A Multicenter, Open-Label, Observational Study Evaluating the Quality of Life After Using a Hydrophilic-Coated Catheter (SpeediCath) With Self-Intermittent Catheterization / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

Purpose@#We evaluated the change in patient quality of life after the use of a hydrophilic-coated catheter (SpeediCath) in adults requiring intermittent catheterization (IC). @*Methods@#This was a multicenter, open-label, observational study using the Patient Perception of Intermittent Catheterization (PPIC) questionnaire and the Intermittent Self-Catheterization questionnaire (ISC-Q) and safety at 12 and 24 weeks in adult patients who had already used other type of catheters prior to switching to SpeediCath or in patients undergoing self-IC for the first time for any reason. @*Results@#Among a total of 360 subjects, 215 (59.7%) were women, and the mean age was 62.0±13.2 years. At 24 weeks, the satisfaction rate after using SpeediCath was 84.1%, and 80% of patients responded that they could easily perform IC. In total, 81.6% of patients were willing to continue using SpeediCath. The mean ISC-Q score was 54.90±18.65 at 24 weeks. Men found less interference in their daily life by performing IC than women and found it easier to handle the catheter before it was inserted into the urethra. At week 12, the mean change in ISC-Q was significantly greater in patients <65 years (20.24±23.55) than in those ≥65 years (7.57±27.70, P=0.049), but there was no difference at 24 weeks. The most common adverse events were urinary tract infection in 9.72%, gross hematuria in 2.78%, and urethral pain in 1.39%. @*Conclusions@#The use of a SpeediCath provided good quality of life for patients who needed self-IC regardless of age or sex.

The Prevalence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Overactive Bladder in South Korea: A Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

Purpose@#Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) affect over half of the adults’ population worldwide, with an increasing prevalence among the older age groups. Therefore, with the increasing elderly population, LUTS is an important disease, highlighting the need for accurate data on its prevalence. This present study aimed to investigate the prevalence of LUTS in South Korea. @*Methods@#The study targeted individuals aged at least 19 years nationwide. We conducted computer-assisted telephone interviews, 80% mobile random digital dialing (RDD) sampling frame, and 20% landline RDD sampling frame between April and May 2020. Questionnaires included The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS), and the characteristics of respondents. Current International Continence Society definitions were used for individual LUTS and OAB. @*Results@#There were 2,000 respondents, 1,009 (50.4%) were women and 546 (27.3%) were aged ≥60 years. Based on our IPSS questionnaire survey results, 77.9% of the respondents had LUTS; 63.7% had mild symptoms (1–7), 11.7% had moderate symptoms (8–19), and 2.4% had severe symptoms (20–35). The prevalence and severity of LUTS increased with age with 22.1% of respondents aged 60 years and above complaining of moderate or severe LUTS. According to the survey through OABSS, the prevalence of OAB was 9.6%, males were 10.3% and females were 9.0%. @*Conclusions@#Based on our survey results, 77.9% of the Korean adult population (over the age of 19) experienced at least one LUTS, and the severity increased with age. The prevalence and severity of OAB increased with age, especially after 40 years; the prevalence of OAB was 9.6%, and 13.4% of them were over 60 years old.

Treadmill Exercise Ameliorates Short-term Memory Impairment by Suppressing Hippocampal Neuroinflammation in Poloxamer-407-Induced Hyperlipidemia Rats / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

Purpose@#Poloxamer-407 (P-407) is used to induce hyperlipidemia. Exercise is effective in improving arteriosclerosis and cognitive impairment. In this research, the effect of treadmill running on short-term memory in the P-407-treated hyperlipidemia rats was studied focusing on neuroinflammation. @*Methods@#Rats were classified in normal group, normal and treadmill exercise group, P-407-treated group, and P-407-treated and treadmill exercise group. Hyperlipidemia rats were made by single intraperitoneal injection with P-407 (500 mg/kg). Treadmill exercise was conducted for 30 minutes once a day, 5 days per week during 28 days. Step-down avoidance task was done to measure short-term memory. Glial fibrillary acidic protein and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Expression of adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines was determined by western blot analysis. @*Results@#Treadmill exercise alleviated lipid profiles in the P-407-induced hyperlipidemia rats. Treadmill exercise improved short-term memory, inhibited reactive astrogliosis and microglia activation, and suppressed expression of adhesion molecules and proinflammatory cytokines in the hyperlipidemic rats. @*Conclusions@#Treadmill exercise exerts alleviating effect on memory deficits by inhibiting hippocampal neuroinflammation in the hyperlipidemia. The current results suggest that treadmill running serves as the treatment strategy for the cognitive dysfunction caused by hyperlipidemia.

