Surgery (Austin & Northern Health) - Research Publications

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    Effectiveness of epidural versus alternate analgesia for pain relief after radical prostatectomy and correlation with biochemical recurrence in men with prostate cancer
    Mir, MC ; Joseph, B ; Zhao, R ; Bolton, DM ; Gyomber, D ; Lawrentschuk, N (DOVE MEDICAL PRESS LTD, 2013)
    OBJECTIVES: Our objectives were to analyze the effectiveness of epidural anesthesia in patients who underwent open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) at our institution over the past decade, and to examine subsequent oncologic outcomes, comparing those receiving with those not receiving epidural anesthesia. METHODS: A comprehensive database of all patients undergoing RRP from November 1996 to December 2006 was analyzed; 354 patients underwent RRP at our institution and were divided into those receiving or not receiving an epidural. An independent pain management team scoring technical success found epidural technique to be consistent. Oncological outcome was an endpoint of our study, comparing both analysis groups. We classed prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence after RRP as a serum PSA ≥ 0.2 ng/mL at any stage of postoperative follow-up. Complications were recorded to 30 days using the modified Clavien system, and full statistical analyses were undertaken. RESULTS: Records were available for 239 men; we observed a decreased trend in the use of epidural for pain management, along with a decrease in average hospital stay and an overall epidural success rate of 64%. When dividing data into RRP with and without epidural, we found a median hospital stay of 7 days for patients receiving an epidural compared with 6 days for those not receiving an epidural. The differences were statistically significant (P < 0.048) and remained so after adjusting for complications (P < 0.0001). Regarding oncological outcome, PSA recurrence was further analyzed in this cohort. Percentage of recurrence was higher (14.8%) for patients receiving an epidural than for the non-epidural group (4.8%). The differences were statistically significant (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: Epidural analgesia increased length of hospital stay and technical problems related to the epidural. Furthermore, men receiving an epidural showed an increased recurrence of PSA. In light of our findings, epidurals are probably not indicated for men undergoing RRP. However, as minimally invasive techniques are becoming more widespread, and epidural analgesia is being used less frequently, large randomized controlled trials to definitively support our hypotheses are unlikely to be undertaken.
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    Nephrectomy for a Renal Metastasis of Undiagnosed Hepatocellular Carcinoma Arising From an Orthotopic Liver Transplant Undertaken for Cryptogenic Cirrhosis
    Ong, KWK ; Joseph, B ; Gyomber, DV ; Bolton, DM ; Lawrentschuk, N (KOREAN UROLOGICAL ASSOC, 2013-10)
    Urological involvement of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare; HCC arising in an orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) is exceptionally rare. Here we report the case of a 70-year-old man who was incidentally found to have metastatic HCC in the right kidney arising from his OLT undertaken for cryptogenic cirrhosis 10 years previously. Adding to the complexity of this case was the lack of an obvious liver primary HCC at the time of the radical nephrectomy, thus making the final diagnosis all but impossible. We believe this report represents the first report of HCC metastasizing to the kidney after OLT and adds to the few reports in the literature of HCC arising in transplanted livers.
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    Incidence of Bladder Cancer in Sri Lanka: Analysis of the Cancer Registry Data and Review of the Incidence of Bladder Cancer in the South Asian Population
    Ranasinghe, WKB ; De Silva, D ; De Silva, MVC ; Ranasinghe, TIJ ; Lawrentschuk, N ; Bolton, D ; Persad, R (KOREAN UROLOGICAL ASSOC, 2012-05)
    PURPOSE: To investigate the incidence of bladder cancer (BC) in Sri Lanka and to compare risk factors and outcomes with those of other South Asian nations and South Asian migrants to the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The incidence of BC in Sri Lanka was examined by using two separate cancer registry databases over a 5-year period. Smoking rates were compiled by using a population-based survey from 2001 to 2009 and the relative risk was calculated by using published data. RESULTS: A total of 637 new cases of BC were diagnosed over the 5-year period. Sri Lankan BC incidence increased from 1985 but remained low (1.36 and 0.3 per 100,000 in males and females) and was similar to the incidence in other South Asian countries. The incidence was lower, however, than in migrant populations in the US and the UK. In densely populated districts of Sri Lanka, these rates almost doubled. Urothelial carcinoma accounted for 72%. The prevalence of male smokers in Sri Lanka was 39%, whereas Pakistan had higher smoking rates with a 6-fold increase in BC. CONCLUSIONS: Sri Lankan BC incidence was low, similar to other South Asian countries (apart from Pakistan), but the actual incidence is likely higher than the cancer registry rates. Smoking is likely to be the main risk factor for BC. Possible under-reporting in rural areas could account for the low rates of BC in Sri Lanka. Any genetic or environmental protective effects of BC in South Asians seem to be lost on migration to the UK or the US and with higher levels of smoking, as seen in Pakistan.
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    The Role of Lymph Node Fine-Needle Aspiration in Penile Cancer in the Sentinel Node Era
    Mir, MC ; Herdiman, O ; Bolton, DM ; Lawrentschuk, N (HINDAWI LTD, 2011)
    Penile squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an uncommon condition in Western countries. Inguinal lymph nodes dissection can be curative in 20%-60% of node positive patients. However, there is a high complication rates from the dissection, thus accurate diagnosis of inguinal lymph nodes metastasis is required. Current non invasive methods to detect lymph nodes metastasis are unreliable. Dynamic Sentinel Node Biopsy (DNSB), ultrasonography (US), and fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology were proposed to in an attempt to detect sentinel lymph node (SLN). Despite the initial high rate of false negative results, recent DSNB showed improved survival compared to wait and see policy as well as reduced mortality compared to prophylactic inguinal lymphadenectomy. In addition, the US guided FNA shown 100% of specificity in detecting clinically occult lymph nodes metastasis. We proposed an algorithm for management of lymph nodes in penile cancer and suggest that FNA with US guidance should be performed in all high risk patients and that therapeutic dissection should be performed if findings are positive.