Concordance and Clinical Significance of Uncommon Variants of Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma in Transurethral Resection and Radical Cystectomy Specimens
To evaluate the concordance and prognostic role of histologic variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma in transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and radical cystectomy (RC) specimens. METHODS Clinicopathologic information available at the time of RC and follow-up data from 4110 RC specimens, collected between January 2000 and December 2009 at 17 tertiary referral centers were retrospectively analyzed and evaluated for the presence or absence of uncommon variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma. The presence or absence of uncommon variants of bladder urothelial carcinoma was evaluated on previous TURBT specimens of patients undergoing RC. Cox regression was used to assess the impac…
Editorial comment on: Measurement of serum isoform [–2]proPSA derivatives shows superior accuracy to magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in patients with a total prostate-specific antigen level of 2–10 ng/ml
Gas-containing renal stones: a red flag for renal infection.
Background Gas in the renal excretory system is described as a consequence of recent procedures but it can be a sign of severe conditions such as fistulas or infections; however, gas-containing renal stones are only rarely encountered. Purpose To describe the association of gas-containing renal stones and urinary tract infection. Material and Methods We performed a retrospective evaluation of the clinical and imaging findings in a series of six patients with gas-containing renal stones and compared our findings with those of patients with gas-containing renal stones reported in the literature. Urine and stone cultures were used as a diagnostic standard for urinary tract infection. Results I…
Enhanced glomerular Toll-like receptor 4 expression and signaling in patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy and microalbuminuria
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a component of the innate immune system, is recognized to promote tubulointerstitial inflammation in overt diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, there is no information on immune activation in resident renal cells at an early stage of human DN. In order to investigate this, we studied TLR4 gene and protein expression and TLR4 downward signaling in kidney biopsies of 12 patients with type 2 diabetes and microalbuminuria, and compared them with 11 patients with overt DN, 10 with minimal change disease (MCD), and control kidneys from 13 patients undergoing surgery for a small renal mass. Both in microalbuminuria and in overt DN, TLR4 mRNA and protein were overexpress…
Segmental ureterectomy vs. radical nephroureterectomy for ureteral carcinoma in patients with a preoperative glomerular filtration rate less than 90 ml/min/1.73 m2: A multicenter study
Objectives: To compare segmental ureterectomy (SU) and radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in terms of overall survival (OS) and impact on postoperative renal function in patients treated for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) of the ureter with preoperatively reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Materials and methods: We retrospectively collected the data of consecutive patients treated for UTUC, in 6 Italian tertiary referral centers, from 2003 to 2013, and analyzed those treated with RNU or SU for ureteral cancer and with a preoperative eGFR <90 ml/min/1.73m2. The primary outcome was to compare the postoperative eGFR variation and the OS according to the surgical tec…
CD39 is highly involved in mediating the suppression activity of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T regulatory lymphocytes
CD39 is an ectoenzyme, present on different immune cell subsets, which mediates immunosuppressive functions catalyzing ATP degradation. It is not known whether CD39 is expressed and implicated in the activity of CD8+ regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg). In this study, CD39 expression and function was analyzed in both CD8+ and CD4+CD25hi Treg from the peripheral blood of healthy donors as well as from tumor specimens. CD39 was found expressed by both CD8+ (from the majority of healthy donors and tumor patients) and CD4+CD25 hi Treg, and CD39 expression correlated with suppression activity mediated by CD8+ Treg. Importantly, CD39 counteraction remarkably inhibited the suppression activity of CD8+…
Quality of life following urinary diversion: Orthotopic ileal neobladder versus ileal conduit. A multicentre study among long-term, female bladder cancer survivors
Abstract Introduction Women undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) followed by urinary diversion (UD) for bladder cancer experience a substantial reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). At present, studies comparing long-term QOL outcomes for different UD methods, needed to inform evidence-based choices of bladder reconstruction for female patients, are sparse. Our objective was to compare two common UD methods in terms of their HRQOL outcomes in women. Materials and methods We retrospectively analysed HRQOL in 73 consecutive female bladder cancer patients having undergone orthotopic ileal neobladder (IONB, N = 24) or ileal conduit (IC, N = 49) following RC between 2007 and 2013 in…
Re: Seong Cheol Kim, Cheryn Song, Wansuk Kim, et al. Factors Determining Functional Outcomes After Radical Prostatectomy: Robot-Assisted Versus Retropubic. Eur Urol 2011;60:413–9
Transperitoneal vs retroperitoneal minimally invasive partial nephrectomy: comparison of perioperative outcomes and functional follow-up in a large multi-institutional cohort (The RECORD 2 Project).
