Role of the four-corner bladder neck suspension to correct stress incontinence with a mild to moderate cystocele.

OBJECTIVES: Women undergoing four-corner bladder neck suspension were evaluated for subjective and objective results of the procedure. Patients were evaluated for continence, prolapse, and symptomatic status postoperatively. METHODS: Forty-seven women underwent four-corner bladder neck suspension for moderate cystocele with (44) or without (3) stress urinary incontinence. Mean and median follow-up were 37 months (range 15 to 80). To assess results of the four-corner bladder neck suspension, two sets of outcome measures were used (subjective questionnaire, including patient satisfaction, and objective physical examination, with standing voiding cystourethrogram) to compare pre- and postoperative data. RESULTS: At the time of follow-up, 25 patients (53%) reported no incontinence, 14 (30%) reported one incontinent episode per week, and 8 (17%) reported daily loss of urine. Twenty-seven (57%) had grade I or grade II cystoceles on follow-up examination and voiding cystourethrogram; however, only 12 (26%) experienced recurrent prolapse symptomatology. Overall patient acceptance of the procedure was high (70%). CONCLUSIONS: The four-corner bladder neck suspension is an effective option in the management of moderate cystocele.

[Diverticulum of the female urethra]. / Diverticules de l'urètre féminin.

The diagnosis and successful treatment of female urethral diverticulum can be facilitated by a heightened clinical awareness coupled with appropriate evaluation and perioperative management. In particular, it is important to address all the preoperative factors to avoid complications de treatment such as recurrence of the diverticulum or urethro-vaginal fistula. The authors also report their clinical experience of evaluating 59 women with urethral diverticula over the last 11 years and describe the technique and complications of diverticulectomy in 49 women.

Peyronie's disease: surgical treatment based on penile rigidity.

Operative treatment of Peyronie's disease has the risk of penile shortening and/or loss of erection. To avoid these complications, we used plaque incision together with polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex) graft insertion in men with preserved penile rigidity and only implanted a penile prosthesis in men with erectile failure. Between August 1986 and July 1992, 24 men 36 to 72 years old (mean age 53 years) underwent surgery. Of the men 16 with adequate penile rigidity by history and/or RigiScan study, and severe curvature underwent plaque incision and polytetrafluoroethylene graft insertion. Eight men had erectile failure, including 4 with distal flaccidity as demonstrated by RigiScan study. These 8 men received a penile prosthesis (semirigid in 6 and inflatable in 2). In addition, 2 of these men also required plaque incision because of persistent curvature. With a mean followup of 47 months (range 20 to 92), all 16 men with incision and a polytetrafluoroethylene graft had excellent erections with satisfactory intercourse. Minimal curvature away from the plaque incision site, not causing any difficulty with sexual performance, occurred in 7 patients. The men with a penile prosthesis engage in normal intercourse without residual or recurrent curvature. Incision of Peyronie's plaque and polytetrafluoroethylene graft insertion is associated with an excellent functional result in men with normal preoperative penile rigidity. A penile prosthesis should be reserved for men with erectile failure.

Non-operative management of the urinary tract in spinal cord injury.

Various options exist for the management of the lower urinary tract in chronic spinal cord injury. These options include chronic indwelling catheterization, urethral sphincterotomy, and intermittent catheterization supplemented with anticholinergic agents. Sixty-four spinal cord injured patients, treated with intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic therapy, were evaluated for long-term efficacy in maintaining upper tract status and preservation or improvement in continence. Complications of therapy were also evaluated. Therapy was based upon initial urodynamic evaluation followed by limited subsequent evaluation of the urinary tract. Mean follow-up was 54 months. Only 1 patient developed hydronephrosis. Fifty-nine patients either became continent or experienced improved continence on therapy. Eight patients required surgical procedures either to increase outlet resistance (2) or to decrease intravesical pressures (6). The most common complication of therapy was urinary tract infection. Thirty-nine infections occurred in 23 patients, 16 of which were febrile. Fifteen patients were non-compliant with treatment recommendations. The only factor related to therapeutic complications which reached statistical significance was non-compliance with therapy. The combined use of intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic agents provides an effective means to prevent hydronephrosis and establish continence in chronic spinal injury.

Experience with the management of urethral diverticulum in 63 women.

