An atypical presentation of upper urothelial tumor.

In some cases of primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), there may be some uncertainty in clinical decision making. We present a case in which a pT1-N0 urothelial tumor was found in the renal pelvis after an open nephrectomy for urolithiasis. Because incomplete excision of the ureter can lead to recurrence of the TCC, we deemed it necessary to remove the residual ureter. Therefore, a combined endoscopic-transvescical laparoscopic ureterectomy was performed. The transabdominal approach was chosen for the procedure, because the patient had already undergone open nephrectomy with retroperitoneal access and was thus likely to have adhesions and inflammation in the region. For the endoscopic phase of surgery, a technique of ureteral intussusception was combined with transurethral resection. The choice of the endoscopic transurethral procedure was prompted by the fact that transurethral resection of the ureteral orifice and invagination ureterectomy has already been proposed as the first step of nephroureterectomy. The combined endoscopic laparoscopic procedure was not technically demanding; the ureterectomy took no longer than an open procedure. The surgery was uneventful, and the patient resumed normal activities the day after surgery. The broader issue of whether this technique should be adopted by the urological community at large as a routine practice requires longer follow-up outcome data.

One shot: a novel method to dilate the nephrostomy access for percutaneous lithotripsy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The creation of the nephrostomy access is a fundamental step of percutaneous nephrolithotripsy (PCNL). Dilation of the track is usually achieved with multiple incremental flexible exchange dilators of the Amplatz type, metal telescoping dilators of the Alken type, or a balloon. Currently, balloon dilation is regarded as the most modern and safest system, though it has the disadvantage of relatively high cost. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that a procedure that we named "one shot," which consists of a single dilation of the track with a 25F or 30F Amplatz dilator, compares favorably in terms of efficacy, costs, and length with the other techniques of track dilation, without a significant increase in morbidity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-eight consecutive patients who underwent PCNL for stone disease from June 1998 to July 1999 were considered and divided into three groups according to the type of tract dilation used: A (Alken telescoping dilators), B (balloon), or C (one shot). Radiologic exposure, blood loss, and costs were evaluated. RESULTS: The one-shot procedure compared favorably with both of the other dilation techniques without an increase in morbidity and with significant reductions in X-ray exposure and costs. Indeed, significant differences in estimated blood loss were observed between groups B and C and the minor bleeding for group C. CONCLUSION: Our experience indicates that one-shot dilation is feasible in the majority of patients. It is as safe and effective as the technique regarded today as the gold standard but less time consuming and less expensive. These encouraging results should be confirmed by further studies.

Successful management of para-aortic lymphocyst with laparoscopic fenestration.

Para-aortic lymphocyst occasionally follows retroperitoneal para-aortic node dissection for neoplastic diseases. We present a case in which the leakage of chylous fluid and then a para-aortic lymphocyst followed right nephrectomy and para-aortic node dissection for kidney cancer. Our method of treatment utilized conservative management of chylous ascites and laparoscopic internal drainage of the retroperitoneal lymphocyst.

[Unusual case of mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis associated with prostatic adenocarcinoma]. / Raro caso di mesotelioma della vaginale del testicolo associato ad adenocarcinoma della prostata.

Malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis, is a very rare neoplasm with highly aggressive biological behaviour. It usually occurs in patients aged between 55 and 75 years. A testicular mass is always observed, often accompanied with hydrocele. The response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy is poor. Initial aggressive surgery is necessary. The median survival, without surgical treatment is 23 months. A rare case of malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis, observed in a patient affected by prostate neoplasm is reported. A radical retropubic prostatectomy was performed. The patient was suffering from dysuria and there was a suspect area at the digital examination. Rectal ultrasonography and biopsy showed an adenocarcinoma at T1c clinical stage. A radical prostatectomy was carried out and histology showed an adenocarcinoma, Gleason score 7 pT3bN0M0. Surgery was followed by radiation therapy. After three years, a pleural seroma, a cutaneous mass and testicular nodule were observed and cytological examination showed endothelial cells. Scrotal orchiectomy was performed, because he was suffering from emphysema. Cytological examination confirmed malignant mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis. Only 73 cases of this tumour have been reported in the last 30 years. The therapeutic options for this aggressive neoplasm are discussed. Since chemotherapy and radiation therapy had poor results, a rapid surgical treatment, by radical orchiectomy, is important.

[Buschke-Löwenstein tumor: report of 2 clinical cases]. / Tumore di Buschke-Löwenstein: presentazione di due casi clinici.