Management of Patients With Advanced Prostate Cancer: Establishment ofTreatment Guidelines Through Prostate Cancer Summit (PCAS) 2016Composed of Korean Prostate Cancer Experts

Purpose@#The Advanced Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference (APCCC) 2015 was based on topics withcontroversy in the field of advanced prostate cancer. To understand the Korean urologists perspective regardingthe issues, we have conducted a questionnaire named Prostate Cancer Summit (PCAS) 2016, with 9 importantsubtopics. @*Materials and Methods@#Total 9 subtopics have been decided and questions were developed regarding eachsubtopic. The questions were based on that of APCCC 2015 and translated into Korean for better understanding.Total 51 panelists have voted online on 85 different questions. @*Results@#The survey concluded that testosterone should be measured as a diagnostic criterion for castrationresistance prostate cancer (CRPC) and that consensus was reached on issues such as the use of androgenreceptor pathway inhibitors in the treatment of predocetaxel and postdocetaxel in CRPC patients. In addition,76% of the participants agreed that imaging tests were needed before new treatment in CRPC patients, anda majority of participants agreed that periodic imaging tests are necessary regardless of symptoms during treatmentfor CRPC. However, some issues, such as the use of prostate-specific antigen-based triggers for remediationin CRPC patients, the endocrine manipulation in nonmetastatic CRPC patients, and the onset of treatment inasymptomatic metastatic CRPC patients, were not agreed. @*Conclusions@#The results from PCAS 2016 has addressed some of the issues with controversy. Although thevoting results are subjective, it will help guide treatment decisions in topics with less evidence.

Treadmill Exercise Improves Motor Function and Short-term Memory by Enhancing Synaptic Plasticity and Neurogenesis in Photothrombotic Stroke Mice / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

Purpose@#Thrombotic stroke is a type of ischemic stroke characterized by motor dysfunction and memory impairments. In the present study, the effect of treadmill exercise on motor function and short-term memory was evaluated in relation with synaptic plasticity in the mice with photothrombotic stroke. @*Methods@#Photothrombotic stroke was induced by cortical photothrombotic vascular occlusion. The mice in the treadmill exercise groups performed running on a motorized treadmill for 28 days. Motor function was determined using rota-rod test and foot fault test. Step-through avoidance task was conducted to evaluate short-term memory. Immunohistochemistry for 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine and doublecortin was conducted to detect new cell generation. Postsynaptic density protein 95, synaptophysin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and tyrosine kinase B receptor (TrkB) were determined using western blot. The number of dendritic spines was determined using Golgi stain. @*Results@#Treadmill exercise improved motor function and short-term memory in mice with the photothrombotic stroke. The infarct size was reduced and the number of dendritic spines and expression of postsynaptic density protein 95 and synaptophysin in the peri-infarct cortex and hippocampus were increased by treadmill exercise in photothrombotic stroke mice. Treadmill exercise enhanced neurogenesis through increasing the expression of the hippocampal BDNF and TrkB in photothrombotic stroke mice. @*Conclusions@#Treadmill exercise improved motor function and short-term memory through increasing synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis in photothrombotic stroke mice. Treadmill exercise can be used as an effective treatment strategy to improve brain function related to stroke.

