[Urologic applications of intralaparoscopic echography]. / Applicazioni urologiche dell'ecografia intralaparoscopica.

The impossibility to palpate organs and tissues is probably the most important drawback of the laparoscopic approach: laparoscopic sonography represent the only real alternative to manual palpation. The laparoscopic approach in the field of urology was initially limited to the identification of the undescended testes in paediatric urology and to the laparoscopic ligation of varicocele. More recently, it took into account the pelvic lymphadenectomy for staging prostatic and bladder cancer. The upper urinary tract and the retroperitoneum were approached more recently. In a preliminary phase the indications for laparoscopic nephrectomy were limited to benign diseases, such as atrophic kidney in patients with renal hypertension, and scarred pyelonephritic kidney. At present some preliminary experiences are reported about nephrectomy performed for carcinoma of the urether or of the upper collecting system and for renal masses of unknown origin. Another indication for a laparoscopic approach to the kidney is represented by symptomatic renal cysts. These cysts have been usually treated with percutaneous aspiration and/or sclerosis, but a high rate of recurrence is reported. Laparoscopy may be used to approach renal cysts with the advantage that most of the cystic wall could be excised, reducing the change of recurrence. Another possible indication for laparoscopy and laparoscopic sonography is the retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy in testes cancer with staging or therapeutic purposes. Nowadays preliminary experiences in laparoscopic adrenalectomy have been reported in a limited series of cases. In this report the Authors present their initial experience using a 7.5 MHz rigid probe having 400 crystal which can be inserted into a 10 mm trocar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Role of echography in the diagnostic-therapeutic management of renal cysts]. / Ruolo dell'ecografia nell'iter diagnostico-terapeutico delle cisti renali.

Herein we report on the results of 171 out of 214 patients with renal cysts. In 127 cases diameter of cyst being less than < 6 cm, was monitored repeating renal ultrasound every 6 months: 78 patients underwent pecutaneous cyst echoguided puncture, while 9 patients were treated as follows: 4 by open surgery, 3 by laparoscopy and 2 by percutaneous treatment in general anaesthesia. Cysts are classified in 4 types and therapy is different according to Bosniak's classification. When the cyst is less than 6 cm in diameter and symptomatology is absent, we follow the patients up with yearly ultrasound. In our experience cyst sclerotization is carried out by injecting either ethanol or Trombovar or 50% glucose in water alone or associated with 2% Aethoxysclerol. The best results are obtained from the use of ethanol (30% of the volume of cyst). However some relapses are encountered after this kind of procedure. In these cases it is helpful to examine the cystic wall because of the presence of intracystic septa. Percutaneous treatment by means nephroscopy permits to visualize the cystic wall but it is not able to perform a biopsy of its wall. Laparoscopic treatment is performed by inserting 5 trocars with the patient under general anaesthesia. This technique is able to localize and biopsy the cystic wall without causing side-effects or complications. Open surgery was performed only in 4 patients affected with hidatid cyst. At present echoguided cyst puncture permits to approach the renal not complicated cysts, while laparoscopy constitutes a safe treatment in the case of benign recurrent and complicated cysts.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The role of echography in the intraoperative study of non-palpable testicular masses]. / Ruolo dell' ecografia nello studio intraoperatorio delle masse testicolari non palpabili.

Intraoperative ultrasound localization of the non palpable testicular lesions allows to detect small gonadal tumors or to well study benign testicular masses. Several methods have been proposed to study non palpable testicular masses including CT and NMR. Prospective studies of the efficacy of CT vs spermatic venography in localization of cryptorchid testes have also been reported: spermatic venography proved to be the most accurate of the two modalities even if possible neoplastic degeneration of testicular tissue is very difficult to investigate with this method. Herein we describe our clinical experience and particularly four cases in which we adopted intraoperative ultrasonography of testes with different results. M.S. a 28 year old infertile patient underwent testicular ultrasound during a check-up and a little image localized at the level of right testis was found. Even if no mass was palpable we decided to operate on the patient; an intraoperative testicular ultrasound revealed the precise localization so that the little mass was excised and examined at once. Histologic study confirmed the presence of tumoral tissue and orchiectomy was performed: deeper hystological studies confirmed it was a leydigioma. D.C. 27 year old bilaterally cryptorchid patient had been already operated on twice but no testicular structure was encountered at the level of inguinal channels. Neither preoperative abdominal ultrasound nor CT revealed the presence of the testes. At abdominal exploration both testes were localized in the iliac region. Intraoperative testicular ultrasound allowed us to localize a right testicular tumor: right orchiectomy and left autotransplantation were performed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Echo-flowmetric control 6 years after percutaneous treatment of varicocele]. / Controllo eco-flussimetrico a 6 anni di distanza dal trattamento percutaneo del varicocele.

