Search

Objective: To analyze the performance of prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) as a predictor of upstaging and prognostic grade group (PGG) upgrading.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated data on men with prostate cancer (PCa) treated with robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) at our center in 2014-2015. Preoperative PSAD was calculated. Bioptic and pathologic PGGs were also considered in the analysis. We defined upgrading as any increase in PGG after RALP; upstaging was the pathologic diagnosis of a clinically unsuspected stage ≥3a PCa.Results: Data on 379 patients were analyzed. Upgrading was found in 41.4% of the patients; 29% of the patients were upstaged. On multivariable analysis, core involvement and PSAD were found to be predictors of upgrading (odds ratio [OR] 1.017, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.001-1.034, P = .039; and OR 3.638, 95% CI 1.084-12.207, P = .001, respectively). Furthermore, core involvement and PSAD were predictors of upstaging (OR 1.020, 95% CI 1.020-1.034, P = .003; and OR 5.656, 95% CI 1.285-24.894, P = .022, respectively). PSAD showed areas under the curve of 0.712 (95% CI 0.645-0.780, P = .000) and 0.628 (95% CI 0.566-0.689, P = .000) for the prediction of upgrading and upstaging, respectively. In a subpopulation of 90 patients theoretically eligible for active surveillance, 14% were found upstaged and 17% were upgraded. PSAD showed areas under the curve of 0.894 (95% CI 0.808-0.97, P = .000) and 0.689 (95% CI 0.539-0.840, P = .021) for the prediction of upgrading and upstaging, respectively.Conclusion: PSAD is a valuable predictor of upgrading and upstaging in men with PCa who were candidates for surgery and is accurate in selecting patients for AS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) is a technically challenging procedure for the management of renal tumours. Major complications of LPN include bleeding and urine leakage. Haemostatic agents (HAs) and/or glues may reduce haemorrhage and urine leakage. We sought to examine the current practice patterns for urologists performing LPN with regard to HA use and its relationship with bleeding and urine leakage. Materials and methods: A survey was sent via e-mail to urologists currently performing LPN in centres in the United States and Europe. We queried the indications for HA/glue usage, type of HAs/glues used, and whether concomitant suturing/bolstering was performed. In addition, the total number of LPNs performed, laparoscopic tools used to resect the tumour, tumour size, and tumour position were queried. Results: Surveys suitable for analysis were received from 18 centres (n =1347 cases). HAs and/or glues were used in 1042 (77.4%) cases. Mean tumour size was 2.8cm, with 79% of the tumours being defined as exophytic and 21% deep. The HAs and glues used included gelatin matrix thrombin (FloSeal), fibrin gel (Tisseel), bovine serum albumin (BioGlue), cyanoacrylate glue (Glubran), oxidized regenerated cellulose (Surgicel), or combinations of these. Sixteen centres performed concomitant suturing/bolstering. The overall postoperative bleeding requiring transfusion and urine leakage rates were 2.7% and 1.9%, respectively. Conclusions: The use of HAs and/or glues is routine in most centres performing LPN. The overall haemorrhage and urine leakage rates are low following LPN. More studies are needed to assess the potential role of HAs and/or glues in LPN. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Muscle-invasive urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma is a potentially lethal condition for which an attempt at curative surgery is required. Clinical staging does not allow for accurate determination of eventual pathologic status. Muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma is a highly progressive disease, and initiation of definitive therapy within 3 months of diagnosis is worthwhile. Age is not a contraindication for aggressive surgical care, and surgical candidates should be evaluated in the context of overall medical comorbidity. In those patients who undergo surgery, clinical pathways may streamline care. Radical cystectomy remains the “gold standard” of therapy, providing 5-year survival rates of 75% to 80% in patients with organ-confined disease, yet organ-sparing procedures demonstrate clinical effectiveness as well. Cystectomy should be undertaken with the intent of performing complete pelvic lymph node dissection and attaining surgically negative margins. In younger female patients, the preservation of reproductive organs may be achieved in many cases. Prostate- and seminal vesicle–preserving cystectomy has been performed, yet the long-term safety and efficacy of such a procedure remains to be determined. Laparoscopic and robotic cystectomy procedures continue to be explored by several investigators. The role of “radical transurethral resection” in muscle-invasive disease is limited to a small cohort of patients, and, when it is performed, cystectomy may be required to consolidate therapy. Postoperative follow-up after cystectomy should occur over short intervals during the first 2 years and can be extended, but not discontinued, beyond that time. Currently, no tumor markers have been prospectively validated to help guide clinical decision making, and prospective trials incorporating marker data should be encouraged. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: We performed more than 450 laproscopic retropubic prostatectomy procedures since 2001. Objective: To describe the Finger Assisted Laparoscopic Retropubic technique (FALRP) in the treatment of large adenoma. We present the results of the last 100 procedures using FALRP. Materials and methods: From January 2004 to October 2005, 100 patients with indication of prostatic adenomectomy were operated on FALRP. Preoperative, perioperative and post operative parameters were collected retrospectively. Complications and risk factors were also evaluated. Results: Mean age of the patients was 67.84 years (SD 7.62) and mean BMI was 25.47 (SD 1.66); mean follow-up was 14.05 months (SD 5.25); mean prostatic volume assessed by TRUS was 97.1ml (SD 18.46) and mean maximum flow Qmax was.6.03ml/sec (SD 2.37). Mean operative time was 66.34mn (SD 12.31); mean blood lost was 250ml (SD 86.82). No patient required transfusions or conversion to open surgery. Mean resected tissue weight was 68.2gr (SD 15.46) and mean catheterization time was 3.17 days (SD 1.01). Prolonged bladder catheterization was necessary for two patients with mandatory anticoagulation. The mean hospital stay was 4.3 days (SD 1.27). Post operative mean maximum flow Qmax was 26.35ml/sec (SD 5.87). We found 4 PIN high grade and no invasive prostate carcinoma. Conclusions: In the hands of an experienced laparoscopic team, FALRP for large benign prostatic hyperplasia is a feasible, reproducible alternative approach to open surgery. It is safe, with minimal intraoperative haemorrhage and post-operative complications, and a shorter convalescence period than open surgery. We believe that FALRP should be part of the armamentarium of any experienced laparoscopic urological surgeon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The indwelling urinary catheter (UC) is a significant bother for men after radical prostatectomy (RP) and should be removed as soon as possible without jeopardizing the outcome. Our aim was to assess the feasibility and safety of its removal on postoperative day (POD) 2 after robot-assisted laparoscopic RP (RALP). A consecutive series of patients undergoing RALP for localized prostate cancer (PCa) were prospectively enrolled. Inclusion criteria were: no bladder-neck reconstruction, watertight urethrovesical anastomosis at 150 ml filling, ≤ 200 ml of intraoperative bleeding, ≤ 80 ml of fluid from the drain on POD 1, clear urine from the UC on POD 2. Patients were discharged on POD 2. Continence was assessed at catheter removal and 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery. Urethrovesical anastomosis was performed with a standard technique on 3 layers. Sixty-six patients were enrolled. The UC was removed on POD 2 in all the cases and 96.4% of the patients were discharged on POD 2. Re-catheterization was needed 16 times and it was always performed easily. Twenty-four complications were reported by 20 patients, mostly Clavien-Dindo (CD) grade II; 2 CD IIIB complications were observed. No anastomotic strictures were diagnosed. At catheter removal, 29% of the patients were completely continent, 41% at 1 month, 67% at 3 months and 92% at 6 months. In selected patients, removing the UC 48 h after RALP is feasible and safe and has no negative impact on continence if compared with the best international standards.