In our department two cases of Buschke-Löwenstein tumor were up to day observed. The first case, a man 51 years old, showed a big exophytic growth all over the glans, plus some similar lesions all along the shaft of the penis, besides a bilateral inguinal lymphoadenopathy. The second case was that of a man 70 years old, presenting a single exophytic growth on the glans. Both cases underwent a surgical excision of the lesions. The first patient had a local relapse after one year and a second one after further four months, which were both surgically exsected. Today, both patients are disease-free, being elapsed twelve years and sixteen months respectively. Surgical excision seems therefore to answer well the clinical problem, as for as the rarity of distant spread, the feasibility of conservative removal or reiteration, should it the case, are concerned.

[Surgical treatment of urologic complications of idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. Our experience]. / Trattamento chirurgico delle complicanze urologiche della fibrosi retroperitoneale idiopatica. Nostra esperienza.

The chief complications of retroperitoneal fibrosis RPF in the ureteric compression ab extrinseco by fibrotic tissue. In the period 1994 to 1999, we treated two cases of idiopathic RPF: the first case a 49 years aged man, presented a left hydronefrosis and bilateral ureteral displacement to the midline. RMN showed widespreads fibrotic tissue in the retroperitoneal space. At operation, the histological findings was that of aspecific fibrositis. The surgical procedure was ureterolysis and lateralization of both ureters with the aid of a wrapping with a pedicled omental graft. The patient was also treated with metilprednisolon, 8 mg-die, for altogether twelve months, Now he is asymptomatic. The second case, a man aged 60, had a compression of both ureter by fibrotic tissue down to the pelvic tract; the histologic picture was the same of that of the first case. A difficult ureterolysis was carried on, plus an omentoplasty and a left ureteral reimplantation to the bladder. Medical treatment followed, following the above scheme. Seven months after surgery the patient is well. This experience of ours urological complications of RPF is confirmatory of the importance of a sound surgical approach and of a tight follow up as well as a sustained corticosteroid therapy in order to prevent relapse.

[Report of 2 cases extragonadal germ cell neoplasia with primary burnt out tumor of the testis]. / Descrizione di due casi di neoplasia extragonadica a cellule germinali in tumore primitivo burnt out del testicolo.

If the histogenesis of the extragonadal germ cell tumor is a still debatable subject, its clinical diagnosis remains a question of no immediate solution. In fact, only the keen histologic evaluation of microfocuses and/or scar tissue in the testis, possibly on the guide of US finding, could give the answer about the primitiveness or not of the extragonadal neoplasia. Which implies, of course, some problems of compliance on the part of young locally symptomless men, especially on the ground of possibly bilateral involvement.

[Pelvic floor rehabilitation as treatment of female urinary incontinence. Our experience]. / Riabilitazione del pavimento pelvico come trattamento dell'incontinenza urinaria femminile. Nostra esperienza.

We refer herein on a simple program of rehabilitation that may be a first approach the treatment of, U.S.I. In our urodynamic service, we treated 38 female patients, affected by this condition, aged between 37-73 years. The same procedure was applied to all the patients, consisting of 10 seances twice weekly, during which we subjected the patients to biofeedback and vaginal electrostimulation of 50 Hz frequency. The results after 3 months were: 38% restored to normal, 51% improved, 11% unchanged; after 1 year were: 27% restored to normal, 49% improved, the remaining unchanged. As a whole, perineal rehabilitation by this technique can be curative in selected cases and, should it be necessary, can be repeated; its advantages are simplicity, low cost and lack of collateral effects. Motivation and compliance on the part of the patients are, anyhow, the chief factor of success. Moreover, the procedure does not preclude alternative treatments. It is suitable to chose cases where surgery is not so, or else is ill-accepted or has failed.

[Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder]. / Carcinoma sarcomatoide della vescica.

Two cases of bladder sarcomatoid carcinoma, a rare tumor (0.3% of all bladder histotypes) are described and the difficult histological diagnosis and the utility of immunoassay markers analysed. Moreover, clinical observations are shortly discussed.

[Correlation between the leak point pressure and the clinical grade of incontinence]. / Correlazione tra leak point pressure e grado clinico d'incontinenza.

We evaluated one-hundred and forty-six women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI), mean age 61.5 years, with clinical examination, urodynamics and patient history, grading the subjective degree of SUI according to SEAPI QMM classification. SUI was grade 1 in 73 pts (mean LPP 107, 7 cmH2O, mean maximal urethral closure pressure 59, 13 cmH2O), grade 2 in 36 (mLPP 55, 4 cmH2O, mMUCP 50, 3 cmH2O), grade 3 in 37 (mLPP 32, 29 cmH2O, mMUCP 33, 76 cmH2O). There is statistically significant difference in mLPP (p = 0.001) and mMUCP (p = 0.02) among three groups. The grade of SUI increases as the likelihood that LPP will be < or = 90 cmH2O or < or = 60 cmH2O (72.2% of pts with grade 2 has a LPP < or = 60 cmH2O, 100% of pts with grade 3 has a LPP < or = 60 cmH2O). Women with severe leakage and/or predisposing factor (PF) to intrinsic sphincter deficiency are likely to have a low LPP: all patients with SUI grade 3 and PF have a LPP < or = 60 cmH2O, 77% of pts with SUI grade 3 or PF has a LPP < or = 60 cmH2O. Women with higher grades of leakage and PF are significantly more likely to have a very low LPP and intrinsic sphincter deficiency.

