Balloon dilatation of ureteric strictures.

AIMS: Evaluation of dilatation as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of ureteric strictures. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated this technique in 16 patients with ureteric and secondary pelviureteric junction strictures from June 1998. Of these, 7 were men and 9 were women. The age range was from 14 to 40 years. RESULTS: Balloon dilatation was successful in 69% of patients. Strictures secondary to previous surgery had nearly 100% success. Of the 8 cases diagnosed as genitourinary tuberculosis, success rate was 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Factors affecting success of balloon dilatation are: a) age of the stricture b) length of the stricture and c) etiology of the stricture. In a select group of patients with fresh post-operative or post-inflammatory strictures, balloon dilatation may be an attractive alternative to surgery.

Martius' labial fat pad interposition and its modification in complex lower urinary fistulae.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the results of Martius' labial fat pad interposition and its modification using skin island in the repair of giant and recurrent vesicovaginal and urethrovaginal fistulae. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients of urethrovaginal and vesicovaginal fistulae underwent Martius' labial fat pad interposition and its skin island modification during 1996 to 1999. Ten of these were recurrent (66%) and five were giant fistulae (34%) i.e. more than five cms. RESULTS: Results were very gratifying with a successful repair in 14 patients (93%). Two patients had transient, low-grade stress incontinence, which did not need any additional procedure. In one patient, there was failure of repair, which was later successfully repaired using fat pad from opposite labia. CONCLUSION: Martius' fat pad interposition provides vascularity and surface for epithelialisation and also prevents overlapping of vesical/urethral and vaginal suture lines. Martius' repair has good results with low morbidity in the treatment of giant and recurrent urethrovaginal and vesicovaginal fistulae.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis presenting as emphysematous pyelonephritis: a rare association.

Xanthogranulomatous and emphysematous pyelonephritis are two rare variants of pyelonephritis. Their combined occurrence is a very rare condition, which has been documented in our case.

Effect of Y virilin on male infertility.

A prospective placebo controlled double blind study was conducted in patients attending male infertility clinics of our hospital to evaluate effects of a herbal formulation for male infertility--'Y-virilin'. In phase 1 forty patients with oligospermia with or without asthenospermia were randomly allocated to 2 treatment groups--Treatment Group A i.e. formulation under test and treatment Group B (Placebo). Therapy with these agents was given twice a day for 6 months. In phase 2, 12 patients with azospermia were administered either 'Y virilin' or the placebo (n = 6/Gp). In all patients along with semen analysis (sperm count, percentage of motile sperms and grade of motility) was done monthly for 6 months. Serum FSH levels were estimated before and at the end of therapy. A significant increase in sperm count was observed from 2-3 months in oligospermics receiving Y virilin as compared to basal values (p < 0.05). In Group B the follow-up sperm counts were either comparable to basal values or were lesser. However, the percentage and grade of motility did not differ in two groups at the end of respective treatment. No change was found in mean FSH value. During the therapy period incidence of conception was 20% in treatment Group A and 5% in Group B. Of the azospermic receiving 'Y-virilin' 50% showed a count of 10-20 millions/cmm while none from the placebo group. This study highlights the therapeutic potential of the tested formulation in the patients with infertility.

Surgical disconnection of lymphorenal communication for chyluria: a 15-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: To present the results of surgical lymphorenal disconnection and its advantages in patients with severe chyluria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-eight patients (40 men and 38 women, age 22-58 years) with severe chyluria of variable duration (5 months to 14 years), underwent surgical disconnection of the lymphorenal communication after confirming the diagnosis of chyluria by urine examination for fat globules, lymphangiography to delineate the side, site and extent of lymphorenal communication, and cystoscopy to decide the side to be operated. The areolar tissue containing dilated lymphatics travelling to the kidney in the perirenal and hilar region was dissected and divided between ligatures, thus stripping these structures completely; only one side was operated at a time. RESULTS: All 78 patients were available for a minimum follow-up of 1 year, with the longest follow-up 15 years. Lymphangiography showed unilateral communication in 52 (66%) and bilateral in 26 (34%). If the patient was given a high-fat meal before surgery, the intra-operative visualization of the lymphatics was improved. With unilateral surgery, clearance was achieved in 74 (94%) immediately, with final success in 69 (88%) patients. Of the 26 (34%) patients with bilateral lesions, nine (12%) required bilateral surgery, giving a clearance rate of 97%. In two cases of failure, repeat surgery was successful in one; thus the overall success rate was 98%. CONCLUSION: Lymphorenal disconnection for chyluria is simple, successful as a permanent cure and with almost negligible complications. Bilateral lymphorenal communication seen on lymphangiography does not always warrant bilateral surgery.

