Search

To establish the current standard for open radical cystectomy (ORC) in England, as data entry by surgeons performing RC to the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) database was mandated in 2013 and combining this with Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data has allowed comprehensive outcome analysis for the first time.All patients were included in this analysis if they were uploaded to the BAUS data registry and reported to have been performed in the 2 years between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2015 in England (from mandate onwards) and had been documented as being performed in an open fashion (not laparoscopic, robot assisted or the technique field left blank). The HES data were accessed via the HES website. Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures version 4 (OPCS-4) Code M34 was searched during the same 2-year time frame (not including M34.4 for simple cystectomy or with additional minimal access codes Y75.1-9 documenting a laparoscopic or robotic approach was used) to assess data capture.A total of 2 537 ORCs were recorded in the BAUS registry and 3 043 in the HES data. This indicates a capture rate of 83.4% of all cases. The median operative time was 5 h, harvesting a median of 11-20 lymph nodes, with a median blood loss of 500-1 000 mL, and a transfusion rate of 21.8%. The median length of stay was 11 days, with a 30-day mortality rate of 1.58%.This is the largest, contemporary cohort of ORCs in England, encompassing80% of all performed operations. We now know the current standard for ORC in England. This provides the basis for individual surgeons and units to compare their outcomes and a standard with which future techniques and modifications can be compared.

Objective: We performed an update of previous reviews of the literature to provide an overview on incidence, predictive factors, management and prognosis of positive surgical margins (PSMs) after partial nephrectomy (PN) including recent surgical series and studies comparing different approaches and techniques. Material and methods: A literature search was performed from January 2013 to January 2018 using the Medline database. The search strategy included a free-text protocol using the term “nephron-sparing surgery” OR “partial nephrectomy” AND “positive surgical margins” across the title and abstract fields of the records. From each selected study, we extracted the following data: number of analyzed patients, study design, approach and surgical technique used, PSMs rate, pathological features, type of PSMs treatment, mean (median) follow-up duration and final patient status. Meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager software v. 5.2 (Cochrane Collaboration, Oxford, UK). Results: We selected a total of 36 (48%) studies. All studies were retrospective and the best statistical method used for comparison was the matched-pair analysis (level 4). Overall, 45,786 patients treated with PN were included in the selected studies. PSMs were reported in a total of 3,093 (6.7%) patients. The mean estimated PSMs rate was 7%, 5% and 4.3% in patients who underwent robot-assisted PN (RAPN), laparoscopic PN (LPN) and open PN (OPN), respectively. Comparative studies showed a significant advantage in favor of OPN compared with minimally invasive approach, while RAPN showed more favourable PSMs risk compared with LPN (odds ratio 3.02, 95% confidence intervals 2.05–4.45). No differences were detected stratifying data according to other surgical or tumor-related factors. Tumor size, nuclear grading and pT3a stage represent the most important predictors of PSMs. In 6,809 patients, follow-up data were available. Only 101 (1.4%) local recurrences and 88 (1.3%) distant recurrences were observed both in PSMs and negative surgical margins subgroups. PSMs were associated with a significant increased risk of local recurrence with a significant impact on local recurrence-free survival and metastasis-free survival. However, a significant impact on cancer-specific and overall survival could not be demonstrated. Conclusions: Studies published in the last 5 years confirmed that PSMs after PN are a rare condition. Although PSMs increase the risk of local and distant recurrence, their influence on cancer-specific and overall survival seems to be limited. Close surveillance should be strongly recommended as initial treatment of patients with PSMs after PN.

Introduction: Entero-neovesical fistula is a rare complication after radical cystectomy and orthotopic ileal bladder substitution. Typical presenting symptoms are faecaluria, pneumaturia, recurrent urinary tract infections and abdominal pain. Risk factors include history of pelvic radiation, chemotherapy and abdominal surgery, as well as diverticular colonic disease, inflammatory bowel disease and traumatic pelvic injury. The paucity of cases reported in the literature makes the management of this threatening complication very challenging. Conservative treatment has only anecdotally been reported. Case description: We describe two cases of entero-neovesical fistula with different presentation, which both required an immediate surgical treatment. The former patient was admitted to the emergency room with faecaluria, complete urinary incontinence and fever 2 years after radical cystectomy, and a fistula between the Y-shaped neobladder and the bowel anastomosis was detected. He had previously undergone chemotherapy because of tumour progression. Undiversion into an ileal conduit was required. The latter patient presented with faecaluria 20 days after an uneventful radical cystectomy, and a fistula between the Vescica Ileale Padovana neobladder and the sigmoid was documented. Treatment included resection of the sigmoid with several small diverticula, temporary ileostomy and closure of the neobladder fistula. Conclusion: Conservative treatment of entero-neovesical fistula can be attempted only in patients with small openings in the small bowel and no systemic symptoms. In all other cases, surgical treatment with bowel resection and either closure of the neobladder opening or undiversion should be the preferred option.

Conversion to radical nephrectomy (RN) in patients scheduled for partial nephrectomy (PN) is an important outcome that should be strongly considered during the decision-making process and adequately discussed with patients during their preoperative counseling. This unplanned event could be due to severe intraoperative complications or oncologic reasons. Intraoperative suspicion of hilar and/or perirenal fat tissue involvement, peritumoral venous involvement, tumor multifocality and/or iatrogenic rupture of the tumor are the most common conditions threatening the oncological safety of the procedure.

