Normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and beating heart surgery for renal cell cancer with tumor thrombus extension into inferior vena cava and right atrium: a less invasive strategy.

Purpose: Management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with inferior vena cava (IVC) extension is one of the greatest challenges in urology. The gold standard treatment includes extracorporeal circulation and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). However, this surgical treatment has an impact on survival and prognosis.

Oral preparation of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C improves sexual and urinary symptoms in participants with recurrent urinary tract infections: a randomized crossover trial.

Background: Intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid (HA) has been associated with reduced sexual dysfunction in participants with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs), but the efficacy of an oral treatment has never been investigated.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of an oral preparation of HA, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C in improving sexual and urinary symptoms in a cohort of reproductive-age participants with rUTI.

Methods: In a monocentric randomized crossover pilot trial, participants with rUTI who were referred to our institute between March 2022 and April 2023 were randomized 1:1 in 2 groups: intervention vs control.

Vacuum-assisted mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy is associated with lower rates of infectious complications compared to vacuum-cleaner procedure in patients at high risk for infections: a single-center experience.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of vacuum-assisted mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (vamPCNL) vs. vacuum-cleaner mPCNL (vcmPCNL) on the rate of postoperative infectious complications in a cohort of patients with high risk factors for infections.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 145 patients who underwent mPCNL between 01/2016 and 12/2022.

Transient ureteral obstruction after mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy is associated with stone volume and location: results from a single-center, real-life study.

Purpose: To evaluate the rate of and predictors of ureteral obstruction after mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL) for kidney stones.

Methods: We analyzed data from 263 consecutive patients who underwent mPCNL at a single tertiary referral academic between 01/2016 and 11/2022. Patient's demographics, stone characteristics, and operative data were collected.

Surveillance or Dynamic Sentinel Lymph-Node Biopsy in Low-Risk Clinically N0 Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Single-Institution Real World Data.

Introduction: Surveillance is the standard management in low-risk cN0 penile squamous cell carcinoma (peSCC) patients. However, no previous analysis focused on early and long-term outcomes of these patients. We report on main oncological outcomes of a large series of low-risk cN0 peSCC patients.

Perioperative and Survival Outcomes of Patients Treated With Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy and Percutaneous Microwave Ablation for Small Renal Masses: A Single Center Experience.

Background: Robot assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and microwave ablation (MWA) are 2 of the most advanced techniques for the management of localized small renal masses.

Purpose: To compare the perioperative, functional and oncological results of RAPN and MWA.

Materials And Methods: Data from 171 consecutive patients undergoing either RAPN or MWA for a localized small renal mass at a single academic center was retrospectively collected.

Clinical and time-related predictors of sepsis in patients with obstructive uropathy due to ureteral stones in the emergency setting.

Purpose: Well-defined clinical predictors of sepsis after upper tract drainage for obstructive uropathy due to ureteral stones are needed. We aim to determine whether sepsis after decompression of the upper urinary tract may be predicted by clinical and time-related factors, specifically delay time from symptom onset to hospital presentation (StH) and from hospital presentation to surgical decompression (HtD).

Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, data from 196 consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department for obstructive uropathy due to ureteral stones and submitted to surgical decompression were evaluated.

The clinical role of bacteremia and bacterial spread into the irrigation fluid during percutaneous nephrolithotomy: a prospective study.

Purpose: Backflow of pathogens and endotoxins from the renal pelvis to the bloodstream is one supposed mechanism for infectious complications development after endourological stones surgery. The aim of this study is detecting to prove bacterial spread into irrigation fluid and bloodstream during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and to correlate these findings with clinical and microbiological parameters and infectious complications (IC).

Methods: Bladder urine culture (BUC) was retrieved before PCNL; during the procedure, 2 blood samples (BC) and an irrigation fluid sample during fragmentation (SFUC) were collected for culture.

Validation of the Trifecta Scoring Metric in Vacuum-Assisted Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Scoring metrics to assess and compare outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) are needed. We aim to evaluate prevalence and predictors of trifecta in a cohort of patients treated with vacuum-assisted mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (vmPCNL) for kidney stones. Methods: Data from 287 participants who underwent vmPCNL were analysed.

