Sexual disorders following retroperitoneal pelvic lymph node dissection (RPLND) for testis tumor can affect the quality of life of patients. The aim of the current study was to investigate several different andrological outcomes, which may be influenced by robot-assisted (RA) RPLND. From January 2012 to March 2020, 32 patients underwent RA-RPLND for stage I nonseminomatous testis cancer or postchemotherapy (PC) residual mass. Modified unilateral RPLND nerve-sparing template was always used. Major variables of interest were erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE), dry ejaculation (DE), or orgasm alteration. Finally, fertility as well as the fecundation process (sexual intercourse or medically assisted procreation [MAP]) was investigated. Ten patients (31.3%) presented an andrological disorder of any type after RA-RPLND. Hypospermia was present in 4 (12.5%) patients, DE (International Index of Erectile Function-5 [IIEF-5] <25) in 3 (9.4%) patients, and ED in 3 (9.4%) patients. No PE or orgasmic alterations were described. Similar median age at surgery, body mass index (BMI), number of nodes removed, scholar status, and preoperative risk factor rates were identified between groups. Of all these 10 patients, 6 (60.0%) were treated at the beginning of our robotic experience (2012-2016). Of all 32 patients, 5 (15.6%) attempted to have a child after RA-RPLND. All of these 5 patients have successfully fathered children, but 2 (40.0%) required a MAP. In conclusion, a nonnegligible number of andrological complications occurred after RA-RPLND, mainly represented by ejaculation disorders, but ED occurrence and overall sexual satisfaction deficit should be definitely considered. No negative impact on fertility was described after RA-RPLND.
Male ; Child ; Humans ; Robotics ; Quality of Life ; Retrospective Studies ; Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal/surgery* ; Testicular Neoplasms/pathology* ; Lymph Node Excision/adverse effects* ; Retroperitoneal Space/surgery* ; Erectile Dysfunction/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome

Hematoma/etiology* ; Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/adverse effects* ; Retroperitoneal Space

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for large impacted proximal ureteral stones remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and potential complications of mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (MPCNL) and retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy (RPLU) in the treatment of impacted proximal ureteral stones with size greater than 15 mm. METHODS: A total of 268 patients with impacted proximal ureteral stones greater than 15 mm who received MPCNL or RPLU procedures were enrolled consecutively between January 2014 and January 2019. Data on surgical outcomes and complications were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Demographic and ureteral stone characteristics found between these two groups were not significantly different. The surgical success rate (139/142, 97.9% vs. 121/126, 96.0%, P = 0.595) and stone-free rate after 1 month (139/142, 97.9% vs. 119/126, 94.4%, P = 0.245) of RPLU group were marginally higher than that of the MPCNL group, but there was no significant difference. There was no significant difference in the drop of hemoglobin between the two groups (0.8 ± 0.6 vs. 0.4 ± 0. 2 g/dL, P = 0.621). The mean operative time (68.2 ± 12.5 vs. 87.2 ± 16.8 min, P = 0.041), post-operative analgesics usage (2/121, 1.7% vs. 13/139, 9.4%, P = 0.017), length of hospital stay after surgery (2.2 ± 0.6 vs. 4.8 ± 0.9 days, P < 0.001), double J stent time (3.2 ± 0.5 vs. 3.9 ± 0.8 days, P = 0.027), time of catheterization (1.1 ± 0.3 vs. 3.5 ± 0.5 days, P < 0.001), and time of drainage tube (2.3 ± 0.3 vs. 4.6 ± 0.6 days, P < 0.001) of MPCNL group were significantly shorter than that of the RPLU group. The complication rate was similar between the two groups (20/121, 16.5% vs. 31/139, 22.3%, P = 0.242). CONCLUSIONS MPCNL and RPLU have similar surgical success and stone clearance in treating impacted proximal ureteral stones greater than 15 mm, while patients undergoing MPCNL had a lower post-operative pain rate and a faster recovery.
Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Length of Stay ; Nephrolithotomy, Percutaneous/adverse effects* ; Retroperitoneal Space/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Ureteral Calculi/surgery*

Humans ; Paraganglioma/complications* ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Tachycardia

Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms/surgery* ; Laparoscopy ; Nephrectomy ; Retroperitoneal Space/surgery*

