Project description:IntroductionUreteral endometriosis is a rare disease affecting women of childbearing age which presents with nonspecific symptoms and it may result in severe morbidity. The aim of this study was to review evidence about incidence, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of ureteral endometriosis.Materials and methodsPubMed Central database was searched to identify studies reporting cases of ureteral endometriosis. "Ureter" or "Ureteral" and "Endometriosis" were used as key words. Database was searched for articles published since 1996, in English without restrictions regarding the study design.ResultsFrom 420 studies obtained through database search, 104 articles were finally included in this review, including a total of 1384 patients with ureteral endometriosis. Data regarding age, location, pathological findings, and interventions were extracted. Mean patients' age was 38.6 years, whereas the therapeutic arsenal included hormonal, endoscopic, and/or surgical treatment.ConclusionsUreteral endometriosis represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the clinicians and high clinical suspicion is needed to identify it.
Project description:Fibroepithelial polyps of the ureter are rare. Cases and small series are reported in the literature. The treatment of choice, outcome and appropriate follow-up regimen remain unclear.We conducted a systematic literature review of papers reporting fibroepithelial polyps of the ureter in adult patients. Articles published before 1980 were excluded.The search yielded 144 papers, of which 68 met the inclusion criteria. A reference scan from the included 68 yielded an additional 7 new articles. In total, our study included 75 articles (68 + 7). A total of 134 patients were described. Most patients had a single lesion (range: 1-10). The median length of the polyp was 4.0 cm (range: 0.4-17.0). The percentage of polyps resected endoscopically increased from 0% before 1985 to 67% after 2005. Two perioperative complications were reported in 72 procedures (2.8%): a deep venous thrombosis and a case of mesenteric lymphadenopathy. Both of these occurred after open surgery. Follow-up data were available for 57 patients. The median follow-up was 12 months (range: 1-180). Four patients (7.0%) developed recurrent complaints: 2 had urinary stones, 1 had a ureteral stricture and 1 had recurrence of the polyp. Three of these events followed endoscopic resection, and occurred within a year after the procedure.Endoscopic resection of fibroepithelial polyps seems to be safe and effective. It is minimally invasive and should be considered the gold standard where endoscopic expertise is available. We advise follow-up imaging by computed tomographic intravenous urography after 3 months and ultrasound after 1 year to detect late complications.
Project description:Ever since the ureteral stent design was fitted with a curl on both sides to prevent it from migrating up or down the ureter some 40 years ago, its use has gained tremendous momentum, aiding in the rise and evolution of endourology and has confidently kept its place in modern time urology. Over the past four decades, several designs, coating and biomaterials have been developed, trying to reduce infection, encrustation and other stent related symptoms. As the ideal stent has not yet been discovered, different ways of helping patients with their complaints have been researched. This review will cover these aspects of stent use in urolithiasis.
Project description:BackgroundUreteral obstruction caused by extrinsic compression is often associated with intra-abdominal cancers. Internal drainage with ureteral stents is typically the first-line therapy to relieve such obstructions. Novel designs of ureteral stents made of different materials have been invented to achieve better drainage. In this study, we described the functional outcomes of a Resonance metallic ureteral stent (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Indiana, USA) in patients with malignant ureteral obstruction and compare the functional duration of Resonance stents with regular polymeric stents in the same cohort.MethodsCancer patients who received polymeric stents and subsequent Resonance stents for ureteral obstruction between July 2009 and November 2012 were included in a chart review. Stent failure was detected by clinical symptoms, imaging studies, and renal function tests. The functional durations of each stent were calculated, and possible factors affecting stent patency were investigated.ResultsA total of 50 stents were successfully inserted into 50 ureteral units in 42 patients with malignant ureteral obstruction. There were 7 antegrade stents and 43 retrograde stents. There were no major complications. Stent-related symptoms were similar in both kinds of stents. After polymeric stents were replaced with Resonance metallic stents, hydronephrosis subsided or remained stable in 90% (45/50) of the ureteral units. Serum creatinine decreased or remained stable in 90% (38/42) of these patients. The Resonance stent exhibited a mean increase in functional duration of 4 months compared with the polymeric stents (p<0.0001), and 50% (25/50) of the Resonance stents exhibited a significant increase in functional duration (more than 3 months). Pre-operative serum creatinine < 2 was associated with a substantial increase in stent duration.ConclusionsResonance stents are effective and safe in relieving malignant ureteral obstructions after polymeric stents failure. Resonance stents can provide a longer functional duration than polymeric stents and should be offered as an option for internal drainage.
