Single dose silodosin prior to voiding cystourethrogram: a pharmacological adjunct to enhance visualization of posterior urethra.

Voiding cystourethrogram (VCUG) is needed to ascertain the upper end of urethral stricture. Occasionally, a patient is unable to open the bladder neck with resultant failure of the test. Realizing the strong and prompt alpha antagonistic action of silodosin, we evaluated single 8 mg dose as a pharmacological adjunct prior to VCUG to overcome this problem.

Hutch diverticulum presenting as acute urinary retention in early life.

There are only a few reports of recurrent acute urinary retention caused by obstruction from congenital paraureteral diverticulum. We review the literature and present a case of a 14-month-old boy with bilateral hutch diverticuli who had his first episode of acute urinary retention in the neonatal period caused by left-sided diverticulum. We emphasised the fact that hutch diverticulum should be considered as one of the possible differential diagnoses in a child presenting with acute urinary retention.

Leiomyosarcoma, a nonurothelial bladder tumor: a rare entity with therapeutic diversity.

A 22-year-old young woman presented with dysuria and lower urinary tract symptoms that had persisted for 6 months. She was diagnosed with a tumor near the bladder neck. Transurethral resection was done under anaesthesia. The histopathological examination with immunohistochemical staining showed the tumor to be a low-grade leiomyosarcoma. Adjuvant chemoradiation was given, and the patient has been doing well for 12 months of follow-up. Nonurothelial tumors of the bladder are rare and consensus is lacking regarding their definitive treatment. Furthermore, little is known about the natural history and prognosis of this type of bladder sarcoma. We present a minimally invasive treatment for this relatively rare tumor in which bladder preservation was achieved with no evidence of local or distant recurrences during the follow-up to date.

Tricholithobezoar: an unusual late complication of neourethral reconstruction in aphallia.

An 18-year-old man born with aphallia had undergone phallic reconstruction in childhood followed by total urethral reconstruction with a buccal mucosal graft and groin-based pedicle (Singapore) flap urethroplasty at 13 years of age. The patient presented with obstructive voiding symptoms lasting 6 months followed by acute urinary retention. The results of a voiding cystourethrogram showed a filling defect in the distal urethra that had been reconstructed by use of the skin flap. On urethroscopy, a 3 cm×2 cm sized tricholithobezoar was seen in the distal urethra. Pneumatic lithotripsy followed by bulbar urethrolithotomy was performed in the same operation to extract the bezoar. The remaining hairs were mechanically epilated. The patient has been doing well for 6 months of follow-up.

Anticoagulant-induced priapism progressing to penile gangrene: a devastating complication!

A 35-year-old man developed priapism with the use of low-molecular-weight heparin and warfarin following repair of left brachial artery sustained after gunshot injury. Priapism progressed to penile gangrene despite decompression and distal shunt procedure leading to total penectomy and perineal urethrostomy. We describe the mechanism of anticoagulant (heparin and warfarin)-induced penile gangrene and the possible methods to avert such a devastating complication.

Spinal cord injury: a rare complication following thoracic epidural anesthesia for percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Herein, we report a rare instance of paraplegia following percutaneous nephrolithotomy under thoracic epidural anesthesia in a conscious patient. The possible factors include low body mass index, chronic renal failure, and multiple "in and out" needle passes during the procedure. Direct cord trauma with epidural bloody collection resulted in the neurological damage. However, the patient did not show signs of spinal cord trauma during the needle injury, possibly due to a prior accidental subarachnoid block. This not only delayed the recognition of the disorder, but also delayed treatment, consequently resulting in permanent paraplegia. Careful monitoring after epidural blocking should be undertaken in order to allow the early detection of mismanagement and limit the extent of neurologic injury.