The accuracy of computed tomography in the diagnosis of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in correlation with the final histopathology: A retrospective study in 275 patients at a Tertiary Urology Institute.

INTRODUCTION: Because the reports in the literature of radiologic investigations for upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) are limited by the number of patients, and included patients with different pathologies, we aimed to study the overall accuracy of computed tomography (CT) in the diagnosis of UTUC and their accuracy on predicting tumor location. METHODS: A retrospective review from 1990 to 2017 included patients who were treated for UTUC. Unenhanced CT scan was obtained first using Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT, Philips Medical Systems), then nonionic contrast medium, containing 350 mg iodine/ml was injected at 4 mL/s. Analysis was performed using SPSS®. RESULTS: Of 275 patients, complete data on CT was available on 270 (98%) patients. CT reported only two false positive and six false negative results and the overall accuracy was 96-97%. In comparison to the final pathological reports, CT/CTU detected 85% of the tumor location of in the renal pelvic and 50% of the calyceal tumors. In ureteric tumors, they detected distal (66/71= 93%) more than proximal ureteric tumors (60%). CONCLUSION: In our cohort, CT/ CTU has a high overall accuracy (97%) in diagnosing UTUC, capability to well visualize tumors of distal ureter and renal pelvis, but could miss calyceal tumors. The matter to rely only on CT without ureteroscopic biopsy in the diagnosis of UTUC especially if radical surgery is planned needs further prospective studies.

Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging as a Diagnostic Tool in the Assessment of Tumour Angiogenesis in Urinary Bladder Cancer.

PURPOSE: The aim of study is to assess the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) and correlation with tumour angiogenesis in evaluation of urinary bladder cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 81 patients with recent presumed diagnosis of bladder tumour or who came for follow up after management of histopathologically proven bladder cancer. All had DCE-MRI with time-signal intensity curve. The radiologic results then correlated with the histopathologic results using both haematoxylin and eosin stain and immuno-histochemical staining for localization and evaluation of CD34 immunoreactivity as a detector for the microvessel density (MVD) and tumour angiogenesis. RESULTS: Seventy-one cases were pathologically proven to be malignant: 41 cases (58%) showed type III time-signal intensity curve (descending); 22 cases (31%) showed type II (plateau); and 8 cases (11%) showed type I (ascending) curve. The sensitivity of DCE-MRI in stage T1 bladder tumour was 80%; in stage T2, it was (90.9%); and in stage T3, it was (96.9%). Overall accuracy of DCE-MRI in tumour staging was 89.5% and P = .001 (significant). Values more than the cutoff value = 76.13 MVD are cystitis with sensitivity (90%), specificity (91%), and P value is .001, which is statistically highly significant. CONCLUSION: There is a strong positive association between DCE-MRI (staging and washout slope of the time-signal intensity curve) with histopathologic grade, tumour stage, and MVD in bladder cancer. So, DCE-MRI can be used as reliable technique in preoperative predictions of tumour behavior and affect the planning of antiangiogenetic therapy.

Long-term outcomes of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A retrospective evaluation of single-center experience in 275 patients.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to report our 25-year experience on upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) on a larger number of patients with long-term follow-up at a single tertiary urology institute. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 275 patients from 1990 to 2015. Basic patient demographic data with the laboratory and radiologic investigations were collected. We used 1997 TNM classification and the three-tiered WHO grading system. Data were collected using an SPSS® version 21 spreadsheet. RESULTS: The mean age was 59±11 years, and 88% of all the patients were male. Previous and concurrent bladder tumors were found in 16% and 26%, respectively. Computed tomography gave an overall accuracy of 96%. Open nephroureterectomy and bladder cuff excision was performed for 85%, and the remaining by laparoscopy and nephron-sparing surgeries. Tumor was pelvicalyceal, ureteric, and both in 40%, 40%, and 20% respectively. In 97% of the patients, the tumor was transitional cell carcinoma. Nearly two-thirds of the patients were of low grade and non-invasive in stage. Nearly half of the patients (46%) had bladder tumor recurrence after NU. Bladder, urethral, and contralateral recurrence, distant, local metastasis occurred in 46%, 2%, 1%, 7.5%, and 6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: UTUC is a unique disease with synchronous and metachronous urothelial tumor recurrence that requires long-term surveillance. The majority (two-thirds) of the patients are non-invasive in stage of grade II. Tumor stage is of paramount prognostic significance for survival; the five-year survival rate of T1 and T4 is 80% and 0%, respectively.

