Combined transurethral approach with Versapoint(®) and laparoscopic treatment in the management of bladder endometriosis: technique and 12 months follow-up.

BACKGROUND: When endometriosis infiltrates more than 5 mm beneath the peritoneum it is called deeply infiltrating endometriosis and may involve the bladder. Only 1-2% of women with endometriosis have urinary involvement, mainly in the bladder. Resectoscopic transurethral resection alone is no longer recommended because of the surgical risks and recurrence. Usually surgeons prefer a laparotomy or laparoscopic approach depending on nodule localization and personal skill. We describe a new combined transurethral approach with Versapoint(®) and laparoscopic technique in the management of bladder endometriosis and the 12-month follow-up. METHODS: We performed a prospective observational study of 12 women affected by symptomatic bladder endometriosis at the University Hospital of Padova. We utilized a transurethral approach using a 5.2-mm endoscope with a 0.6-mm-diameter bipolar electrode (Gynecare Versapoint(®)). We delimited just the edges of the lesion via cystoscopy, penetrating transmurally at 3 or 9 o'clock without trespassing into the bladder peritoneum. Then, starting from the lateral bladder hole, we excised the lesion by laparoscopy with Harmonic ACE(®). The bladder hole was repaired with a continuous 3-0 monofilament two-layer suture. RESULTS: Operating time ranged from 115 to 167 min and mean blood loss ranged from 10 to 200 ml. No conversion to laparotomy and no intraoperative complications occurred. No dysuria or hematuria were present at follow-up. There was one case of persistent suprapubic pelvic pain at the 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A combined transurethral approach with Versapoint(®) and laparoscopic treatment is a safe and easy technique for the management of bladder endometriosis, with low risks and good resolution of symptoms.

Clinical experience and critical evaluation of the role of sorafenib in renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignancy worldwide with approximately 95,000 new cases per year and ranks as the sixth cause of cancer deaths. Until recently, the slightly active and very toxic cytokines were available for patients with advanced RCC. Advances have been made in understanding the molecular biology of renal cancer. The introduction of targeted agents has led to promising possibilities for treating these highly vascularized tumors. Angiogenesis inhibition is likely to represent the main potential therapeutic target. Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor with activity against tyrosine kinase receptors that are responsible for blood vessel development and has shown to be active in treating advanced RCC. In this review, we summarize the pharmacology, mode of action, pharmacokinetics, and safety of sorafenib use in therapy for advanced RCC.