Several Authors have discussed the long term efficacy of sclerotherapy; somebody supposes that percutaneous angiographic treatment of spermatic vein is not sure at all because the occlusion due to the sclerosing agents is not retained as long lasting. Studies have been done by other Authors about comparison of recurrent varicocele anatomy following surgery and percutaneous balloon occlusion: it is concluded that venous collaterals are identified easily by renal venography, and knowledge of these collaterals is helpful in planning further radiological treatment. Since 1980 we have always treated left varicocele by means of percutaneous sclerotherapy of the spermatic veins following renal phlebography: the treatment is done on an outpatient basis, in local anaesthesia. Sclerosing agents we usually adopt are: sodium-tetradecyl sulphate and alcohol. At our knowledge long-term results of this treatment have never been published; this is the reason for which long-term follow-up of 27 patients that 6 years ago underwent percutaneous sclerotherapy was done. Only 16 of them have accepted to repeat: a) physical examination; b) Doppler flowmetry; c) scrotal ultrasound. The presence of a varicocele was demonstrated in 2 out of 16 patients (12.5% of the case). These data confirms that percutaneous treatment performed following the procedures we adopted in 1986 has a long term efficacy in 87.5% of the cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Echo-guided puncture of intraprostatic cysts]. / Puntura ecoguidata di cisti intraprostatiche.

The occurrence of an obstruction of the ejaculatory ducts, in spite of its rarity, must be considered by the Urologists in the screening of the etiologic causes of obstructive azoospermia. Nowadays, the diagnostic approach, which includes the biochemical study of seminal plasma and prostatic ultrasound, often leads to the preoperative recognition of the site of obstruction. Various surgical and endoscopic techniques have been adopted for the treatment of ejaculatory duct obstructions in different historical periods. Herein we describe our experience that starts from 1979. 17 infertile patients with intraprostatic cysts and 2 with a stenosis of the veru montanum were treated by us following these criteria: 9 azoospermic patients underwent scrototomy and endoscopy; 10 patients with a severe oligozoospermia underwent echo-guided puncture of an intraprostatic cyst. The patients were placed in the lithotomy position, a 16 G needle was adopted and by means ultrasound was possible to follow the needle entering the cyst. When no spermatozoa was detected in the cystic liquid, sclerosing agents (Sodium-tetradecyl-sulphate 30 mg in 1 l.) was introduced. This easy procedure was carried out on outpatients in local anaesthesia. One out of ten oligozoospermic patients had to repeat the echo-guided puncture of intraprostatic cyst as the first attempt had been followed by recurrence. Eight out of ten subfertile patients who had undergone percutaneous echo-guided treatment had longer than 1 year follow-up: in seven cases an increase in sperms number and motility was obtained; in one case sperm count remained unmodified. In three cases the partners became pregnant.

[Bilateral abdominal testicles in the adult. Microsurgical and laparoscopic therapy]. / Testicoli addominali bilaterali nell'adulto. Terapia microchirurgica e laparoscopica.

B. L. a 27 year old bilaterally cryptorchid patient underwent right testicular autotransplantation in the presence of a quite normal testis. After one year the patency of microsurgical anastomosis was confirmed by means of Doppler flowmetry and scrotal echography demonstrated the presence in the scrotum of a testis provided will normal echogenicity. Left laparoscopic orchiectomy was planned. A small semilunar skin incision was made just below the rim of the umbilicus. Veress needle was introduced: as soon as the needle pierced the parietal peritoneum, its spring mechanism was released allowing the sharp needle point to retract leaving only the blunt tip protruding. Carbon dioxide gas was insufflated through the side part of the Veress needle until adequate abdominal distension was achieved. After having removed the Veress needle, the laparoscope on its sharp-pointed trocar was introduced into the peritoneal cavity and left testis was easily localized. Four trocars were introduced up to proceed to laparoscopic orchiectomy. The patient was discharged two days after. In our opinion in the presence of a bilateral cryptorchism in the adult, is better to plan a monolateral autotransplantation. After having verified the long-term result of microsurgery we can decide if a contralateral orchiectomy has to be planned.

