[Non-ischemic priapism (post-traumatic arteriovenous fistula of the right cavernous body) in the background of Landusy-Dejerine myopathy].

Landouzy-Dejerine myopathy (Facial-shoulder-shoulder myodystrophy) is a disease which causes weakness of the muscles of the shoulder girdle, back and hip muscles, which predisposes patients to an increased risk of injury and disability. The article presents a clinical observation of non-ischemic priapism, which developed as a result of perineal trauma with the formation of a fistula of the right cavernous body in a patient against the background of facial shoulder-shoulder myodystrophy. Methods for the differential diagnosis of this condition are also discussed.

[Current approaches to targeted prostate biopsy].

Currently, prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common malignancy in men after lung cancer and the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. According to world and national statistics, over the past 20 years, there has been a steady increase in both incidence and mortality from PCa. Prostate biopsy is the cornerstone of the PCa diagnosis. However, recently, systematic transrectal biopsy as a standard approach has been questioned, since it has significant drawbacks that reduce the quality of PCa diagnosis. Considering the clinical importance of accurate PCa staging, MRI-guided targeted biopsy has been developed, which is currently the most accurate technique for taking a sample of tissue from suspicious areas. The optimal approaches to targeted prostate biopsy and the potential possibilities of including multiparametric MRI in the primary diagnostic algorithm are highlighted in this review, based on the results of large studies. The method allows to increase the overall PCa detection rate, the detection rates of clinically significant PCa, reduce the frequency of diagnosis of low-risk tumors and increase the overall accuracy of PCa detection, which has an outmost importance for the patient selection for active surveillance and to control disease progression.

[A comparison of knot-free and interrupted suturing of vesicourethral anastomosis during learning curve of radical prostatectomy].

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) is the most popular treatment method for localized prostate cancer worldwide. This is a technically-demanding procedure with a long learning curve. Therefore, an improvement of the surgical technique is very important in order to simplify training for LRP. Dorsal vein ligation and vesicourethral anastomosis (VUA) are two major problems for surgeons with insufficient experience in LRP. Previous studies have shown that between 50 and 250 procedures are required in order to get necessary skills. AIM: to compare and study the advantages of the "free-tie" technique and interrupted suture during the formation of VUA during learning curve of LRP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: a single-center retrospective analysis was performed by evaluating operational reports, video recordings and histories of patients who were operated at Saint Petersburg Public Hospital of Saint Luca from 2016 to 2018. A total of 114 patients were included in the study, 56 of them were undergone to "free-tie" technique and 48 patients had interrupted suture. All procedures were performed by four surgeons with an experience of less than 100 LRP. The evaluation criteria included the time of formation of VUA, the duration of whole procedure, the duration of bladder catheterization, frequency of anastomotic leak and stress urinary incontinence. RESULTS: For surgeons who learned the technique of LRP, the use of a continuous suture with a self-anchoring V-loc thread allowed to reduce significantly the time of formation of VUA and ligation of dorsal venous plexus. Such a suture is more convenient for the surgeon than interrupted suture and makes LRP more proficient and efficient, allowing to reduce the time of procedure, the duration of catheterization, postoperative complications rate associated with anastomotic leak, and also to lower frequency of stress urinary incontinence and obstruction of VUA. This technique may reduce the period necessary for mastering LRP. CONCLUSION: "Free-tie" VUA is a safer and more effective technique compared to interrupted suture technique during learning curve of LRP. According to our work, this technique allows surgeons with insufficient suturing experience to easily overcome the steep training curve.

[A comparison between enucleation of the prostate using holmium and thulium laser in volume over 80 cc: retrospective clinical study with 12-months follow-up].

AIM: The aim of our study was to evaluate efficiency of thulium laser enucleation of the prostate (ThuLEP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 112 patients with BPH who underwent ThuLEP (n=60) or holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) (n=52) at our institution from January 2017 to June 2017 was carried out. The perioperative data and complication rate were assessed. Severity of lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) was evaluated after 1, 6 and 12 months using International Prostate Symptom Score [I-PSS], quality-of-life [QoL] score and maximum flow rate [Qmax]. To shorten learning curve, we modified the technique and simplified the intervention. To reduce noise during surgery, we performed ThuLEP using Vela XL. RESULTS: There were significant differences in pre- and perioperative parameters, including operative time (113.15+/-12.14 vs. 118.08+/-15.76 min, p=0.46), decrease in serum sodium concentration (3.49+/-0.83 vs. 3.48+/-0.84 mmol/L, P=0.97), hemoglobin drop (1.37+/-0.18 vs. 1.43+/-0.38 g/dL, p=0.65), catheterization time (2.15+/-0.38 vs. 2.27+/-0.39 days, p=0.52) and hospital stay (6.95+/-0.82 vs 7.56+/-1.36 days, p=0.25) between the two groups (ThuLEP and HoLEP). Compared with the HoLEP group, intraoperative noise was lower in ThuLEP group (47.22+/-10.31 vs. 59.45+/-9.65 db, p<0.05). At 1-, 6- and 12 months follow-up, the LUTS severity (I-PSS, QoL score and Qmax) were significantly improved in both groups in comparison with the baseline values. Furthermore, there was no difference in LUTS severity between two groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: ThuLEP is comparable to the holmium laser in terms of efficiency, safety and indications and represent minimally invasive treatment option for patients with LUTS secondary to BPH.

