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Objectives: Prosthetic surgery for impotence has been transformed by the use of inflatable prostheses, superseding the old semi-rigid designs. Our objective is to report the functional results and the complications of this type of surgery., Methods: 80 inflatable prostheses were implanted between October 1987 and October 1994. The mean follow-up was 3 years and assessment of the objective (mechanical functioning of the prosthesis and complications) and subjective results (sexuality of the patients) was made in 68 patients., Results: There were: 54.5% functional disturbances, 7% infections, and 27.5% prosthesis removals. Most of the patients were satisfied, although only 65% returned to regular sexual activity., Conclusions: The choice between an inflatable and a semi-rigid prosthesis should be carefully discussed because of the frequent mechanical complications that have been reported for the sophisticated designs. Inflatable penile prostheses nevertheless remain the design of choice. Their reliability has been increasing since the manufacture of monobloc designs. Such a device is costly, and should be compared with that of intracavernous injections.

Monoclonal antibody BL2-10D1 directed against a tumor-associated antigen of bladder carcinoma was used for monitoring 11 intravesically treated patients. Thirty-three bladder washout specimens were used for standard cytology and immunological staining. Prior to treatment, 9 of 11 cytologic specimens examined with standard cytology were found to be positive. Using BL2-10D1 alone, only 6 were positive but 1 patient negative with standard cytology was positive with the antibody and corresponded to a positive histological control. Thus, before treatment, an increase in positive rate was observed using the combination of the 2 methods from 82 to 91%. At the end of treatment, 9 washout specimens remained positive with standard cytology, whereas 1 case negative in standard cytology was positive in immunocytology. Thus, the positive rate increased from 82 to 91%. One month after the end of treatment, of 11 washout specimens tested, 3 false-negative standard cytologies and 4 false-negative immunocytologies were shown. However, used in combination, the two methods lead to an increase in positive rate from 67 to 89%. In view of these results, BL2-10D1 may be considered as a useful reagent in combination with the standard cytology for the confirmation of the presence of tumor cells before and after immunotherapy.