Primary Renal Carcinoid: Two Rare Cases at a Single Center.

Renal carcinoid tumors are exceedingly rare. These neuroendocrine masses are most frequently found in the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts. A renal carcinoid tumor has only been documented in around 100 cases. In this article, we report two additional cases in female patients ages 53 and 63. Both tumors were found incidentally on computed tomography scans. Both women underwent radical nephrectomies. Neither has shown evidence of metastasis nor relapse to date; however, the 63-year-old woman was lost to follow-up. In conclusion, upon discovery of the asymptomatic renal mass, renal carcinoid should be a consideration in the differentiation, and if suspected, may be treated with radical nephrectomy as was done in our hospital.

A 22-Year-Old Retained Ureteral Stent: One of the Oldest Removed Using a Multimodal Endourologic Approach.

Background: Ureteral stent encrustation poses a distinct challenge to urologists. The purpose of our study is to present a patient with one of the oldest retained ureteral stents reported in the literature, effectively treated at our institution with a multimodal endourologic approach. Case Presentation: After IRB approval and patient's consent, we present the case of a 47-year-old man who was referred to our institution for gross hematuria and a right retained ureteral stent, incidentally found on imaging. This patient had a history of traumatic stab wound 22 years prior, requiring an exploratory laparotomy and a ureteral stent insertion. Preoperative CT scan revealed a fragmented and heavily encrusted right ureteral stent. The patient was effectively treated with a multimodal endourologic approach, including a cystolitholapaxy, a right retrograde flexible ureteroscopy (URS), and a prone split-leg right percutaneous nephrolithotomy combined with a right retrograde URS. The patient was rendered stone and stent free. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this 22-year-old retained stent is one of the oldest reported in the literature. As observed in our patient, multimodal endourologic techniques are safe and effective in patients with retained ureteral stents to render then stent and stone free.

Combination treatment for male lower urinary tract symptoms with anticholinergic and alpha-blockers.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Although alpha-adrenergic antagonists (α-blockers) are effective for relieving voiding lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men, storage symptoms often persist. The aim of this manuscript is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with α-blockers and muscarinic receptor antagonists (anticholinergics). RECENT FINDINGS: High-quality evidence confirms that the addition of an anticholinergic improves micturition diary parameters, such as daytime and nocturnal frequency and urgency incontinence episodes, as well as total and storage subset scores on the International Prostate Symptom Score. Most studies demonstrate a statistically significant improvement over α-blocker monotherapy. Both, incidence of urinary retention and study withdrawal because of treatment-related adverse events with combination therapy, are low. Urodynamic indices, such as maximum flow rate and postvoid residual volume, are also minimally impacted by combination therapy. Outcomes on validated questionnaires and quality-of-life (QoL) indices also indicate a significant improvement. SUMMARY: The addition of an anticholinergic to an α-blocker in men with storage and voiding LUTS is an effective practice in reducing both categories of symptoms. The addition of anticholinergic is associated with a low rate of urinary retention and the impact on efficient bladder emptying is minimal. Not unexpectedly, QoL is improved.

Testicular epidermoid cyst: A rare case.

Testicular epidermoid cysts are a rare cause of testicular pathology. No cases of recurrence or metastasis have been reported in the literature. As a result, inguinal partial orchiectomy with frozen section has recently become standard treatment. A 43-year-old male presented with right testicular discomfort and the presence of mass. Right inguinal partial orchiectomy with frozen section was performed, and the right testicle was preserved. The final pathology report confirmed the diagnosis of an epidermoid cyst. The importance of accurate diagnosis of this benign lesion is crucial for the prevention of unnecessary radical orchiectomy.

A rare case of perianal granular cell tumor: case report and literature review.

Granular cell tumor (GCT) is a rare submucosal neoplasm most commonly localized in the oral mucosa; with one-third of all cases found in the tongue, with less than 30 cases of perianal GCT reported in the literature, making it a rare anal neoplasm. Wide local excision is the gold standard of treatment and follow-up includes annual colonoscopy due to the high incidence of reoccurrence. Here we describe a rare case of benign perianal GCT in a 29-year-old female who presented asymptomatically; however, pathology report revealed a S100 positive immunostaining pattern. GCT is an important differential to be included when evaluating a patient with an asymptomatic perianal submucosal lesion. Since GCT and Squamous Cell Carcinoma present with similar pseudoepitheliomatous hyperplasia of the epithelium it is important that a biopsy and immunohistochemical analysis be performed to allow for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

Image guided radiofrequency ablation for small renal masses.

The diagnosis of incidental small renal masses (SRM) has increased during the past two decades secondary to the increased use of various abdominal imaging modalities. In the past decade there has been a shift from radical nephrectomy to nephron sparing surgery techniques where partial nephrectomy has become the standard of care. Thermal ablation (TA) modalities such as freezing or heating delivered percutaneously for the treatment of small renal masses (SRM) is now offered in many Institutions as a treatment option. Clinical guidelines have indicated that TA is appropriate for select patients that are medically high risk or elderly. In our institution and in select centers, TA is discussed and often offered for all patients with SRM as equivalent treatment without respect to age or co-morbidities. As provider experience improves and long-term outcome studies become available, TA is becoming increasingly accepted as a potential new standard of care for solid SRM. This review will highlight the role of image guided radiofrequency ablation (RFA) techniques and their application focusing on the different imaging modalities for RFA application which, most commonly, include percutaneous (Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and computerized tomographic (CT). Our aim is to summarize those studies along with long term follow up.