Publications by authors named "Maria A Cerruto"

Prostate cancer (PCa) is prevalent among men over 70. Treatment may involve interventions like radical prostatectomy. The objective of this study was to investigate the combination of adverse pathology patterns on PCa progression through the Briganti 2012 nomogram and EAU risk classes in elderly patients treated with robotic surgery.

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Background: To examine the feasibility and safety of the SENSEI drop-in gamma probe for robot-assisted, prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-radioguided salvage surgery (RGS) in lymph node or local oligorecurrent prostate cancer (PCa), detected via PSMA positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT).

Methods: The first thirteen patients with pelvic oligorecurrent PCa who underwent [Tc]Tc-PSMA-I&S RGS using the SENSEI drop-in gamma probe at the Martini-Klinik (February-June 2024) were retrospectively analyzed. Radioactivity measurements in counts per second (CPS) as absolute values or ratios (CPS of tumor specimens/mean CPS from the patients' benign tissues) were correlated with preoperative imaging and pathological findings (benign/malignant, lesion size).

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  • The study aimed to explore how certain measurements of the prostate-urethral complex (PUC) relate to incontinence after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).
  • Researchers analyzed data from 366 patients who underwent RARP, focusing on various PUC measurements and assessing whether they correlated with continence after the surgery.
  • The results revealed that while most patients were continent after 12 months, there was no strong link between PUC measurements and incontinence, except for differences in levator ani thickness, suggesting that surgical proficiency may overshadow anatomical variations in determining continence outcomes.
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: We sought to investigate whether the 2012 Briganti nomogram may represent a potential prognostic factor of prostate cancer (PCa) progression after surgical treatment beyond European Association of Urology (EAU) risk categories. : From January 2013 to December 2021, data on PCa patients treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy at a single tertiary referral center were extracted. The 2012 version of the Briganti nomogram assessing the risk of pelvic lymph node invasion was used.

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  • Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) is being increasingly used to treat neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunctions and overactive bladder in children and adolescents, which is a growing area in urology.
  • A systematic review analyzed various studies from databases like PubMed and Scopus to evaluate BoNT-A's effectiveness in improving urinary incontinence and urodynamic parameters in this age group.
  • Results showed that among 1521 patients, there was a significant improvement in urinary incontinence scores by about 75% within 3-6 months after treatment, with no major adverse effects reported.
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  • A systematic review and meta-analysis examined intra- and postoperative outcomes for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) comparing DaVinci (DV-RARP) and Hugo™RAS (H-RARP) platforms.
  • The study included eight research articles with over 1,100 patients, revealing no significant differences in operative time, blood loss, or postoperative outcomes between the two surgical methods.
  • The only notable difference was longer docking time for H-RARP, and a lower node yield compared to DV-RARP, indicating a need for further evaluation on the effectiveness and biases in the existing studies.
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Objective: To assess whether tumor location at diagnostic TURBT is predictive of ipsilateral nodal involvement in patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) with lymph-nodes dissection for bladder cancer (BCa).

Materials And Methods: All patients who underwent RC for BCa at a single institution between 2014-2023 were assessed. Tumor location at TURBT was defined as right-sided, median-line, left-sided, and diffused.

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Objectives: We tested whether the 2012 Briganti nomogram for the risk of pelvic lymph node invasion (PLNI) may represent a predictor of disease progression after surgical management in high-risk (HR) prostate cancer (PCa) patients according to the European Association of Urology.

Methods: Between January 2013 and December 2021, HR PCa patients treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) were identified. The 2012 Briganti nomogram was evaluated as a continuous and categorical variable, which was dichotomized using the median.

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  • This study prospectively compares outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) using two systems: Hugo RAS and da Vinci Xi, focusing on postoperative recovery, pathology, and quality of life.
  • Conducted as the COMPAR-P trial, it involved 100 patients, with 50 undergoing each type of surgery performed by experienced surgeons using standardized techniques.
  • Results showed no significant differences in postoperative complications or quality of life between the groups, but the study suggests the need for larger and more varied research to confirm findings and enhance clinical understanding.
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  • Neurogenic bladder dysfunction (NB) in children is challenging to treat, and intravesical botulin toxin-A (BTX-A) injections are a common intervention after standard medical treatments fail, with more invasive options reserved for severe cases.
  • A review of the past decade's research involving 285 studies found only 16 that met criteria for analysis, focusing on aspects like patient demographics, treatment methods, and outcomes, involving 630 patients with a median age of 9.7 years.
  • While the studies indicate BTX-A is generally effective and safe for treating NB in children, there is still a lack of consistency and standard protocols across the research.
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An enduring debate in research revolves around the association between elevated endogenous testosterone levels and prostate cancer. This systematic review is intended to assess the present understanding of the role of endogenous testosterone in the diagnosis and treatment of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Our search strategy was the following: (endogenous testosterone) AND (((low risk) OR (intermediate risk)) AND ((diagnosis) OR (treatment))) AND (prostate cancer); that was applied to PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases to identify pertinent articles.

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The study aimed to test if Briganti's 2012 nomogram could be associated with the risk of prostate cancer (PCa) progression in European Association of Urology (EAU) intermediate-risk patients treated with robotic surgery. From January 2013 to December 2021, 527 consecutive patients belonging to the EAU intermediate-risk class were selected. Briganti's 2012 nomogram, which predicts the risk of pelvic lymph node invasion (PLNI), was assessed as a continuous and dichotomous variable that categorized up to the median of 3.