Gastric duplication is a rare congenital anomaly accounting to 4% of all gastrointestinal tract duplications. It is usually diagnosed pre-natally or during infancy. Retroperitoneal gastric duplication is very rare in adult patients. It is generally asymptomatic or presents with non-specific symptoms. The sensitivity of classical imaging modalities for retroperitoneal gastric duplication is weak. Retroperitoneal gastric duplication could be misdiagnosed as other retroperitoneal cystic lesions and it could be definitely diagnosed by typical findings of abdominal enhanced computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) plus EUS:guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in gastric duplicated cyst. A female adult patient was diagnosed by an exceptional hospital CT as retroperitoneal cystic lesion and was admitted in our hospital in March 2019. The abdominal enhanced CT in our hospital preoperatively indicated a cystic lesion above the left kidney and the maximum cross section was 9.0 cm×5.2 cm. Lymphocysts and others should be identified and the lesion might be from the stomach. The retroperitoneal gastric duplication was not diagnosed before operation. In the operation laparoscopy revealed the cystic lesion in the retroperitoneum. The pancreas, left adrenal gland, and left kidney were compressed by the cystic lesion. The top of the lesion was connected with the small curvature of the stomach, but it was not communicated with the stomach. The retroperitoneal cystic lesion was completely excised and the surrounding organs were not damaged. The retroperitoneal gastric duplication was clearly diagnosed by the findings in the operation and the pathology of the lesion. The patient was discharged a week after surgery without gastrointestinal and pancreatic injuries. Therefore, the differential diagnosis of retroperitoneal cysts should consider the possibility of retroperitoneal gastric duplication. For patients with typical CT findings or unclear boundaries between the tumor and the stomach wall, gastric duplication could be diagnosed by EUS plus EUS:guided fine needle aspiration biopsy in the cyst. Retroperitoneal gastric duplication cyst could be completely excised by laparoscopy through abdominal cavity and the stomach wall could be completely repaired.
Cysts ; Endosonography ; Female ; Humans ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Stomach Diseases

Abdominal compartment syndrome can produce a critical situation if not diagnosed early and managed properly. We report a case of abdominal compartment syndrome that was caused by massive irrigation of surgical fluid during endoscopic lumbar diskectomy at the L4–L5 level. There was a sudden increase in peak inspiratory pressure during the operation, and the patient's tidal volume and blood pressure decreased. When the patient's position was changed from prone to supine, abdominal distension and cyanosis of both lower extremities were discovered. Ultrasonic findings showed fluid collection in both the chest and intra-abdominal cavity. Thoracentesis and abdominal decompression surgery were performed, and the patient's overall state improved. We concluded that irrigation fluid used during the endoscopic operation leaked into the retroperitoneal space and caused abdominal compartment syndrome.
Blood Pressure ; Cyanosis ; Diskectomy* ; Endoscopy ; Intra-Abdominal Hypertension* ; Lower Body Negative Pressure ; Lower Extremity ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Thoracentesis ; Thorax ; Tidal Volume ; Ultrasonics

Objective: To report a rare case of epididymal liposarcoma with multiple metastases to the retroperitoneal space and peritoneal cavity for the purpose of improving the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about a case of epididymal liposarcoma with multiple metastases to the retroperitoneal space and peritoneal cavity, reviewed relevant literature at home and abroad, and investigated the presentation, diagnosis and treatment of the disease. RESULTS: A 47-year-old male patient with epididymal liposarcoma underwent radical left orchiectomy with high ligation of the spermmatic cord. Ten years later, recurrence and metastasis were observed in the retroperitoneal space with a mass of 15.6 × 9.4 × 25.5 cm occupying an area from the upper pole of the left kidney to the pelvic cavity and enclosing the left kidney and upper ureter, for which the patient received radical resection of the retroperitoneal tumor. However, multiple retroperitoneal and intraperitoneal metastases occurred again 4 years later, which was treated by another surgical resection. The patient died of lung failure a year later. CONCLUSIONS Epididymal liposarcoma is a rare entity, which can be diagnosed by careful clinical and radiological examinations and confirmed by pathology. For its treatment, radical inguinal orchiectomy should be performed as early as possible, but the roles of adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy remain controversial. Given the high rate of recurrence and metastasis, long-term follow-up is necessitated for the patient postoperatively.
Epididymis ; pathology ; Genital Neoplasms, Male ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney ; Liposarcoma ; pathology ; secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Orchiectomy ; Peritoneal Cavity ; Peritoneal Neoplasms ; secondary ; Retroperitoneal Neoplasms ; secondary ; Retroperitoneal Space