Male reproductive function in uraemia: efficacy of haemodialysis and renal transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of maintenance haemodialysis and live-related renal transplantation on the reproductive potential of men with end-stage renal disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The plasma levels of testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were determined, and semen analysed, in 19 men (22-41 years old) with advanced uraemia after 6 months of dialysis and again 6 months after renal transplantation. Eight patients who had azoospermia or severe oligospermia underwent testicular biopsy after 6 months of dialysis and again 6 months after the transplant. RESULTS: Following dialysis, levels of testosterone were low in 17 patients and levels of LH and FSH were elevated in 15 and eight patients, respectively. Four patients each had azoospermia and severe oligospermia. The testicular tissue was hypospematogenic in three patients, showed late-maturation arrest in four and germ cell aplasia in one. After renal transplantation, testosterone and LH levels returned to normal in 15 and 13 patients, respectively, while FSH levels became normal in only two patients. The recovery of testosterone and LH levels after transplantation was statistically significant. Semen quality improved in 13 patients, with the improvement in sperm density and motility being statistically significant. Testicular histology revealed normal spermatogenesis in four patients, while three continued to show late-maturation arrest. The wives of five of the transplanted patients conceived. CONCLUSIONS: The impairment of testicular function seen in advanced uraemia is not reversible by maintenance haemodialysis. In contrast, after successful transplantation, steroidogenic function became almost normal while spermatogenic function showed a striking if incomplete recovery.

Post-surgical recurrent varicocele: efficacy of internal spermatic venography and steel-coil embolization.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the venographic anatomy of the varicoceles which recur following conventional inguinal varicocele ligation and to determine the therapeutic efficacy of steel-coil embolization as assessed by improvements in seminal parameters and paternity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine patients with post-surgical recurrent varicoceles underwent bilateral internal spermatic venography approached through the right femoral vein. The collateral venous channels were identified and occluded using appropriate sizes of steel coils. RESULTS: The procedure was technically successful in 33 patients (85%). Analysis of the 33 venograms showed a unilateral left-sided recurrent varicocele in 28 patients (85%) and bilateral recurrent varicoceles in five patients (15%). The mid and lower parallel collateral channels were observed in 27 patients (82%). The recurrences were treated easily with stainless steel-coil embolization. Five patients were lost to follow-up. Of the remaining 28 patients the sperm count and motility became normal in 16 (57%); only the motility improved in three patients (10%) while in nine patients (33%) there were no changes in either of the seminal parameters. Five patients achieved paternity. CONCLUSIONS: Internal spermatic venography allowed a precise anatomical definition of the recurrent varicocele and the use of steel-coil embolization provided satisfactory improvements in sperm quality and paternity.

Alpha blocker prazosin for the treatment of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH).

In this study medical treatment with alpha blocker-prazosin is compared with transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) in 62 patients suffering from benign enlargement of prostate with a gland size of less than 20 gms. After thorough interrogation patients were offered either TURP or prazosin therapy. Symptom scoring, residual volume of urine and urinary flow rates were estimated in both the groups before and 3 months after the therapy. 23.5% patients in prazosin group while 90% of patients in TURP group had significant improvement. This distinctly brings out the superiority of TURP for benign enlargement of prostate.

Anterior urethral valve in an adolescent boy.

A 14 year old boy with a relatively uncommon anterior urethral valve is described herein.

Instillation of silver nitrate in the treatment of chyluria.

A series of 62 patients with chyluria received instillations of 1% silver nitrate in the renal pelvis over an 8-year period; 51 patients responded well but 11 showed no response to treatment. Follow-up ranged from 2 to 7 years. The treatment was found to be safe, effective and minimally invasive.

Giant ureteral stone.

A 58-year-old man presented with left flank pain and a high grade fever. Investigations revealed left pyonephrosis with a left renal stone and a giant left ureteral stone. Nephroureterectomy was performed. The ureteral stone measured 13 cm. long and weighed 90 gm.

Experience of continent urinary diversion with modified Koff's technique.

Continent abdominal neourethrostomy is a procedure in which a bladder flap from the dome is raised, converted into a tube and then brought out on the abdominal wall as a stoma, just below the umbilicus. We have done this procedure on 5 patients of different age groups and for various indications. All our patients are perfectly continent postoperatively during the day as well as night. They are doing regular self-catheterisation. They are dry in periods between self-catheterisations. The maximum follow-up is two years and six months.

Spectrum of pediatric urolithiasis in western India.

Of 1,211 patients with urolithiasis treated at this institution over a nine years period, there were 77 (6.4%) pediatric cases. The commonest age group was 6-10 years (55.8%). Male:female ratio was 7.6:1. Hindus constituted 72.7% of the patients. There was no significant seasonal variation. The commonest site was urinary bladder (67.5%). The upper: lower urinary tract stone ratio was 1:2.85. Majority belonged to the lower-middle or poor income groups having a cereal based diet with minimal or poor protein intake. The common constituents of stones were calcium (98.7%), oxalate (87%), phosphate (84.4%) and uric acid (76.6%). Of all these, uric acid had the richest concentration (grade of ++ or more) in 93.2%. Only 4 stones (5.2%) were "pure": calcium oxalate--3 and calcium phosphate--1; whereas 73 (94.8%) were mixed stones. Of these, 9 (11.7%) were "predominant" mixed stones, with only one constituent having rich concentration (grade of ++ or more) and all others being either trace or +. The rest 64 (83.1%) were "heterogenous" mixed stones having rich concentration of more than one constituent.

Ureteral valves: preoperative radiologic diagnosis.

The authors report two cases of congenital ureteral valves that were diagnosed preoperatively in adults. The radiologic, operative and histologic findings are described. A short review of the available literature is also presented. The importance of a confident radiologic diagnosis of this congenital anomaly is emphasized.

Darkroom transplant.

Manual film processing systems produce their own types of artefacts. The authors report accidental transfer of an image-bearing emulsion from one film to another. The films were lying in close apposition in the darkroom washing tank. Forcible separation of the two films resulted in the "transplant".