Waiting Times for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis in a Nigerian Population.

BACKGROUND: Prostate biopsy remains an important surgical procedure in the diagnostic pathway for prostate cancer, but access to prostate biopsy service is poorly studied in the Nigerian population. While there has been a well-documented delay in patient presentation with prostate cancer in Nigeria, little is however known about how long patients wait to have a histological diagnosis of prostate cancer and start treatment after presenting at Nigerian hospitals. METHOD: This was a descriptive retrospective study to document the specific duration of the various timelines in getting a diagnosis of prostate cancer at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja, Nigeria. RESULTS: There were 270 patients. The mean age was 69.50 ± 8.03 years (range 45-90). The mean PSA at presentation was 563.2 ± 1879.2 ng/ml (range 2.05-15400), and the median PSA was 49.3 ng/ml. The median waiting times were (i) 10 days from referral to presentation; (ii) 30 days from presentation to biopsy; (iii) 24 days from biopsy to review of histology; (iv) 1 day from histology review to discussion/planning of treatment. The median overall waiting time from referral to treatment was 103 days. The mean time from presentation to biopsy was significantly shorter for patients with PSA of ≥50 ng/ml compared to those with PSA < 50 ng/ml. p = 0.048. Overall, the median time from biopsy to histology was significantly shorter for patients whose specimens were processed in private laboratories (17 days) compared to those whose specimens were processed at the teaching hospital laboratory (30 days), p ≤ 0.001. CONCLUSION: There is a significant delay within the health care system in getting a prostate cancer diagnosis in the Nigerian population studied. The major points of the identified delay were the waiting time from patient presentation to having a biopsy done and the histology report waiting time.

Overview of paediatric urology practice in lagos state university teaching hospital, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Paediatric urology is one of the subspecialities of urology, and in most climes, it is practised by the urologists and paediatric surgeons, and likewise in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH). The urologists see and manage most of these cases in LASUTH. There has been no formal training in this subspeciality. However, both the urologists and paediatric surgeons in LASUTH have acquired some measure of skill and experience over time by virtue of the relatively high volume of the cases seen. This study is aimed at reviewing the practice of paediatric urology in the urology division of LASUTH and to advocate for formal training in an otherwise rare but direly needed subspeciality. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The ports of entry of paediatric patients with urologic conditions were assessed retrospectively over a 5-year period (2014-2018). The paediatric age range based on the Lagos State Government policy for health care is from birth to 12 years old. The ports of entry included the urologic outpatient department, paediatric and the adult surgical emergency units and the paediatric wards. Patients referred to and managed by the paediatric surgery division were excluded from this study. RESULTS: The total paediatric urology cases seen and managed by the urologist in LASUTH within the period of review were 421. A total of 363 paediatric urology cases were seen during the period under review, making up 7.96% of the urology cases seen at the surgical outpatient department. The most common cases managed were hypospadias, posterior urethral valves and hydronephrosis. A variety of other cases include priapism, circumcision and post-circumcision injuries, urethral prolapse, testicular torsion, cystic renal dysplasia, disorder of sexual differentiation and several others. Three hundred and seven surgical procedures were done in the period of review on 272 (64.6%) patients. CONCLUSION: There is a need for subspecialisation in paediatric urology to harness more specialists with a specific focus, training and interest in children and their urological conditions.

The Fire Service for the Removal of a Metallic Penile Constricting Device: A Ready Help When All Else Fail.

The placement of a constricting device around the penis is a urologic emergency. Though injuries from constricting penile devices are generally rare, they may be associated with serious complications. There is no standard modality for the removal of penile constricting devices and the management of the patient can therefore prove to be a formidable challenge to the urologist. Timely intervention is always important in preventing complications especially penile gangrene. Depending on the type of device used along with the duration and severity of penile constriction caused, significant resourcefulness may be required in the treatment of the patient. Achieving a timely and successful outcome may require a multidisciplinary approach involving equipment only available with the fire service or other agencies. We report the case of a 30-year-old man with a background psychiatric illness who had his penile constricting device removed under conscious sedation in the emergency room with the aid of a power driven arc saw from the fire service with a successful outcome.

Outcome of Mainz II Pouch Urinary Diversion after Radical Cystectomy in Patients with Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: Our Experience.

INTRODUCTION: Mainz II pouch urinary diversion in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer is one of the options of continent urinary diversion following radical cystectomy (RC). We aim to report our experience and the outcome of our patients who had this procedure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who had RC and Mainz II pouch urinary diversion for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in our institution from 2007 to 2016 were evaluated. Variables analyzed included age, gender, stage of the disease, pathological grade and tumor types, complications, and survival status. RESULTS: There were 11 patients who had Mainz II pouch urinary diversion after RC for bladder cancer over a 10-year period. Four (36%) were male and 7 (64%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 58.6 (range, 52-65) years. The diseases were pT2, pT3, and pT4 in 2 (18%), 7 (64%), and 2 (18%) patients, respectively. Four (36%) had pelvic nodal metastasis. Nine (82%) had a histological diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma, and two (18%) were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Ten (91%) patients had high-grade disease, whereas only 1 (9%) patient had low-grade disease. Short-term morbidities were electrolytes derangement, hypokalemia, and acidosis in 2 (18%) patients and pyelonephritis in 2 (18%) patient. The two patients with invasive SCC had recurrence and death within 12 months of surgery. At present, four of the patients are alive, and seven are dead. Survival till date ranged from 8 to 120 months (mean survival time was 48 months). All patients achieved day and night time continence, and there was no significant long-term morbidity from the method of urinary diversion. CONCLUSION: Mainz II pouch urinary diversion is safe and acceptable to most of our patients with good long-term results.

One-stage urethroplasty for urethral strictures at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, south western Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Urethral stricture, a common urologic condition, is probably the most common cause of urinary retention in tropical Africa and a frequent cause of lower urinary tract symptoms worldwide. This study aimed at presenting our experience with one-stage urethroplasty at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital Osogbo, Nigeria. METHODS: All male patients who underwent one-stage urethroplasty between December 2005 and December 2011 were studied retrospectively. Details of their presentation and management were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 50 patients aged 2-75 years (mean ± SD 44.2 ± 21.53 years) with a urethral stricture underwent one-stage urethroplasty. The modal age group was 61-75 years (26 %). In all, 27 (54 %) patients were >40 years. Strictures following previous urethritis were more common (29, 58 %) than those seen after trauma (21, 42 %). Strictures following trauma were more common in men ≤ 40 years (52.2 %), and 69 % of strictures in men >40 years were infective in origin. Altogether, 88 % of strictures were exclusively found in the anterior urethra. In all, 32 (64 %) patients had bacteriuria at presentation. Strictures ≥ 2 cm with extensive fibrosis were noted in 21 (42 %). Excision of scar tissue was done, followed by end-to-end anastomosis in 32 (64 %), penile pedicle flap in 16 (32 %), and buccal mucosal graft in 2 (4 %) of the patients. Wound infection was the most common complication. Overall, 76 % of patients achieved a urine flow rate of 15 ml/s and postvoid residual urine of ≤ 50 ml. CONCLUSIONS: One-stage urethroplasty offered satisfactory results in the study group. It is recommended for urethral reconstruction in men with urethral stricture.