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Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the early experiences of prostate artery embolization (PAE) in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)., Material and Methods: This retrospective study included all patients treated for BPH who were referred to the radiology department for PAE in Västmanland between 2018 and 2021. Data were collected on patient demographics, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate-specific antigen level, and peri- and post-procedure outcomes. Clinical success was defined as a decrease in the IPSS by ≤3 points or catheter freedom., Results: A total of 96 patients (median age 74 years) underwent PAE. Before PAE, 65% of the patients were treated with α-blockers and 83% with 5α-reductase inhibitors. Clinical success was achieved in 60 patients (63%). Among catheterized patients, 33 (53%) achieved catheter freedom. In the non-catheterized group, 27 (79%) experienced clinical success. No significant differences in outcomes were observed based on the presence of a median lobe., Conclusions: PAE appears to be a viable treatment option for BPH and may provide substantial symptom relief and catheter freedom for most patients. These findings suggest that PAE may be an effective alternative to more invasive procedures. Further research is needed to refine the patient selection criteria.

Objective: Several risk factors for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), in patients undergoing surgical treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), have been suggested by others. This study aimed to investigate such risk factors and disclose the effect of developing ESRD, postoperatively, on overall survival. The risk of developing ESRD after RCC diagnosis was also evaluated., Material and Methods: The data of 16,220 patients with RCC and 162,199 controls were extracted from the Renal Cell Cancer Database Sweden, with linkages across multiple national registers between 2005 and 2020. Cox proportional hazards regression, Kaplan-Meier curves and cumulative incidence were used for statistical analysis., Results: The 5-year cumulative incidence of ESRD following RCC diagnosis was 2.4% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1-2.6) and 0.4% (95% CI 0.3-0.4) for the patients with RCC and controls, respectively. Age, chronic kidney disease, higher T-stage and radical nephrectomy (RN) were significant risk factors for ESRD within 1-year of surgery. A total of 104 and 12,152 patients with and without ESRD, respectively, survived 1-year postoperatively. The 5-year overall survival rates of patients with ESRD and those with RCC only were 50% (95% CI 0.40-0.60) and 80% (95% CI 0.80-0.81), respectively., Conclusions: Patients who developed ESRD following renal cancer surgery had significantly poorer survival outcomes. Advanced age, comorbidities, higher-stage tumours and RN were identified as risk factors for developing ESRD. Surgical decisions are crucial. Efforts to spare renal function, including nephron-sparing surgery and active surveillance in appropriate cases, are highly relevant to reduce the development of severe kidney dysfunction.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of selective arterial embolisation in renal angiomyolipoma (AML), with emphasis on tumour shrinkage, potential regrowth and the necessity of supplementary procedures.  Material and methods: A retrospective review of all 58 consecutive embolisations at two institutions, between 1999 and 2018, was performed. Clinical notes, laboratory data and imaging were reviewed., Results: The overall complication rate was 6.8%, with no Clavien-Dindo grades III-V complications. Kidney function was unaffected by embolisation as measured by creatinine. Median radiological follow-up was 4.8 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 2.8-7.8), and median clinical follow-up was 7.5 years (IQR: 4.7-14.0). Decreasing AML size was observed in 96% of procedures. Maximal shrinkage (30% median diameter decrease; IQR: 15-44) was reached after median 2.2 years (IQR: 0.6-4.8). During follow-up, regrowth occurred in 38% of patients, and four bleeding episodes occurred in three patients with tuberous sclerosis. Growing size and/or rebleeding prompted a redo embolisation in 9% of spontaneous AML and 50% of tuberous sclerosis-associated AML., Conclusions: Being a well-tolerated treatment with few complications, selective arterial embolisation renders a pronounced size-reduction in most patients with AML, and kidney function is preserved. Regrowth is common, and a radiological follow-up is necessary. Tuberous sclerosis is a risk factor for the need of reintervention.