Project description:ContextThe incidence of urolithiasis is increasing year by year. Ureteral stents are a popular treatment option for this condition. Efforts to improve the material and structure of stents to increase comfort and reduce complications have led to the introduction of magnetic stents.ObjectiveTo evaluate differences in removal efficiency and safety for magnetic and conventional stents.Evidence acquisitionThis study was conducted and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Data were extracted according to the PRISMA principles. We collected and combined data from randomized controlled trials on magnetic versus conventional stents to evaluate the efficiency of their removal and the associated effects. Data synthesis was performed using RevMan 5.4.1 and heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 tests. A sensitivity analysis was also performed. Key metrics included the stent removal time, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores, and Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) scores for various domains.Evidence synthesisSeven studies were included in the review. We found that magnetic stents had a shorter removal time (mean difference [MD] -8.28 min, 95% confidence interval [CI] -15.6 to -0.95; p = 0.03) and their removal was associated with less pain (MD -3.01 points, 95% CI -3.83 to -2.19; p < 0.01) in comparison to conventional stents. USSQ scores for urinary symptoms and sexual matters were higher for magnetic than for conventional stents. There were no other differences between the stent types.ConclusionsMagnetic ureteral stents have the advantages of a shorter removal time, less pain during removal, and low cost in comparison to conventional stents.Patient summaryFor patients undergoing treatment of urinary stones, a thin tube called a stent is often temporarily inserted in the tube between the kidney and the bladder to allow stones to pass. Magnetic stents can be removed without any need for a second surgical procedure. Our review of studies comparing two types of stents suggests that magnetic stents are superior to conventional stents in terms of efficiency and comfort during removal.
Project description:ContextUreteral stents are essential implants that are used on a daily basis. Since their invention, advances in stent design have been directed towards alleviating stent-related symptoms. It remains unclear how the material composition of the stent affects stent-related symptoms.ObjectiveTo review the literature and define the clinical impact of ureteral stent material on stent-related symptoms.Evidence acquisitionA literature search of the Embase, MEDLINE (PubMed), and Web of Science databases was conducted on December 17, 2021 to collect articles comparing stent composition materials regarding stent-related symptoms. Thirteen publications met the inclusion criteria, of which only one met the high-quality requirements of the Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing the risk of bias in randomized trials.Evidence synthesisMost trials, including the highest quality trial, seem to support that silicone double-J (DJ) stents reduce stent-related symptoms compared to nonsilicone DJ stents. Regarding physical properties, it seems that "soft" or "flexible" DJ stents reduce stent-related symptoms. However, since there was only one high-quality study with a low risk of bias, it is impossible to draw a definitive conclusion owing to the lack of quality data.ConclusionsSilicone DJ stents, and by extension "soft" DJ stents, appear to reduce stent-related symptoms compared to nonsilicone polymers and "hard" DJ stents. No definitive conclusion can be drawn owing to a lack of quality evidence. Creating a standard for measuring and reporting physical stent properties should be the first step for further research.Patient summaryA ureteral stent is a small hollow tube placed inside the ureter to help urine drain from the kidney. We reviewed the literature on the impact of stent material on stent-related symptoms. We found that silicone may reduce stent-related symptoms, but no definitive conclusion can be drawn and further studies are needed.
Project description:(1) Background: Practice guidelines define drug-eluting stents (DES) as the standard of care in coronary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), including in acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This is based on comparisons with bare-metal stents (BMS). However, non-drug-eluting titanium-nitride-oxide-coated stents (TiNOS) have not been taken into account. The objective of this study is to determine whether TiNOS can be used as an alternative to DES in ACS. (2) Methods: A prospective systematic literature review (SLR), conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines, was performed, wherein multiple literature databases from 2018 and 2022 were searched. Prospective, randomised, controlled trials comparing outcomes after PCI with TiNOS vs. DES in any coronary artery disease (CAD) were searched. Clinical outcomes were meta-analytic pooled risk ratios (RR) of device-oriented Major Adverse Cardiac Events (MACE) and their components. The analysis stratified outcomes reported with ACS-only vs. ACS jointly with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). (3) Results: Five RCTs were eligible, comprising 1855 patients with TiNOS vs. 1363 with DES at a 1-year follow-up. Three enrolled patients presented with ACS only and two with ACS or CCS. The latter accounted for most of the patients. The one-year pooled RRs in those three RCTs were as follows: MACE 0.93 [0.72, 1.20], recurrent myocardial infarction (MI) 0.48 [0.31, 0.73], cardiac death (CD) 0.66 [0.33, 1.31], clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) 1.55 [1.10, 2.19], and stent thrombosis (ST) 0.35 [0.20, 0.64]. Those results were robust to a sensitivity analysis. The evidence certainty was high in MACE and moderate or low in the other endpoints. (4) Conclusions: TiNOS are a non-inferior and safe alternative to DES in patients with ACS.
