Browsing by Subject "Nephrectomy"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Comparison of Robot-Assisted Nephrectomy with Laparoscopic and Hand-Assisted Laparoscopic Nephrectomy
    (Society of Laparoscopic & Robotic Surgeons, 2010-07) Boger, Michelle; Lucas, Steven M.; Popp, Sara C.; Gardner, Thomas A.; Sundaram, Chandru P.; Urology, School of Medicine
    Objective: To compare the initial perioperative outcomes of our robot-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomies with laparoscopic and hand-assisted nephrectomies performed by 2 experienced laparoscopic surgeons. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all patients who underwent laparoscopic (LN), hand-assisted (HALN), and robot-assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy (RALN) for benign and malignant diseases between August 2006 and December 2008. Data collected included patient age, body mass index, operative times, estimated blood loss, complications, and hospital stay. Radical nephrectomy was performed for renal neoplasms, and simple nephrectomy was performed for suspected benign diseases. In addition, average direct costs and total costs were calculated for each laparoscopic approach. Results: Forty-six patients underwent LN, 20 underwent HALN, and 13 underwent RALN. The median operative time was 171, 210, and 168 minutes, respectively. LN, HALN, and RALN groups had similar median EBL [(100mL (IQR=113mL), 100mL (IQR=150mL), and 100mL (IQR=125mL); P=0.695], length of hospital stay [2.0d (IQR=1.0d), 3.0d (IQR=2.0d), and 2.0d (IQR=3.0d); P=0.233], and postoperative morphine equivalent analgesic requirements [33mg (IQR=43mg), 45mg (IQR=50mg), and 30mg (IQR=16mg); P=0.766]. Three patients (6%) in the LN group had complications, 2 (10%) in the HALN group had complications, and 4 (30%) in the RALN group had complications. The average total direct operating room costs were $5,500, $6,979, and $6,869 for the LN, HALN, and RALN groups, respectively. Conclusions: Early experience with robotic assistance for radical and simple nephrectomy offers no significant advantage over traditional laparoscopic or hand-assisted approaches. It was also more costly.
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    Creatinine to Cystatin-C Ratio in Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Clinically Pragmatic Prognostic Factor and Sarcopenia Biomarker
    (Oxford University Press, 2023) Schmeusser, Benjamin N.; Biermann, Henry; Nicaise, Edouard H.; Ali, Adil A.; Patil, Dattatraya H.; Midenberg, Eric; Helman, Talia; Armas-Phan, Manuel; Nabavizadeh, Reza; Joshi, Shreyas S.; Narayan, Vikram M.; Bilen, Mehmet A.; Psutka, Sarah P.; Ogan, Kenneth; Master, Viraj A.; Urology, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Low creatinine to cystatin-C ratio (Cr/Cys-C) may be a biomarker for low-muscle mass. Furthermore, low Cr/Cys-C is associated with decreased overall survival (OS), but to date, has not been examined in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Our objective is to evaluate associations between low Cr/Cys-C ratio and OS and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with RCC treated with nephrectomy. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with RCC treated with nephrectomy. Patients with end-stage renal disease and less than 1-year follow up were excluded. Cr/Cys-C was dichotomized at the median for the cohort (low vs. high). OS and RFS for patients with high versus low Cr/Cys-C were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method, and associations with the outcomes of interest were modeled using Cox proportional Hazards models. Associations between Cr/Cys-C and skeletal muscle mass were assessed with correlations and logistic regression. Results: A total of 255 patients were analyzed, with a median age of 64. Median (IQR) Cr/Cys-C was 1 (0.8-1.2). Low Cr/Cys-C was associated with age, female sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status ≥1, TNM stage, and tumor size. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis demonstrated an association between low Cr/Cys-C and decreased OS (HR = 2.97, 95%CI, 1.12-7.90, P =0.029) and RFS (HR = 3.31, 95%CI, 1.26-8.66, P = .015). Furthermore, a low Cr/Cys-C indicated a 2-3 increase in risk of radiographic sarcopenia. Conclusions: Lower Cr/Cys-C is associated with inferior oncologic outcomes in RCC and, pending validation, may have utility as a serum biomarker for the presence of sarcopenia in patients with RCC treated with nephrectomy.