Operative management of non-iatrogenic pediatric and adolescence peripheral arterial trauma: An experience from a resource challenged setting.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluates the management and outcome of non-iatrogenic pediatric and adolescence extremity arterial injuries in a resource-challenged setting. METHODS: A retrospective study of the surgical management for non-iatrogenic extremity arterial trauma in pediatric and adolescence during the period from January 2008 to December 2015. This study was performed in two different countries at tertiary referral university and teaching hospitals having a specialized emergency and trauma centers. A thorough study of each patient record was collected from these centers including, the original demographic data and their clinical presentations. Operative data of each patient was also reported. RESULTS: During the 8-year period of the study, 149 pediatric and adolescent extremity arterial trauma patients were treated. They were 93.3% male, and 6.7% female, respectively. The age ranged from 2 to 18 years with a mean of 10.25 ± 4.05 years. Lower extremity arterial trauma was recorded in 51%, while 49% were having upper extremity injuries. Primary repair with end-to-end vascular anastomosis was performed in 51.7%, while an interposition reversed saphenous vein graft was performed in 48.3%. The operative procedures were performed by an experienced vascular surgeon and well-trained pediatric surgeons and general surgeons. Pseudoaneurysms was recorded in 9% of cases. Fasciotomy was performed in 15% of cases. CONCLUSION: Treatment of pediatric and adolescent extremity arterial injuries with primary end-to-end vascular anastomoses or with the use of an interposition reversed saphenous vein graft is a reliable, feasible, and more cost-effectiveness technique with good results. Moreover, it should be adopted for all vascular trauma patients, whenever possible.

Management of Extremity Venous Thrombosis in Neonates and Infants: An Experience From a Resource Challenged Setting.

We aimed to evaluate the outcome of different treatment modalities for extremity venous thrombosis (VT) in neonates and infants, highlighting the current debate on their best tool of management. This retrospective study took place over a 9-year period from January 2009 to December 2017. All treated patients were referred to the vascular and pediatric surgery departments from the neonatal intensive care unit. All patients underwent a thorough history-taking as well as general clinical and local examination of the affected limb. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group I included those who underwent a conservative treated with the sole administration of unfractionated heparin (UFH), whereas group II included those who were treated with UFH plus warfarin. Sixty-three patients were included in this study. They were 36 males and 27 females. Their age ranged from 3 to 302 days. Forty-one (65%) patients had VT in the upper limb, whereas the remaining 22 (35%) had lower extremity VT. The success rate of the nonsurgical treatment was accomplished in 81% of patients. The remaining 19% underwent limb severing, due to established gangrene. The Kaplan-Meier survival method revealed a highly significant increase in both mean and median survival times in those groups treated with heparin and warfarin compared to heparin-only group ( P < .001). Nonoperative treatment with anticoagulation or observation (ie, wait-and-see policy) alone may be an easily applicable, effective, and a safe modality for management of VT in neonates and infants, especially in developing countries with poor or highly challenged resource settings.

Non-transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: A case series among 305 cases at a tertiary urology institute.

Non-transitional cell carcinomas (non-TCC) of the upper urinary tract as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma, and small cell carcinoma (SmCC) are rare with few case reports in the literature. We retrospectively reviewed our patients who surgically treated for upper tract urothelial carcinoma from 1983 to 2013 for non-TCC pathological cancer characteristics and survival. Among 305 patients, only 5 (1.6%) cases were found: One case of SmCC, another had adenocarcinoma, and 3 SCC cases. None of them had intravesical recurrence and the cancer-specific survival for non-TCC cohort is markedly decreased (log-rank = 0.01) compared to TCC patients.