Abstract Background Aim of this study was to evaluate and compare perioperative outcomes of transperitoneal (TP) and retroperitoneal (TR) approaches in a multi-institutional cohort of minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MI-PN). Material and methods All consecutive patients undergone MI-PN for clinical T1 renal tumors at 26 Italian centers (RECORd2 project) between 01/2013 and 12/2016 were evaluated, collecting the pre-, intra-, and postoperative data. The patients were then stratified according to the surgical approach, TP or RP. A 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching was performed to obtain homogeneous cohorts, considering the age, gender, baseline eGFR, surgical indication, clinical dia…
Transvestibular Urethrolysis.
Bladder outlet obstruction with obstructive and irritative urinary symptoms may be a complication of surgery for female urinary incontinence. In presence of persistent symptoms the therapy is surgical and usually consists in an accurate urethrolysis. The way of approach is generally transvaginal. In this paper we propose and describe our experience with a transvestibular approach.From 1995 to 2009 18 women who had undergone anti-incontinence surgery (TVT 12 pts, TOT 3 pts, Burch retropubic colposuspension 3 pts) with obstruction and/or irritative symptoms underwent to a transvestibular urethrolysys. Five patients had urinary retention the other patients had post voiding residual urine100 ml…
Prognostic value of nuclear matrix protein expression in localized prostate cancer.
The aim of the study was to correlate nuclear matrix (NM) protein expression profiles with the risk of PSA progression or death in early prostate cancer (PCa).High-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) was used to identify tumor-associated NM proteins in the PCa specimens obtained from 94 patients. The association between the expression of each protein and the probability of PSA progression or death was studied through univariate analysis. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering analysis was then used to generate patient clusters showing comparable outcomes by including the proteins that were predictive at univariate analysis. PSA-free and overall survival curves relative to…
Adherence to Guidelines among Italian Urologists on Imaging Preoperative Staging of Low-Risk Prostate Cancer: Results from the MIRROR (Multicenter Italian Report on Radical Prostatectomy Outcomes and Research) Study.
Objective. A number of evidence-based guidelines for diagnosis and management of prostate cancer have been published. The aim of this study is to evaluate the adherence of Italian urologists to the guidelines concerning the preoperative imaging staging of prostate cancer.Methods. In October 2007 a multicentric observational perspective study called Multicentric Italian Report on Radical prostatectomy Outcome and Research (MIRROR) was started in 135 Italian urology centers. Recruitment was closed in December 2008 and 2,408 cases were collected. In this paper we have taken into consideration all examinations carried out for preoperative imaging staging, evaluating compliance with the recommen…
Open Radical Nephrectomy: 35 Years of Experience at the “Luciano Giuliani” Urological Department of the University of Genoa
Objective: Radical nephrectomy remains the gold standard for surgically resectable kidney neoplasms > 4 cm and, in selected cases, also in presence of metastatic disease. We reviewed the records of the patients having surgery at the University of Genoa in the last 35 yr. Methods: We have retrospectively assessed all the radical nephrectomies performed between 1970 and 2005. Among tumours of the kidney subjected to surgical treatment during this period, we found 1105 cases of histologically proven renal cell carcinoma (RCC), 965 of which had records available for the study. The number of cases per year, symptoms at diagnosis, surgical strategy, staging of the tumour, and survival were rev…
The tongue as an alternative donor site for graft urethroplasty: A pilot study
Purpose: Urethroplasty with a buccal mucosal graft provides excellent clinical results but it may also cause oral complications in some cases. The mucosa covering the lateral and under surface of the tongue is identical in structure with that lining the rest of the oral cavity. We evaluated LMGs for urethroplasty.Materials and Methods: From January 2001 to September 2004, 8 men 34 to 65 years old (mean age 46.1) with urethral strictures 1.5 to 4.5 cm long were selected for 1-stage dorsal onlay urethroplasty. The site of the harvest graft was the lateral mucosal lining of the tongue. Postoperatively all patients were followed with urethrography, uroflowmetry, cystourethrography and flexible …
