Objective: A prospective randomized study was executed to compare the surgical parameters and stone clearance in patients who underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (CSEA) versus those who underwent PNL under general anesthesia (GA). Methods: Between January 2008 to December 2009, 64 patients with renal calculi were randomized into 2 groups and evaluated for the purpose of this study. Group 1 consisted of patients who underwent PNL under CSEA and Group 2 consisted of patients who underwent PNL under GA. The operative time, stone clearance rate, visual pain analog score, mean analgesic dose and mean hospital stay were compared amongst other parameters. Results: The difference between visual pain analog score after the operation and the dose of analgesic requirement was significant on statistical analysis between both groups. Conclusion: PNL under CSEA is as effective and safe as PNL under GA. Patients who undergo PNL under CESA require lesser analgesic dose and have a shorter hospital stay.

Objective• To conduct a prospective comparison of quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes in patients who underwent ileal conduit (IC) urinary diversion with those who underwent orthotopic neobladder (ONB) reconstruction after radical cystectomy for invasive bladder cancers. Patients and Methods Results• Of the 227 patients, 28 patients in the IC group and 35 in the ONB group were excluded. The final analysis included 80 patients in the IC and 84 in the ONB group.• None of the baseline characteristics were significantly different between the groups, except for age, but none of the baseline QoL variables were found to be correlated with age.• In the preoperative phase, there were no significant differences in any of the QoL domains between the IC or the ONB groups. At 6, 12 and 18 months in the postoperative period, physical functioning (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), role functioning (P = 0.01, P = 0.01 and P = 0.003, respectively), social functioning (P = 0.01, P = 0.01 and P = 0.01, respectively) and global health status/QoL (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively) were better in patients in the ONB group than in those in the IC group and the differences were significant. • The financial burden related to bladder cancer treatment was significantly lower in the ONB group than in the IC group at 6, 12 and 18 months of follow-up (P = 0.05, P = 0.05 and P = 0.005, respectively) Conclusions• ONB is better than IC in terms of physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, global health status/QoL and financial expenditure.• ONB reconstruction provides better QoL outcomes than does IC urinary diversion.

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Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter is a rare malignancy, having an incidence of 6% to 15% (of all urothelial tumors). Few cases of primary squamous cell carcinoma of kidney have been reported in the world literature. The insidious onset of symptom and lack of any pathognomonic sign, leads to delay in the diagnosis and subsequent treatment, resulting in grave prognosis for these patients.Herein, we report 5 cases (three males and two females) of advanced primary squamous cell carcinoma of kidney that were treated at our centre during the last 6 years. The average age was 57 years (range 50-65 years). Three of the patients had history of long standing renal calculus disease while 3 had history of smoking and 1 patient had history of analgesic abuse. These cases were unique because in few of them; all the calyces were involved by the tumor -a fi eld change type of pattern normally seen in transitional cell carcinoma of the kidney. In one patient, thrombus of the inferior vena cava was also present along with infi ltration of the duodenum by the tumor. Despite prompt nephroureterectomy, 4 out of 5 patients died within 6 months of treatment. Only one patient was surviving at 5 months of follow up.Nephrectomy with or without ureterectomy is the treatment of choice in patients suffering from squamous cell carcinoma of the kidney. There is lack of evidence of survival benefi ts of chemo-radiation following surgery but is advocated by some with the hope that it might increase survival. Biopsy from the renal pelvis or calyceal wall is advocated at the time of stone removal in patients having long-standing history of large renal calculi or staghorn calculus since such patients are capable of harboring occult or overt malignancy.

Grades I, II and III complications constituted the main bulk (90 %) while grade IV were less common (<8 %) and grade V was rare (1 %) after TURP. Men with higher CCI score had a significantly higher rate of morbidity than those with a lower score. The present study is the first to validate that CCI can predict complications of TURP recorded according to the MCCS.