Cell-seeded tubular acellular matrix for replacing a long circumferential urethral defect in a canine model: Is it clinically applicable?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of replacing a relatively long segment of the canine urethra by a tube of cell-seeded acellular collagen bladder matrix. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 14 female mongrel dogs in which a 3-cm segment of the whole urethral circumference was excised and replaced by a tube of acellular matrix seeded with autologous urothelial cells. The acellular matrix was obtained from the excised bladder of female donor dogs that were not included in the study. Autologous cells were obtained from the study dogs by open bladder biopsy, with subsequent in vitro expansion and cultivation. Urethroplasty was performed over a 16 F urethral catheter that was kept for 4 weeks. The dogs were killed humanely (one every week for 4 weeks and then one monthly for 10 months). After stent removal, retrograde urethrography was used each month in the living dogs. If retention occurred a urethrogram was taken and then the dog was killed humanely. All grafts from dogs were harvested and sent for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Exploration at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks showed progressive shrinkage in length, together with relative narrowing of the lumen. Three dogs developed retention within a week after stent removal and the other seven developed retention within 4 months. Retrograde urethrograms showed evidence of stricture and/or fistula at the graft site in all dogs. On exploration, grafts showed marked shrinkage (0.6-1.2 cm in length) with complete obliteration of their lumens. Histopathological examination showed extensive fibrosis of the matrix with no evident urothelial architecture. CONCLUSION: Cell-seeded acellular matrix tube is insufficient to replace a 3-cm circumferential urethral defect in dogs.

Use of oxidized cellulose for corporal body grafting and suture-less correction of severe penile chordee: an experimental study in rabbits.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of oxidized cellulose, Surgicel(TM) (Johnson & Johnson Medical, New Brunswick, NJ, USA) for patching defects in the tunica albuginea in a rabbit model, with a future application to correct chordee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study comprised nine New Zealand white male rabbits; a rectangular 15 x 5-mm defect was created in the ventral tunica albuginea that was covered by Surgicel. The skin was closed with no catheters left in situ after the procedure. The rabbits were killed in groups of three at 2, 6 and 12 weeks after surgery. The evaluation included cavernosography and histopathological examination of sections of the penis stained with haematoxylin and eosin, and Masson's trichrome. RESULTS: No deaths were caused by the procedure, and none of the rabbits developed bleeding or haematoma after surgery. Cavernosography at 2 weeks showed contrast medium leaking from the site of the Surgicel, but at 6 and 12 weeks all rabbits had a straight erection with patent corpora and no evidence of narrowing or venous leak. Histopathological evaluation revealed evidence of the remnants of Surgicel surrounded by acute inflammatory cell infiltrate with early neovascularization at 2 weeks. At 6 and 12 weeks, there was complete normal regeneration of the tunica albuginea with no foreign-body reaction. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, Surgicel had a clear haemostatic effect when covering a defect in the tunica albuginea. Moreover, normal tunica albuginea regenerated by 6 weeks and was maintained at 12 weeks. These results suggest that Surgicel might be considered a safe and effective grafting material for tunica albuginea substitution, including the surgical management of penile chordee.