Objective: To investigate the effect of laparoscopic extraperitoneal (LSEP) high ligation of the spermatic vein in the treatment of varicocele. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data about 80 cases of varieocele, 48 treated by LSEP and the other 32 by laparoscopic transabdominal retroperitoneal (LSTR) high ligation of the spermatic vein. We recorded the semen parameters before and at 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative complications, time of gastrointestinal function recovery and rate of pregnancy, followed by comparison of the data obtained between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: Semen parameters were remarkably improved in both the LSEP and LSTR groups of patients postoperatively as compared with the baseline (P <0.05), but with no statistically significant difference at different postoperative months (P >0.05). The intraoperative blood loss was less in the LSEP than in the LSTR group (［8.3 ± 5.2］ vs ［9.1 ± 6.1］ ml, P >0.05), the operation time was shorter in the former than in the latter (［38.27 ± 9.23］ vs ［43.46 ± 11.72］ min, P >0.05), and so was the time of gastrointestinal function recovery (［1.27 ± 0.26］ vs ［2.43 ± 0.41］ d, P <0.05). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups during the 6- to 18-month follow-up in the rates of postoperative subcutaneous hematoma, scrotal and subcutaneous emphysema, recurrence, or pregnancy (P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic extraperitoneal high ligation of the spermatic vein is safe and effective and has the advantage of quick recovery in the treatment of varicocele.
Blood Loss, Surgical ; Emphysema ; etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Operative Time ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Pregnancy ; Recurrence ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Scrotum ; Spermatic Cord ; blood supply ; Treatment Outcome ; Varicocele ; surgery ; Veins ; surgery

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of microscopic spermatic vein ligation in the treatment of nutcracker phenomenon (NCP) complicated with left varicocele (VC). METHODS: This retrospective study included 31 cases of NCP complicated with left VC treated in our hospital by subinguinal microscopic ligation of the left spermatic vein (group A, n = 11), open retroperitoneal high ligation of the left spermatic vein (group B, n = 11), or conservative therapy (group C, n = 9). The patients were followed up for 6－24 (15.3 ± 5.4) months. We compared the semen parameters, spermatic vein diameter, left testis volume, and recurrence rate among the three groups of patients before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline, the semen quality parameters were significantly improved in both groups A and B at 6 months after treatment (P<0.05) but reduced in group C (P<0.05); the spermatic vein diameter at rest and that at Valsalva maneuver were markedly decreased in groups A (［2.53 ± 0.27］ vs ［1.84 ± 0.22］ and ［3.53 ± 0.19］ vs ［2.16 ± 0.25］ mm, P<0.05) and B (［2.62 ± 0.33］ vs ［2.15 ± 0.43］ and ［3.36 ± 0.25］ vs ［2.44 ± 0.27］ mm, P<0.05) but increased in group C (［2.56 ± 0.28］ vs ［2.94 ± 0.24］ and ［3.33 ± 0.21］ vs ［3.77 ± 0.26］ mm, P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in the left testis volume at 6 months after treatment in group A (［9.85 ± 1.86］ vs ［10.27 ± 1.18］ ml, P>0.05), B (［9.77 ± 2.03］ vs ［9.96 ± 1.72］ ml, P>0.05), or C (［9.83 ± 1.59］ vs ［10.48 ± 2.05］ ml, P>0.05), nor in the recurrence rate between groups A and B (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Hematuria, proteinuria and other mild symptoms of nutcracker phenomenon complicated with left VC can be treated palliatively by microscopic ligation of the spermatic vein, which can relieve the clinical symptoms, improve the semen quality, and protect the testicular function of the patient.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Ligation ; methods ; Male ; Recurrence ; Renal Nutcracker Syndrome ; surgery ; Retroperitoneal Space ; Retrospective Studies ; Semen Analysis ; Testis ; anatomy & histology ; blood supply ; Time Factors ; Varicocele ; complications ; Veins ; surgery