A prospective study of the natural history of hematuria associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia and the effect of finasteride.

PURPOSE: We prospectively studied the effect of finasteride on chronic hematuria associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 57 patients with chronic intermittent hematuria who were randomized to a finasteride treated or a control arm. RESULTS: In the untreated control group hematuria recurred in 17 patients (63%) within a year but in only 4 (14%) in the finasteride group, which was a statistically significant difference (p <0.05). Surgery was required for bleeding in 7 controls (26%), while no patient on finasteride required surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Hematuria secondary to prostatic bleeding may be significant if not treated. Finasteride appears to be effective for suppressing hematuria caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia and should be considered as treatment.

The use of small intestine in bladder reconstruction.

Reconstruction of the bladder is a treatment available to patients who have a diseased or damaged bladder, and small bowel is the most commonly used tissue. Augmentation cystoplasty increases the total bladder capacity, whereas substitution cystoplasty replaces the whole organ. This is either drained through a continent cutaneous stoma or is reanastomosed to the urethra as an orthotopic reconstruction. Although the treatment for invasive bladder cancer has not changed greatly in the last few decades, the use of orthotopic bladder reconstruction allows for a great improvement in the quality of life for patients who undergo cystectomy. These reconstructive techniques can also be offered to patients with other forms of pelvic malignancy that involve the bladder.

Haematuria associated with BPH-Natural history and a new treatment option.

Bleeding of prostatic origin is usually caused by the friable hypervascularity of the prostate, the vessels of which are easily disrupted by physical activity. The condition is often ignored after the patient has been fully investigated and more serious causes for bleeding excluded and treatment is often withheld unless the bleeding becomes excessive. We analysed the clinical effect of finasteride in the treatment of this condition. We retrospectively reviewed 42 patients diagnosed as having haematuria secondary to bleeding from a benign prostate. Eighteen patients were simply reassured and given no treatment. Twenty-four patients with prostatic bleeding were treated using finasteride. All case notes were reviewed and the patients were contacted by telephone. Of 18 patients who had prostatic bleeding but did not receive treatment the mean age was 70 y and the mean follow-up was 10 months; two had died, nine had no further bleeding, two had a single episode of bleeding requiring no treatment, six had several bleeding episodes of whom one started finasteride, one refused treatment, and three required TURP. In the group treated with finasteride the mean follow up was 9 months, the mean age of the patients was 75 y. Twenty patients had no further bleeding, one patient experienced minor intermittent bleed and required no further treatment. Two patients died of non-urological causes, one patient stopped the treatment because of impotence and one patient had mild gynecomastia. Haematuria secondary to prostatic bleeding can be significant if not treated. Finasteride appears to be effective in suppressing haematuria caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia and should be considered in treating this problem.

Paraganglionic phaeochromocytoma presenting twelve years after adrenalectomy.

We present a case report of recurrent hypertension in a 43-year-old man 12 years after undergoing right adrenalectomy for phaeochromocytoma. Further investigations showed a tumour arising from the right paravertebral chain and raised urinary noradrenaline levels. Histological examination after surgical excision found the tumour to be a paraganglionic phaeochromocytoma.