication occurred during surgery, the operation was completed satisfactorily. However, postoperative Doppler ultrasound showed no perfusion of the renal artery, vein, and parenchyma, indicating a transplant renal artery thrombosis. A reoperation was promptly performed, with systemic infusion of recombinant-tissue-plasminogen activator during graft nephrectomy, followed by a reimplant that resulted in a salvage allograft. Immediate thrombolysis using systemically infused recombinant-tissue-plasminogen activator may be an effective treatment option for transplant renal artery thrombosis after renal transplant.

Using a questionnaire, we objectively assessed the body image of donors who underwent conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (L-DN) or laparoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN). Subjects were 15 patients who underwent an L-DN and 15 who underwent an LESS-DN. The questionnaire consisted of the Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), including a Body Image Scale (BIS) and Cosmetic Scale (CS), and a Photo-Series Questionnaire (PSQ). A higher score indicated a more favorable assessment, and patient scores were compared. Subjects were also asked which procedure they preferred if they had to undergo donor nephrectomy again. Pain was assessed by comparing the number of times an analgesic was administered during hospitalization. The average BIS score was 18.7 points (out of 20) for patients who underwent an L-DN and 19.5 points for patients who underwent an LESS-DN ; those who underwent an LESS-DN had a significantly higher score (p=0.03). Patients who underwent an L-DN had a median CS score of 17.5 points (out of 24) while patients who underwent an LESS-DN had a median CS score of 19.1 points ; those who underwent an LESS-DN had a higher score, but the difference in average CS scores was not significant (p=0.123). The average PSQ score was 7.1 points for patients who underwent an L-DN and 8.8 points for patients who underwent an LESS-DN ; the higher score for LESS-patients was statistically significant (p=0.01). Patients who underwent an L-DN were administered an analgesic a median of 4 times during hospitalization (range : 3-10 times) while patients who underwent an LESS-DN were administered an analgesic a median of 2 times (range : 0-4 times), which was significantly less (p=0.01). Patients who underwent LESS-DN had a better body image and better cosmetic appearance than those who underwent LDN, thus indicating the usefulness of LESS-DN. However, a more prospective larger study needs to be performed.

Objective: To evaluate the ability of preoperative lymphocyte–monocyte ratio to predict prognosis and determine post-operative risk stratification in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy. Methods: A retrospective review of the 210 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy for bladdercancer from 2006 to 2013 identified 181 patients with sufficient data to evaluate the prognostic significance of the lymphocyte–monocyte ratio. Overall survival was assessed by the Kaplan– Meier method. The association of clinicopathological findings with overall survival was evaluated by a multivariate Cox proportional model, and a novel risk stratification model to predict prognosis was established. Results: Median follow-up after radical cystectomy was 6.0 years. The 5-year overall survival rate was significantly lower for patients with low than high lymphocyte–monocyte ratio (27.6 vs 80.7%, P< 0.001). Multivariable analyses showed that pT ≥2, pN ≥1, positive margins and low lymphocyte– monocyte ratio were independent predictors of overall survival. A post-operative risk stratification model using these factors showed significant differences among the three subgroups (low, intermediate and high risk) with a concordance index of 0.84. The 5-year overall survival rates in patients at low, intermediate and high risk were 85.4, 45.5 and 0%, respectively (P< 0.001). Conclusions: Preoperative lymphocyte–monocyte ratio, pathological tumor and lymph node stage and positive margins are significantly associated with overall survival in patients who have undergone radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

Objectives To compare diameter–axial–polar nephrometry score with RENAL nephrometry score for surgical outcomes after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed data from 134 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, using diameter–axial–polar and RENAL scores. We analyzed data for warm ischemic time and estimated blood loss intraoperatively, and percentage change in estimated glomerular filtration rate 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. Both scores were classified as low-, middle- and high-risk, and were used to compare the three analyzed parameters. Results The median tumor size was 2.3 cm (range 1.0–5.4 cm); warm ischemic time was 25.4 min (range 6.5–57 min); and at 6 months and 1 year, percentage change in estimated glomerular filtration rate was 93% (range 51.7–133.3%) and 91% (range 49.4–137.6%), respectively. There were no significant differences in warm ischemic time and estimated blood loss for RENAL between risk groups (P = 0.38 and 0.09, respectively), but significant differences between groups for diameter–axial–polar score (P = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). There were no significant differences in either score between groups for percentage change in estimated glomerular filtration rate at 6 months and 1 year. A total of 27 high-risk cases with a diameter–axial–polar score of seven points underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy safely; all three cases with a diameter–axial–polar score of eight points were converted to open partial nephrectomy. Conclusions Diameter–axial–polar score seems to estimate the complexity of tumor characteristics in patients undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy better than RENAL score. It has a better correlation with warm ischemic time and estimated blood loss.

Background In living donor kidney transplantation, the decision regarding which donor kidney to transplant is based on characteristics such as vascular anatomy and split renal function (SRF). Computed tomography (CT) was used to assess vascular anatomy and renal scintigraphy was used to evaluate SRF. The ability of split renal volume (SRV) calculated from volumetric examination of CT scans and that of SRF of renal scintigrams derived from Tc-99m mercaptoacetyltriglycine-3 (MAG3) renography to predict donor residual single kidney function after donor nephrectomy were compared. Material and Methods CT images and renal scintigrams from 35 live kidney donors who had at least 1 year post-donation renal function follow-up were analyzed. Results Predonation GFR was 99.1 ± 17.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . The average right and left kidney volumes were 138.8 ± 29.4 mL and 136.1 ± 29.2 mL, respectively. SRV was strongly and significantly correlated with SRF-MAG3 (r = 0.714). The residual renal functions predicted from calculating SRV and SRF-MAG3 were 46.2 ± 8.3 mL/min/1.73 m 2 and 46.0 ± 9.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , respectively. Both SRV (r = 0.708) and SRF-MAG3 (r = 0.634) showed significant linear correlations with residual renal function after 1 year, with SRV showing a stronger correlation. Conclusion Calculating SRV from predonation CT examination is a valid method to estimate postdonation renal function after 1 year. CT volumetry may become a standard method in the near future.