Introduction: During transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), the most established surgical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic obstruction (BPO), the prostate can bleed profusely, bringing about anaemia and compromised oxygen delivery to the entire body., Objective: The primary objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of mepivacaine and adrenaline (MA) injected into the prostate on bleeding. The primary endpoint was to measure blood loss per resected weight of prostate tissue., Material and Methods: This randomised controlled trial evaluated 81 patients with LUTS/BPO. Patients were randomly allocated to regular TURP or TURP with intraprostatic injections of MA., Results: On univariable analyses there was a significant difference in resection weight in favour of the experimental group, not reflected by a statistically significant difference in the other studied outcome parameters. Nevertheless, in multivariable analyses, blood loss per resection weight, which was the primary outcome, showed a significant decrease in favour of the experimental group. Clavien-Dindo complication classification showed three men with a grade I complication and two men with grade II., Conclusions: The results obtained in this study showed that it is beneficial to apply intraprostatic injections of MA in immediate conjunction with TURP, in terms of blood loss per resected gram. The study is, however, small and corroboration of our results in more extensive prospective studies may therefore be warranted before embarking upon this technique.

Objective: Nationwide register data provide unique opportunities for real-world assessment of complications from different surgical methods. This study aimed to assess incidence of, and predictors for, post-operative complications and to evaluate 90-day mortality  following different surgical procedures and thermal ablation for renal cell carcinoma (RCC)., Material and Methods: All patients undergoing surgical treatment and thermal ablation for RCC in Sweden during 2015-2019 were identified from the National Swedish Kidney Cancer Register. Frequencies and types of post-operative complications were analysed. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors for 90-day major (Clavien-Dindo grades III-V) complications, including death., Results: The overall complication rate was 24% (1295/5505), of which 495 (8.7%) were major complications. Most complications occurred following open surgery, of which bleeding and infection were the most common. Twice as many complications were observed in patients undergoing open surgery compared to minimally invasive surgery (20% vs. 10%, P < 0.001). Statistically significant predictors for major complications irrespective of surgical category and technique were American society of anesthiologists (ASA) score, tumour diameter and serum creatinine. Separating radical and partial nephrectomy, surgical technique remained a significant risk factor for major complications. Most complications occurred within the first 20 days. The overall 90-day readmission rate was 6.2%, and 30- and 90-day mortality rates were 0.47% and 1.5%, respectively., Conclusions: In conclusion, bleeding and infection were the most common major complications after RCC surgery. Twice as many patients undergoing open surgery suffer a major post-operative complication as compared to patients subjected to minimally invasive surgery. General predictors for major complications were ASA score, tumour size, kidney function and surgical technique.

Background: Urosepsis is a life-threatening condition that needs to be addressed without delay. Two critical issues in its management are: (1) Appropriate empirical antibiotic therapy, considering the patients general condition, comorbidity, and the pathogen expected; and (2) Timing of imaging to identify obstruction requiring decompression., Objectives: To identify risk factors associated with 30-day mortality in patients with urosepsis., Methods: From a cohort of 1,605 community-onset bloodstream infections (CO-BSI), 282 patients with urosepsis were identified in a Swedish county 2019-2020. Risk factors for mortality with crude and adjusted odds ratios were analysed using logistic regression., Results: Urosepsis was found in 18% (n = 282) of all CO-BSIs. The 30-day all-cause mortality was 14% (n = 38). After multivariable analysis, radiologically detected urinary tract disorder was the predominant risk factor for mortality (OR = 4.63, 95% CI = 1.47-14.56), followed by microbiologically inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy (OR = 4.19, 95% CI = 1.41-12.48). Time to radiological diagnosis and decompression of obstruction for source control were also important prognostic factors for survival. Interestingly, 15% of blood cultures showed gram-positive species associated with a high 30-day mortality rate of 33%., Conclusion: The 30-day all-cause mortality from urosepsis was 14%. The two main risk factors for mortality were hydronephrosis caused by obstructive stone in the ureter and inappropriate empirical antibiotic therapy. Therefore, early detection of any urinary tract disorder by imaging followed by source control as required, and antibiotic coverage of both gram-negative pathogens and gram-positive species such as E. faecalis to optimise management, is likely to improve survival in patients with urosepsis.

