[Value of cryotherapy in localized prostatic carcinoma]. / Die Bedeutung der Kryotherapie beim lokalisierten Prostatakarzinom.

Prostate cancer represents the second most frequent malignant male disease in Germany. In the United States, approximately 35,000 men die from prostate cancer annually. The treatment of this disease is of particular interest to both clinical and investigative urologists. Radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy are established standard modalities in the treatment of organ-confined prostate cancer. As in other fields of urology, minimally invasive procedures have gained increased interest in urologic oncology. With cryoablation of the prostate, a minimally invasive therapy for prostate cancer has been available since 1989 and has been used and under investigation since then. Improvements in cryotechnique and progress in transrectal high-resolution ultrasonography enable the surgeon to achieve the curative target of thermoinduced destruction of the whole prostate gland. Control with thermocouples, ultrasound, and double-freeze techniques makes it possible to destroy the whole organ or the region of interest in high-risk patients or in patients who refuse to undergo open surgical procedures.

[Treatment outcomes in primary and secondary retroperitoneal fibrosis]. / Behandlungsergebnisse der primären und sekundären retroperitonealen Fibrose.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF) is an uncommon inflammatory disease of the retroperitoneum leading to extensive fibrosis with consecutive obstruction of adjacent organs, namely the ureters. Since no consensus on the standard therapy exists, aim of the current study was to evaluate the outcome of 39 patients with RPF. Between 1986 and 1997 39 cases of RPF were diagnosed: 21 cases had primary RPF and 18 patients had secondary RPF after aortofemoral graft (n = 13), radiation (n = 2), or prior retroperitoneal surgery (n = 2). 21 patients demonstrated unilateral and 16 cases had bilateral hydronephrosis, in 2 patients no dilatation was observed. In 28 cases (n = 12 primary RPF, n = 16 secondary RPF) initial management consisted of DJ-stent placement, whereas in 11 cases (n = 9 primary RPF, n = 2 secondary RPF) percutaneous nephrostomy had to be placed. All patients received oral immunosuppressive agents (prednisolone 1 mg/kg, azathioprine 1 mg/kg/day) for 3 months before reevaluation was performed. In case of complete remission, immunosuppressive medication was continued for another 3 months, in case of stable disease or progression surgery was performed. In 26 cases (n = 15 primary RPF, n = 11 secondary RPF) ureterolysis with intraperitoneal displacement and omental wrapping was performed. 3 patients demonstrated complete remission after oral prednisolone/azathioprine; in 2 cases RPF presented as pelvic mass and was resected followed by immunosuppressive therapy, in another 2 cases bilateral ileal replacement of the ureters had to be performed and 4 cases remained on DJ-stents and nephrostomy, resp. Postoperatively, all patients with primary RPF were continued on immunsuppressive medication for another 3 months. After a follow-up of 6 to 120 months only 3 patients developed a retroperitoneal recurrence and were treated by unilateral nephrectomy or DJ stent placement (n = 2). Our data suggest that the combination of both immunosuppressive medication and surgical management results in an excellent longterm outcome in idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis with a recurrence rate of only 8%. Combination therapy should be considered as therapeutic option early in the course of the disease. Primary reconstructive surgery appears to be the most promising approach in secondary retroperitoneal fibrosis with a recurrence rate of only 5%; short external compression of the ureter might be managed by endoluminal balloon dilatation.

Giant retroperitoneal hemangiopericytoma with paraneoplastic gynecomastia. Case report and literature review.

We report on a 38-year-old patient with a giant retroperitoneal hemangiopericytoma associated with bilateral paraneoplastic gynecomastia, which led to an almost uncontrollable hemorrhage on initial surgery due to the extreme hypervascularity of the process. After angiographic evaluation and superselective embolization, a complete surgical excision of a hemangiopericytoma weighing almost 1,000 g could be achieved. To reduce the risk of recurrence adjuvant radiotherapy with 49 Gy followed. Follow-up of 24 months showed no sign of recurrence on CT scans. To our knowledge this is the first reported case of hemangiopericytoma associated with a paraneoplastic syndrome. The literature and the therapeutic concepts are presented and discussed.

Results and 10-year follow-up in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.

Penile malignancies are infrequent but represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge as patients tend to disregard early asymptomatic lesions of the disease. Due to the lack of studies involving large patient numbers, the therapeutic concepts for different stages of the disease could not be defined by prospective studies. Long-term results are rare. We present the therapeutic concepts and the 10-year results of our experience with 42 cases of penile carcinoma treated at our institution between 1973 and 1986. Therapy included radical circumcision in 10 cases, local excision of the tumor in 4, partial or total glandular resection in 6 patients, partial penectomy in 20, and total penectomy in 2 cases. Inguinal lymphadenectomy was performed initially in 14 cases with positive histology in 7 patients (50%). Complications included meatal stenosis in 8 cases (19%), urethral stricture in 1 case, death due to fulminant pulmonary embolism in 1 case and local infections in 2 cases. Follow-up of patients with initially nonmetastatic disease showed a progression to death in 4 of 35 patients (11.6%) with a mean survival of 30 (range 11.5-56) months, in patients with initial lymph node metastases progression to death occurred in 5 of 7 patients (71.4%) with a mean survival of 9.76 months (range 9 days to 24 months). Stage-related disease-specific 10-year survival rates are 100% for stages 0 and 1, 90.9% for stage 2, and 20% for stage 3, while no patient in stage 4 survived for 5 years. From our data we conclude that the single most important prognostic factor in the treatment of carcinoma of the penis is lymph node involvement. Therefore increased attention has to be paid to the recognition of early stages of this potentially curable disease.