The presentation and management are reviewed of 63 women with urethral diverticulum seen at a single institution in 10 years. Of the women 36 (61.9%) had urinary incontinence as a presenting symptom and 20 (31.7%) had incontinence as the only presenting complaint. Diverticula were suspected in 57 cases (90.5%) based on the presence of a periurethral mass during pelvic examination. Investigations included voiding cystourethrogram, excretory urogram, urodynamic studies and recently transvaginal ultrasound. Voiding cystourethrography adequately demonstrated the diverticulum in 60 of the 63 women (95.2%). Urodynamic studies performed in 58 women revealed abnormal findings in 36 (62%), including genuine stress urinary incontinence in 28 (48.3%). The location/number/size/configuration, communication, continence classification was used to define the characteristics of the diverticula. Seven women either refused operation or had small asymptomatic diverticula not requiring treatment. Transvaginal diverticulectomy was performed using a 3-layer closure in 56 women. Concomitant bladder neck suspension was performed in 27 women with documented stress urinary incontinence and/or urethral hypermobility. With a mean followup of 70 months (range 6 to 136) 48 women (85.7%) were completely relieved of the presenting complaint. Complications of diverticulectomy included 2 small distal recurrent diverticula, 1 urethrovaginal fistula and 6 transient early urinary tract infections. None of the women had urethral stricture or recurrent urinary tract infection. Six women (22.2%) who underwent diverticulectomy and bladder neck suspension, and 3 (10.3%) treated with diverticulectomy alone had minimal urinary incontinence requiring less than 2 pads a day.

Outpatient visual laser-assisted prostatectomy under local anesthesia.

OBJECTIVE: Visual laser-assisted prostatectomy (VLAP) with a noncontact right-angle delivery system recently has been introduced as a new treatment option for symptomatic outlet obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. The right-angle laser technology has numerous potential advantages over traditional transurethral resection of the prostate. These advantages include the feasibility of performing the VLAP procedure under local anesthesia without bleeding. We summarize our experience with VLAP performed with local anesthesia administered with periprostatic block. METHODS: This technique was employed in 46 men with symptomatic BPH as an outpatient procedure. All men were evaluated prior to surgery with flow rates, residual volume determinations, and AUA-6 symptom score analyses. Follow-up occurred at three and six months and included repeat measures of flow rates, residual volumes, and symptom scores. RESULTS: Mean AUA symptom scores and uroflow parameters significantly improved with six months' follow-up. No significant complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS: VLAP under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure is a promising treatment alternative for men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

[Transurethral incision of the prostate: an objective and subjective evaluation of long-term efficacy]. / Incision cervico-prostatique: evaluation objective et subjective de l'efficacité à long-terme.

The emergence of less invasive therapies has demanded the reassessment of surgical procedures for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This study was designed to evaluate the long term efficacy of transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) using objective (urodynamic), and subjective (symptom score and assessment of satisfaction) parameters, and investigate sexual function. Forty one men after TUIP (mean age of 63.4 years) were reviewed, with a mean follow up of 53 months (range 12-96). Pre operative symptom score (based on Madsen-Iversen score) and urodynamic evaluation were compared to recent post TUIP symptom score, urodynamic evaluation, and satisfaction interview. Total symptom score, as well as obstructive and irritative components, significantly decreased after TUIP (p < 0.0001). Mean detrusor pressure at peak flow decreased from 85 to 44 cm H2O (p < 0.0001), and mean maximal detrusor pressure decreased from 114 to 55 cm H2O (p < 0.0001). Mean peak uroflow rates increased from 10.3 to 15.3 cc/sec (p = 0.019). Thirty two of the men (82%) reported long term improvement after TUIP, with an overall satisfaction rate of 67% (range 0-100). Regardless of objective urodynamic criteria (indicating obstruction or relief of obstruction), the number of men reporting subjective improvement, and the degree of improvement, were similar. Only 4 men (11%) reported new retrograde ejaculation. The proportion of men improved after TUIP compares favorably to long term data available on TURP. Assessing the degree of improvement (overall satisfaction) is unique and has not been previously reported. These results clearly demonstrate that, in selected patients, TUIP is an effective procedure for long term relief of outlet obstruction.

Transurethral incision of the prostate: an objective and subjective evaluation of long-term efficacy.

