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The percutaneous nephrolithotomy stone-free rate can be predicted using preclinical data and radiological information. We present a nephrolithometric nomogram for percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

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findings could have been due to bias. The World Health Organisation is studying the risk of cancer in women using medroxyprogesterone at centres in Thailand, Kenya, and Mexico.' The most recent report from this case-control study (based on 39 cases who had used medroxyprogesterone) yielded a relative risk for all women using the drug of 1-0 (95% confidence interval 0-7 to 1 5).3 Relative risks were not shown separately for women diagnosed as having breast cancer before age 35, for women who used the drug before age 25, or for women who reported using it recently; it will be important to see whether more detailed analyses replicate our findings and, if so, which of these groups are specifically at risk.If our results are confirmed the indications for using medroxyprogesterone will need to be reassessed. The findings will also contribute to discussions about the relevance of the beagle model and about the pathogenesis of breast cancer.

All scoring systems and the stone burden equally predicted stone-free status. The Guy and S.T.O.N.E. nephrolithometry scores were associated with estimated blood loss and length of stay. A single scoring system should be adopted to unify reporting.

Between 1983 and 1991 we performed 212 endopyelotomies on 110 cases of primary and 102 of secondary obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction. Of the 189 patients in the series 89% have been followed for a minimum of 6 months postoperatively, 63% for more than 3 years (3 to 8-year followup). Our overall success rate has been 86% with little difference being detected between the success that we have obtained with primary and secondary obstructions (85% versus 86%). Other variables, such as patient age, sex or side of obstruction, have little bearing on the outcome of the procedure. Endopyelotomy is passing the test of time as a safe and reliable means to correct ureteropelvic junction obstruction. Endopyelotomy should be the first choice for the correction of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in most patients.

PurposeTo review the incidence of UTIs, post-operative fever, and risk factors for post-operative fever in PCNL patients.Materials and methodsBetween 2007 and 2009, consecutive PCNL patients were enrolled from 96 centers participating in the PCNL Global Study. Only data from patients with pre-operative urine samples and who received antibiotic prophylaxis were included. Pre-operative bladder urine culture and post-operative fever (>38.5°C) were assessed. Relationship between various patient and operative factors and occurrence of post-operative fever was assessed using logistic regression analyses.ResultsEight hundred and sixty-five (16.2%) patients had a positive urine culture; Escherichia coli was the most common micro-organism found in urine of the 350 patients (6.5%). Of the patients with negative pre-operative urine cultures, 8.8% developed a fever post-PCNL, in contrast to 18.2% of patients with positive urine cultures. Fever developed more often among the patients whose urine cultures consisted of Gram-negative micro-organisms (19.4–23.8%) versus those with Gram-positive micro-organisms (9.7–14.5%). Multivariate analysis indicated that a positive urine culture (odds ratio [OR] = 2.12, CI [1.69–2.65]), staghorn calculus (OR = 1.59, CI [1.28–1.96]), pre-operative nephrostomy (OR = 1.61, CI [1.19–2.17]), lower patient age (OR for each year of 0.99, CI [0.99–1.00]), and diabetes (OR = 1.38, CI [1.05–1.81]) all increased the risk of post-operative fever. Limitations include the use of fever as a predictor of systemic infection.ConclusionsApproximately 10% of PCNL-treated patients developed fever in the post-operative period despite receiving antibiotic prophylaxis. Risk of post-operative fever increased in the presence of a positive urine bacterial culture, diabetes, staghorn calculi, and a pre-operative nephrostomy.

The incidence of pelvic kidney has been approximated at between 1 in 2200 and 1 in 3000. The ectopic kidney is thought to be no more susceptible to disease than the normally positioned kidney, except for the development of calculi and hydronephrosis. Because of the greater risk of injuring aberrant vessels or overlying abdominal viscera and nerves, the pelvic kidney presents special treatment challenges. Alternative approaches to treating nephrolithiasis may yield better outcomes. The tortuous ureter often associated with a pelvic kidney hinders deflection of the flexible ureteroscope, potentially limiting access. Laparoscopy-guided intervention permits visual exposure of the kidney, enhancing safe puncture and tract placement integral to percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Laparoscopy-assisted anterior retrograde percutaneous nephroscopy involves percutaneous access using a Hunter-Hawkins retrograde nephrostomy needle with adjunctive laparoscopy to permit viewing and manipulation of overlying bowel. Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction has been reported to occur in 22% to 37% of ectopic kidneys. Endoscopic incision presents difficulties beyond those of anatomically normal kidneys. The laparoscopic approach provides good surgical exposure, and operative times are comparable to those of laparoscopic pyeloplasty in anatomically normal kidneys. To date, only a handful of cases of malignancy in a pelvic kidney have been described. Like a nonfunctioning anatomically normal kidney, a nonfunctional pelvic kidney may require primary removal. There are a few reports of laparoscopic pelvic nephrectomy. Additional studies are needed to compare the various treatments for disease of the pelvic kidney in order to decide which options have the most beneficial outcomes.