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Knowledge of the factors that influence renal pelvic pressure and methods to control pressure extremes may improve patient outcomes during percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Introduction: Enhanced recovery pathways are standardized, multidisciplinary, consensus-based tools that provide guidelines for evidence-based decision-making. This study evaluates the impact of the implementation of a clinical care pathway on patient outcomes following radical prostatectomy in a universal healthcare system.Methods: Medical charts of 200 patients with prostate cancer who underwent open and minimally invasive radical prostatectomy at a single academic hospital from 2009 to 2012 were reviewed. A group of 100 consecutive patients’ pre-pathway implementation was compared with 99 consecutive patients’ post-pathway implementation. Duration of hospital stay, complications, post-discharge emergency department visits and readmissions were compared between the 2 groups.Results: Length of hospital stay decreased from a median of 3 (interquartile range [IQR] 4 to 3 days) days in the pre-pathway group to a median of 2 (IQR 3 to 2 days) days in the post-pathway group regardless of surgical approach (p < 0.0001). Complication rates, emergency department visits and hospital readmissions were not significantly different in the pre- and post-pathway groups (17% vs. 21%, p = 0.80; 12% vs. 12%, p = 0.95; and 3% vs. 7%, p = 0.18, respectively). These findings were consistent after stratification by surgical approach. Limitations of our study include lack of assessment of patient satisfaction, and the retrospective study design.Conclusions: The implementation of a standardized, multidisciplinary clinical care pathway for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy improved efficiency without increasing complication rates or hospital readmissions.

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Study Type – Therapy (retrospective cohort) Level of Evidence 3a What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? It is known that the majority (80%) of solid renal masses are malignant. Most of the literature suggests that smaller tumour size is associated with a higher incidence of benign disease. We have confirmed that decreased tumour size is associated with benign disease, particularly for lesions <2 cm. Once radiologically apparent angiomyolipomas are excluded, the incidence of benign disease with small renal masses is lower than reported in the literature (11%). Furthermore, we have shown that small renal masses in females have a higher association with benign disease. Patient age and tumour location were not predictive of benign histology. We have also stratified our risks not only for benign disease but also for clinically indolent renal cancers to help physicians counsel patients with regard to managing these solid renal masses. OBJECTIVE To determine the clinical predictors of benign disease in patients with solitary solid renal masses. PATIENTS AND METHODS Pathology reports of patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy at two hospitals from 1998 to 2008 were reviewed. Only patients with solitary solid unilateral renal masses were included. Predictors of malignancy risk were assessed with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 592 patients with a mean (sd) age of 60 (13) years were included, 38% of whom were women. Radical and partial nephrectomy was performed in 66% and 34% of patients, respectively. Renal masses were equally distributed on the right and left sides (49% vs 51%, P= 0.84). Masses were more commonly located in the upper and lower poles than in the mid pole (40.8% vs 38.7% vs 20.5%, respectively). The mean tumour size was larger in patients who underwent radical compared with partial nephrectomy (6.8 cm vs 2.9 cm, P < 0.001). The rate of benign disease in our overall population was 9.5%. On univariate and multivariate analysis, only a renal mass size <2 cm and female gender were predictive of benign disease. On further analysis the magnitude of this effect was found to be additive. CONCLUSIONS Renal masses <2 cm and female gender were associated with a higher probability of benign disease. Patient age and tumour location were not predictive of benign disease.