The emergence of less invasive therapies has demanded the reassessment of surgical procedures for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This study was designed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of transurethral incision of the prostate using objective (urodynamic) and subjective (symptom score and assessment of satisfaction) parameters, and investigate sexual function. The results of transurethral incision of the prostate in 41 men (mean age 63.4 years) were reviewed, with a mean followup of 53 months (range 12 to 96). Preoperative symptom score (based on the Madsen-Iversen score) and urodynamic evaluation were compared to recent post-transurethral incision symptom score, urodynamic evaluation and interview to determine patient satisfaction. Total symptom score, as well as obstructive and irritative components, significantly decreased after transurethral incision of the prostate (p < 0.0001). Mean detrusor pressure at peak flow decreased from 85 to 44 cm. water (p < 0.0001) and mean maximal detrusor pressure decreased from 114 to 55 cm. water (p < 0.0001). Mean peak urine flow rates increased from 10.3 to 15.3 cc per second (p = 0.019). Of the men 32 (82%) reported long-term improvement after transurethral incision of the prostate, with an overall satisfaction rate of 67% (range 0 to 100). Regardless of objective urodynamic criteria (indicating obstruction or relief of obstruction), the number of men reporting subjective improvement and the degree of improvement were similar. Only 4 men (11%) reported new retrograde ejaculation. The proportion of men with improvement after transurethral incision of the prostate compares favorably to long-term data available on transurethral resection of the prostate. Assessing the degree of improvement (overall satisfaction) is unique and has not been previously reported. These results clearly demonstrate that in selected patients transurethral incision of the prostate is an effective procedure for long-term relief of outlet obstruction.

L N S C3: a proposed classification system for female urethral diverticula.

No descriptive criteria for the preoperative classification of female urethral diverticula have been proposed. Consequently, alternative therapies and different treatment series are not easily compared. Since 1982 the authors have evaluated 61 women with urethral diverticula and have identified those preoperative factors critical to an organized surgical approach to urethral diverticula. From this experience, a simple, comprehensive classification system for female urethral diverticula is proposed. The classification system is called L/N/S/C3. Each letter of the system represents a different characteristic of urethral diverticula. L = Location, the site of the diverticulum, i.e., distal, mid, or proximal urethra, with or without extension beneath the bladder neck. N = Number, whether single or multiple diverticula are present. S = Size, expressed in centimeters (cm). C3 = Configuration, Communication, and Continence Configuration (C1) describes whether we diverticulum is single, multiloculated, or saddle shaped. Communication (C2) indicates the site of communication with the urethral lumen, i.e., distal, mid, or proximal urethra. Continence (C3) is the presence of genuine stress urinary incontinence. Adhering to this format provides the surgeon a systematic means of approaching a urethral diverticulum and thus may minimize postoperative complications. Finally, the authors encourage other surgeons reporting series of urethral diverticula to adopt this system so that standard terminology may allow accurate comparison of surgical results.

Haemospermia.

Haemospermia is a frightening symptom. Many cases are of benign aetiology but 5 to 10% will have underlying malignancy. Many younger patients require only routine clinical examination, urine analysis and reassurance, but patients aged over 40 years, those with persistent haemospermia, or those with associated haematuria require urological investigation. Imaging of the prostate and seminal vesicles with transrectal ultrasound is of particular value in the investigation of these patients.

Villous adenoma in augmentation colocystoplasty: a case report and discussion of the pathogenesis.

Reports of malignant tumors in enterocystoplasties have recently been accumulating. To date no case of benign tumors has been recorded. We present a case of villous adenoma in a sigmoid colocystoplasty. The possible etiological factors and pathogenesis are discussed, and recommendations are made about followup.

Stamey-Martius procedure for severe genuine stress incontinence.

There are few options now available to treat patients with severe genuine stress incontinence caused by urethral failure. These patients usually have a low maximum urethral closure pressure (less than 20 cm of water) and anterior vaginal wall scarring caused by previous surgery. In 32 such patients we used the Martius fat pad insertion procedure, in addition to the Stamey procedure, and achieved a 91% symptomatic success rate over a mean 13-month follow-up period. Because of its simplicity, reliability and low morbidity, we recommend this procedure in this difficult group of patients before performing a sling procedure or insertion of an artificial urinary sphincter.