Lingual mucosal graft urethroplasty 12 years later: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Objective: To evaluate the functional results and complications of the lingual mucosal graft (LMG) urethroplasty and to sum up the current state of the art of this surgical technique. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed and Scopus electronic databases was performed, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. Studies involving male patients treated with LMG urethroplasty for urethral stricture were included. Complete protocol is available at http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?ID=CRD42017080121. A meta-analysis comparing functional and long-term oral complication outcomes of LMG and buccal mucosal graft (BMG) w…
Quality of life in patients with bladder cancer undergoing ileal conduit: A comparison of women versus men
Background/Aim: Studies comparing health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) between patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) and those who underwent a different form of urinary diversion has not reached yet univocal and reliable conclusions. The aim of our study was to evaluate bladder-specific long-term HR-QoL after radical cystectomy and ileal conduit. Patients and Methods: A multicenter study was carried out on 145 consecutive patients (112 males and 33 females) undergoing RC and ileal conduit (IC). HR-QoL assessment was conducted using Italian versions of European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 and EORTC BLM-30 questionnaires. Results: Our data showed that…
Transrectal ultrasound guided implantation of the ProACT adjustable continence therapy system in patients with post-radical prostatectomy stress urinary incontinence: a pilot study
Purpose: We evaluate the feasibility and potential advantages of ProACT system implantation using transrectal ultrasound rather than fluoroscopy for guidance. Materials and Methods: The transrectal ultrasound guided procedure was done between June and October 2005 in 7 patients with a mean age of 68.4 years (range 53 to 76) with mild to severe stress urinary incontinence after laparoscopic transperitoneal radical prostatectomy. Results: The ProACT system was successfully implanted in all cases without perioperative complications. Time needed to complete the overall procedure was 15 to 30 minutes. All transrectal ultrasound studies performed during the mean followup of 4.2 months (range 2 to…
Rebuttal from Authors re: Editorial Comment on: Lingual Mucosal Graft Urethroplasty for Anterior Urethral Reconstruction
Absolok® versus Hem-o-Lok® clips for renorrhaphy during partial nephrectomy for parenchymal renal tumors
Background To compare perioperative and functional outcomes associated with renorrhaphy performed with two different types of clips (Absolok® vs. Hem-o-Lok®) in a contemporary series of patients who underwent partial nephrectomy. Methods Patients in whom Absolok® clips were used to perform haemostasis at the level of tumor bed or to block the running sutures during sliding-clip renorrhaphy (study group) were compared with a contemporary control group of patients in whom renorrhaphy was performed with Hem-o-Lok® clips. Both groups received the same surgical technique via an open or robot-assisted approach. Inner renorrhaphy was performed with one or more 3-0 (26 mm needle) monofilament runni…
Characterization of human infiltrating and circulating gamma-delta T cells in prostate cancer
Purpose The aim of our study was to prospectively evaluate the distribution of gamma-delta (γδ)1 and γδ2 T cells and their phenotypes in peripheral blood and prostate samples of patients diagnosed with or without prostate cancer (PCa) at prostate biopsy. Materials and methods A consecutive series of 43 outpatients underwent trans-rectal echo-guided prostate biopsy for suspected PCa. Flow cytometry analysis was used to identify and characterize the γδ T cells populations in peripheral blood and tissue samples. Patients were stratified according to the presence or not of PCa, and its International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade (1 vs. ≥2). Results The distribution of γδ T cells …
Predicting positive surgical margins in partial nephrectomy: A prospective multicentre observational study (the RECORd 2 project)
PURPOSE: to evaluate clinical predictors of positive surgical margins (PSMs) in a large multicenter prospective observational study and to develop a clinic nomogram to predict the likelihood of PSMs after partial nephrectomy (PN). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 4308 patients who had surgical treatment for renal tumors between January 2013 and December 2016 at 26 urological Italian Centers (RECORd 2 project). Two multivariable logistic models were evaluated to predict the likelihood of PSMs. Center caseload was dichotomized using a visual assessment adjusted for several predictors of PSMs. A nomogram predicting PSMs was developed. RESULTS: Overall, 2076 patients treated wi…
Role of D-Mannose in the Prevention of Recurrent Uncomplicated Cystitis: State of the Art and Future Perspectives
