Pentaethylene-terephthalate (PET) bottles: a new device for autoerotic strangulation of the penis causing serious injury.

Strangulation of the penis by application of constricting devices may present a challenge for the treating physician. Depending on the type of constricting material, special equipment is essential for successful removal of the foreign bodies. We report a new form of constricting device, the neck of a Coca Cola bottle made of Pentaethylene-terephthalate (PET). Particular difficulties were encountered upon removal. Technical details of this case are described. Prior literature on the treatment of penile strangulation is discussed.

Invasive potential of "noninvasive" human bladder carcinoma. An electron microscopy study.

In classification systems for bladder tumors, a clear distinction between superficial noninvasive and urothelial carcinoma invasive to the lamina propria is of prognostic and therapeutic significance. However, a subset of tumors classified as noninvasive is characterized by increased recurrence and progression rates. This study was done to look for ultrastructural characteristics in histopathologically noninvasive urothelial bladder carcinomas that might predict an unfavorable prognosis. In 10 (83%) of 12 bladder tumors studied extensively, electron microscopy revealed the presence of different degrees of lamina propria penetration by individual tumor cells (microlesions and microinvasions). In 10 (77%) of 13 "normal" control tissues, no such lesions or microinvasions were detected. These findings indicate that ultrastructural analysis may contribute to more precise staging of superficial bladder carcinoma. Undetected microinvasions may explain more aggressive biologic behavior in a subset of bladder tumors classified as noninvasive by conventional histopathologic assessment.