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Botulinum toxin (BT), a first-line treatment for focal dystonias in adults, has gained USA Food and Drug Administration approval for pediatric upper and lower extremity spasticity and sialorrhea, though its use in children younger than 2 years old is still considered off-label treatment for all pathologies. Dosing, treatment strategies and outcome measures lack international consensus, and they are often extrapolated from adult or spasticity guidelines. This review aims to evaluate the best available evidence on the efficacy and safety of BT therapy in pediatric dystonia (age under 21 years old), isolated or associated with other medical conditions.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate factors that influence the operating time (OT) during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), both with and without extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) for prostate cancer.
  • Data was collected from 1,289 patients over nearly eight years, revealing that procedures done by high-volume surgeons (HVS) resulted in significantly shorter operating times compared to low-volume surgeons (LVS), regardless of certain clinical and anatomical factors.
  • The findings suggest that hospitals can better manage OT to improve efficiency in surgical scheduling, reduce costs, and enhance training opportunities for surgeons.
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Objectives: To assess the prognostic impact and predictors of adverse tumor grade in very favorable low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Methods: Data of low- and intermediate PCa risk-class patients were retrieved from a prospectively maintained institutional database. Adverse tumor grade was defined as pathology ISUP grade group > 2.

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Introduction: Active surveillance (AS) is a viable strategy for managing small renal masses (SRMs) in lieu of immediate surgery, but concerns persist regarding its impact on delayed partial nephrectomy (PN) outcomes. We aimed to compare perioperative and pathological outcomes of patients initially on AS for SRMs, later undergoing PN, against those undergoing immediate PN.

Materials And Methods: Data were extracted from a prospective institutional database (January 2018-September 2023) for patients with cT1a renal masses.

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Chyluria, an abnormal lymphatic disorder, results in excessive abdominal lymph drainage into the urinary system, causing protein loss, nutritional deficiencies, and immune issues. Mainly linked to parasitic infections in developed countries, non-parasitic causes like trauma or tumors are rare. Typically appearing in adults with bilateral involvement, management options include conservative or surgical approaches.

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Background: To investigate the potential prognostic impact of Briganti's 2012 nomogram in EAU intermediate-risk patients presenting with an unfavorable tumor grade and treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, eventually associated with extended pelvic lymph node dissection.

Materials And Methods: From January 2013 to December 2021, the study included 179 EAU intermediate-risk patients presenting with an unfavorable tumor grade (ISUP 3), eventually associated with a PSA of 10-20 ng/ml and/or cT-2b. Briganti's 2012 nomogram was assessed as both a continuous and dichotomous variable, categorized according to the median (risk score ⩾7% vs <7%).

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Purpose: We assessed the prognostic impact of the 2012 Briganti nomogram on prostate cancer (PCa) progression in intermediate-risk (IR) patients presenting with PSA <10ng/mL, ISUP grade group 3, and clinical stage up to cT2b treated with robot assisted radical prostatectomy eventually associated with extended pelvic lymph node dissection.

Materials And Methods: From January 2013 to December 2021, data of surgically treated IR PCa patients were retrospectively evaluated. Only patients presenting with the above-mentioned features were considered.

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Background: The debate between single-layer and double-layer renorrhaphy techniques during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RPN) represents a subject of ongoing discourse. The present analysis aims to compare the perioperative and functional outcomes of single- versus double-layer renorrhaphy during RPN.

Methods: Study data were retrieved from prospectively maintained institutional database (Jan2018-May2023).

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Background: Stone nomogram by Micali et al., able topredict treatment failure of shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in the management of single 1-2 cm renal stones, was developed on 2605 patients and showed a high predictive accuracy, with an area under ROC curve of 0.793 at internal validation.

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  • The study evaluated the effects of using abdominal drains during robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) in terms of complications, recovery time, and pain management, comparing patients with drains to those without.
  • Data from 342 patients revealed that those with drains experienced longer surgery times, more blood loss, and greater pain relief needs, though drain use did not significantly predict major complications.
  • The findings suggest that omitting drains may be safe and that individualized decisions should consider patient and procedure-specific factors.
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  • The study aimed to identify factors that predict unfavorable tumor upgrading in very favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients undergoing surgery and to assess its impact on disease progression.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 210 such patients between 2013 and 2020, finding that 33.8% exhibited unfavorable tumor upgrading and 11.4% experienced progression of the disease during the follow-up period.
  • The results indicated that patients with unfavorable tumor upgrading had a significantly higher risk of disease progression, particularly linked to their biopsy grading, with elevated PSA levels serving as an independent predictive factor.
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To evaluate the prognostic potential of the 2012 Briganti nomogram for pelvic lymph node invasion on disease progression after surgery in intermediate-risk (IR) prostate cancer (PCa) patients with favorable tumor grade (International Society of Urological Pathology grade group 1 or 2), eventually associated with adverse clinical features as PSA between 10 and 20 ng/mL and/or clinical stage T2b. All IR PCa patients treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and eventually extended pelvic lymph node dissection at the Department of Urology of the Integrated University Hospital of Verona between 2013 and 2021, with the abovementioned features, and available follow-up were considered. The 2012 Briganti nomogram score was assessed both as a continuous and dichotomous variable, where a mean risk score of 4% was used a threshold.

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