Background: Urinary tract infections (UTI) are highly frequent in women, with a significant impact on healthcare resources. Although antibiotics still represent the standard treatment to manage recurrent UTI (rUTI), D-mannose, an inert monosaccharide that is metabolized and excreted in urine and acts by inhibiting bacterial adhesion to the urothelium, represents a promising nonantibiotic prevention strategy. The aim of this narrative review is to critically analyze clinical studies reporting data concerning the efficacy and safety of D-mannose in the management of rUTIs. Methods: A non-systematic literature search, using the Pubmed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of science, Cochrane Central Register …
Sildenafil orodispersible film in the treatment of erectile dysfunction after radical prostatectomy: A single‐centre open‐label uncontrolled trial
Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors are the first-line therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical prostatectomy (RP). This single-centre open-label uncontrolled study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the new sildenafil orodispersible film (ODF) in ED treatment after RP. Sildenafil 100 mg ODF was administered twice a week for 3 months to patients under 75 years of age, with a Framingham cardiovascular risk score < 20% and a pre-operative International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF)-5 score ≥ 17, who had undergone open RP between 2016 and 2018. Erectile function was assessed pre-operatively, post-operatively and after treatment through the IIEF-5 score, the Sexual Encounter Prof…
Microwave-induced thermoablation with Amica-probe is a safe and reproducible method to treat solid renal masses: results from a phase I study.
Microwave thermal ablation (MWTA) could be considered in the future for treating small solid renal masses. The aim of the present study was to determine both the tolerability of the new Amica-probe applicator-induced MWTA used in vivo on patients with solid renal masses and the effects of heating on renal tumors and normal renal parenchyma. Fourteen patients with renal masses eligible for open radical nephrectomy were enrolled in this phase I study. All patients underwent MWTA of renal masses during the open surgery procedure before clamping of renal vascular pedicle. The effects of MWTA on patients' coagulation and tumor/renal vasculature were investigated. The histological effects of MWTA…
Urethroplasty with dorsal buccal mucosa graft. Is it still the method of choice in long term urethral stenosis?
The aim of our work was to evaluate the long-term changes in symptoms (median 42 months) and to analyze data for any negative predictive factors for the application of the procedure, in patients who underwent to urethroplasty with dorsal buccal mucosa graft. During the period from 2010 to 2015 27 patients were examined. Than they underwent urethroplasty using dorsal buccal mucosa graft (graft of 4 x 2.5 cm). The evaluation of symptoms has been addressed through the application of the IPSS Quality of Life Questionnaire (International Prostatic Symptoms Score) and the evaluation of urinary flow has been carried out by a comparative analysis between the pre- and post-operative uroflowmetry. As…
Re: Naselli et al.: Predictors of Symptomatic Lymphocele After Lymph Node Excision and Radical Prostatectomy (Urology 2010;75:630-635)
The Use of a Surgical Patch in the Prevention of Lymphoceles After Extraperitoneal Pelvic Lymphadenectomy for Prostate Cancer: A Randomized Prospective Pilot Study
Purpose: Pelvic lymphadenectomy is frequently performed simultaneously with radical prostatectomy to determine lymph node status and the most frequently recorded postoperative complication is the development of a symptomatic lymphocele. This study evaluated TachoSil® as an adjunct treatment in preventing lymphoceles after extraperitoneal pelvic lymphadenectomy for prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 60 consecutive patients who had undergone radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy were prospectively enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly assigned to a standard technique with the use of clips and electrocoagulation plus TachoSil, or to standard technique on…
Clinical pathways for urology patients during the COVID-19 pandemic
The public health emergency caused by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in a significant reallocation of health resources with a consequent reorganization of the clinical activities also in several urological centers. A panel of Italian urologists has agreed on a set of recommendations on pathways of pre-, intra- and post-operative care for urological patients undergoing urgent procedures or non-deferrable oncological interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Simplification of the diagnostic and staging pathway has to be prioritized in order to reduce hospital visits and consequently the risk of contagion. In absence of strict uniform regulations that impose th…
Lingual mucosal graft urethroplasty for anterior urethral reconstruction.