Introduction: CoreTherm (ProstaLund AB, Lund, Sweden) is an outpatient treatment option in men with lower urinary tract symptoms and catheter-dependent men with chronic urinary retention caused by benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). CoreTherm is high-energy transurethral microwave thermotherapy with feedback technique. Modern treatment with CoreTherm includes transurethral intraprostatic injections of mepivacaine and adrenaline via the Schelin Catheter (ProstaLund AB, Lund, Sweden) and is often referred to as the CoreTherm Concept., Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short- and long-term retreatment risk in men with large prostates and BPO or chronic urinary retention, all primarily treated with CoreTherm., Material and Methods: All men from the same geographical area with prostate volumes ≥ 80 ml treated 1999-2015 with CoreTherm and having BPO or were catheter-dependent due to chronic urinary retention, were included. End of study period was defined as December 31, 2019., Results: We identified and evaluated 570 men treated with CoreTherm, where 12% (71 patients) were surgically retreated during the follow-up. Mean follow-up was 11 years, and maximum follow-up was 20 years. The long-term retreatment rate in our study was 23%. A majority of these could be retreated with CoreTherm or TURP, with only 3% requiring open surgery., Conclusion: We conclude that CoreTherm is a suitable outpatient treatment option in patients with profoundly enlarged prostates, regardless of age, prostate size, and reason for treatment.

Background: Contrasting findings have been reported regarding a possible constitutive expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in a normal mammalian bladder. The current study was designed to further investigate such putative iNOS expression., Materials and Methods: The experiments were conducted with paraffin-embedded archival material from the urinary bladder of 6 normal, male Sprague-Dawley rats. In addition, two normal female mice (C57BL/6) were sacrificed and the urinary bladders were harvested. The occurrence of iNOS mRNA was examined by the RNAScope in situ hybridization method. Protein expression of iNOS and 3-nitrotyrosine (the latter used as an indicator of oxidative stress) was investigated by immunohistochemistry., Results: No expression of iNOS mRNA was observed in the bladder tissue. iNOS protein and 3-nitrotyrosine were strongly expressed in the urothelium. iNOS was also expressed perinuclearly in the detrusor., Conclusions: Although the RNAScope methodology could not demonstrate mRNA for iNOS in the normal urinary bladder, the results by immunohistochemistry strongly suggest the occurrence of iNOS in particular, in the urothelium. Positive reactivity for 3-nitrotyrosine may indicate ongoing oxidative stress of the urothelium. The finding of perinuclear iNOS immunoreactivity could suggest an intracrine signaling function by iNOS to the nucleus.

Introduction: Treatment costs of lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) are a substantial economic burden that will continue to increase in the future as a result of the ageing male population and increasing health awareness. The true costs for surgical interventions against BPE have been difficult to quantify as treatment costs strongly depend on the performance setting and may also vary among different healthcare systems, regions and institutions. The purpose of this study was to disclose the in-hospital costs and main expense items associated with a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Methods: A cohort of men subjected to TURP due to BPE was analysed during a 3-year period (2017-2019). All in-hospital expenses were registered using an electronic spreadsheet. Patient background and perioperative variables were registered using retrospective chart reviews. Results: A total of 122 men were available for final analysis. Of these, 70 men were operated on due to bothersome LUTS and 52 men due to urinary retention. The mean and median (inter quartile range) cost per patient was €4025 and €3702 (2961 - 4390), respectively. The main drivers of total cost were length of stay, the surgical procedure and anaesthesia related costs. Factors associated with increasing total cost per patient were increasing age, prostate volume, presence of urinary retention, occurrence of complications, increasing catheter time and length of stay. Conclusion: The main factor that influences total cost for an elective TURP procedure is the occurrence of postoperative complications. Our findings firmly underscore the indispensability to employ every possible means to avoid and prevent complications of any kind.

