Findings regarding non-sexual penile fracture in a referral emergency hospital

ABSTRACT Purpose: To describe penile fracture (PF) findings with non-sexual etiology in a referral emergency hospital, with emphasis on demographic data, clinical and intraoperative findings and long-term outcomes. Materials and Methods: Patients with PF of non-sexual cause operated at our institution from January 2014 to January 2019 were submitted to surgical treatment and monitored for at least three months after surgery. Etiology of trauma, epidemiological and clinical presentation data, time to intervention and operative findings were reviewed retrospectively. The evaluation of postoperative erectile function was carried out by filling out the International Index of Erection Function - 5 (IIEF-5). The tool used to assess urinary function was the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire. Results: Of a total of 149 patients submitted to surgical treatment for PF, 18 (12%) reported non-sexual etiology. Twelve (66.6%) cases were due to penile manipulation through the act of bending the penis during morning erection, three (16.6%) when rolling over in bed with erect penis, one (5.5%) when embracing the wife during erection, one (5.5%) to laying on the partner with erect penis and the other (5.5%) when sitting on the toilet with an erection. Operative findings were unilateral corpus cavernosum injury in all cases. Only one (5.5%) patient had a partial urethral lesion. Follow-up time varied from 3 to 18 months (mean, 10.1 months). Three (16.6%) patients developed erectile dysfunction six months after surgery. However, all of them responded to treatment with IPDE-5 and reported improvement of erection, with no need for medication, on reevaluation after 18 months. One (5.5%) patient developed penile curvature < 30 degrees. Thirteen (72.2%) patients developed penile nodules. No patient presented voiding complaints during follow-up. Conclusions: PF is a rare urologic emergency, especially with the non-sexual etiology. However, PF should always be considered when the clinical presentation is suggestive, regardless of the etiology. Penile manipulation and roll over in bed were the most common non-sexual causes. These cases are related to low-energy traumas, usually leading to unilateral rupture of corpus cavernosum. Urethral involvement is uncommon but may be present. Early treatment has good long-term clinical outcome, especially when performed in specialized centers with extensive experience in FP.

Stereological and biochemical analysis of the urethral edges in patients submitted to end-to-end anastomosis for bulbar urethral stricture

PURPOSE: To study the morphologic alterations in the proximal and distal urethral edges from patients submitted to end-to-end bulbar urethroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 12 patients submitted to anastomotic urethroplasty to treat bulbar strictures less than 2.0 cm in length. After excision of the fibrotic segment to a 28Fr urethral caliber, we obtained biopsies from the spongious tissue of the free edges (proximal: PROX and distal: DIST). Controls included normal bulbar urethras obtained from autopsies of 10 age matched individuals. The samples were histologically processed for smooth muscle cells (SMC), elastic system fibers and collagen. Stereological analysis was performed to determine the volumetric density (Vv) of each element. Also, a biochemical analysis was performed to quantify the total collagen content. RESULTS: Vv of SMC was reduced in PROX (31.48 ± 7.01 p < 0.05) and similar in DIST when compared to controls (55.65 ± 9.60%) with no statistical difference. Elastic fibers were increased in PROX (25.70 ± 3.21%; p < 0.05) and were similar to controls in DIST (15.87 ± 4.26%). Total collagen concentration in PROX (46.39 ± 8.20 μg/mg), and DIST (47.96 ± 9.42 μg/mg) did not differ from controls (48.85 ± 6.91 μg/mg). Type III collagen was similarly present in all samples. CONCLUSIONS: After excision of the stenotic segment to a caliber of 28Fr, the exposed and macroscopically normal urethral edges may present altered amounts of elastic fibers and SMC, but are free from fibrotic tissue. When excising the peri-stenotic tissue, the surgeon should be more careful in the proximal end, which is the most altered.

Structural alterations of foreskin caused by chronic smoking may explain high levels of urethral reconstruction failure using foreskin flaps

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to perform a stereological and biochemical analysis of the foreskin of smoker subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Foreskin samples were obtained from 20 young adults (mean = 27.2 years old) submitted to circumcision. Of the patients analyzed, one group (n = 10) had previous history of chronic smoking (a half pack to 3 packs per day for 3 to 13 years (mean = 5.8 ± 3.2). The control group included 10 nonsmoking patients. Masson's trichrome stain was used to quantify the foreskin vascular density. Weigert’s resorcin-fucsin stain was used to assess the elastic system fibers and Picrosirius red stain was applied to study the collagen. Stereological analysis was performed using the Image J software to determine the volumetric densities. For biochemical analysis, the total collagen was determined as µg of hydroxyproline per mg of dry tissue. Means were compared using the unpaired t-test (p < 0.05). RESULTS: Elastic system fibers of smokers was 42.5% higher than in the control group (p = 0.002). In contrast, smooth muscle fibers (p = 0.42) and vascular density (p = 0.16) did not show any significant variation. Qualitative analysis using Picrosirius red stain with polarized light evidenced the presence of type I and III collagen in the foreskin tissue, without significant difference between the groups. Total collagen concentration also did not differ significantly between smokers and non-smokers (73.1µg/mg ± 8.0 vs. 69.2µg/mg ± 5.9, respectively, p = 0.23). CONCLUSIONS: The foreskin tissue of smoking patients had a significant increase of elastic system fibers. Elastic fibers play an important role in this tissue’s turnover and this high concentration in smokers possibly causes high extensibility of the foreskin. The structural alterations in smokers’ foreskins could possibly explain the poor results in smoking patients submitted to foreskin fasciocutaneous flaps in urethral reconstruction surgery.