[Impotence: introductory notes]. / Le impotenze: note introduttive.

If we define erectile impotence as the inability to achieve and maintain a firm erection we can distinguish several pathogens of impotence: psychologic disorders, neurogenic sinusoidal disorders, arterial disorders, venous & sinusoidal disorders and systemic diseases and other disorders can cause erectile impotence. An etiologic screening of impotence must be carried out by Urologists in order to adopt the best surgical approach. Especially when surgery has to be planned, a complete, often invasive screening associated with a super-specialist diagnostic study is necessary at the beginning of any procedure. Different approaches to impotence can be adopted on the basis of patient's age, etiology and failure of other devices. The main methods of surgical correction of impotence may be divided as follows: a) percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (P.T.A.); b) revascularization; c) surgical treatment of "venous leakage", d) trans-luminal veno-occlusion (T.L.V.O.); e) correction of penile curvature; f) prostheses placement. The diagnosis of arteriogenic impotence depends upon the arteriographic demonstration of bilateral hemodynamically significant obstruction. In our experience the injection of papaverine during the test has provided a better visualization of cavernous arteries and helicine branches. Reduction of luminal diameter by more than 50% suggest a hemodynamically significant stenosis. Intracavernous injection of vasoactive agents has provided an attractive alternative to surgery. We have employed papaverine alone or with phentolamine or phenoxybenzamine. After short term treatment, some patients have achieved good erections without further injections. For P.T.A. of the distal internal pudendal arteries our approach has been via the ipsilateral or contralateral femoral arteries. Under local anesthesia a penile arteriographic catheter is placed in the internal pudendal artery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Role of penile ultrasonography in erection deficit]. / Ruolo dell'ecotomografia peniena nei deficit d'erezione.

The presence of penile nodule, curvature, disorders in blood flow to and from the corpora cavernosa is often correlated with organic sexual impotence. Echography allows to obtain a clear imaging of penile structures: diameters of corpora cavernosa can be measured before and after injection of vasoactive drugs. In our study penile structure were evaluated using a Combison 310 and a Toshiba with 7.5 MHz probe. In a lot of cases echography was repeated after intracavernous injection of PGE 1 or papaverine. The equipment needed for this evaluation is expensive but echography is undoubtedly less invasive than other equivalent examinations like cavernosography. Although the sensitivity and specificity of penile echography have not yet been clearly established this test is generally considered to be an useful and objective one. Penile echography is particularly usefull in discriminating between echogenic and not-echogenic nodules in case of Peyronie disease.

[Testicular autotransplant and laparoscopic orchiectomy in a case of bilateral adult cryptorchism]. / Autotrapianto testicolare ed orchiectomia laparoscopica in un caso di criptorchidismo bilaterale dell'adulto.

B.L. a 27 year old bilaterally cryptorchid patient underwent right testicular autotransplantation in the presence of a quite normal testis. After one year the patency of microsurgical anastomosis was confirmed by means Doppler flowmetry and scrotal echography demonstrated the presence into the scrotum of a testis provided of a normal echogenicity. Left laparoscopic orchiectomy was planned. A small semilunar skin incision was made just below the rime of the umbilicus. Veress needle was introduced: as soon as the needle pierced the parietal peritoneum, its spring mechanism was released allowing the sharp needle point to retract leaving only the blunt tip protruding. Carbon dioxide gas was insufflated through the side part of the Veress needle until adequate abdominal distension was achieved. After having removed the Veress needle, the laparoscope on its sharp-pointed trocar was introduced into the peritoneal cavity and left testis was easily localized. Four trocars were introduced up to proceed to laparoscopic orchiectomy. The patient was discharged two days after. In our opinion in the presence of a bilateral cryptorchism in the adult, is better to plan a monolateral autotransplantation. After having verified the long-term result of microsurgery we can decide if a contralateral orchiectomy has to be planned.