We present our series of residual retroperitoneal mass surgery after chemotherapy. We evaluate possible preoperative parameters that can predict the retroperitoneal mass histology. Survival and relapse rates were also evaluated.We reviewed sixty resections of residual retroperitoneal masses of testicular tumours after chemotherapy performed at our department between 1995 and 2007. We evaluate the relationship between histology of the retroperitoneal mass and possible risk factors, such as outcomes after chemotherapy, which was evaluated as changes in the size of the retroperitoneal mass, and negativization of serum tumor markers. We also evaluate histology and size of the primary testicular cancer.The histology of retroperitoneal mass was necrosis or fibrosis in 25 (42%) cases, teratoma in 29 (48%) and viable tumor in 6 (10%). The size of the retroperitoneal mass decreased after the chemotherapy in 62% cases; moreover negative serum tumor markers were found in 87%. Elevated values of human chorionic gonadotropin were associated with viable cells in the retroperitoneal mass (p=0.014) and, the presence of teratoma in the primary tumor may be associated with teratoma in the retroperitoneal mass histology (p=0.002). However, no other preoperative factors that predict the residual mass histology were found. Repeated resections of retroperitoneal masses were required in four patients and 9 patients died during follow-up.We cannot determine preoperative parameters that accurately predict the histology of retroperitoneal masses. Therefore, resection of residual retroperitoneal masses after chemotherapy in non-seminomatous germ cell tumours must be performed.
Introduction and Objectives Kidney transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage chronic kidney disease, with multiple advantages over dialysis. Because of the large quantity of people awaiting a kidney transplant there is an important organ shortage, which has led to investigate new sources of grafts. Donation after cardiac death (DCD) has emerged in the last two decades to increase the donor pool, classically composed by donation after brain death (DBD). Uncontrolled DCD is popular in not many countries, because of ethical issues among others; moreover, these kidneys have a higher ischemic risk due to longer cold ischemia time. In this series, we compare the survival of uncontrolled DCD transplants related to DBD transplants. Methods We carried out a retrospective review of 300 kidney transplants (150 uncontrolled DCD with normothermic perfusion and 150 DBD) performed in our centre between 2007 and 2012 on recipients under 60 years old. We collected preoperative features, surgical technique, graft characteristics (cold ischemia time) and postoperative events. We estimated crude survival and death-censored and primary non function-censored survival with Kaplan Meier curves, using Stata v12.0 for Windows. Results Both groups were comparable regarding baseline characteristics, with a median follow-up of 53.6 months (interquartile range 35.3-70.5), and a median age of 43 years for donors and 46 for recipients. Crude survival (Figure 1) at 1, 5 and 10 years was 93.3%, 90.9% and 88.5% for DBD kidneys and 91.1%, 83.6% and 81.6% for uncontrolled DCD grafts, with no statistically significant difference (p=0,100). Primary non function and death censored survival (Figure 2) at 1, 5 and 10 years was 95.6%, 93% and 88.7% for DBD grafts and 97%, 88.9% and 86.9% for DCD grafts..Conclusions Uncontrolled DCD kidneys under normothermic preservation have similar survival as DBD grafts. Hence, they can be considered as a valuable source to increase the donor pool so as to minimize the current organ shortage.