Project description:IntroductionIntersigmoid hernia is a hernia of the small bowel into the intersigmoid fossa. It is well known to be a rare condition. Recent reports reveal that the preoperative differentiation of intersigmoid hernias is difficult and the diagnosis is often confirmed during the laparotomic exploration. Due to the vague clinical manifestation in most cases, the surgical treatment is frequently delayed.Materials and methodsIn this study, we systematically reviewed the literature up to 2019 covering 114 studies and 124 patients with an intersigmoid hernia. The purpose of this work is to improve the understanding of the anatomical aspects, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of intersigmoid hernia so as to assist the preoperative differentiation of these hernias when presented as acute abdomen in the emergency department.ResultsThe diameter of the intersigmoid recess was reported with mean 2.65 cm (range 1-10 cm, SD 1.15 cm) and the length of the incarcerated small intestine was between 3 cm (min) and 150 cm (max): mean 25.25 cm, SD 35.04 cm. The diameter of the sigmoid recess was greater in patients who underwent resection due to strangulation (mean 3.31 cm, SD 1.53 cm) compared to those who underwent only reduction of the hernia (mean 2.35 cm, SD 0.74 cm). The time from onset to operation was less in patients undergoing resection surgery due to throttling (mean 3.03 days, SD 3.01 days) compared to those who underwent only a reduction of hernia incarceration (mean 8.49 days, SD 6.83 days).ConclusionIntersigmoid hernia is often a forgotten diagnosis and a clinical challange due to its anatomical characteristics.
Project description:As a new strategy for improved urinary drainage, in parallel to the potential for additional functions such as drug release and self-removal, highly porous chitosan stents are manufactured by radial, bi-directional freeze-casting. Inserting the porous stent in to a silicone tube to emulate its placement in the ureter shows that it is shape conforming and remains safely positioned in place, also during flow tests, including those performed in a peristaltic pump. Cyclic compression tests on fully-hydrated porous stents reveal high stent resilience and close to full elastic recovery upon unloading. The drainage performance of the chitosan stent is evaluated, using effective viscosity in addition to volumetric flow and flux; the porous stent's performance is compared to that of the straight portion of a commercial 8 Fr double-J stent which possesses, in its otherwise solid tube wall, regularly spaced holes along its length. Both the porous and the 8 Fr stent show higher effective viscosities, when tested in the silicone tube. The performance of the porous stent improves considerably more (47.5%) than that of the 8 Fr stent (30.6%) upon removal from the tube, illustrating the effectiveness of the radially aligned porosity for drainage. We conclude that the newly-developed porous chitosan ureteral stent merits further in vitro and in vivo assessment of its promise as an alternative and complement to currently available medical devices. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: No papers, to date, report on porous ureteral stents, which we propose as a new strategy for improved urinary drainage. The highly porous chitosan stents of our study are manufactured by radial, bi-directional freeze casting. Cyclic compression tests on fully-hydrated porous stents revealed high stent resilience and close to full recovery upon unloading. The drainage performance of the chitosan is evaluated, using effective viscosity in addition to volumetric flow and flux, and compared to that of the straight portion of a commercial 8 Fr double-J stent. The performance of the porous stent improves considerably more (47.5%) than that of the 8 Fr stent (30.6%) upon removal from the tube, illustrating the effectiveness of the radially aligned porosity for drainage. While further studies are required to explore other potential benefits of the porous stent design such as antimicrobial behavior, drug release, and biodegradability, we conclude that the newly-developed porous chitosan ureteral stent has considerable potential as a medical device.
Project description:Myotonic dystrophy is a debilitating genetic disease that carries a predilection for a variety of comorbidities. Kidney stone disease in this population can present a variety of unique challenges related to patient age, comorbidities, and social factors. We present a video review case of a 13-year-old girl with myotonic dystrophy who was treated surgically for large bilateral stone burden, bilateral retained ureteral stents with nephrostomy tubes, and right ureteral stricture. The patient had multiple prior urologic procedures and recurrent admissions for infection prior to presentation. Preoperative planning included non-contrast CT imaging, admission to an intensive care unit, and multidisciplinary discussion of treatment and goals. Through combined antegrade and retrograde approaches, the patient's stone burden was cleared, right ureteral stricture was treated, and all tubes were able to be removed in two major procedures and one minor cystoscopy with stent removal under anesthesia. Early referral to tertiary care centers and involvement of multiple specialist teams may help reduce perioperative risk and minimize the number of surgeries. Additionally, patients at high anesthesia risk may benefit from concurrent percutaneous nephrolithotomy with endopyelotomy.