Clinically Meaningful Improvements in Sperm DNA Fragmentation Severity in Infertile Men Treated with Superoxide Dismutase Supplementation: A Single-Center Experience.

Background. Antioxidants are commonly used for the treatment of idiopathic male infertility. Previous studies have shown that antioxidants are able to improve sperm quality, but little is known about their impact on sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF).

Urologists are optimistic surgeons: prevalence and predictors of discordance between intraoperative stone-free rate and cross-sectional imaging evaluation after vacuum-assisted mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Purpose: To assess how accurate are urologists in predicting stone-free status (SFS) after vacuum-assisted mini-PCNL (vamPCNL) compared to computed tomography (CT) and clinical predictors of discordant SFS.

Methods: Data from 235 patients who underwent vamPCNL were analysed. Patient's demographics, stones' characteristics and operative data were recorded.

The comprehensive complication index as a tool for reporting the burden of complications after mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy: is it time to leave the Clavien-Dindo classification behind?

Purpose: To validate the comprehensive complication index (CCI) for mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL).

Methods: Data from 287 patients who underwent mPCNL were analyzed. Complications after mPCNL were classified using both the CCI and the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC).

Cost analysis between mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy with and without vacuum-assisted access sheath.

Purpose: To perform a cost analysis between vacuum-assisted percutaneous nephrolithotomy (vmPCNL) and minimally invasive PCNL (MIP) and explore potential predictors of costs associated with the procedures.

Methods: We analyzed data from 225 patients who underwent vmPCNL or MIP at a single tertiary referral academic center between January 2016 and December 2020. We collected patients' demographics, peri-and postoperative data and detailed expense records.

Audit of the clinical use of fresh-frozen plasma in Umbria: study design and results of the pilot phase.

Background: Fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) is unanimously recognised by international guidelines as the blood component of choice for the management of acute haemorrhage when accompanied by disorders of haemostasis, for disseminated intravascular coagulation in the presence of haemorrhage, for rare bleeding disorders when specific clotting factor concentrates are not available and for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. The literature, however, reports a high percentage of inappropriate requests for FFP. This article presents the results of a pilot study of clinical auditing of the use of FFP in the Region of Umbria (Italy).

The good use of plasma. A critical analysis of five international guidelines.

Background: The clinical use of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) is progressively increasing both nationally and internationally, despite the fact that many studies have shown the weaknesses of the indications for its use. Guidelines on the good use of plasma have, therefore, been adopted in various countries. The aim of the present study was to analyse some of the existing guidelines on the good use of plasma, applying a scientifically validated method, as a preliminary step in the implementation of Regional guidelines.

Graft engineering for allogeneic haploidentical stem cell transplantation.

Haploidentical stem cell transplantation has became a clinical reality in the last 10 years as it provides the chance of transplant for about 50% of patients with hematological malignancies who do not have a matched related or unrelated donor. Proper graft preparation for this type of transplant is crucial and this paper analyses our work over the past decade in the search for the optimal graft processing procedure moving from E-rosetting and soybean agglutination, through a combination of negative or positive selection of hematopoietic stem cells to the current method of one-step positive selection. In preparing a graft for haploidentical transplant, three essential requisites must be met.

Risk factors for Helicobacter pylori infection in children: is education a main determinant?

To investigate potential risk factors associated with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, we performed a case-control study in 167 consecutively selected hospitalized children in Salvador, Brazil. Hp infection was identified by the presence of IgG against Hp in serum samples. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire, 38.

Prescriptions of antidepressants in primary care in Italy: pattern of use after admission of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for reimbursement.

Background: Italy is reported to have a relatively low consumption of antidepressants. This is probably due to the fact that until 2000 antidepressants were reimbursed with some restrictions.

Aim: To describe the pattern of use of antidepressants in primary care in Italy, after admission of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for reimbursement without restrictions.

Blood donors with 'medium' or 'minor' risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus infection: are they eligible for donation?

Background And Objectives: We conducted a longitudinal prospective study to assess the eligibility to blood donation of donors with 'minor' risk factors (i.e. minor surgery, professional exposure, cohabitation with 'high risk' people, occasional use of light drugs) or 'medium' risk factors for human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV) infection (i.