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    Existing Transplant Nephrology Compensation Models and Opportunities for Equitable Pay
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2022) Josephson, Michelle A.; Wiseman, Alexander C.; Tucker, J. Kevin; Segal, Mark S.; Schmidt, Rebecca J.; Mujtaba, Muhammad A.; Gurley, Susan B.; Gaston, Robert S.; Doshi, Mona D.; Brennan, Daniel C.; Moe, Sharon M.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) formed the ASN Task Force on Academic Nephrologist Compensation and Productivity in 2020 to understand how the subspecialty is evolving and where there are needs for alignment in compensation in US transplant centers. The task force's review of the roles and responsibilities of transplant nephrologists is in the companion perspective (1). Transplant nephrologists are required for successful kidney transplantation, the ideal treatment from a survival and quality-of-life perspective for patients with kidney failure (2,3). Unfortunately, work relative value unit (wRVU) requirements for compensation models vary tremendously across institutions and limit the ability to adequately staff programs. This article addresses transplant nephrology models of care, how different models affect funds flow and compensation, and opportunities to more equitably compensate transplant nephrologists.
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    GDF11 induces kidney fibrosis, renal cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and kidney dysfunction and failure
    (Elsevier, 2018-08) Pons, Marianne; Koniaris, Leonidas G.; Moe, Sharon M.; Gutierrez, Juan C.; Esquela-Kerscher, Aurora; Zimmers, Teresa A.; Surgery, School of Medicine
    BACKGROUND: GDF11 modulates embryonic patterning and kidney organogenesis. Herein, we sought to define GDF11 function in the adult kidney and in renal diseases. METHODS: In vitro renal cell lines, genetic, and murine in vivo renal injury models were examined. RESULTS: Among tissues tested, Gdf11 was highest in normal adult mouse kidney. Expression was increased acutely after 5/6 nephrectomy, ischemia-reperfusion injury, kanamycin toxicity, or unilateral ureteric obstruction. Systemic, high-dose GDF11 administration in adult mice led to renal failure, with accompanying kidney atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of renal tubular cells, and eventually death. These effects were associated with phosphorylation of SMAD2 and could be blocked by follistatin. In contrast, Gdf11 heterozygous mice showed reduced renal Gdf11 expression, renal fibrosis, and expression of fibrosis-associated genes both at baseline and after unilateral ureteric obstruction compared with wild-type littermates. The kidney-specific consequences of GDF11 dose modulation are direct effects on kidney cells. GDF11 induced proliferation and activation of NRK49f renal fibroblasts and also promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of IMCD-3 tubular epithelial cells in a SMAD3-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these data suggest that GDF11 and its downstream signals are critical in vivo mediators of renal injury. These effects are through direct actions of GDF11 on renal tubular cells and fibroblasts. Thus, regulation of GDF11 presents a therapeutic target for diseases involving renal fibrosis and impaired tubular function.
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    Liquid biopsies in renal cell carcinoma with focus on epigenome analysis
    (AME Publishing Company, 2019-09) Cimadamore, Alessia; Santoni, Matteo; Massari, Francesco; Cheng, Liang; Lopez-Beltran, Antonio; Scarpelli, Marina; Montironi, Rodolfo; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine
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    The Importance of Transplant Nephrology to a Successful Kidney Transplant Program
    (Wolters Kluwer, 2022) Moe, Sharon M.; Brennan, Daniel C.; Doshi, Mona D.; Gaston, Robert S.; Gurley, Susan B.; Mujtaba, Muhammad A.; Schmidt, Rebecca J.; Segal, Mark S.; Tucker, J. Kevin; Wiseman, Alexander C.; Josephson, Michelle A.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Nephrologists are responsible for the care of patients with a diverse array of systemic diseases, comorbidities, and kidney issues across a variety of service locations (clinic, inpatient, dialysis unit). As the field of nephrology becomes increasingly complex, there has been a need for advanced training and subspecialization, similar to the transformation cardiology experienced with heart failure, electrophysiology, and interventional cardiology. As a result, the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) formed the ASN Task Force on Academic Nephrologist Compensation and Productivity to begin to understand the needed transformation, especially as it relates to assessing clinical productivity and compensation. Members of the task force included nephrology division chiefs, transplant program directors, and transplant nephrologists, representing academic and community transplant programs across the United States. The group met virtually throughout 2021 to discuss specific job functions, roles, responsibilities, and compensation models, and the discussion and conclusions follow. The flow of transplant funds from the hospital to the physician and transplant nephrology models of care are further discussed in a companion Perspective.