Comparison of Predictive Factors for Postoperative Incontinence of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate by the Surgeons' Experience During Learning Curve / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

PURPOSE: To detect predictive factors for postoperative incontinence following holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) according to surgeon experience (beginner or experienced) and preoperative clinical data. METHODS: Of 224 patients, a total of 203 with available data on incontinence were investigated. The potential predictive factors for post-HoLEP incontinence included clinical factors, such as patient age, and preoperative urodynamic study results, including detrusor overactivity (DO). We also classified the surgeons performing the procedure according to their HoLEP experience: beginner (<21 cases) and experienced (≥21 cases). RESULTS: Our statistical data showed DO was a significant predictive factor at the super-short period (the next day of catheter removal: odds ratio [OR], 3.375; P=0.000). Additionally, patient age, surgeon mentorship (inverse correlation), and prostate volume were significant predictive factors at the 1-month interval after HoLEP (OR, 1.072; P=0.004; OR, 0.251; P=0.002; and OR, 1.008; P=0.049, respectively). With regards to surgeon experience, DO and preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score (inverse) at the super-short period, and patient age and mentorship (inverse correlation) at the 1-month interval after HoLEP (OR, 3.952; P=0.002; OR, 1.084; P=0.015; and OR,1.084; P=0.015; OR, 0.358; P=0.003, respectively) were significant predictive factors for beginners, and first desire to void (FDV) at 1 month after HoLEP (OR, 1.009; P=0.012) was a significant predictive factor for experienced surgeons in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative DO, IPSS, patient age, and surgeon mentorship were significant predictive factors of postoperative patient incontinence for beginner surgeons, while FDV was a significant predictive factors for experienced surgeons. These findings should be taken into account by surgeons performing HoLEP to maximize the patient's quality of life with regards to urinary continence.

Possible Role of Sonic Hedgehog and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Cell Cancer Progression

PURPOSE: Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) are both known to relate to cancer progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Shh signaling and EMT in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cell proliferation was assayed in RCC cell lines in the presence or absence of a Shh signaling stimulator, recombinant Shh (r-Shh) protein, or a Shh signaling inhibitor, cyclopamine. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to study the expression of EMT markers (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and vimentin) and osteonectin. The expression of Ki-67, Gli-1, osteonectin, and EMT markers in nephrectomy specimens from RCC patients was also measured by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining. RESULTS: RCC cells showed enhanced cell proliferation by r-Shh protein, whereas cell proliferation was suppressed by the addition of cyclopamine in RenCa cells. Real-time RT-PCR showed that r-Shh suppressed the expression of E-cadherin and that this suppression was partly blocked by cyclopamine alone in RenCa cells. In the IHC results, osteonectin significantly correlated with vein sinus invasion (p=0.0218), and the expression of vimentin significantly correlated with lymphatic invasion (p=0.0392). CONCLUSIONS: Shh signaling and EMT play roles in RCC progression, and the Shh signaling inhibitor cyclopamine might be a possible molecular targeted therapeutic strategy for RCC.

Significance of Neoadjuvant Hormonal Therapy in Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy: A Retrospective Single-Surgeon Study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether neo-adjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) prior to radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) for prostate cancer (PCa) is beneficial in terms of surgical outcomes and for preventing or delaying biochemical recurrence via single-surgeon case series study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-three men underwent RRP by a single surgeon. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not NHT was performed prior to RRP. The study was analyzed retrospectively. We evaluated clinical parameters, surgical parameters, and biochemical recurrence rate. Group 1 (n=34) was treated with RRP only, while Group 2 (n=19) underwent RRP along with NHT. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in clinical, operation-related and pathological factors between the two groups (p>0.05). There was also no significant difference in biochemical recurrence rate between the two groups at the last follow-up, although Group 2 tended to have a lower PCa recurrence rate than Group 1 and the initial prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level was significantly higher in Group 2 than Group 1 (p=0.0496). CONCLUSION: The present single-surgeon case series study revealed a trend toward a lower rate of PCa recurrence in NHT+RRP treated patients compared to those treated with RRP alone, but this did not reach statistical significance, despite the fact that NHT+RRP patients exhibited higher serum PSA levels preoperatively. Prospective studies with a longer duration of observation and a greater number of patients would be helpful in evaluating NHT more definitively.

