Evaluation of a Ureteral Stent Removal Protocol in Adult Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Existing literature on best practices to reduce the risk of infectious complications associated with ureteral stent removal in kidney transplant recipients is limited. Prior to 2021, a formal process surrounding stent removal was not in place at our institution. In June 2021, a stent removal protocol was established.

Microbiology of infection-related complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to describe the incidence, microbiology, and risk factors related to infectious complications after transrectal prostate biopsies.

Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing prostate biopsies. Throughout the study period, the institutional recommendation for antibiotic prophylaxis was cephalexin and ciprofloxacin.

Association between Industry Payments and Published Position on Use of Devices for the Treatment of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.

Objective: To determine the impact of industry payments to authors of opinion articles on the Urolift and Rezum devices. We also examined the extent to which authors omitted acknowledgements of financial conflicts-of-interest.

Methods: We searched Google Scholar for all articles that cite either of the respective pivotal trials for these devices.

Simulation-Based Percutaneous Renal Access Training: Evaluating a Novel 3D Immersive Virtual Reality Platform.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is the gold standard treatment for patients with a large stone burden. There are a variety of methods to teach this important endourologic procedure, including simulation. We evaluated three different PCNL simulation platforms for potential use in teaching and assessing percutaneous renal access skills.

Are Routine Laboratory Investigations Necessary Following Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy?

Objective: To determine how effective routine postoperative blood work is in identifying complications after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL), the gold standard treatment for large volume stone disease. Although major complication rates are low, hemorrhagic and sepsis-related complications are serious and can occur. Routine post-PCNL complete blood count is routinely performed by most endourologists but may be a low-value practice.

Indications and contraindications for shock wave lithotripsy and how to improve outcomes.

For over 35 years shock wave lithotripsy has proven to be an effective, safe and truly minimally invasive option for the treatment of nephrolithiasis. Various technical factors as well as patient selection can impact the success of the procedure. We used published work focusing on outcomes of shock wave lithotripsy, risk of complications, and strategies for improving stone fragmentation to create this review.

Radiotherapy with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is associated with high recurrence and mortality rates. The role of radiotherapy as an adjunct to radical cystectomy is not well-defined. We sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy preoperatively or postoperatively for patients with MIBC receiving cystectomy compared to cystectomy alone.

A survey of Canadian renal transplant surgeons: Use of ureteric stents and technique of the ureteroneocystotomy.

Introduction: The role of ureteric stenting in renal transplant has been well-demonstrated. The goal of this survey was to determine the utilization of ureteric stents by Canadian transplant surgeons, and how the ureteroneocystotomy and followup is performed.

Methods: An online survey was sent to the 40 surgeon members of the Canadian Society of Transplantation.

Robotic Autotransplantation and Management of Post-transplant Anastomotic Strictures: the Future Is Here.

Purpose Of Review: We set out to review the current published experience with robotic autotransplantation. Although the experience to date is limited, this surgery appears to be safe and technically feasible. We also examined the use of the robotic surgical platform for the management of post-transplant uretero-vesical anastomotic strictures.

Recurrent nephrolithiasis associated with keratinizing desquamative squamous metaplasia.

Keratinizing desquamative squamous metaplasia (KDSM) in the renal pelvis is a rare condition with unclear malignant potential. Recent reports suggest it is likely benign and favor endoscopic treatment approaches. Medical record review was completed on two cases at our center to obtain history, physical examination, radiographic findings, and management.

Deceased donor hyperglycemia and liver graft dysfunction.

Context: Hyperglycemia is common in deceased donors, and provokes numerous adverse events in hepatocytic mitochondria.

Objective: To determine whether hyperglycemia in deceased donors is associated with graft dysfunction after orthotopic liver transplant.

Methods: Charts on 572 liver transplants performed at the Cleveland Clinic between January 2005 and October 2010 were reviewed.

Comparable graft and patient survival in lean and obese liver transplant recipients.

Obesity is among the great health problems facing Americans today. More than 32% of the US population is considered obese on the basis of a body mass index (BMI) exceeding 30 kg/m(2) . Obesity increases the risk for numerous perioperative complications, but how obesity affects the outcome of liver transplantation remains unclear.

Gentamicin in neonates at risk for sepsis - peak serum concentrations are not necessary.

Background: Serum gentamicin concentrations (GSCs) are frequently obtained before and after gentamicin administration to newborns with, or at high risk for, sepsis.

Objective: To determine whether performing a peak GSC assay when the trough GSC is within the guidelines for care would add clinically relevant information for health care workers.

Methods: A retrospective review of the IWK Health Centre (Halifax, Nova Scotia) laboratory database for peak and trough GSC for infants <28 days after birth was performed.

The association between preoperative anemia and 30-day mortality and morbidity in noncardiac surgical patients.

Background: Anemia has been associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. We used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to retrospectively assess the relationship between preoperative anemia and 30-day postoperative mortality and morbidity in noncardiac surgical patients, careful to distinguish confounding variables from mediator variables.

Methods: Each patient with preoperative anemia was matched to one without anemia using propensity matching on potentially confounding baseline variables.

The clinical quandary of counseling the moribund critical care patient-a registry analysis of postsurgical outcomes.

Purpose: To provide outcomes data to intensivists and surgeons for counseling patients and family members when considering a surgical intervention in a moribund patient.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database in moribund patients undergoing general surgical procedures.

Results: Out of 633,262 patients available in the national registry, 2063 (0.

T2 glottic carcinoma: analysis of recurrences in 36 cases undergoing primary transoral laser microsurgery resection.

Objective: Between 2002 and 2008, over 100 patients with glottic carcinoma have undergone transoral laser microsurgical (TLM) resection at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The objective of this study was to assess the oncologic outcomes for all cases staged as T2 in this cohort.

Methods: A prospective database was developed to monitor outcomes.

Head pre-cooling improves symptoms of heat-sensitive multiple sclerosis patients.

Background: Damage to the central nervous system by Multiple Sclerosis (MS) leads to multiple symptoms, including weakness, ambulatory dysfunction, visual disturbances and fatigue. Heat can exacerbate the symptoms of MS whereas cooling can provide symptomatic relief. Since the head and neck areas are particularly sensitive to cold and cooling interventions, we investigated the effects of cooling the head and neck for 60 minutes on the symptoms of MS.

Effects of local and core body temperature on grip force modulation during movement-induced load force fluctuations.

Impaired manual functioning often occurs when the hands are exposed to cold temperatures, but the underlying mechanism is not clearly understood. Tactile feedback is thought to provide important information during object manipulations in order to scale and regulate grip forces; however, topical anaesthetic-induced tactile sensation impairments may not realistically simulate the systemic neuromuscular impairment of the whole hand that could occur during cold temperature exposure. In two experiments, we studied the impact of (1) local hand cooling [thermoneutral finger skin temperature, cold (<8 degrees C)] and (2) core body temperature (thermoneutral core body temperature, pre-heated by 0.

Cold-induced vasodilatation in the foot is not homogenous or trainable over repeated cold exposure.

Cold-induced vasodilatation (CIVD) is proposed to be a protective response to preserve tissue integrity in the extremities during cold exposure, but little research exists on either the trainability or the spatial pattern of CIVD response in the foot. We investigated the thermal response across the foot with repeated cold exposure. Ten healthy subjects immersed their left foot to the ankle in 8 degrees C water for 30 min 5 days/week for 3 weeks.