Poor Preoperative Glycemic Control Is Associated with Dismal Prognosis after Radical Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Korean Multicenter Study / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of diabetes mellitus (DM) and preoperative glycemic control on prognosis in Korean patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 566 patients who underwent RNU at six institutions between 2004 and 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between DM, preoperative glycemic control, and recurrence-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 33.8 months (interquartile range, 41.4 months). A total of 135 patients (23.8%) had DM and 67 patients (11.8%) had poor preoperative glycemic control. Patients with poor preoperative glycemic control had significantly shorter median recurrence-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival than patients with good preoperative glycemic control and non-diabetics (all, p=0.001). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, DM with poor preoperative glycemic control showed association with worse recurrence-free survival (hazard ratio [HR], 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.31 to 3.90; p=0.003), cancer-specific survival (HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.80 to 4.87; p=0.001), and overall survival (HR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.40 to 3.22; p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Diabetic UTUC patients with poor preoperative glycemic control had significantly worse oncologic outcomes than diabetic UTUC patients with good preoperative glycemic control and non-diabetics. Further investigation is needed to elucidate the exact mechanism underlying the impact of glycemic control on UTUC treatment outcome.

Routine Use of Single Instillation of Epirubicin after Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor - Should It Be Done in Korean Patients?

To study the impact of single instillation of epirubicin (SIE) on the cancer recurrence of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) in Korean patients. The major inclusion criteria were NMIBC patients. The major exclusion criteria were muscle invasive bladder cancer, metastatic bladder cancer, combined urinary upper tract tumor, and carcinoma in situ. SIE group received 50 mg epirubicin within 6 hours after TURBT. Non-SIE group did not receive epirubicin. This study enrolled a total of 214 patients diagnosed as having NMIBC during the period from October 2003 through January 2010 at the single institutions. Follow-up of the patients was conducted through January 2012. The median age of patients was 63.4 years. Of 112 evaluable patients in the SIE group, cancer recurrence rate was 33.9% and in non-SIE group, cancer recurrence rate was 62.7% (p<0.001). The recurrence-free survival duration was longer in Group SIE compared with Group non-SIE (p<0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that SIE was significantly associated with cancer recurrence (HR 0.213, p<0.001). We confirmed the impact of SIE on the cancer recurrence in the Korean patients who underwent TURBT for NMIBC. Single instillation of chemo-agent after TUR-B might be recommended in Korean patients for reduce bladder cancer recurrence and provide longer recurrence-free survival duration.

Female Prostate? - Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma of Female Urethra

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra is extremely rare. Because the primary urethral carcinomas are rare, standard diagnostic algorism and management has not been established yet. We report a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the proximal urethra in a 76-year-old female. She was presented with voiding difficulty for several years after pubovaginal sling operation due to stress urinary incontinence twelve years ago. Before this period, she had managed with medication for detrusor hypocontractility. Recently she complained bloody vaginal discharge, and her vaginal examination revealed palpable mass on the anterior vaginal wall. Pelvic MRI showed a 5×4.5cm sized tumor surrounding the proximal urethra which was mimicking prostate with no lymphadenopathy. Biopsy of the mass confirmed it to be clear cell adenocarcinoma. She underwent anterior pelvic exenteration and ileal conduit with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. The patient received adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy as treatment. We should carefully evaluate patients with voiding symptom after anti-incontinence surgery and multimodal treatment should be applied for locally advanced urethral carcinoma.

Effect of aging on urodynamic parameters in women with stress urinary incontinence