Objective: Evaluate the use of lingual mucosal graft (LMG) in anterior urethral strictures.Methods: From January 2001 to December 2006, 29 men (mean age, 48.5 yr) with anterior urethral strictures underwent graft urethroplasty with LMG. The mean length of stricture was 3.6 cm. Patients with bulbar, penile, or bulbopenile strictures received one-stage dorsal free graft urethroplasties. In patients with failed hypospadias repair we performed a two-stage urethroplasty. Criteria for successful reconstruction were spontaneous voiding with no postvoid residual urine and no postoperative instrumentation of any kind. Clinical assessment included the donor site morbidity.Results: Mean follow-up was …
Postoperative complications and 90-day mortality in radical cystectomy in high-risk patients: A monocentric retrospective observational study.
Aim: Assessing the incidence of immediate postoperative complications and 90-day mortality in high-risk patients who have undergone radical cystectomy; evaluating the correlation between preoperative conditions and surgery outcomes. Materials and methods: This is a monocentric retrospective observational study in which data of 65 patients have been analyzed. High-risk criteria: (a) Age ≥75 years, (b) obesity, (c) age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥8, (d) anemic status, and (e) pT ≥3. More than 50% of patients had two or more “high-risk” indicators. Postoperative complications were assessed through Clavien–Dindo classification. Results: Average age of patients was 70.4 years, average a…
Risk factors for resurgery in men with artificial urinary sphincter: Role of urethral strictures
Objective: The aims of the present study were to evaluate the outcome of implantation of an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) in male patients with iatrogenic urinary incontinence and to analyse possible risk factors for resurgery, with particular focus on the effects of posterior urethral strictures (US). Methods: The outcomes of AUS implantation surgeries performed by 2 surgeons on consecutive patients between January 1999 and 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Univariate analysis with Cox proportional hazard regression was used to assess correlations between resurgery (explantation or substitution of the urethral cuff) and risk factors. Hazard ratios (HR) associated with AUS survival …
Interstitial cystitis with plasma cell bladder infiltration: case report and literature review.
We report the case of a 76 ys-old woman with overactive bladder syndrome, determined by an histological exam of interstitial cystitis with plasma cell infiltration. To the best of our knowledge, in literature only a similar case has been described. The patient has been treated with corticosteroid therapy allowing a transitory benefit; despite this fact, after side effects have been shown, this therapy has been interrupted leading to the worsening of the previous sintomatology. Therefore the patient has undergone to radical cystectomy with orthotopic ileal neobladder. The phlogistic infiltration of the bladder wall is represented by the plasma cells for over 90% of the whole population. In a…
Urology practice during COVID-19 pandemic
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and the disease it causes, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is generating a rapid and tragic health emergency in Italy due to the need to provide assistance to an overwhelming number of infected patients and, at the same time, treat all the non-deferrable oncological and benign conditions. A panel of Italian urologists has agreed on possible strategies for the reorganization of urological routine practice and on a set of recommendations that should facilitate the process of rescheduling both surgical and outpatient activities during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the subsequent phases. This document could be a valid tool to be used in rou…
Scrotal Masses
No abstract available
Role of apparent diffusion coefficient values in prostate diseases characterization on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging.
