[Living-donor kidney graft ex vivo endoscopic nephrolithotomy with flexible instrument].

Introduction: The finding of an asymptomatic stone in the study of a living kidney donor does not necessarily contraindicate donation, however, there is no consensus on the management of these cases. The use of a graft with lithiasis may represent a risk of recurrence in the remaining kidney in the donor and eventual obstructive complications in the transplanted kidney. The objective of this work is to present the usefulness of ureteroscopy (URS) to resolve lithiasis ex vivo before transplantation.

[Vena cava thrombectomy in kidney cancer. Report of 32 nephrectomies].

Background: Vena cava (VC) involvement in kidney tumors occurs in 4 to 10% of cases, and is associated with a higher mortality. Nephrectomy with thrombectomy of the VC, performed by a multidisciplinary team, improves survival.

Aim: To report a series of consecutive nephrectomies with caval thrombectomy performed in an academic center.

New records and range extension of the Portuguese dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepis in the south-western Atlantic Ocean, with comments on its morphology.

The Portuguese dogfish Centroscymnus coelolepis is a wide-ranging deep-water shark and a common by-catch component of the catches of several mid- to deep-water fisheries. In the present study, two new records from the south-western Atlantic Ocean are reported based on specimens caught by bottom-longline fishing vessels operating in the Argentinean-Uruguayan Common Fishing Zone. Species identification based on morphology and detailed morphometrics, as well as molecular data are presented for one of the specimens.

[Small renal masses. Analysis of 152 cases].

Background: Small renal masses (SRM) are defined as complex organ-confined solid or cystic lesions < 4 cm. Up to 20% of these can be benign. A conservative management with active surveillance can be done in some patients.

Microsurgical Spermatic Cord Denervation as a Treatment for Chronic Scrotal Content Pain: A Multicenter Open Label Trial.

Purpose: We prospectively evaluated the results of microsurgical spermatic cord denervation in a series of patients with chronic scrotal content pain in a multicenter study, including 1 center in Germany and 3 centers in Chile.

Materials And Methods: A total of 50 patients with chronic scrotal content pain more than 3 months in duration were prospectively selected for standardized operative microsurgical spermatic cord denervation as pain treatment. In all patients preoperative management included a positive response to a spermatic cord block test with local anesthesia.

Expression of gremlin, a bone morphogenetic protein antagonist,is associated with vascular calcification in uraemia.

Background: Vascular calcification has been widely recognized as a significant contributor to cardiovascular risk in patients with chronic kidney disease. Recent evidence suggests that BMP-7 decreases the vascular calcification observed in uraemic rats, while BMP-2 could also be participating in this process. Gremlin, a bone morphogenetic protein antagonist, has been detected in rat aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and since the role of the VSMCs into vascular calcification in uraemia is considered critical in this process, we hypothesized that gremlin could be participating in its pathogenesis.

Outcome of peritoneal dialysis: Tenckhoff catheter survival in a prospective study.

Loss of the peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter is a major cause of PD technique failure and transfer to hemodialysis. In the present study, we report our experience with permanent peritoneal catheters. We prospectively analyzed 125 double-cuff coiled, swan-neck catheters implanted by the open surgical method in 120 patients from January 1996 to June 2003.