Efficacy of Using Three-Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging Diagnosis of Capsule Invasion for Decision-Making About Neurovascular Bundle Preservation in Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of using 3-tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diagnosis of extracapsular extension (ECE) for decision-making about neurovascular bundle (NVB) preservation in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) for prostate cancer (PC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively collected data on PC patients (n=67) who underwent preoperative 3-T MRI before RARP. The choice between nerve sparing or resection was based on 3-T MRI findings of ECE. We compared the MRI findings with the pathological data on surgical margins. Our clinical staging in this study was defined only by MRI. RESULTS: When the data were divided by prostate lobe (right lobe or left lobe, n=134), 3-T MRI showed 28 positive cases of ECE in 134 prostate lobes, allowing NVB preservation in 42 cases (31.3%). Nerve-sparing surgery was achieved in 38.7% of cases in which clinical T2 staging by MRI was reported. The pathological data revealed that 10 of 134 prostate lobes had positive ECE. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for predicting stage T3 (positive ECE) by side were 60.0% (12 of 20 sides), 86.0% (98 of 114 sides), 42.9% (12 of 28 sides), and 92.5% (98 of 106 sides), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Three-T MRI prior to RARP enables the use of ECE diagnosis to guide decision-making about NVB preservation, with comparatively high specificity and negative predictive value. Further prospective studies are underway to reach more definitive conclusions.

Postoperative Infectious Complications in Our Early Experience With Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to retrospectively investigate postoperative infectious complications (PICs) in our early experience with holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) followed by mechanical morcellation for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of the clinical data for 90 consecutive patients who underwent HoLEP at our institution between February 2008 and March 2011. All patients were evaluated for the emergence of PICs, including prophylactic antibiotic administration (PAA) and the influence of the kind or duration of PAA on PIC. The details of cases with PICs were also examined. RESULTS: The patients' mean age was 71 years (range, 50 to 95 years), and their mean prostate volume was 60 mL (range, 2 to 250 mL). There were 7 cases (7.78%) with PICs; in detail, 3 patients were diagnosed with prostatitis, 2 with pyelonephritis, and 2 with epididymitis. Three patients had positive urine cultures: 1 had Serratia marcescens/Proteus mirabilis, 1 had S. marcescens, and 1 had Klebsiella pneumonia; only one case had urological sepsis. Our statistical data showed no significant differences between 2 or fewer days and 3 or more days of PAA and PIC occurrence. There was also no significant effect on PIC occurrence of sulbactam/ampicillin compared with other antibiotics. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this retrospective study showed that PIC occurrence did not depend on the duration or the kind of PAA. Further prospective study is necessary for the evaluation and establishment of prophylactic measures for PICs.

Efficacy of Combination Use of Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor with Penicillin and Fluoroquinolones for Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Transrectal Prostate Biopsy

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of tazobactam/piperacillin (TAZ/PIPC) plus levofloxacin (LVFX) as a prophylactic administration in transrectal prostate biopsy (TPBX). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated 201 consecutive patients who underwent TPBX in one Japanese hospital during the period of 2009-2010. The patients received TAZ/PIPC 4.5 g i.v. once just before and 3 hours after TPBX, plus oral LVFX 300 mg or 500 mg daily for 3 days. We examined the infectious adverse events and laboratory data (serum white blood cell [WBC] count and C-reactive protein [CRP]) before and 1 day after TPBX. RESULTS: Only one patient (0.50%) in 201 cases had febrile complications after TPBX. Serum WBC and CRP did not rise significantly on the day after TPBX compared with before TPBX (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in the rise of serum WBC and CRP before and after TPBX in the comparison of LVFX 500 mg with LVFX 300 mg in the TAZ/PIPC plus LVFX regimen. CONCLUSIONS: TAZ/PIPC plus LVFX can be considered as a prophylactic regimen for preventing infectious complications in TPBX.