Background: The underlying cause of a urethral stricture can sometimes be obscure. It is possible that an injury to the urethra induces an immunological cascade that generates scar tissue and fibrosis, eventually resulting in a stricture. If such immunological reactions could be better elucidated, immunological therapies could possibly emerge., Objective: To evaluate if ectopic germinal centres exist in urethral stricture disease., Design Setting and Participants: Resected stricture specimens from 45 patients undergoing open bulbar urethroplasty with excision and anastomosis were assessed. Histopathological characteristics, such as fibrosis (grade I-III), inflammation, and sclerosis, were evaluated using immunostaining for CD3 (T cells), CD20 (B cells), and CD21 (follicular dendritic cells)., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: The primary outcome measure was the presence or absence of a germinal centre. The secondary outcome was evaluation of any correlation between the degree of fibrosis and germinal centres. Fisher's exact test was used for univariate analysis., Results and Limitations: In six patients, ectopic germinal centres were found. In ten patients, there was no inflammation at all. There was no correlation found between the degree of fibrosis and the abundance of immunohistochemically detected immune cells., Conclusions: Ectopic germinal centres, with B and T cells as well as follicular dendritic cell networks, do exist in urethral stricture disease. This finding may open up for novel research avenues on the possibility of adopting immunological treatments for urethral stricture disease., Patient Summary: In patients with a narrowing of the urethra due to any kind of trauma, we looked for the presence of centres of immunological reaction in urethral tissue. We identified these immunological centres (also called germinal centres) in some patients. This intriguing finding suggests that immunological treatments may have potential for men with scar tissue in a narrowed urethra., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Background: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has been the standard method of surgical management of benign prostatic enlargement for decades. Some patients experience significant voiding dysfunction and discomfort postoperatively, without any apparent clinical complications from the procedure. Furthermore, a significant proportion of men still require postoperative catheterisation. This study analysed patients defined as non-responders after TURP with the principal aim to reveal their fate., Methods: A prospectively recruited cohort of 355 men, who underwent TURP during 2010-2012, was investigated. Non-responders were identified as still requiring catheterisation postoperatively and/or exhibiting all of the following voiding outcomes based on the de Wildt criteria: IPSS > 7, bother score > 2, Q max < 15 mL/s and PVR > 100 mL. The non-responders were followed for a maximum period of three years using retrospective chart reviews., Results: Thirty-five men were defined as non-responders. Of these, 26 men were operated on due to urinary retention and nine men due to bothersome symptoms. The non-responders were followed for a mean time of 72 months. Seven men underwent a redo-TURP and two men a bladder neck incision. Eleven of the 35 men were finally judged as having satisfactory voiding parameters. Sixteen men used CISC. Eleven men reduced the frequency of CISC to a minimum. Seven men had to use an indwelling catheter indefinitely., Conclusion: Men with preoperative urinary retention constituted the vast majority of non-responders. The use of postoperative urodynamic studies was remarkably low. Almost one in three non-responders finally had a satisfactory outcome with or without re-intervention.

Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the scientific evidence supporting the use of thermal dose as a secondary (or an alternative) endpoint when using the CoreTherm Concept. Material and methods: Baseline and treatment data from 283 consecutive treatments were evaluated. All patients had lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). After evaluation, benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) with benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) was evident. As treatment, the CoreTherm Concept was used in all patients with LUTS/BPO. Data parameters were retrospectively extracted and included patient age, prostate volume, energy delivery, treatment time and calculated cell kill. In addition, assessment of temperature curves and calculated intraprostatic blood flow was made to define an optimal treatment. In total, 199 treatments assessed as optimal were included in the study. Results: There was a significant correlation between pretreatment prostate volume and energy delivery ( p  < .001). Age also influenced energy consumption significantly ( p  = .01). Conclusion: The solid correlation between pretreatment prostate volume and age versus total energy deposition implies the recommendation that a pretreatment calculation of an appropriate energy deposition should be used in all treatments as an alternative treatment endpoint.