Single-layer small intestinal submucosa or tunica vaginalis flap for correcting penile chordee.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of single-layer small intestinal submucosa (SIS) and tunica vaginalis flap (TVF) for covering defects in the ventral surface of the tunica albuginea to correct severe penile chordee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 24 New Zealand white rabbits had a rectangular area excised from the ventral surface of tunica albuginea. In 12 rabbits TVF was used to cover the defect and in the remaining animals single-layer SIS was used. Animals were killed in groups of four at 2-, 6- and 12-week intervals after surgery. Before death in the 12-week group, an artificial erection was induced and cavernosography performed. Transverse sections of the penis at the graft site were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome, and examined microscopically. RESULTS: None of the animals developed haematoma or bleeding. The mean operative duration for TVF and SIS grafts were 56 and 29 min, respectively (P < 0.001). At the time of autopsy, there was no contracture in any of the rabbits. Of the 8 rabbits assessed, all had a straight rigid erection and cavernosography showed evidence of an intact corporal veno-occlusive mechanism. Histologically at 6 and 12 weeks, the mesothelial layers of the TVF and the SIS graft were completely replaced by well-collagenized tissue similar to that of normal tunica albuginea, with no inflammatory infiltrate. CONCLUSIONS: Both the TVF and single-layer SIS graft are viable comparable options for corporal body grafting. The 'off-the-shelf' availability, significantly quicker operation and absence of donor site morbidity make single-layer SIS better than TVF for correcting chordee.

Urethral replacement: a comparison between small intestinal submucosa grafts and spontaneous regeneration.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of commercially available single-layer small intestinal submucosa (SIS) for urethral replacement, both as an onlay and as a tube, in a rabbit model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-six male rabbits were assigned to four experimental groups. Group 1 had the ventral wall of the penile urethra excised for 15 mm; in group 2 this created defect was patched with a SIS onlay graft; group 3 had complete excision of a 15 mm segment of the penile urethra; and in group 4, this created defect was replaced with a SIS tube graft. In all rabbits the urethra was stented for 2 weeks. A retrograde urethrogram was taken in all rabbits before death at 3, 6 and 12 weeks after surgery. The urethra was then exposed, examined carefully and excised for histopathological examination. RESULTS: In groups 1 and 2 the retrograde urethrograms were normal in 13 rabbits and there was relative narrowing in two rabbits in group 1 and three in group 2. In groups 3 and 4 all rabbits developed urethral fistulae or strictures. Histological examination of the urethra showed epithelial regeneration supported by smooth muscle backing in all rabbits in group 1, while rabbits in group 2 showed no regeneration of smooth muscle. By contrast, rabbits in groups 3 and 4 showed incomplete regeneration and progressive fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Single-layer SIS is not a suitable urethral substitute in this animal model. When used as an onlay, healing is inferior to spontaneous urethral regeneration, as SIS impedes smooth muscle cell regeneration. When used as a tube, there is complete scarring and urethral luminal occlusion.

4 layer versus 1 layer small intestinal submucosa for correction of penile chordee: experimental study in a rabbit model.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the use of 4 vs 1 layer small intestinal submucosa (SIS) for covering defects in the ventral surface of the tunica albuginea to correct severe chordee. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18 New Zealand white rabbits underwent implantation of a 10 x 5 mm SIS graft following excision of a rectangular area in the ventral surface of the tunica albuginea. In 9 rabbits 4 layer SIS was used to cover the defect and in the remaining animals 1 layer SIS was used. The animals were sacrificed at 2, 6 and 12-week intervals postoperatively, respectively. The surface area of the grafts was measured and the percent of contracture was calculated. Transverse sections of the penis at the graft site were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and Masson's trichrome, and examined microscopically. RESULTS: : None of the animals had hematoma or bleeding. At autopsy contracture was not seen in any of the rabbits with 1 layer SIS. On the contrary, there was 21% and 25% contracture at 6 and 12 weeks, respectively, in the 4 layer SIS group. At 12 weeks the 1 layer SIS graft was completely replaced by well collagenized tissue similar to that of normal tunica albuginea without inflammatory infiltrate, while the multilayer SIS graft was replaced by dense fibrous tissue with areas of chronic inflammation and other focal areas of calcification. CONCLUSIONS: Four layer SIS undergoes contracture and calcification when used to cover defects in the tunica albuginea. On the other hand, 1 layer SIS can be safely and reliably used for corporeal grafting.