Pneumoscrotum is the term used to describe the presence of air within the scrotum and includes scrotal emphysema as well as pneumatocele. The etiology varies; in some cases, pneumoscrotum may be due to life-threatening disease like pneumothorax or Fournier gangrene. Despite this, pneumoscrotum is a rarely debated issue. We present two different cases of pneumoscrotum and a review of the literature. The first case report is about a 29 year old male patient affected by Duchenne syndrome who showed pneumoscrotum after cardiopulmonary resuscitation that was performed for asphyxic crisis and cardiovascular arrest. We carried out local puncture with an 18-gauge needle, and the pneumoscrotum was successfully solved. The second case report is about a 56 year old male with pneumoscrotum due to Fournier gangrene who underwent radical exeresis of all necrotic tissues and drainage. This is why most of the scrotal skin and all of the penis skin were removed; as a result, the testicles, epididymis, and cavernosa corpora were externalized. On postoperative day one, the patient was feverless and underwent hyperbaric chamber therapy. No postoperative complications occurred. Accurate evaluation of the pneumoscrotum is always needed. Despite the benign course of most of the clinically evident pneumoscrotum cases, this condition should never be underestimated.

Purpose: Laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is the standard treatment for peripheric cT1 renal tumours and is usually performed under warm ischaemia. However, it is important to reduce ischaemia time as much as possible to avoid renal damage. The aim of our study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of our technique and to evaluate short-term functional and oncological results., Materials and Methods: From June 2010 to December 2012, 54 consecutive patients with T1a-T1b renal tumour were enrolled in a high-volume tertiary institution. All patients underwent laparoscopic enucleation with controlled selective hypotension on demand. Karnofsky performance status scale, R.E.N.A.L. Nephrometry Score and Clavien-Dindo Classification were used to assess patients' status, to stratify patients according to kidney disease and to evaluate complications, respectively. Renal function was evaluated with serum creatinine (sCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) preoperative and 3, 5, 7 and 90 days postoperatively., Results: All the procedures were completed laparoscopically. Renal hypotension was necessary in 3/54 cases. Mean intraoperatively blood loss was 210 ± 98 ml. Renal carcinoma was found in 87 % patients. Margins revealed to be positive in 5.5 % cases. Mean hospital stay was 7.2 days. Grade IIIa and IIIb postoperative complications were 5.5 and 11 %, respectively. At 3 months, increase for sCr was 0.04 mg/dL; eGFR reduction was 1.2 ml/min. At a median follow-up of 20 months, there was one local recurrence that happened in a positive margin case., Conclusions: Our preliminary results proved laparoscopic enucleation with controlled selective local hypotension on demand to be a feasible, safe and effective technique for T1 renal tumours.

