Laura S. Kverneland^1,2, Peter Kramer², Stanislav Ovroutski²

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.2, pp. 181-193, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12570

Abstract Almost fifty years after its first clinical application, the modified Fontan operation is among the most frequently performed procedures in congenital heart disease surgery in children today. The objective of this review is to systematically summarize the international evolution of outcomes in regard to morbidity and mortality of patients with Fontan palliation. All studies published over the past five decades with more than 100 Fontan patients included were screened. In eligible studies, information concerning preoperative patients’ characteristics, Fontan modifications employed, early mortality, long-term survival and frequency of relevant complications was extracted. Ultimately, thirty-one studies published… More >

Tarek Alsaied¹, Jouke P. Bokma², Mark E. Engel³, Joey M. Kuijpers², Samuel P. Hanke¹, Liesl Zuhlke⁴, Bin Zhang⁵, Gruschen R. Veldtman⁶

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.12, No.4, pp. 393-398, 2017, DOI:10.1111/chd.12468

Abstract Background: Reported long-term outcome measures vary greatly between studies in Fontan patients making comprehensive appraisal of mortality hazard challenging. We sought to create a clinical risk score to assist monitoring of Fontan patients in the outpatient setting.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted to evaluate risk factors for long-term (beyond the first postoperative year) mortality in Fontan patients. Studies were eligible for inclusion if ≥90 patients were included or ≥20 long-term mortalities we reported. Risk factors for long-term mortality were determined. The pooled hazard ratios were used to create components of a clinical score for long-term mortality… More >

Bhavan Prasad Rai¹, Hiro Ishii², Patrick Jones³, Richard Alexander Chapman³, Jens-Uwe Stolzenburg¹, Bhaskar K. Somani²

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.23, No.2, pp. 8220-8226, 2016

Abstract Introduction: The treatment of bilateral renal and/or ureteric stones can be challenging due to concerns about its safety and efficacy compared to staged ureteroscopy. This review evaluates the current evidence to look at the outcomes of bilateral simultaneous ureteroscopy (BS-URS) for urinary stone disease.
Material and methods: A systematic review using studies identified by a literature search between January 1990 and August 2013. All English language articles reporting on outcomes of BS-URS for urolithiasis were included. Two reviewers independently extracted the data from each study.
Results: A total of seven studies (312 patients) were identified with a mean… More >

Jiahao Su^*, Meiqin Cai^*, Wensheng Li^*, Bo Hou^†, Haiyong He^†, Cong Ling^†,Tengchao Huang^†, Huijiao Liu^†, Ying Guo^*

Oncology Research, Vol.24, No.2, pp. 117-128, 2016, DOI:10.3727/096504016X14612603423511

Abstract Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary malignant brain tumor that nearly always results in a bad prognosis. Temozolomide plus radiotherapy (TEM+RAD) is the most common treatment for newly diagnosed GBM. With the development of molecularly targeted drugs, several clinical trials were reported; however, the efficacy of the treatment remains controversial. So we attempted to measure the dose of the molecularly targeted drug that could improve the prognosis of those patients. The appropriate electronic databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library) were searched for relevant studies. A meta-analysis was performed after determining which studies… More >

Tsz Kin Lee¹, Rodney Henry Breau², Ranjeeta Mallick³, Libni Eapen⁴

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.22, No.1, pp. 7599-7606, 2015

Abstract Introduction: The Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) is a validated and widely adopted instrument that measures patient quality of life. This study aims to describe and compare patient quality of life in the bowel, urinary, and sexual domains across different prostate cancer treatments.
Materials and methods: A systematic review of English articles published prior to 2012 was conducted. Peer reviewed articles reporting longitudinal EPIC data in a statistically analyzable form with clearly defined time points were included. Articles were assessed by content experts to ensure optimal treatment quality.
Screening of studies and extraction of data… More >

Domenic Di Rollo¹, Aza Mohammed², Alexander Rawlinson¹, Jayne Douglas-Moore³, John Beatty³

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.22, No.3, pp. 7817-7823, 2015

Abstract Introduction: The principles of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols have been developed to optimize care and facilitate recovery after major surgery. The purpose of this systematic review is to present an upto-date assessment of the perioperative cares in complex urological surgery from the available evidence and ERAS group recommendations.
Materials and methods: Systematic searches of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library and conference abstracts and bibliographies databases.
Results: A total of six studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. Two examined the role of ERAS in radical cystectomy, and the rest examined its role in renal surgery More >

S,erson L. Gonzaga de Oliveira¹, Jéssica Renata Nogueira¹, João Manuel R. S. Tavares²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.100, No.1, pp. 31-57, 2014, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2014.100.031

Abstract Triangulations and tetrahedrizations are important geometrical discretization procedures applied to several areas, such as the reconstruction of surfaces and data visualization. Delaunay and Voronoi tessellations are discretization structures of domains with desirable geometrical properties. In this work, a systematic review of algorithms with linear-time behaviour to generate 2D/3D Delaunay and/or Voronoi tessellations is presented. More >

Peter M. Grin^1,2, Paulina M. Kowalewska³, Waleed Alhazzani¹, Alison E. Fox-Robichaud^1,2

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.20, No.1, pp. 6607-6614, 2013

Abstract Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common infections affecting women, and often recur. Lactobacillus probiotics could potentially replace low dose, long term antibiotics as a safer prophylactic for recurrent UTI (rUTI). This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to compile the results of existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to determine the efficacy of probiotic Lactobacillus species in preventing rUTI.
Materials and methods: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched from inception to July 2012 for RCTs using a Lactobacillus prophylactic against rUTI in premenopausal adult women. A random-effects model meta-analysis was performed using a pooled risk ratio,… More >

Scott Berry¹, Tricia Waldron², Eric Winquist³, Himu Lukka⁴, on behalf of the Cancer Care Ontario Program in Evidence-based Care’s Genitourinary Cancer Disease Site Group⁵

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.13, No.4, pp. 3180-3188, 2006

Abstract Purpose: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed to assess the benefits of bisphosphonate therapy in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).
Methods: The literature was searched to identify RCTs or meta-analyses comparing treatment with bisphosphonates to placebo or no treatment.
Results: Ten trials that studied clodronate (five trials, 404 patients), pamidronate (two trials, 350 patients), alendronate (one trial, 49 patients), etidronate (one trial, 51 patients), and zoledronic acid (one trial, 643 patients) in men with HRPC and bone metastases met the eligibility criteria. Pain response was the most frequently reported primary outcome (eight… More >

Shabbir M. H. Alibhai¹, Laurence H. Klotz²

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.11, No.1, pp. 2110-2117, 2004

Abstract Introduction: Most treatment studies of localized prostate cancer are observational in nature. The recent publication of a large randomized trial of radical prostatectomy (RP) versus watchful waiting (WW) has focused increased attention on the treatment of localized prostate cancer. We reviewed all published randomized trials that compared different primary treatment modalities for localized prostate cancer.
Materials and methods: We performed a comprehensive Medline search from 1966 to March 2003 to identify all English-language randomized trials of RP, external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT), brachytherapy, watchful waiting, and primary androgen-deprivation therapy in localized prostate cancer.
Results: Nine publications dealing with four separate… More >