Discrimination, Reliability, Sensitivity, and Specificity of Robotic Surgical Proficiency Assessment With Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills and Binary Scoring Metrics: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To compare binary metrics and Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills (GEARS) evaluations of training outcome assessments for reliability, sensitivity, and specificity.

Background: GEARS-Likert-scale skills assessment are a widely accepted tool for robotic surgical training outcome evaluations. Proficiency-based progression (PBP) training is another methodology but uses binary performance metrics for evaluations.

A low cost-video assisted-pneumatic oto-endoscopy system.

Pneumatic otoscopes do not support video assisted clinical examination, as they are not equipped with built-in cameras, so diagnosis is based on real-time direct observation rather than on video studying. On the other hand, classic rigid endoscopes usually provide otologists with a clear view of the tympanic membrane and its mobility, allowing subsequent video recording. Unfortunately, rigid endoscopes cannot be used for pneumatic otoscopy, unless they are properly fitted for such use.

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma: results of a Belgian retrospective multicentre survey.

Objectives: To evaluate the technical and oncologic feasibility of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma.

Methods: A retrospective survey of 100 patients, treated with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in 10 Belgian centres, was performed. Most procedures were performed transperitoneally.

Transurethral ultrasound-guided laser-induced prostatectomy: a critical evaluation.

We evaluated 38 patients with a follow-up of 30 months after transurethral ultrasound-guided laser-induced prostatectomy (TULIP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The mean symptom score decreased by 54%, and peak urinary flow increased by 112%. For the entire series, 43.

[PSA and anatomopathological stage of prostatic cancer].

Accurate preoperative staging is important for adequate selection of patients for radical prostatectomy. We reviewed the preoperative PSA levels of 214 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy and analysed the results in relation to pathological stage. 32 (15%) patients had a PSA level below 4 ng/ml; nevertheless 8 of them had already a extracapsular disease and one present with positive lymph nodes.