Relation between the area affected by Fournier's gangrene and the type of reconstructive surgery used: a study with 80 patients

OBJECTIVE: To assess the affected skin area and the reconstructive techniques used in 80 patients affected by Fournier's gangrene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients ranging in age from 19 to 85 years (mean = 51) affected by Fournier's gangrene were studied. When admitted to the emergency room the patients were submitted to clinical and laboratory examinations to analyze the gravity of the case. All patients were submitted to an extensive debridement of the lesion, urinary derivation by cystostomy and colostomy whenever necessary. RESULTS: Only 13 patients (16.25 percent) died. From the 67 remaining patients, in 44 (65.6 percent) debridement was restricted to the scrotum, in 10 (14.9 percent) there has been scrotum and penile lesions and in 13 (19.3 percent) there has been a debridement of the scrotum and the perineal region. In 11 cases (16.4 percent) there was no need for reconstructive surgery with wound closing by second intention, in 16 cases (23.8 percent) reconstructive surgery was performed with mobilization of local skin, in 19 (28.3 percent) we have used skin grafts, 20 patients (29.8 percent) needed reconstructive surgery with the use of skin flaps and in 1 case (1.4 percent) there has been the use of skin flaps and grafts simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS: Fournier's gangrene is a serious pathology and should be treated aggressively with an extensive debridement of the area with necrosis. The use of precocious reconstructive surgery of the genitals present good results and tends to greatly reduce the length of hospital stay and improve the psychological conditions of these patients.

Penile lesion from gunshot wound: a 43-case experience

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the main aspects of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of 43 patients with gunshot wounds to the penis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The location of the lesion, the presence of associated lesions, the performance of complementary exams, surgical treatment, postoperative complications and long term follow-up of 43 patients with penile lesions from gunshot wounds were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Of 43 cases assessed, 41 were submitted to surgical exploration (95.3 percent) and 2 were submitted to conservative treatment (4.7 percent). We found penile lesions involving the corpus cavernosum in 37 cases; the remaining 4 patients presented no lesions involving the corpus cavernosum, urethra or testicles but did in the superficial structures. Ten cases presented an association with testicular lesions and 14 cases association with anterior urethral lesions. CONCLUSION: Penile lesions from gunshot wounds should be treated with immediate surgical intervention. In exceptional situations featuring superficial lesions only conservative treatment may be applied.

Early catheter removal after anterior anastomotic (3 days) and ventral buccal mucosal onlay (7 days) urethroplasty

INTRODUCTION: Physicians who perform urethroplasty have varying opinions about when the urinary catheter should be removed post-operatively, but research on this subject has not yet appeared in the literature. We performed voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) on our anterior urethroplasty patients on days 3 (anastomotic) and 7 (buccal) in an effort to determine the earliest day for removal of the urethral catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective chart review of 29 urethroplasty patients from October 2002 - August 2004 was performed at two reconstructive urology centers. 17 patients had early catheter removal (12 anastomotic and 5 ventral buccal onlay urethroplasty) and were compared to 12 who had late removal (7 anastomotic and 5 buccal). RESULTS: Of those with early catheter removal, 2/12 (17 percent) of anastomotic urethroplasty patients had extravasation, which resolved by the following week and 0/5 (0 percent) of the buccal mucosal urethroplasty patients had extravasation. Patients with late catheter removal underwent VCUG 6-14 days (mean 8 days) after anastomotic urethroplasty and 9-14 days (mean 12 days) after buccal mucosal urethroplasty. 0 percent of the anastomotic urethroplasty had leakage after the late VCUG and 1/5 (20 percent) of the buccal patients had extravasation after the VCUG. Recurrences were low in all patient groups. CONCLUSION: Catheter removal after anastomotic and buccal mucosal urethroplasty can be safely attempted on the 3rd and 7th post-operative days respectively, with a low rate of extravasation on VCUG. Eliminating the catheter as soon as possible should improve patient comfort without harming results and decrease the overall negative impact of surgery on the patient.

Penile fracture: experience in 56 cases

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is to report the diagnostic and therapeutic options for 55 patients with clinical diagnosis of penile fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The patients were retrospectively assessed between 1982 and 2002. The primary diagnostic evaluation method for 55 patients (56 fractures) was clinical history and physical exam. Ten (17.8 percent) cases required complementary exams. Ultrasound (US) was performed in 2 cases, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 1 case. Retrograde urethrocystogram was performed in suspicious urethral injury, which happened for 7 patients. RESULTS: Of 56 assessed cases, 49 (89.5 percent) were submitted to surgical exploration, and only 7 were conservatively conducted. Surgical treatment was performed in 48 patients (49 fractures), in these cases, 47 (95.9 percent) presented tunica albuginea disruption and solely 2 (4.1 percent) evidenced lesion of dorsal vein. Ultrasonography confirmed disruption of tunica albuginea in 1 (50 percent) case, and in the other it was not possible to determinate the origin of the lesion, and the patient was submitted to surgical exploration, which confirmed the condition. MRI was used only in 1 case, confirming the lesion. Among 7 patients submitted to conservative management, until now, 3 (42.8 percent) required surgical intervention to correct penile chordee. CONCLUSIONS: Penile fracture is an entity of eminently clinical diagnosis, which management should be surgical and immediate, avoiding thus complications related to erectile dysfunction. When suspecting an associated urethral injury, Urethrocystogram is recommended. In cases where there is diagnostic uncertainty, ultrasound and/or MRI may be used to reveal the condition