Feasibility of Laser Lithotripsy for Midsize Stones Using Robotic Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery System easyUretero in a Porcine Model

Training ultrasound-guided percutaneous nephrostomy technique with porcine model

PURPOSE

There is increasing interest in the use of ultrasound for endoscopic and percutaneous procedures. Access can be achieved without radiation exposure under ultrasound guidance. Our aim was to develop a porcine-based training model for ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal access that could also be personalized to a specific patient.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Severance Hospital approved the study protocol. An anesthetized pig was placed in the dorsal lithotomy position. For the nephrostomy puncture, a Chiba biopsy needle with an echo tip was used under ultrasound guidance. Eight residents and three consultants in urology participated. Puncture time was defined as the nephrostomy time to confirm the flow of irrigation via the needle. After training, satisfaction survey results for clinical usability and procedural difficulty were evaluated.

RESULTS

The 5-point Likert scale satisfaction survey for clinical usability and procedural difficulty found mean results of 4.64 and 4.09 points, respectively. There were no differences between residents and consultants for either variable. For all participants combined, there was a significant difference for nephrostomy time between the first and second trials (278.8±70.6 s vs. 244.5±47.0 s; p=0.007). The between-trial difference was greater for residents (291.5±71.2 s vs. 259.1±41.9 s; p=0.039). The difference for the consultant was not significant (245.0±69.4 s vs. 205.7±42.5 s; p=0.250).

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a porcine-based ultrasound-guided nephrostomy puncture training model. Satisfaction survey results indicated high clinical usability and procedural difficulty. For nephrostomy time, the model was more effective for urology residents than for consultants.

Korean Society of Endourology and Robotics (KSER) recommendation on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urolithiasis

This article provides evidence-based recommendations and expert opinions to aid urologists in making optimal decisions regarding managing urolithiasis in various clinical scenarios. The most frequently asked questions by urologists in their clinical practice have been collected and answered in the form of FAQs; based on the latest evidence and expert opinions. The natural history of urolithiasis is divided into active treatment and silent phases, with the active treatment stage divided into typical and special situations and peri-treatment management. The authors address 28 key questions, offering practical guidance for the proper diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urolithiasis in clinical practice. This article is expected to be served as a valuable resource for urologists.

Feasibility of multi-section continuum robotic ureteroscope in the kidney

Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of a multi-section continuum robotic ureteroscope to address the difficulties with access into certain renal calyces during flexible ureteroscopy. First, the robotic ureteroscope developed in previous research, which utilizes three actuated bendable sections controlled by wires, was modified for use in this project. Second, using phantom models created from five randomly selected computer tomography urograms, the flexible ureteroscope and robotic ureteroscope were evaluated, focusing on several factors: time taken to access each renal calyx, time taken to aim at three targets on each renal calyx, the force generated in the renal pelvic wall associated with ureteroscope manipulation, and the distance and standard deviation between the ureteroscope and the target. As a result, the robotic ureteroscope utilized significantly less force during lower pole calyx access (flexible ureteroscope vs. robotic ureteroscope; 2.0 vs. 0.98 N, p = 0.03). When aiming at targets, the standard deviation of proper target access was smaller for each renal calyx (upper pole: 0.49 vs. 0.11 mm, middle: 0.84 vs. 0.12 mm, lower pole: 3.4 vs. 0.19 mm) in the robotic ureteroscope group, and the distance between the center point of the ureteroscope image and the target was significantly smaller in the robotic ureteroscope group (upper: 0.49 vs. 0.19 mm, p < 0.001, middle: 0.77 vs. 0.17 mm, p < 0.001, lower: 0.77 vs. 0.22 mm, p < 0.001). In conclusion, our robotic ureteroscope demonstrated improved maneuverability and facilitated accuracy and precision while reducing the force on the renal pelvic wall during access into each renal calyx.

Robotic Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery: A Journey from "Back to the Future"

The introduction of robotics has revolutionized surgery. Robotic platforms have also recently been introduced in clinical practice specifically for flexible ureteroscopy. In this paper, we look at the robotic platforms currently available for flexible ureteroscopy, describing their advantages and limitations. The following robotic platforms are discussed: Roboflex Avicenna^®, EasyUretero^®, and ILY^® robot. Finally, potential future advancements in this field are presented.