BACKGROUND: To evaluate if normal and pathological prostate tissue can be distinguished by using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and to understand if it is possible to differentiate among pathological prostate tissues using ADC values.METHODS:Our population consisted in 81 patients (mean age 65.4 years) in which 84 suspicious areas were identified. Regions of interest were placed over suspicious areas, detected on MRI, and over areas with normal appearance, and ADC values were recorded. Statistical differences between ADC values of suspicious and normal areas were evaluated. Histopathological diagnosis, obtained from targeted biopsy using MRI-…
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on urological practice in emergency departments in Italy
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) and the disease it causes, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), are causing a rapid and tragic health emergency worldwide [1,2]. Italy was the first European country to experience a virus outbreak, starting on 21 February 2020. It resulted in a national quarantine, and the official lockdown of the country’s non-essential businesses and services began on 9 March 2020. Although several reports are available in the literature providing recommendations for the reorganization of clinical and surgical activities [3–7], to our knowledge, no data are available on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the outcomes of other medical conditi…
Segmental resection of distal ureter with termino-terminal ureteric anastomosis vs bladder cuff removal and ureteric re-implantation for upper tract urothelial carcinoma: results of a multicentre study
OBJECTIVES: To compare overall (OS), cancer-specific (CSS), recurrence free survival (RFS) and post-operative renal function among patients affected by upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) of the distal (lower lumbar and pelvic) ureter, electively treated with segmental resection and termino-terminal anastomosis (TT) vs bladder cuff removal and ureteral re-implantation (RR). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicentre retrospective study, including 84 patients diagnosed with UTUC of the distal ureter and treated with TT or RR, is presented. The primary endpoint was to compare TT and RR in terms of OS, CSS and RFS. As a secondary outcome we compared the post-operative creatinine values as an inde…
A conservative treatment for eosinophilic cystitis
Introduction: Eosinophilic cystitis is a rare condition which causes common symptoms and may mimic other conditions. Eosinophilic cystitis has several causes such as hypereosinophilic syndrome, inflammatory diseases, neoplasia, parasites or fungal infection, IgE-related diseases, Drug Reaction and Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome, or Churg-Strauss syndrome. Therefore, differential diagnosis is difficult. Case presentation: We report the case of a middle-aged man affected by eosinophilic cystitis with persistent hematuria and other peculiar symptoms that may be brought back to hypereosinophilic crisis. Conclusion: Conservative approach is preferred, avoiding radical cystec…
Re: Das et al.: Lingual mucosal graft urethroplasty for anterior urethral strictures (Urology 2009;73:105-108)
Treatment with abiraterone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients progressing after docetaxel: a retrospective study.
The aim of this study was to evaluate abiraterone's efficacy in Italian patients affected with metastatic prostate cancer progressing after treatment with docetaxel. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 60 patients. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) reduction in serum was the primary endpoint for evaluating the efficacy of abiraterone in combination with prednisone treatment, whereas reduced pain, safety, progression-free survival, response rate, and overall survival (OS) were secondary endpoints. A significant correlation was noticed between PSA response and OS. Further, the Index Bravais-Pearson (r) correlation allowed us to observe a significant negative interdependence between PSA res…
Quality of life in women undergoing urinary diversion for bladder cancer: results of a multicenter study among long-term disease-free survivors
Purpose: Women undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) and urinary diversion for bladder cancer experience substantial limitations in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, the level of discomfort caused by different urinary diversion has been never evaluated in long term survivors. The aim of this multicenter study is to evaluate differences in HRQOL among recurrence-free women undergoing cutaneous ureterostomy (CUS), Bricker's ileal conduit (BK-IC) and Orthotopic neobladder VIP (ONB-VIP) in disease-free females treated with radical cystectomy (RC), with long-term follow up (mean 60.1 months; range 36-122 months). Materials and methods: All consecutively treated female patients from t…
Oncologic outcome and continence recovery after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: 3 years' follow-up in a "second generation center".
Objectiues: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy in major centers guarantees oncologic and functional results equal to open procedures. In our institution this operation was introduced in 2001 after an adequate training in laparoscopic surgery. We report the oncologic and functional results after 3 years of experience.Methods: We considered our first 150 patients that had undergone transperitoneal laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The following parameters were prospectively collected and analyzed: pathological findings, surgical margins, surgical time, blood loss, hospital stay, catheterization, complications, oncologic follow-up and continence.Results: Single positive surgical margins were…
Residual tumor micro-foci and overwhelming regulatory T lymphocyte infiltration are the causes of bladder cancer recurrence
Bladder cancer has an unexplained, high recurrence rate. Causes of recurrence might include the presence of sporadic tumor micro-foci in the residual urothelial tissue after surgery associated with an inverted ratio between intratumoral effector and regulatory T cell subsets. Hence, surgical specimens of both tumors and autologous, macroscopically/histologically free-of-tumor tissues were collected from 28 and 20 patients affected by bladder or renal cancer, respectively. The frequencies of effector (IFNγ+ and IL17+ T cells) and regulatory (CD4+CD25hiCD127lo and CD8+CD28-CD127loCD39+ Treg) T cell subpopulations among tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were analyzed by immunofluorescence, while …
Re:Altaf Mangera, Jacob M. Patterson, Christopher R. Chapple. A systematic review of graft augmentation urethroplasty techniques for the treatment of anterior urethral strictures. Eur urol 2011; 59: 797-814
Two-stage transperineal management of posterior urethral strictures or bladder neck contractures associated with urinary incontinence after prostate surgery and endoscopic treatment failures
Objectives: The treatment of posterior urethral strictures or bladder neck contracture associated with severe urinary incontinence after prostate surgery and failure of endoscopic treatments is controversial. We report our experience with a transperineal approach in two steps: end-to-end urethroplasty/anastomosis and subsequent artificial urinary sphincter implantation.Methods: Between September 2001 and January 2005, we observed six patients (58-68 yr old), with a combination of severe urinary incontinence and posterior urethral stricture with anastomotic bladder neck contracture after prostate surgery. In all cases, repeated endoscopic treatments of the strictures failed. The patients und…
Penile dermal flap in patients with Peyronie's disease: long-term results.
