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Sawyer MD, Hannemann A, Herrell SD, Beck DR, Eun JC, Ballon-Landa EC. Carbon Dioxide Pyelography: A Convenient and Safe Alternative to Both Room Air and Iodinated Contrast Pyelography During Endourologic Procedures. J Endourol 2023; 37:453-461. [PMID: 36585860 DOI: 10.1089/end.2022.0344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction/Background: There are increasing reports of serious complications related to the air pyelography technique, which raise concerns about the safety of room air (RA) injection into the renal collecting system. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is much more soluble in blood than nitrogen and oxygen and thus considerably less likely to cause gas emboli. Iodinated contrast medium (ICM) is expensive, and supplies may not be as reliable as previously assumed. CO2 pyelography (CO2-P) techniques using standard fluoroscopy and digital subtraction fluoroscopy (CO2 digital subtraction pyelography [CO2-DSP]) are described. Materials and Methods: During the endourologic stone cases, 15 to 20 mL of CO2 gas was typically injected into the renal pelvis through a catheter or sheath. Imaging was usually obtained with endovascular CO2 digital subtraction angiography settings using either a traditional fluoroscopy system (TFS) or robotic arm multiplanar fluoroscopy system (RMPFS) (Artis Zeego Care+Clear®; Siemens). Results: CO2-P was performed in 22 endoscopic stone treatment cases between March 2021 and August 2022, primarily using digital subtraction settings in 20 cases. CO2-DSP overall provided higher quality images of the renal pelvis and collecting system than CO2-P, but with a relatively higher radiation dose. Following a quality intervention, fluoroscopy doses for CO2-DSP cases were decreased by 81% overall. The use of CO2-P avoided fluoroscopic or intraoperative CT (ICT) artifacts seen with intraluminal ICM. Conclusions: CO2-P allows the urologist to obtain imaging of the renal collecting system without ICM and with much lower risk of air embolism compared with RA pyelography. CO2 is a nearly cost-free alternative to ICM. Because CO2 is widely available and the technique is easy to perform, we propose that CO2-P should be favored over traditional air pyelography to improve patient safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark D Sawyer
- Surgical Services, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Alex Hannemann
- Surgical Services, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - S Duke Herrell
- Department of Urologic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Daniel R Beck
- Anesthesia Service, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - John C Eun
- Surgical Services, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Eric C Ballon-Landa
- Surgical Services, Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
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