PURPOSE: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is one of the most common lower urinary tract symptoms in women. We analyzed age-associated changes in urodynamic parameters in women with SUI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the urodynamic study (UDS) results of patients with urodynamically proven SUI between March 2008 and July 2014. In uroflowmetry, maximal flow rate (Qmax), time to Qmax, voided volume, and postvoid residual urine volume (PVR) and filling cystometry data including first, strong desire to void and Valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP) were measured. Also, Qmax and detrusor pressure at Qmax (Pdet@Qmax) of voiding cystometry data were analyzed. RESULTS: The subjects included 776 patients. Among the patients, 151 were withdrawn because of incomplete UDS data or because they met the exclusion criteria. A total of 625 patients enrolled in our study. The mean age of the population was 57.3 years. The mean Qmax, voided volume, voiding time, and PVR were 26.2 mL/s, 292.1 mL, 25.7 s, and 31.7 mL, respectively. Qmax (p=0.001) in uroflowmetry, PVR (p=0.042), first desire to void (p=0.042), Pdet@Qmax (p=0.016), and the bladder contractility index (p=0.046) were significantly different between the age groups. Qmax and Pdet@Qmax were decreased and PVR was increased significantly with age after 60 years. CONCLUSIONS: Older women with SUI also have worsened voiding function with age as the results of urodynamic parameters. Specifically, detrusor contractility decreased with age after 60 years.

Should We Place Ureteral Stents in Retroperitoneal Laparoscopic Ureterolithotomy?: Consideration of Surgical Techniques and Complications

PURPOSE: There is some debate over the necessity of ureteral stenting after laparoscopic ureterolithotomy. We evaluated the need for ureteral stenting after retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterolithotomy (RLU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2009 and January 2013, 41 patients underwent RLU to remove upper ureteral stones. The retroperitoneal approach was used in all patients by a single surgeon. A double J (D-J) stent was placed in the first 17 patients after the procedure but not in any of the next 24 patients. RESULTS: The mean patient age, serum creatinine levels, and stone size were not significantly different between the two groups. The stone-free rate was 100%. The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the stentless group than in the stent group (59.48 minutes vs. 77.88 minutes, p<0.001). Parenteral analgesic use and anticholinergic medication use were observed in the stent group only. The blood loss, drain removal day, and hospital stay were not significantly different between the two groups. No other significant complications occurred during or after the operation in any patients. CONCLUSIONS: RLU is a safe and effective treatment modality for large impacted ureteral stones. In this study, D-J stent placement was not necessary after RLU. In the future, large-scale studies of RLU without D-J stenting, especially on the frequency of the development of complications according to the surgical technique, may be needed.

Proper Mesh Placement Using the Outer Cylinder of a Ballpoint Pen in the Transobturator Adjustable Tape Sling Procedure for Female Stress Urinary Incontinence

PURPOSE: The transobturator adjustable tape (TOA) sling operation is an effective procedure that allows for correction of postoperative incontinence or obstruction through adjustment of the mesh tension. During the operation, the outer cylinder of a ballpoint pen was used for proper mesh placement with less dissection. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of the TOA sling operation with the use of the outer cylinder of a ballpoint pen. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 127 consecutive women with stress urinary incontinence underwent the TOA sling operation with the use of the outer cylinder of a ballpoint pen. The preoperative evaluations included a stress cough test, urodynamic study, and questionnaires related to quality of life. The mesh tension was adjusted 1 day after the operation. Postoperative evaluation was done at 1 month and included a stress cough test, uroflowmetry, questionnaires, and asking about satisfaction. At 1 year, we evaluated the patients with a stress cough test and by asking about their satisfaction with the procedure. RESULTS: The overall cure rate was 95.3% at 1 month and 96.8% at the 1-year follow-up. Postoperative adjustment of the mesh tension was done for 22 patients (17.3%). Eight patients needed increased tension for remaining stress urinary incontinence, and 14 patients needed reduced tension for urinary obstruction. The maximal flow rate was decreased significantly. However, the residual urine volume was not increased significantly. The total score on the questionnaires increased significantly. CONCLUSIONS: Results were excellent compared with outcomes of the traditional TOA sling procedure. Proper mesh placement by use of the outer cylinder of a ballpoint pen with less dissection and tension adjustment could improve the success rate of the TOA sling operation.