Background: Intraoperative Frozen Section (IFS) with further tissue resection in case of positive margins has been proposed to decrease positive surgical margins rate during radical prostatectomy. There are a few reports on the benefits of this potential reduction of positive margins (PSM)., Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the oncological advantages of PSM rate reduction with the use of IFS and additional tissue excision in case of PSM. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTECIPANTS: 270 patients undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy were included in a prospective study, to evaluate the results of further tissue excision in case of PSM at IFS. Median age was 65 yrs. Median PSA was 7.0 ng/ml., Intervention: The prostate was extracted during the operation. IFS was performed in all patients on the prostate surface, at the base, the apex and along the postero-lateral aspect of the gland. In case of PSM additional tissue was excised from the site of the prostatic bed corresponding to the surgical margin., Measurements: Endpoint was biochemical recurrence-free survival., Results and Limitations: PSM were found in 67 patients (24.8%). With additional tissue resection, PSM rate dropped from 24.8% to 12.6%. Decreased PSM after further resection didn't improve biochemical-free survival. Patients with initial PSM at IFS rendered negative with further resection, had similar results if compared to patients with margins still positive, and worse results if compared to patients with negative margins (NSM). Biochemical recurrence rate was 2.95% at 58 months in 203 patients with NSM, 15.1% at 54 months in 33 patients with PSM at IFS that were rendered negative after further resection, and 11.7% at 67 months in 34 patients with still PSM after additional resection. These results were confirmed also according to: stage, nerve-sparing procedure, Gleason score., Conclusions: Our data don't support IFS during radical prostatectomy to improve biochemical-free survival.

Objectives: Immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) has been widely used recently as primary option for treatment of high grade superficial (G3T1) carcinoma of the bladder. We describe our long term experience of therapy of G3T1 bladder cancer., Methods: From January 1982 to December 2000, 785 patients were diagnosed with superficial bladder cancer. All patients underwent preoperative CT scan and transurethral resection of the bladder. Eighty-six patients (11%) had histological high grade superficial bladder cancer infiltrating the lamina propria. This group was treated with the following schedule of BCG Pasteur strain plus maintenance. Four cycles BCG, 6 instillations per cycle, first cycle weekly x 6, second cycle every 2 weeks x 6, third cycle monthly x 6, fourth cycle (maintenance) every 3 months x 6 instillations., Results: The median follow-up is 91 months (30-197 months). The overall recurrence rate was 35% (30/86). The median time to recurrence was 29 months (5-128 months). Of these patients, 12 (14%) had progression at a median follow-up of 16 months (range 8-58 months). Cystectomy was needed in 8 (9%) patients. Death due to disease occurred in 5/86 (6%) patients. One patient died due to adenocarcinoma at the ureterosigmoidostomy site. Sixty-four (74%) patients are alive at a median follow-up of 71 months (range 28-197 months). Sixty patients (70%) are alive with an intact bladder., Conclusions: Treatment with BCG is a feasible conservative therapy for patients with primary G3T1 transitional bladder cancer. Long term results of BCG treatment are excellent. Cystectomy shouldn't be considered first line treatment for high grade superficial carcinoma of the bladder.

Objectives: Immunotherapy with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been proposed in the past decade as first-line treatment for high-grade superficial bladder cancer (G3T1). We report our 18-year experience in the treatment of patients with G3T1 bladder cancer., Methods: From January 1989 to July 1997, 670 patients underwent transurethral resection for superficial bladder cancer. Eighty-one patients (12%) had G3T1 tumors. All of these patients were treated with an innovative schedule of Pasteur strain BCG followed by maintenance BCG therapy. Treatment consisted of four cycles of 6 instillations per cycle of BCG. The first cycle was administered weekly x 6, the second was given every 2 weeks x 6, the third cycle was given monthly x 6, and the fourth was given every 3 months x 6 instillations., Results: Sixty-nine patients (84%) completed at least the first two cycles. At a median follow-up of 76 months (range 30 to 197), the overall recurrence rate was 33% (27 of 81). The median time to recurrence was 20 months (range 5 to 128). Of these patients, 12 (15%) had progression at a median follow-up of 16 months (range 8 to 58). Cystectomy was required in 7 patients (8%). Death from disease occurred in 5 (6%) of 81 patients. One patient died of adenocarcinoma at the ureterosigmoidostomy site. Sixty patients (74%) were alive at a median follow-up of 79+ months (range 15 to 182). Of these, 56 (69%) were alive with a functioning bladder., Conclusions: Conservative treatment with BCG is a reasonable approach for patients with primary G3T1 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The long-term results of BCG therapy are good. Cystectomy may not be justified as the therapy of choice in first-line treatment of high-grade superficial carcinoma of the bladder.