Delayed Nephron Sparing Surgery for Grade IV Renal Injury.

Renal injuries are a common occurrence in many trauma cases. The management of these cases varies, but, currently, a conservative, nonoperative approach is the norm. In cases where an operative intervention may be necessary, emergency total nephrectomies are the most commonly performed procedure reported in the literature. There is a dearth in the reporting of other surgical approaches, especially the delayed nephron sparing approach. Here, we present a unique case of a 29-year-old male that underwent a delayed nephron sparing nephrectomy for a persistent urinoma despite appropriate noninvasive therapy.

Anterior urethral stricture review.

Male anterior urethral stricture disease is a commonly encountered condition that presents to many urologists. According to a National Practice Survey of Board Certified Urologist in the United States most urologists treat on average 6-20 urethral strictures yearly. Many of those same urologists surveyed treat with repeated dilation or internal urethrotomy, despite continual recurrence of the urethral stricture. In point of fact, the urethroplasty despite its high success rate, is underutilized by many practicing urologists. Roughly half of practicing urologist do not perform urethroplasty in the United States. Clearly, the reconstructive ladder for urethral stricture management that was previously described in the literature may no longer apply in the modern era. The following article reviews the etiology, diagnosis, management and comparisons of treatment options for anterior urethral strictures.

Safe and effective obtainment of access for percutaneous nephrolithotomy by urologists: the Louisiana State University experience.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Access for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is critical to successful removal of stone burden and is often performed by a specialist other than a urologist. In many regions, however, there is limited availability of such personnel. We reviewed the complication rates that were related to PCNL access when performed at a teaching hospital to establish that access for PCNL may be safely taught to and performed by urology residents. Chief urology residents across the nation were also anonymously surveyed to better understand the current trends and dynamics regarding PCNL access in teaching institutions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of all PCNLs performed at our institution from 1995 to 2009 for any complications that were related to surgery. Patients with access gained at outside institutions or not attempted at the time of surgery by residents were excluded. The complication rate was compared with those of the American College of Radiology. An eight-question survey was also sent by e-mail to all current urology chief residents regarding their experience with PCNL access during residency. RESULTS: A total of 290 patients underwent PCNL with 338 separate access sites gained at the time of surgery under the supervision of nine teaching staff. Access was gained in all cases at the time of surgery. Major complications included: Transfusion in 20 (5.9%) patients, sepsis in 2 (0.6%) patients, pseudoaneurysm necessitating intervention in 2 (0.6%) patients, hydrothorax in 2 (0.6%) patients, pneuomothorax in 1 (0.3%) patient, ureteropelvic junction disruption in 1 (0.3%) patient, and one death (0.3%) after surgery. Minor complications included: Urinary tract infection in five (1.5%) patients, and collecting system injuries in 6 (1.8%) patients necessitating placement of a ureteral stent. Our survey of residents demonstrated that 53% did not routinely gain access for PCNL at their institution. The 94% who did not get instruction on PCNL access, however, thought it would be a valuable addition to their training. CONCLUSION: Our results show that access for PCNL surgery can be safely and successfully obtained by genitourinary residents under the supervision of trained staff at the time of surgery. We think that access for PCNL is a valuable tool that should be in the armamentarium of all urologic surgeons on leaving an accredited urology training program.

Metastatic prostate cancer mimicking chronic subdural hematoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Cancer of the prostate is extremely common and is well known to metastasize to the pelvic lymph nodes and axial skeleton (vertebral column, pelvis, cranium, and proximal femur). However, reports of intracranial metastasis are rare and commonly discovered postmortem. Moreover, metastatic lesions mimicking subdural hematoma are extremely rare and are uncommonly reported in the literature. We found only three such cases in the literature. We present a unique case of metastatic prostate cancer presenting with headaches after head trauma with classic radiologic findings of subdural hematoma. The diagnosis may have been made sooner with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging.

Cystic dysplasia of the rete testis.

Cystic dysplasia of the rete testis (CDT) represents a diagnostically challenging condition in the pediatric population. We report a new case of CDT that differs in presentation from the majority of other cases in the literature in that the child complained of scrotal pain and had a solid mass on ultrasound. Based on this experience and a review of the literature, we recommend including CDT in the differential for all pediatric scrotal masses regardless of whether the mass is painless or painful, cystic or solid. As CDT is a benign lesion, we propose an individualized treatment of CDT.

Common approach to managing lower urinary tract symptoms and erectile dysfunction.