Cavernous Hemangiolymphangioma of the Testis without Cutaneous Hemangiomatosis in an Elderly Patient

Hemangiolymphangioma is an extremely rare malformation of both the lymphatic and blood vessels. To date, however, there are no reports in the literature of a hemangiolymphangioma of the testis. An 84-year-old man visited our hospital for investigation of a 1-month episode of a rapidly growing mass in his right scrotum. Scrotal ultrasonography revealed a multilobulated mass with septation in the testis. Testicular tumor markers were within the normal limit. Radical orchiectomy was performed. At surgery, a red, wide-based, nodular tumor was found on the testis. Histological examination of the resected specimen showed it to be a cavernous hemangiolymphangioma. Here we report this first case of a cavernous hemangiolymphangioma of the testis without cutaneous hemangiomatosis in an elderly patient.

The Direct Anti-Cancer Effect of a Single Instillation of Epirubicin after Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor for Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE: To evaluate the direct anti-cancer effect of a single instillation of epirubicin (SIE) after transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) by analysis of immediate urine cytology (IUC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 158 patients who had IUC after TURBT for NMIBC. Fifty-six patients were treated with SIE after TURBT and 102 patients were not treated with SIE. The direct anti-cancer effect of SIE was compared in the two groups according to the result of IUC. The relationship between SIE and IUC in NMIBC was analyzed by use of multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. RESULTS: The IUC-positive rate was 33.9% in the SIE group and 42.1% in the non-SIE group (p=0.005). The IUC-positive rate was lower in the SIE group than in the non-SIE group for each factor, including tumor stage, tumor grade, tumor size, tumor multiplicity, and preoperative urine cytology. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that SIE was significantly associated with a negative IUC result in patients with NMIBC (HR, 0.163) (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the direct anti-cancer effect of SIE in patients who undergo TURBT for NMIBC.

Floating Hem-o-Lok Clips in the Bladder without Stone Formation after Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy

Hem-o-Lok clips (Weck Surgical Instruments, Teleflex Medical, Durham, NC, USA) are widely used in robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy because of their easy application and secure clamping. To date, there have been some reports of intravesical migration of these clips causing urethral erosion, bladder neck contractures, and subsequent calculus formation. We report the first case of bladder migration of Hem-o-Lok clips without stone formation after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. The Hem-o-Lok clips were found during urethral dilation with a guide wire for bladder neck contracture under cystourethroscopy. The Hem-o-Lok clips were floating in the bladder without stone formation and were removed by a cystoscopic procedure.

Myelolipomas of Both Adrenal Glands

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, nonfunctional benign tumor that is composed of mature adipose tissue and hematopoietic elements. In the past, these tumors were accidentally discovered at autopsy. Today, they are found much more frequently and incidentally, mainly because of the widespread use of noninvasive imaging with ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Most lesions are asymptomatic, small, and unilateral, but a number of bilateral tumors have been reported. We report here on a case of a 48-year-old man with incidentally found myelolipomas of both adrenal glands. In particular, a giant myelolipoma of the left adrenal gland was treated by transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Myelolipomas of Both Adrenal Glands

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, nonfunctional benign tumor that is composed of mature adipose tissue and hematopoietic elements. In the past, these tumors were accidentally discovered at autopsy. Today, they are found much more frequently and incidentally, mainly because of the widespread use of noninvasive imaging with ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Most lesions are asymptomatic, small, and unilateral, but a number of bilateral tumors have been reported. We report here on a case of a 48-year-old man with incidentally found myelolipomas of both adrenal glands. In particular, a giant myelolipoma of the left adrenal gland was treated by transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Efficacy and Safety of the TVT-SECUR(R) and Impact on Quality of Life in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence: A 2-Year Follow-Up