[Eosinophilic cystitis: an incidental diagnosis. An underdiagnosed entity]. / Cistite eosinofila: reperto occasionale. Una realtà clinica sottostimata?

The authors report on two cases of eosinophilic cystitis diagnosed by chance, are reported. Both patients had suffered from prostatic and vesical diseases. Since the endoscopic appearance and clinical manifestation of this disease are aspecific, the diagnosis of eosinophilic cystitis is always made on histological specimen. Even if it has been described as a rare entity, personal opinion is that the real incidence of eosinophilic cystitis is underestimated. The main features of pathogenesis and therapy are also described.

[Repair of vesicovaginal fistula by the Martius technique]. / Riparazione di fistola vescico vaginale secondo la tecnica di Martius.

Vesico-vaginal fistula (VVF) is still an unpleasant complication of female genital system surgery. We report the case of a 57-years-old woman undergone to neoadjuvant radiotherapy and afterwards abdomino-perineal resection who developed after one months a VVF.

[Ileal conduit: our experience]. / Condotti ileali, nostra esperienza.

In the last 100 year, many progresses have been done in the ileal urinary diversion after cystectomy. Although the interest for the continent urinary diversion has increased enormously in the last ten years, the ileal conduit still represents the golden standard. We report our experience.

[The role of echotomography in minor renal traumatology]. / Ruolo della ecotomografia nella traumatologia renale minore.

We examined retrospectively the records of 108 patients with blunt renal trauma to determine the importance of echography as radiological investigations in minor renal trauma. Of patients 62 (66.6%) had a minor renal injuries, 21 (22.5%) had a moderate injuries and 10 (10.7%) had a major renal renal injuries. All patients who had microscopic hematuria without shock or other associated injuries had minor injuries. Echography and excretory urogram (IVP) confirmed the injuries except in 5 cases who presenting with only gross hematuria and the IVP don't confirmed the presence of a subcapsular hematoma identified by echography. Echography was more sensitive and specific than an IVP in minor renal trauma. Radiological investigations are not needed in those with microscopic hematuria and no shock or associated injuries, however we prefer performing ever an echography for medical and legal risk because a microscopic hematuria may include a neoplasm or other lesions.

[Intratesticular adenomatoid tumor]. / Tumore adenomatoide intratesticolare.

A case of adenomatoid tumor of the testis is shown. Of this rare benign neoplasm a review of the literature is presented.

[Value and limitations of transrectal ultrasonography and computer tomography in preoperative staging of prostate carcinoma]. / Valori e limiti dell'ecografia transrettale e della tomografia computerizzata nella stadiazione preoperatoria del carcinoma prostatico.

A careful evaluation of local tumoral extension is mandatory in patient selected for radical surgery for prostate cancer. Nevertheless, prostatic imaging, achieved with transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and CT scan, is often unable to stage accurately the disease. The Authors report a retrospective analysis of 43 patients treated with radical retropublic prostatectomy: their findings support the idea that both TRUS and CT scan are unable to define the extent of the tumor, reaching respectively accuracies of 38 and 46%. From these data they conclude that CT can be excluded from the preoperatory workup of prostate cancer, except in selected patients, at high risk of nodal metastasis on the basis of PSA. TRUS is the mainstay of prostate cancer diagnosis and staging because it guides transrectal biopsies, but any conclusion made exclusively on the base of its imaging seems not reliable.

[The mini-invasive surgery of stress urinary incontinence (SUI): the use of the Vesica kit]. / Chirurgia mini-invasiva dell'incontinenza urinaria da sforzo (I.U.S).: impiego del kit Vesica.

From February 1996 to March 1997, we have performed with the Vesica system the percutaneous bladder neck suspension in 13 pts (group 1) and the vaginal wall sling in 7 pts (group 2). After a mean follow-up of 12 months for group 1, 10 patients (76.9%) were "dry", 1 pt "improved" and 2 "failed"; in the group 2 (mean follow-up of 5 months) 6 pts/7 were "dry". Overall morbidity has been minimal. The percutaneous bladder neck suspension and the vaginal wall sling with Vesica system are minimally invasive surgical procedures for the urinary stress incontinence (hypermobility of bladder outlet and intrinsic sphincter deficiency).