[Comparative assessment of treatments for prostate adenoma greater than 100 cm3].

AIM: To compare holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and endovideosurgical (EVS) adenomectomy in the treatment of prostate adenoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared treatment results of 180 patients with prostate adenomas greater than 100 cm3 who underwent EVS adenomectomy (n=90) and laser enucleation of the prostate (n=90). The analysis included the following parameters: duration of catheterization, length of postoperative hospital stay, I-PSS score, maximum urinary flow rate measured by uroflowmetry and complications according to Clavien-Dindo grading systems. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in patient age, preoperative prostate size, glandular tissue weight, and operative time. The duration of catheterization (p=0.0008) and length of postoperative hospital stay (p<0.0001) were significantly shorter in the HoLEP group. Both groups showed a statistically significant improvement in functional performance at three months post-surgery. Complications in the HoLEP and EVS adenomectomy group occurred in 18 (20%) and 23 (25.55%) patients, respectively (p>0.99). CONCLUSION: The two methods mentioned above are widely used in the treatment of prostate adenoma. However, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate shows similar short-term functional results and complication rates compared with EVS adenomectomy for prostate adenomas greater than 100 cm3. The patients of the HoLEP group had better results regarding the duration of catheterization and length of postoperative hospital stay. Therefore, laser enucleation is the preferred surgical modality for prostate adenomas greater than 100 cm3.

Brines in seepage channels as eluants for subsurface relict biomolecules on Mars?

Water, vital for life, not only maintains the integrity of structural and metabolic biomolecules, it also transports them in solution or colloidal suspension. Any flow of water through a dormant or fossilized microbial community elutes molecules that are potentially recognizable as biomarkers. We hypothesize that the surface seepage channels emanating from crater walls and cliffs in Mars Orbiter Camera images results from fluvial erosion of the regolith as low-temperature hypersaline brines. We propose that, if such flows passed through extensive subsurface catchments containing buried and fossilized remains of microbial communities from the wet Hesperian period of early Mars (approximately 3.5 Ga ago), they would have eluted and concentrated relict biomolecules and delivered them to the surface. Life-supporting low-temperature hypersaline brines in Antarctic desert habitats provide a terrestrial analog for such a scenario. As in the Antarctic, salts would likely have accumulated in water-filled depressions on Mars by seasonal influx and evaporation. Liquid water in the Antarctic cold desert analogs occurs at -80 degrees C in the interstices of shallow hypersaline soils and at -50 degrees C in salt-saturated ponds. Similarly, hypersaline brines on Mars could have freezing points depressed below -50 degrees C. The presence of hypersaline brines on Mars would have extended the amount of time during which life might have evolved. Phototrophic communities are especially important for the search for life because the distinctive structures and longevity of their pigments make excellent biomarkers. The surface seepage channels are therefore not only of geomorphological significance, but also provide potential repositories for biomolecules that could be accessed by landers.

A morphological view on potential niches for exobiology on Mars.

The discovery of microbiota in the Dry Valleys of Antarctica has encouraged the construction of new models of Martian ecosystems in order to determine if life could have once existed on Mars. The Antarctic cyanobacteria reside just below the surface of sandstone rocks where they are protected from the extreme cold and dry environment. Analogy with the Antarctic Dry Valleys supports speculation that hypothetical micro-organisms existed on Mars in the early history of the planet and could have migrated into suitable rocks as the availability of liquid water decreased. Although evidence for sandstone layers on Mars has not been substantiated, the palaeohydrology of Martian fluvial valleys (MFVs) reveals the evidence of lake bed sediment depositions which have formed consolidated sediments. As the MFVs formation may result from underground drainage processes, the sediment material would be expected to contain debris such as pumice washload, and pumilith of volcanic and meteoritic origin. These materials may have formed consolidated porous terrains similar to the Antarctic sandstone. Therefore, the endolithic model is consistent with the Martian liquid water habitat model of perenially ice-covered lakes.