PURPOSE: As recently reported, the short-term results of the tension-free vaginal tape SECUR(R) (TVT-S) procedure seem to be similar to those of the conventional transobturator tape (TOT) procedure. However, results of efficacy and satisfaction with TVT-S are insufficient in patients with more than 1 year of follow-up. Therefore, we evaluated the results of the TVT-S procedure in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) during 2 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We evaluated 51 patients with clinical and urodynamic diagnoses of SUI who underwent the TVT-S procedure from March 2008 to February 2009. Preoperative evaluation included a history, cough stress test with full bladder, urodynamic study, and incontinence quality of life (I-QoL) questionnaire. Following the postoperative period, urinary incontinence status was examined through a physical examination and the I-QoL questionnaire was completed in an outpatient setting or by telephone. RESULTS: Data from 2 years of follow-up were available for 46 of 51 patients. The cure rate was 80.4% at 1 month after TVT-S and 76.0% at 2 years after TVT-S. The cure or improvement rate was 93.5% at 1 month after TVT-S and 86.8% at 2 years after TVT-S. The mean total I-QoL score increased by 42 points at 1 month after TVT-S (p<0.026) and by 32 points at 2 years after TVT-S (p<0.013). Most patients reported significant improvements in quality of life. At the 2-year follow-up, there were no significant complications related to TVT-S. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that TVT-S is an efficient and safe procedure for the improvement of both the quality of life of the patients and the SUI itself.

Unusual Presentation of Bilateral Adrenocortical Carcinoma Mimicking Adrenal Metastasis

A 75-year-old female visited our hospital with bilateral adrenal masses that were detected incidentally during lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the evaluation of radiating flank pain. Consecutive computed tomography and MRI revealed bilateral adrenal masses with no evidence of lymph node enlargement or local invasion; 2[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography showed an intense FDG accumulation in both adrenal glands without abnormal FDG uptake in extra-adrenal regions. The laboratory test results were within normal ranges. We performed a bilateral adrenalectomy. The pathologic diagnosis of both adrenal masses was consistent with adrenocortical carcinoma. The patient recovered well with no complications.

Direct Effect of Carbon Monoxide on Relaxation Induced by Electrical Field Stimulation in Rat Corpus Cavernosum

PURPOSE: Carbon monoxide (CO) may mediate smooth muscle relaxation in the rat corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (CCSM). We hypothesized that CO plays a role in neurally derived, frequency-dependent relaxation of rat CCSM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To study the effect of CO on CCSM relaxation induced by electrical field stimulation (EFS), a CCSM bundle was mounted on a force transducer and perfused with Hanks' balanced salt solution at 37degrees C with 95% O2 and 5% CO2. After 1 hour equilibration with -500 mg of passive tension, contraction of the CCSM bundle was elicited by 10(-5) M phenylephrine, which was continuously added with different concentrations of CO (1%, 2%, and 5%). Frequency-dependent relaxation was induced by EFS trains (0.2 ms at 0.5-32 Hz, for 10 s) repeated at 2 min intervals over 15 min in the presence of adrenergic and muscarinic receptor blocking agents (guanethidine and atropine, respectively). To study the distribution of heme oxygenase-2 (HO-2) in the rat CCSM, we performed immunohistochemical evaluation. RESULTS: CO produced a dose-dependent enhancement of EFS-induced relaxation. Pretreatment with N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (a nitric oxide synthase blocker) greatly reduced the EFS-induced relaxation in the presence of CO (-45%). Pretreatment with zinc protoporphyrin-IX (ZnPP-9, a heme oxygenase inhibitor) had no significant effect on EFS-induced relaxation in the absence or the presence of CO. We found immunoreactivity for HO-2 in CCSM and immunoreactivity for protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) in nerve fibers. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that CO produced a dose-dependent enhancement of EFS-induced relaxation in rat CCSM bundles, but neurally derived, frequency-dependent relaxation in the rat CCSM depended mostly on nitric oxide in response to nonadrenergic noncholinergic neurotransmission. Immunoreactivity for HO-2 was found in rat CCSM but not nerve fibers.

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Kidney Misdiagnosed as Renal Cell Carcinoma

The inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), also knowns as inflammatory pseuduotumor, is a soft tissue lesion of unknown etiology. In the urogenital tract, IMT mainly affects the urinary bladder or prostate, but rarely the kidney. It has been considered as a nonneoplastic reactive inflammatory lesion, but nowadays, it is regarded as a neoplasm due to its high recurrence rate and metastasis. We describe a case of a 61-yr-old woman that had originally been misdiagnosed as renal cell carcinoma, which was pathologically revealed to be an IMT.