The sarcoglycan complex is a trans-membrane system playing a key role in mechano-signaling the connection from the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix. While β-, δ-, and e-sarcoglycans are widely distributed, γ- and α-sarcoglycans are expressed exclusively in skeletal and cardiac muscle. Insufficient data are available on the distribution of sarcoglycans in nonmuscular tissue. In the present study, we used immunohistochemical and RT-PCR techniques to study the sarcoglycans also in normal human glandular tissue, a type of tissue never studied in relation to the sarcoglycan complex, with the aim of verifying the real wider distribution of this complex. To understand the role of sarcoglycans, we tested specimens collected from patients affected by benign prostatic hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma. For the first time, our results showed that all sarcoglycans are detectable in normal samples both in epithelial and in myoepithelial cells; in pathological prostate, sarcoglycans appeared severely reduced in number or were absent. These data demonstrated that all sarcoglycans have a wider distribution suggesting a new unknown role for these proteins. The decreased number of sarcoglycans, containing cadherin domain homologs in samples of prostate affected by hyperplasia, and the absence of proteins in prostate biopsies, in cases affected by adenocarcinoma, could be responsible for the loss of adhesion between epithelial cells, which in turn facilitates the progression of benign tumors and the invasive potential of malignant tumors. Anat Rec, 297:327–336, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Few studies address alteration of sexual function in women with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Quality of life surveys suggest that discussion of sexual function and other reproductive issues are of psychosocial assessment and that education on sexual function in the setting of chronic diseases such as diabetes and CKD is widely needed. Pharmacologic therapy with estrogen/progesterone and androgens along with glycemic control, correction of anemia, ensuring adequate dialysis delivery, and treatment of underlying depression are important. Changes in lifestyle such as smoking cessation, strength training, and aerobic exercises may decrease depression, enhance body image, and have positive impacts on sexuality. Many hormonal abnormalities which occur in women with diabetes and CKD who suffer from chronic anovulation and lack of progesterone secretion may be treated with oral progesterone at the end of each menstrual cycle to restore menstrual cycles. Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is the most common sexual problem reported by women with diabetes and CKD. Sexual function can be assessed in women, using the 9-item Female Sexual Function Index, questionnaire, or 19 items. It is important for nephrologists and physicians to incorporate assessment of sexual function into the routine evaluation protocols.

Introduction: Shortening of telomere is associated with cellular senescence and cancer. This study aims to investigate the relationship between tumor grade and recurrence in relation to telomere length (TL), telomerase activity (TA) and telomere-binding proteins expression (TBPs) in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Materials and Methods: Tumor/healthy tissues were collected from 58 patients (35 with and 23 without NMIBC). Cystoscopy was performed at 3, 6 and 12 months to determine recurrence. Tumor grades and recurrence were correlated with TL, TA and TBPs using the Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric test. Results were considered significant at P < 0.05. Results: Histological evaluation indicated 15 patients (42.9%) with high-grade (HG) and 20 patients (57.1%) with low-grade (LG) NMIBC. TL, TA and TBPs were found to be significantly different in tumors as compared with controls. A significant (p < 0.05) difference in the expression of TBPs was observed in the disease-free mucosa of cancer patients as compared with HG and LG tumors. In the follow-up, a total of 11 tumor recurrences were observed; among these eight recurrences were observed in patients with HG tumors and three in patients with LG tumors. TL, Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) (that represents TA) and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP-1) in tumor samples and telomeric repeat binding factors TRF1, TRF2 and tankyrase (TANK) in normal mucosa obtained from the tumor group were respectively found to exhibit a positive and negative association with the risk of recurrence. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that TL, TA and TBPs are altered in tumors and non-cancerous mucosa in patients with papillary urothelial NMIBC. Further studies are warranted to identify their suitability as a potential biomarker.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transurethral ethanol ablation of the prostate (TEAP) for patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and high-risk comorbidities.Thirty-six patients (mean age 77.3 years) with symptomatic BPH or persistent urinary retention were assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. All patients were affected by comorbidities (cardiovascular, respiratory, hematologic, neoplastic, dysmetabolic diseases, or coagulation disorders). Baseline evaluation was achieved by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and quality of life (QoL) score, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), and the maximum peak flow rate with evaluation of post-voiding residual urine volume (PVR). Treatment was performed by injecting dehydrated ethanol at a rate correlated to prostate volume into the prostate. The primary end-point for response wasor = 80% improvement of the maximum peak flow rate and significant reduction of the PVR; secondary end-points included symptom improvement (or = 40% reduction in IPSS and QoL scores). Statistical analysis was carried out with Pearson's Chi-square test and the non-parametric Wilcoxon test with an assigned statistical significance at P0.05.During the active follow-up period, we observed a statistically significant decrease of the baseline at the end of the study in the total IPSS score and in the QoL score. The mean peak flow rate improved from 6.0 +/- 2.40 ml/min to 15.2 +/- 0.14 ml/min (P0.001), while the PVR decreased from a baseline value of 290.6 +/- 14.14 ml to 4.2 +/- 14.10 ml (P0.001).We found that TEAP is a safe minimally invasive treatment, which significantly improves voiding dysfunctions in patients with symptomatic BPH.