Purpose: In 1995 a penile dermal flap was described as an ideal operation for penile curvature due to Peyronie's disease. We report our experience with penile dermal flaps in patients with penile curvature due to Peyronie's disease. Materials and Methods: Between January 2001 and May 2004, 26 potent white men with Peyronie's disease underwent corporoplasty with a penile dermal flap. They were evaluated at 3, 6 and 12 months, and yearly thereafter by determination of penile length changes and residual curvature, and the International Index of Erectile Function-5. Results: At the maximum followup (mean 95 months, range 81 to 108) 22 of 26 patients (85%) were available for examination, of whom…
Urinary and sexual outcomes in long-term (5+ years) prostate cancer disease free survivors after radical prostatectomy.
Abstract Background After long term disease free follow up (FUp) patients reconsider quality of life (QOL) outcomes. Aim of this study is assess QoL in prostate cancer patients who are disease-free at least 5 years after radical prostatectomy (RP). Methods 367 patients treated with RP for clinically localized pCa, without biochemical failure (PSA ≤ 0.2 ng/mL) at the follow up ≥ 5 years were recruited. Urinary (UF) and Sexual Function (SF), Urinary (UB) and Sexual Bother (SB) were assessed by using UCLA-PCI questionnaire. UF, UB, SF and SB were analyzed according to: treatment timing (age at time of RP, FUp duration, age at time of FUp), tumor characteristics (preoperative PSA, TNM stage, pa…
The pathologist's role in the detection of rare variants of bladder cancer and analysis of the impact on incidence and type detection.
BACKGROUND: Histology is one of the most important factors determining the prognosis of bladder cancers and rare variants are generally associated with decreased disease specific survival compared to pure transitional cell carcinomas. We believe that rare bladder cancer variants are likely underdiagnosed in the absence of a dedicated uro-pathologist in many centers. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of a dedicated uro-pathologist on the identification of rare bladder cancer variants. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical and histological records of all patients which underwent a radical cystectomy and lymph node dissection between January 2000 and Septe…
Role of abdominal obesity for functional outcomes and complications in men treated with radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer: results of the Multicenter Italian Report on Radical Prostatectomy (MIRROR) study
Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of abdominal obesity on preoperative features, complications and functional outcomes of men treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer. Material and methods. In 2006 a multicentre Italian report on RP evaluated the surgical and functional characteristics of prostate cancer and RP outcomes. Age and waist circumference (WC) were recorded. Abdominal obesity was defined as a WC of at least 102 cm. International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score, prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, tumour characteristics, presence/absence of perioperative complications and the number of blood units transfused were recorded. Preoper…
Is Kelami's Method Still Useful in the Smartphone Era? The Virtual 3-Dimensional Reconstruction of Penile Curvature in Patients With Peyronie's Disease: A Pilot Study
Abstract Background Peyronie's disease is an idiopathic fibrotic disease affecting the penile tunica albuginea. Among other resulting deformities, the more common penile curvature should be assessed preferentially with in-office goniometric estimation after pharmacologically induced erection, although clearly invasive and uncomfortable. Aim In the present pilot study, we investigated the usefulness for the patient and the surgeon of a 3-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of the penile curvature obtained through photogrammetry software in clinical evaluation and surgical planning. Methods Enrolled patients received alprostadil 10 μg by intracavernous injection. Then, the medical personnel took …
Predictive variables of spontaneous micturition recovery after acute urinary retention in men with benign prostatic enlargement: An observational prospective study