Objectives To evaluate the results of retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy with transient occlusion of the renal artery for treatment of patients with small renal tumors. Methods From May 2002 to March 2003, 12 consecutive patients with T1N0M0 renal tumors with a median diameter of 3.0 cm underwent retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy. The renal artery was clamped transiently without occlusion of the renal vein and the tumor was excised with scissors. Intracorporeal renal cooling was achieved by cold saline perfusion of the renal pelvis through a single- J ureteral catheter. Hemostasis was achieved by approximating the renal parenchyma over the perirenal fatty tissue using a retroperitoneoscopic suturing technique. Results Of the 12 patients, 11 successfully underwent partial nephrectomy retroperitoneoscopically. The median operative time, renal ischemic time, and amount of blood loss in the successful procedures was 220 minutes (range 132 to 340), 50 minutes (range 16 to 115), and 150 mL (range 50 to 800), respectively. The renal calix was opened and repaired in 10 patients. The surgical margin was negative in all patients. The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients, and the return to work was achieved in a median of 18 days (range 9 to 39). The renal function of the affected kidney was well preserved postoperatively, when examined by renal scintigraphy. Neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis was found during the median follow-up period of 10 months (range 1 to 18). Conclusions Retroperitoneoscopic partial nephrectomy with transient occlusion of the renal artery is a useful and less-invasive method for resection of small renal tumors. Additional technologic developments to reduce ischemic times and to cool the kidneys laparoscopically are required.

Renal allograft rupture (RAR) is a rare but serious complication of renal transplantation. The most common cause of RAR is acute rejection but other causes have increased in frequency with advances in immunosuppressive therapy. We report a patient with RAR attributed to coughing while asleep. A 53-year-old male received a living-donor renal transplantation for end-stage renal failure due to diabetic nephropathy. The clinical course was satisfactory, and he was discharged on the 12th postoperative day with a serum creatinine level of 1.24 mg/dl. On the 24th morning, he felt sudden swelling and pain over the incision area soon after a big cough. Ultrasound and computed tomography revealed a perinephric hematoma. Emergency surgical exploration showed complete laceration of the abdominal fascia and 4-cm rupture at the anterolateral aspect of the kidney. High intra-abdominal pressure when coughing had torn the fascia, and the graft appeared to have ruptured under the fascial tension. Bleeding was controlled with a polyglactin 910 2/0 mattress parenchymal suture enforced with application of a fibrin tissue-adhesive collagen fleece. Twelve months after the repair, the patient's renal function was stable with a serum creatinine level of 1.3 mg/dl.

To facilitate the spread of safe techniques in laparoscopic surgery, in medical faculties in Japan we created two forms for laparoscopic nephrectomy and prostatectomy that consisted of a global rating scale (GS) and our task checklist (TS) using objective structured assessment of technical skill (OSATS). We examined the correlation between the global rating scale total score (GS) and the task checklist total score (TS), and the difference in GS and TS between the instructor' s assessment and the practitioner' s self-assessment, and compared the differences in the scores at each operative step. GS was found to be closely correlated with TS (P0.05). Where there were differences between GS and TS, the instructor-assessed GS was higher than the self-assessed score in nephrectomy (P0.05). However, there was no significant difference between instructor- and self-assessed scores in prostatectomy. In nephrectomy, the instructor-assessed score was higher than the self-assessed score (P0.05) for "creation of an operating field" and "dissection of surrounding tissue of the kidney". Assessment forms created using OSATS would be useful for quantifying the surgical skill in laparoscopic surgery. In the future, we plan to use the assessment forms to assist in surgical education and assessment.

A 47-year-old women referred to our hospital with sudden left lower abdominal pain and state of shock in April 2006. Computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed a retroperitoneal hematoma and we suspected a renal tumor or angio myolipoma but enhanced CT scan show bleeding from a left renal artery. We perfomed left renal artery angiography and admitted a arteryal stenosis. Finally we diagnosed renal artery aneurysm caused by fibromuscular dysplasia. We performed left radical nephrectomy on the same day. We report the details of this case.

We report herein a case of a patient with high-flow priapism for whom a gelatin sponge was used as a temporary occlusive agent in arterial embolization, resulting in favorable outcome. The American Urological Association guideline on the management of priapism recommends using temporary occlusive agents. We reviewed all reports published after the introduction of this guideline to compare temporary and permanent occlusive agents in terms of symptom improvement and onset of erectile dysfunction. The rate of symptom improvement differed significantly between temporary and permanent embolizing materials, but no significant difference was apparent in the rate of erectile function improvement.

Prostatic neuroendocrine (NE) carcinoma is a rare disease and the NE differentiation in prostate cancer is characterized by poor prognosis, rapidly progressing tumor and an androgen-independent state, for which there is currently no successful therapy. Herein, we report a case of NE differentiatiated prostatic cancer, which metastasized to the base of tongue, intraorbit and brain stem. This is the first Japanese report of prostate cancer metastasis to the brain stem and base of the tongue.