Purpose: Optimal laser settings during endoscopic stone disease management still represents a debatable issue. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize all existing evidence regarding the comparison of high-power (HP) versus low-power (LP) laser settings during different endoscopic lithotripsy procedures.
Methods: PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane databases were systematically screened, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines.
Background/objectives: Several surgical procedures have been proposed for the treatment of hypospadias, a common and heterogeneous congenital abnormality in males. Most surgeons utilize either a urethral stent or bladder catheter for 2-14 days as a postoperative urine diversion method depending on the severity of each case and the surgeon's preferences. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility of anterior and mid-penile hypospadias repair while placing the urethral catheter for only 20 h.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArtificial urinary calculi are an essential tool for research and training in endourology. The goal of the study was to evaluate different types of artificial stones and how they behave to laser treatment, to finally determine which is the optimal one for training purposes. The stones were produced with a mix of Bego Stone powder and water, at mixing rates of 15:03, 15:04, and 15:06.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: Due to its biological properties, the omentum is a very useful tool in the hands of reconstructive urologists. The purpose of this systematic review is to present all existing evidence regarding the use of omentum during different robotic-assisted reconstructive urological surgeries.
Methods: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines, three databases (PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane) were systematically screened.
Urolithiasis represents the most frequent complication of horseshoe kidneys. All known approaches for stone disease management have been reported in these patients, including Extracorporeal Shockwave Lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy, open surgery and laparoscopy. The purpose of this systematic review is to compare Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy with other least-invasive procedures in patients with horseshoe kidneys.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery is an effective treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), but infections pose a significant threat to its success. Current guidelines lack antifungal recommendations, despite rising fungal infection rates post-IPP surgery. This review examines epidemiology, risk factors (including diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression, and obesity), and pathogenesis, highlighting the role of biofilm formation in device contamination.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF(1) Background: Somatic and germline alterations can be commonly found in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. The aim of our present study was to perform a comprehensive review of the current literature in order to examine the impact of BRCA mutations in the context of PCa as well as their significance as genetic biomarkers. (2) Methods: A narrative review of all the available literature was performed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe purpose of this systematic review is to summarize all existing evidence, regarding the immunohistochemical expression of REV-7 in different human cancer pathology specimens. Moreover, the association of REV-7 expression with disease severity (clinical course), patients' survival, prognosis, and response to various treatments, such as chemotherapy and irradiation, was investigated. Three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane) were systematically screened, from inception to September 2, 2023, as suggested by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: The aim of the present, retrospective study was to describe our initial experience and early outcomes of Thulium Fiber Laser enucleation of the prostate (ThuFLEP) with the use of the FiberDust™ (Quanta System, Samarate, Italy) in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia.
Methods: From June 2022 to April 2023, all patients who underwent endoscopic enucleation of the prostate at Urology Department of the University Hospital of Patras were included. A single surgeon utilizing the same standardized operative technique performed all the surgeries.
Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) provides simultaneous retrograde and percutaneous access to the upper urinary tract. The purpose of this study is to present revised data, tips and tricks, and technique modifications arising from our five-year experience with ECIRS. The data of 62 patients who underwent nonpapillary prone ECIRS from January 2019 to November 2023 were prospectively collected.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo evaluate the utilization of novel Avatera system in urological operations according to the IDEAL-D framework recommendations for high-risk invasive surgical devices. Three surgeons attempted to perform 23 upper and lower urinary tract operations on human cadavers and in live porcine models using the Avatera system. Total operative time and the duration of the substeps were evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To investigate the learning curve in four basic surgical skills in laparoscopic and robotic surgeries, and evaluate the approximate time needed to reach sufficient expertise in performing these tasks with the avatera® system.
Methods: Twenty urology residents with no previous experience in dry-lab and robotic surgery were asked to complete four basic laparoscopic tasks (peg transfer, circle cutting, needle guidance, and suturing) laparoscopically and robotically. All participants were asked to complete the tasks first after watching the Uroweb educational material and, second, after undertaking a 2-hour training in robotic and laparoscopic dry-lab.
Prolonged urinary incontinence represents one of the most severe complications after a radical prostatectomy procedure, significantly affecting patients' quality of life. In an attempt to ameliorate postprostatectomy continence rates, several sphincter preservation techniques have been reported. The purpose of this article is to report several different sphincter preservation techniques and identify the ones which affect postoperative outcomes the most.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy is a minimally invasive, safe procedure preferred in the management of localized prostate cancer. In this study, we present our initial experience with the avatera system (avateramedical GmbH, Jena, Germany) in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.
Methods: A total of fourteen patients underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy using this newly introduced system in our department from June 2022 to October 2022.
Objective: To evaluate retrospectively the feasibility of Florence robotic intracorporeal neobladder technique in laparoscopic radical cystectomy.
Methods: Fourteen patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy and Florence robotic intracorporeal neobladder between September 2021 and February 2023. Patients' characteristics, pathology data, perioperative outcomes, postoperative complications, and follow-up data were collected.