Introduction: Laparoscopic nephrectomy in children has become a reasonable alternative to open nephrectomy and has replaced open surgery for many renal diseases. The purpose of our study is to evaluate transperitoneal videolaparoscopic procedures in renal benign diseases in comparison to an open surgery approach. Patients and methods: 34 children aged between 17 days and 15 years old (mean 6.14) were divided into two groups in order to be submitted to nephrectomy. The first one underwent transperitoneal videolaparoscopic nephrectomy and was composed by 21 patients aged from 2 months to 15 years (mean 7.42), from which 12 were females and 9 males. The second group was submitted to open nephrectomy and was composed by 13 patients aged from 17 days to 11 years (mean 3.91), 6 females and 7 males. The groups were compared regarding anesthesic time, operative time, length of hospital stay, postoperative pain and time of reintroduction of oral intake. Short and long term complications were also evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed by Student t-test with the level of significance set at P < 0.05. The study was previously approved by the Committee on Ethics in Research of our institution. Results: Significant statistical difference was observed only for the variable length of hospital stay. No laparoscopy group case was converted to open surgery. There was no immediate or late complication. blood loss was negligible and no transfusion was required. Conclusions: In our experience, transperitoneal videolaparoscopic nephrectomy has similar results to open nephrectomy, except for time of hospitalization.

Introducción: La nefrectomía laparoscópica en niños se ha convertido en una alternativa razonable a la nefrectomía abierta y ha sustituido a la cirugía abierta en muchas enfermedades renales. El objetivo de nuestro estudio es evaluar los procedimientos videolaparoscópicos transperitoneales en las enfermedades renales benignas en comparación con el abordaje quirúrgico abierto. Pacientes y método: 34 niños de edades comprendidas entre los 17 días y los 15 años (media, 6,14 años) fueron divididos en dos grupos de nefrectomía; el primero fue sometido a nefrectomía videolaparoscópica transperitoneal y estaba compuesto por 21 pacientes (12 mujeres y 9 varones) con edades comprendidas entre los 2 meses y los 15 años (media, 7,42 años). El segundo grupo fue sometido a nefrectomía abierta y estaba compuesto por 13 pacientes (6 mujeres y 7 varones) con edades comprendidas entre los 17 días y los 11 años (media, 3,91 años). Los grupos se compararon respecto al tiempo de anestesia, el tiempo operatorio, la duración de la estancia hospitalaria, el dolor postoperatorio y el tiempo de reinstauración de la ingesta oral. También se evaluaron las complicaciones a corto y largo plazo. El análisis estadístico se llevó a cabo mediante la prueba de la t de Student, y se estimó significativo el valor de p < 0,05. El Comité de Ética Científica de nuestra institución aprobó previamente el estudio. Resultados: Se observaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas sólo en cuanto a la variable duración de la estancia hospitalaria. Ningún caso del grupo a laparoscopia se convirtió en cirugía abierta. No se observaron complicaciones inmediatas ni tardías. La pérdida de sangre fue insignificante y no fue necesario administrar transfusiones. Conclusiones: Según nuestra experiencia, la nefrectomía videolaparoscópica transperitoneal presenta resultados similares a los de la nefrectomía abierta, excepto en lo que respecta al tiempo de hospitalización.

The use of bovine pericardium as a urethral patch to substitute a ventral segment of canine urethras was studied. Healing, epithelial growth, urethral permeability, fistulas, and calcification were analyzed. Thirty male mongrel dogs of medium and large size underwent resection of a ventral segment of the medial urethra measuring 2.0 x 0.5 cm, which was replaced with a bovine pericardium graft, treated with buffered glutaraldehyde and preserved in formaldehyde. Two running sutures of polygalactin 5-0 were applied, one on each side of the patch. The corpus spongiosum was closed with uninterrupted suture and the skin with interrupted suture of polygalactin 5-0. Six months later, the animals were examined and sacrificed under anesthesia. Retrograde urethrograms showed that the urethral healing was complete in six of the 30 animals, without stenosis, fistulas or dilations. Microscopic examination showed complete epithelization of these six urethras. The remaining 24 animals presented urethrocutaneous fistulas without stenosis, demonstrated by urethral catheterism using a 10-Fr plastic catheter. These data show that a successful urethral reconstruction of the penile urethra was possible in only 20% of the operated animals. Infection and leakage may be the cause of the urethrocutaneous fistulas present in 80% of cases. Further studies are necessary to determine whether such fistulas are avoidable. If they are, the bovine pericardium may well be an option in the treatment of urethral lesions in dogs.

OBJETIVO: Para determinar o acerto obtido pelos diagnósticos efetuados em uma unidade de transplante renal, foram analisados 40 episódios de disfunção renal aguda que ocorreram no período pós-transplante. MÉTODOS: Os pacientes foram submetidos a biópsia renal por ocasião do episódio de insuficiência renal ao mesmo tempo em que o diagnóstico clínico era realizado pelos membros da equipe. RESULTADOS: Foram realizados 19 diagnósticos de necrose tubular aguda (NTA), 18 de rejeição celular aguda (RCA), dois de rejeição humoral (RH) e um de nefrotoxicidade (NTX) pela ciclosporina A (CyA). O diagnóstico de NTA foi confirmado pela histologia em 84,21%, o de RCA, em 83,33%, o de RH em 100% e o único diagnóstico de NTX realizado se apresentou como NTA à biópsia. No total, a clínica foi concordante com a histologia em 82,5% das vezes. CONCLUSÃO: Os autores concluíram que existe uma boa acurácia nos diagnósticos clínicos de RCA, NTA e RH realizados em um centro experiente em transplante renal.

PURPOSE: To assess the agreement between clinical and histopathological diagnosis in a renal transplantation center, 40 episodes of acute renal failure were studied. METHODS: Kidney biopsies were performed at the moment that a clinical diagnosis was made by the staff. RESULTS: Nineteen episodes of acute tubular necrosis (ATN), eighteen episodes of acute cellular rejection (ACR), 2 humoral rejections and 1 acute cyclosporin nephrotoxicity episodes were diagnosed. ATN episodes were confirmed by renal biopsy in 84.21%, ACR episodes in 83.33%, humoral rejections in 100%. Renal biopsy showed ATN in the occurrence of clinical cyclosporin nephrotoxicity. Total agreement was 82.5%. CONCLUSION: There is a good relationship between clinical and histopathological diagnosis in the post-transplantation period. Diagnostic mistakes occurred mainly when oliguria was present.