Objective: Acute urinary retention (AUR) is the sudden and painful inability to urinate spontaneously. AUR is one of the most significant complications of benign prostatic enlargement. The management of AUR is based on transurethral catheterization. Subsequent therapy is uncertain, but AUR seems to benefit from the use of alpha-blockers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the variables that could predict which patients would recover spontaneous micturition after trial without catheter. Methods: The present prospective observational study included men with AUR in an Italian tertiary care institute in 2016. Patients were catheterized and treated orally with fluoroquinolones, alpha-blockers…
Preliminary Results of ERAS Protocol in a Single Surgeon Prospective Case Series
Background and Objectives: The aim was to compare the intra and postoperative outcomes between the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol versus the standard of care protocol (SCP) in patients who underwent radical cystectomy performed by a single surgeon. Materials and Methods: A retrospective comparative study was conducted including patients who underwent radical cystectomy from 2017 to 2020. Length of stay (LOS), incidence of ileus, early postoperative complications, and number of re-hospitalizations within 30 days were considered as primary comparative outcomes of the study. Results: Data were collected for 91 patients who underwent cystectomy, and 70 and 21 patients followed …
Lysine triggers apoptosis through a NADPH oxidase-dependent mechanism in human renal tubular cells
Progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) is common in lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI), a primary inherited aminoaciduria characterized by massive Lysine excretion in urine. However, by which mechanisms Lysine may cause kidney damage to tubule cells is still not understood. This study determined whether Lysine overloading of human proximal tubular cells (HK-2) in culture enhances apoptotic cell loss and its associated mechanisms. Overloading HK-2 with Lysine levels reproducing those observed in urine of patients affected by LPI (10 mM) increased apoptosis (+30%; p < 0.01 vs.C), as well as Bax and Apaf-1 expressions (+30-50% p < 0.05), while downregulated Bcl-2 (-40% p < 0.05). Apoptosis …
Can We Clinically Distinguish Anejaculation From Retrograde Ejaculation in Patients on α1A-Blockers Therapy for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms?
To investigate the physiopathology of ejaculatory disorders (EjD) and discriminate between retrograde ejaculation (REj) and anejaculation (AEj) induced by α1A-blockers, through the association between the mean postorgasm seminal vesicle volume and the presence of sperm in midstream urine, in patients with moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic enlargement.Therapy-naïve male patients with LUTS and without previous EjD were treated with α1A-blockers. Pre- and post-treatment EjD were investigated through question 4 of the 4-item Male Sexual Function questionnaire and the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire for Ejaculatory Dysfunction Short Form (MSHQ-…
Synchronous parenchymal renal tumors of different histology in the same kidney
Background: Synchronous primary cortical tumors of different histology in the same kidney are rare. Preoperative awareness of this coexistence is important, since it can help in planning the surgical approach. Purpose: To describe the imaging findings observed in five patients with two parenchymal malignant tumors of different histology in the same kidney. Material and Methods: We reviewed the pathology reports of 381 patients operated for renal tumors from January 2000 to March 2007. The medical records of all patients with multiple, synchronous, primary lesions of different histology in the same kidney were reviewed with special attention to imaging findings and indications on the nature…
Microsurgical testis-sparing surgery in small testicular masses: seven years retrospective management and results
OBJECTIVE To retrospectively evaluate the clinical outcomes of 20 patients diagnosed with a nonpalpable or small testicular mass (2 cm) at 2 academic urological department. Testis-sparing surgery (TSS) is currently performed routinely for the management of nonpalpable testicular masses. High reliability of frozen section examination (FSE) and high-frequency ultrasound (US) and the adoption of microsurgical techniques improved safety and feasibility of this technique.METHODS From January 2004 to March 2011, 23 patients underwent microsurgical TSS. An inguinal approach was performed in 22 cases and a suprapubic incision in one bilateral case. All procedures were performed with an operating mi…