Objectives: To present a patient material of renal angiomyolipoma (AML) with focus on the risk of bleeding during active surveillance (AS). Methods: Medical records, 1999-2014, were studied and 98 patients (80 female, 18 men) with renal AML were identified. Eleven patients had tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Mean age was 54 (13-89) years. Results: Sixty patients (61%) were asymptomatic at presentation, 33 (34%) presented with flank pain and five (5%) with hematuria. Retroperitoneal bleeding or hematuria was diagnosed in 20 patients with a mean AML size of 74 mm (25-200 mm). Twenty-one patients were treated with angioembolization at time of diagnosis and 25 had surgery. Forty-five patients with sporadic AML (mean size 34 mm) and six with TSC (mean size 120 mm) were selected for AS. Only one patient with sporadic AML (46 mm) had a bleeding, whereas two of the six TSC patients had bleedings from three kidneys (AML 70-300 mm). In 25 patients (49%), the AML-size increased with 2.7 mm/year in sporadic and 5.4 mm/year in TSC-associated AML. Thirteen patients were treated with AE (including all six TSC-patients) and five with surgery in 22 kidneys due to AML-size in 16, bleeding in four and suspicion of cancer in two. Conclusion: Bleeding occurred in 20% of AML at presentation. In patients selected for AS, we found a very low risk of bleeding in sporadic AML justifying our cut off size of 50 mm to trigger intervention. In TSC-associated AML individually tailored follow-up is needed due to a higher intervention rate.

Unlabelled: Androgens are important regulators of bone and prostate health in elderly men. The role of serum levels of glucuronidated androgen metabolites as predictors of BMD and prostate volume in men is unclear. We show that specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men., Introduction: Androgens are important regulators of bone and prostate health in elderly men. Local synthesis and degradation of androgens are likely to be important parameters of biological action of androgens in androgen-responsive tissues. The aim of this study was to determine the role of serum levels of glucuronidated androgen metabolites as predictors of BMD and prostate volume in elderly men., Materials and Methods: A subsample of the population-based Swedish part of the MrOS study (n = 631, average age = 75.9 years) was investigated. Bone parameters were measured using DXA. Serum levels of total testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC-MS); androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-3glucuronide (3G) and androstane-3alpha,17beta-diol-17glucuronide (17G) were measured by liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Prostate volume (n = 159) was measured by transrectal ultrasound., Results: The general pattern is that two of the glucuronidated androgen metabolites, namely 17G and 3G, are stronger positive predictors of BMD than the bioactive androgens (T and DHT). In addition, 17G is a clear positive predictor of prostate volume, explaining 4.5% of the variance in prostate volume, whereas the bioactive androgens do not display any association with prostate volume., Conclusions: Serum levels of specific glucuronidated androgen metabolites predict BMD and prostate volume in elderly men. Future studies should determine if the glucuronidated androgen metabolites also reflect other biological correlates of androgenic activity, including prostate cancer, and if low levels might be a marker of general androgen deficiency in men.

Mucosal mast cells (MCs) are normally found in the connective tissue stroma but are redistributed into the epithelium in conditions associated with immunoglobulin E responses, such as allergic inflammation and nematode infections, as well as in interstitial cystitis, a condition of unknown etiology. The potential role of epithelium-derived factors in this response prompted this inquiry into growth and differentiation signaling in normal tissue as well as in tissues from five different metaplastic conditions of the urothelium (cystitic cystica, cystitis glandularis, colonic metaplasia, squamous cell metaplasia, and nephrogenic metaplasia). Expression of the two major human MC growth factors, stem cell factor (or kit ligand) and interleukin 6, was detected using immunohistochemistry. In the case of interleukin 6, its mRNA expression was also detected using in situ reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Among the different metaplastic lesions, nephrogenic metaplasia was the only one associated with an abundance of MCs, which were distributed within or in close relationship to the epithelium. Unlike in the other types of metaplasia, the epithelium strongly co-expressed interleukin 6 and stem cell factor. The MCs expressed the stem cell factor receptor CD117 and exhibited a variable tryptase immunoreactivity, but lacked chymase. They also displayed a relative deficiency of granular glycosaminoglycan, as indicated by a lack of metachromasia, and were sensitive to strong aldehyde fixation. The findings suggest that the MC response in nephrogenic metaplasia may be the result of local epithelial stem cell factor/interleukin 6 expression.