Diffuse metastasized testicular teratoma and paraneoplastic thyreotoxicosis. Case report and literature review.

Paraneoplastic syndromes are rare entities in patients with excessive HCG production. This has been attributed to the thyroid-stimulating hormone-like activity of HCG. In most cases hyperthyroidism remains subclinical. We report on a patient with diffuse metastasized malignant teratoma and thyrotoxicosis due to excessive levels of tumor-derived HCG. This complication of nonseminomatous germ cell tumors is associated with potential morbidity and the need for prompt recognition is stressed. Treatment consists of standard antithyroid medication and immediate cytoreductive chemotherapy to reduce the paraneoplastic stimulus. Evaluation of thyroid hormone levels in all patients with serum HCG levels exceeding 20,000 U/l is recommended.

Cryoablation of localized prostate cancer. Experience in 48 cases, PSA and biopsy results.

OBJECTIVES: As the first German center to perform perineal cryoablation of localized prostate cancer, we present our experience in a series of 48 consecutive patients. METHODS: 7 patients staged T1, 21 with T2 disease and 20 patients with T3 tumor were treated. 62.5% of the patients received neoadjuvant hormonal downsizing. Follow-up ranged from 4 to 27 months with a median of 15 +/- 5.7 months. RESULTS: Positive control biopsies after 6 months were obtained in 0% of T1 tumors, 16.7% of T2 tumors and 26.7% of T3 tumors. Prostate-specific antigen persistence above 1 ng/ml was diagnosed in 14.3, 33.3, and 40%, respectively. Complications were acceptable. 22.9% of the patients had prolonged urinary retention, requiring transurethral resection in 5 patients (10.4%) to relieve obstruction. In 5 cases (10.4%) incontinence was found, in 2 of these patients mild urge incontinence declined over time, in 3 cases moderate to severe stress incontinence developed. Two of these patients were pretreated with radiotherapy. No fistulae were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Cryoablation of the prostate is not a substitution for radical prostatectomy but enables the surgeon to perform a radical curative procedure in patients unfit for other radical forms of treatment or unwilling to undergo these. Long-term follow-up and prospective studies are necessary to define the clinical significance of this procedure.

Cryoablation of localized prostate cancer: neoadjuvant downsizing of prostate cancer with LH-RH analogue depot before cryosurgery.

Radical prostatovesiculectomy, radiation therapy, and complete androgen deprivation are acknowledged therapeutic concepts in the treatment of organ-confined prostate cancer. With cryoablation of the prostate, minimal invasive therapy has become available since 1991. Improvements in cryotechnique and progress in transrectal high-resolution ultrasound permit thermo-induced damage to the whole gland to be curative. Downstaging of prostate cancer by hormone ablative therapy remains a controversial issue at this time, but the use of androgen ablation decreases the size of the prostate gland which facilitates cryosurgery and improves the results. The freezing equipment has a limited capacity, and in certain instances large gland volumes prevent adequate freezing of the prostate. Since percutaneous prostate cryosurgery leaves dead tissue in situ to be resorbed over time, downsizing reduces the amount of necrotic tissue to be resorbed, reducing the potential for complications, particularly abscesses. The use of androgen ablation also increases the deposition of fat in the area of the Denonvillier's fascia, making freezing of the rectum less likely during the procedure. In our study androgen ablative therapy was completed before performing cryosurgery in 26 of 43 patients (58%). The 17 patients not given androgen ablation therapy had gland volumes < 40 ml, tumor volumes < 3 ml, and no evidence of extracapsular tumor. The neoadjuvant therapy consisted of a 3- to 10-month course of leuprolide acetate combined with an antiandrogen.

[Complete urethral rupture with symphysis injury and anterior pelvic ring fracture during spontaneous delivery]. / Komplette Urethraruptur mit Symphysensprengung und vorderer Beckenringfraktur unter Spontangeburt.

We report on a complete longitudinal rupture of the urethra in combination with a rupture of the pubic symphysis and pelvic fracture during spontaneous vaginal delivery. Only after stabilisation of the pelvic fracture by external skeletal fixation adaptation of the urethra was possible. Three weeks later after removing of the transurethral catheter a mild stress incontinence could be observed. In the follow up one year later the patient was completely continent. The cosmetic result was satisfactory. There was no cystocele. An unclear haematuria after delivery needs a meticulous urological examination. Early repair of urethral disruption minimize the risk of severe incontinence. Coordinated care between the trauma surgeon and urologist is required for successful treatment of this rare combined injury after birth.

Posttraumatic high-flow priapism in a 10-year-old boy: superselective embolization of the arteriovenous fistula.

We report on a 10-year-old boy who presented with painless priapism 11 days after blunt perineal trauma. Examination by color flow Doppler sonography demonstrated an arteriovenous fistula, which was confirmed by penile arteriography. Complete detumescence of the penis developed following superselective embolization with Ethibloc.