BJU international
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Study Type--Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Over the last few years, minimally invasive urological surgery has evolved towards less invasive, 'scarless' procedures. New surgical concepts, such as those of natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) have been introduced. Mini-laparoscopy has been rediscovered in an attempt to reduce the invasiveness of standard laparoscopy. This study is the first to compare the perception of surgeons when first facing three different scarless options for performing a porcine nephrectomy and when dealing with the constraints of each technique. The study findings suggest that: (i) when first approaching these techniques, surgeons tend to perform equally well under expert guidance in the porcine model; (ii) mini-laparoscopy is perceived as less difficult to perform; (iii) for all the techniques, surgeon's impressions are in line with their expectations. ⋯ • When first approaching new scarless techniques, surgeons tend to perform equally well under expert guidance in the porcine model. • Mini-laparoscopy is perceived as less difficult to perform and, for all the techniques, surgeons' impressions are in line with their expectations.
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Comparative Study
Detecting internet activity for erectile dysfunction using search engine query data in the Republic of Ireland.
What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Despite the increasing prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED), there is reluctance among symptomatic patients to present to healthcare providers for appropriate advice and treatment. A number of Internet campaigns have been launched by the Irish healthcare media since 2007 aiming to provide easily accessible advice on ED. Novel online technologies appear to provide a useful tool for educating the general public on the symptoms of ED because there has been a significant increase in overall Internet search activity for this term since 2007. ⋯ • The advent of recent Internet media campaigns and increasing number of Irish web pages is associated with a significant increase in online activity for ED in the Republic of Ireland. • Novel online technologies appear to provide a useful tool for educating the general public on the symptoms and treatment options available for ED.
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Study Type--Therapy (cohort) Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Patient-reported quality of life (QoL) in prostate cancer is recognized as an important outcome, and has been shown in multiple studies to capture the incidence and timing of patient symptoms more accurately than physician-graded toxicity reports. Although the long-term QoL after completing radiation therapy (RT) has been previously studied, patient experience during RT is not well described in the literature. The present study collected patient-reported QoL during RT in a prospective phase II clinical trial. The study describes in detail the time course and severity of gastrointestinal and genitourinary symptoms during radiation, providing clinically useful information for patients and physicians considering RT during the treatment decision-making process. ⋯ • Urinary symptoms were common during RT, and bowel symptoms were less frequent. • These results inform patients and physicians during the decision-making process about potential patient quality of life experiences during RT, and also provide a benchmark for comparative effectiveness studies against newer treatments and technologies.
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What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Hydrogen sulphide (H(2) S) has recently been classified as a member of the family of small gaseous molecules called gasotransmitters and has been found to have many important physiological functions. Several recent studies have elucidated the protective effects of H(2) S in many models of tissue ischaemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), including hepatic, myocardial, pulmonary, cerebral and renal IRI. It has previously been shown that H(2) S has a number of properties that may contribute to its protection against IRI, including vasodilatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects, although the specific actions appear to vary between tissues. The few studies investigating the effects of H(2) S against renal IRI have only involved clamping of the renal pedicle to induce warm IRI. This study investigated the protective effects of H(2) S in the context of renal transplantation (RTx), which generally involves a more severe period of prolonged cold IRI. A previous study investigated the actions of H(2) S in RTx, but it was performed ex vivo and did not involve actual transplantation of donor kidneys. To our knowledge, this is the first study using a clinically relevant model of RTx to show that treatment of donor kidneys with H(2) S during preservation is protective against prolonged cold IRI. These findings suggest that H(2) S has potential utility in improving clinical organ preservation techniques and increasing the overall success of organ transplantation. ⋯ • Our results provide the first evidence that supplemental H(2) S can mitigate renal graft IRI incurred during transplantation and prolonged cold storage, improving early graft function and recipient survival in a clinically applicable model of RTx.
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Comparative Study
Feasibility of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) for recurrent/residual benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Study Type--Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? The major advantage of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) depends on the ability to use the native anatomical plane between the prostate adenoma and surgical capsule, peeling each prostatic lobe from the capsule. HoLEP is associated with less catheterisation time, hospital stay and blood loss than transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or open prostatectomy. Urodynamic relief of obstruction has been reported to be better with HoLEP than TURP. However, surgical treatment of recurrent prostatic obstruction after previous transurethral surgery for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia is more challenging because of loss of anatomical landmarks resulting in either incomplete removal or incontinence. HoLEP for recurrent symptoms due to residual or re-growing prostatic adenoma seems to be as safe, feasible and efficient as HoLEP for de novo cases. The surgical plane between the adenoma and the surgical capsule was still accessible resulting in a durable long-term outcome with minimal side-effects. Previous transurethral prostatic surgery is not a contraindication for HoLEP. ⋯ • Secondary-HoLEP procedures seem to be safe and technically feasible with comparable functional outcomes as those of primary-HoLEP.