The present paper serves as a review of the associations between lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and erectile dysfunction (ED), with a focus on common and combined pathways for treatment. LUTS and ED are common conditions seen in general urologic practice. Research has started to establish epidemiologic and pathophysiologic links between the two conditions and a strong association confirmed across multiple studies. Men seeking care for one condition should always be interviewed for complaints of the other condition. Proposed common pathways include alpha-1 adrenergic receptor imbalance, Rho-kinase overactivity, endothelial cell dysfunction and atherosclerosis-induced ischemia. Medical therapy has replaced surgery as the first-line treatment for LUTS in most patients, with the incorporation of alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists (alpha-ARAs) and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) into everyday practice. Treatment with alpha-ARAs contributes to some improvement in ED, whereas use of 5-ARIs results in worsened sexual function in some patients. Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of ED with a simple oral regimen, and new insights demonstrate a benefit of combined use of PDE-5 inhibitors and alpha-ARAs. The mechanisms of action of these medications support these observed benefits, and they are being studied in the basic science and clinical settings. In addition, novel mechanisms for therapy have been proposed based on clinical and research observations. The minimally invasive and surgical treatments for LUTS are known to have adverse effects on ejaculatory function, while their effects on erectile function are still debated. Much remains to be investigated, but it is clear that the associations between LUTS and ED lay the foundation for future therapies and possible preventative strategies.

Insights of priapism mechanism and rationale treatment for recurrent priapism.

Priapism is defined as abnormal prolonged penile erection occurring beyond or unrelated to sexual interest. The disorder is enigmatic yet devastating because of its elusive etiology, irreversible erectile tissue damage, and resultant erectile dysfunction (ED). Current management strategies suffer from a poor understanding of the pathophysiology, especially at the molecular level. The traditional treatments are based more on empirical rather than evidence-based knowledge. The outcomes for restoration of normal erectile function are poor, especially for stuttering priapism. Therefore, it is critical to understand priapism from a molecular level, to formulate treatment strategies and to establish rational prevention strategies for high-risk populations, such as sickle cell disease (SCD) patients and cases of the stuttering variant. This review focuses on the recent advances at the molecular level in priapism and penile erection, and applies the recent knowledge to the treatment of stuttering priapism.

Adductor brevis myositis following transobturator tape procedure: a case report and review of the literature.

The tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure has long been considered the gold standard for female stress incontinence. Since its introduction in 1995, several other tapes and other minimally invasive treatments have arisen. The transobturator tape (TOT) procedure reproduces the natural suspension of the urethra through the obturator and puborectalis muscles. The TOT procedure was reportedly developed in an effort to prevent bladder perforation associated with the TVT and is generally considered to be a procedure with low morbidity. At our institution, we report the first case of infected mesh with subsequent myositis of adductor muscles after a TOT procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first case reporting this complication, citing specifically that the anatomical structures traversed by the tape, including both muscle and fascia, can be at risk for infection and ultimately require removal of the sling material. We performed a MEDLINE literature search using key words such as "transobturator tape," "tension free vaginal tape," and "adductor and obturator complications" to ascertain any reported adductor or obturator muscle complications after placement of TOT. Further, we reviewed the literature to elucidate the consequences of using different mesh materials, specifically their effects on erosion. We reported our case of a 43-year-old woman who presented with right-leg cellulitis and vaginal discharge after having a TOT placed for stress incontinence. Inflammation of the adductor muscles was demonstrated on computed tomography (CT) scan and ultrasound. On physical exam, the mesh had visibly eroded through the vaginal wall. Our patient underwent excision of the mesh material. She ultimately had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged home in good condition on the postoperative day 2. The mesh material removed was ObTape. We believe our study is the first case report to discuss the complication of infected adductor muscles and erosion of the tape during post-TOT procedure. After a careful review of the literature, there is no mention of myositis of adductor muscles as a possible complication after the TOT procedure. In fact, the literature has deemed this minimally invasive treatment as a safe and effective procedure with minimal complications including only de novo urgency or urinary retention. The site of infection is of particular interest and can be explained by the course through the anatomical structures that are unique to this particular procedure. Ultimately, the treatment for this procedure was the removal of the mesh along with broad-spectrum antibiotics. In conclusion, the burden falls upon the surgeons to report in a timely fashion both successes and complication for the TOT procedure given their relatively limited experience. This is paramount in determining patients' risks.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and strokelike episodes (MELAS): a mitochondrial disorder presents as fibromyalgia.

This case report describes a patient who presented with symptoms and signs of longstanding fibromyalgia. Routine laboratory tests revealed an elevated anion gap. Evaluation of the elevated anion gap demonstrated elevated lactate and pyruvate levels and a lactate-to-pyruvate ratio greater than 20:1. A muscle biopsy was performed, exhibiting red ragged fibers, pathognomonic for a mitochondrial disorder. The patient was diagnosed with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with lactic acidosis and strokelike episodes (MELAS). This is the first report describing fibromyalgia as the initial presentation of MELAS. This article outlines the diagnostic process that can assist the physician in distinguishing mitochondrial disorders from other muscular diseases, particularly fibromyalgia.