The changing gender landscape of pediatric urology fellowship: results from a survey of fellows and recent graduates.

INTRODUCTION: Women are entering the subspecialty of pediatric urology at an accelerated rate. Gender differences affecting fellowship and job selection have been identified in other fields of medicine. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to understand gender differences in pediatric urology fellowship and job selection and how they may affect the workforce. STUDY DESIGN: A 47-question electronic survey consisting of questions regarding demographics, residency training, and factors influencing fellowship and job selection was distributed to current fellows and recent graduates in pediatric urology in May 2017. RESULTS: A total of 111 recent and current fellows were contacted, and 72% completed the survey (55% female [F] and 45% male [M]; 61% current fellows and 39% recent fellows). Respondents rated factors important in choosing pediatric urology on a scale of 1-5 (1, not important and 5, extremely important), and the top three for both genders were 1-working with children, 2-influential mentors, and 3-bread and butter cases such as inguinal orchiopexy. During residency, 93% of respondents reported having influential mentors in pediatric urology. However, mentorship was more important in fellowship choice for males than females (3.6 F, 4.1 M; P-value = 0.048), and 45% reported having only male mentors. Rating factors important in job choice on a scale of 1-5, respondents reported the top factors as 1-rapport with partners/mentorship (4.5), 2-geography/family preferences (4.3), and 3-participation in mentoring/teaching (3.8). Although most job selection criteria were rated similarly between genders, females rated call schedule higher than males (3.5 F, 2.9 M, P-value = 0.009). Although most females and males (79% of F, 78% of M, P-value = 0.868) sought primarily academic positions, a smaller proportion of females accepted academic positions (52% of F, 72% of M, P-value 0.26), and females reported lower satisfaction regarding the availability of jobs on a scale of 1-5 (1, very dissatisfied and 5, very satisfied; 3.1 F, 3.7 M; P-value = 0.034), particularly in academic positions (3.1 F, 3.7 M; P-value = 0.06). This difference was more pronounced in current fellows than recent graduates and may represent a worsening trend. CONCLUSION: Although significant gender differences in fellowship and job selection may exist in other fields, we found that women and men choose pediatric urology fellowships and jobs using similar criteria, which include work-life balance. Gender differences exist in the influence of mentors, indicating a need for more female mentors. While men and women sought similar types of jobs, women were less satisfied with the availability of jobs, particularly academic jobs, than men, which warrants further investigation.

A prospective evaluation of intracorporeal laparoscopic small bowel anastomosis during gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the safety and feasibility of performing a laparoscopic intracorporeal end-to-side small bowel anastomosis using a stapling technique as part of a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass operation (RYGBP). METHODS: 80 consecutive patients who underwent RYGBP with laparoscopic jejunojejunostomy were evaluated. Operative time and intraoperative and postoperative complications directly related to the jejunojejunostomy anastomosis were recorded. RESULTS: All 80 laparoscopic jejunojejunostomy procedures were successfully performed without conversion to laparotomy. Mean operative time was longer for the first 40 laparoscopic RYGBP than for the last 40 RYGBP (32+/-18 min vs 21+/-14 min, respectively, p<0.05). Intraoperative complications were staple-line bleeding (2 patients) and narrowing of the anastomosis (1 patient). Postoperative complications were four small bowel obstructions: technical narrowing at jejunojejunostomy site (2 patients), angulation of the afferent limb (1 patient), and food impaction at the jejunojejunostomy anastomosis (1 patient). These four patients underwent successful laparoscopic re-exploration and creation of another jejunojejunostomy proximal to the original anastomosis. There were no small bowel anastomotic leaks. The median time to resuming oral diet was 2 days. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic jejunojejunostomy as part of the RYGBP operation is a safe and technically feasible procedure. Postoperative small bowel obstruction is a potential complication, which can be prevented by avoiding technical narrowing of the afferent limb.

Evaluation of intra-abdominal pressure after laparoscopic and open gastric bypass.

BACKGROUND: Increased intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) postoperatively can adversely affect cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal function. In this prospective, randomized trial, we compared the IAP in morbidly obese patients after laparoscopic and open gastric bypass (GBP) surgery. METHODS: 64 patients with a body mass index of 40 to 60 kg/m2 were randomized to undergo laparoscopic or open GBP. IAPs were obtained at baseline (after induction of anesthesia), immediately after the operation, and on post-operative day (POD) 1, 2, and 3. Intraoperative and postoperative fluid requirements, urine output, and creatinine clearance were recorded. RESULTS: Demographics of the two groups were similar. IAP increased from baseline immediately after laparoscopic and open GBP (p < 0.05). IAP returned to baseline by POD 2 after laparoscopic GBP but remained elevated through POD 3 after open GBP. In fact, IAP was lower after laparoscopic GBP than after open GBP on POD 1, 2 and 3 (p < 0.05). The amount of intraoperative IV fluid was similar between groups, but laparoscopic GBP required less IV fluid and facilitated higher urine output postoperatively than open GBP. There was no significant difference in creatinine clearance between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic GBP resulted in significantly lower IAP, less postoperative fluid required, and greater postoperative urine output than open GBP.

Laparoscopic orchidopexy: a review of a large clinical series.

OBJECTIVE: To report the overall success rate of a laparoscopic orchidopexy (LO) series over 5 years including over 100 procedures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records were reviewed of children who underwent laparoscopic procedures for an impalpable testis at our institutions. The laparoscopic procedures included the standard LO and one-stage and staged Fowler-Stephens (F-S) LOs. The success of orchidopexy was defined as a testis in the scrotum with no atrophy after surgery. RESULTS: From 1994, 80 children (101 impalpable testes) were treated using LO. Of these patients, 20 (25%) had impalpable testes on the right, 39 (50%) were on the left and 21 (25%) were bilateral. The testicular location was identified during laparoscopy as: intra-abdominal in 46, iliac in 14, in the internal ring in 22, 'peeping' in 12, behind the bladder in three and intracanulicular in four. Standard LO was used in 72 testes, a one-stage F-S in 20 and a two-stage F-S in nine (first stage two, second stage seven). The median (range) age of the patients was 18 months (0.5-12 years); the mean (range) follow-up was 5 (1-36) months. After orchidopexy the testis was scrotal in 90 (low 78, mid four and high eight), at the pubis in one and not stated in seven (no follow-up available). Four patients (4%) had testicular atrophy from failed F-S orchidopexies, two of whom had undergone previous testicular surgery and one caused by additional dissection around the vas. The overall success rate, including only those with follow-up, was 96% (90 of 94). Of the 20 one-stage F-S orchidopexies, 17 testes were successfully placed in the scrotum with no atrophy. The overall success rate for all F-S procedures was 85% (23 of 27). However, excluding patients who had previous testicular surgery or who required extensive dissection near the vas, 96% (23 of 24) of the testes were successfully placed into the scrotum with no atrophy. CONCLUSION: The high overall success rate in placing the testis into the scrotum through laparoscopic procedures is considerably better than reported in other series to date. LO is an effective method for managing intra-abdominal testes in children. Patients who had undergone previous surgery had a higher risk of developing testicular atrophy. The additional dissection around the vas almost inevitably leads to testicular atrophy.

A comparison study of laparoscopic versus open gastric bypass for morbid obesity.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (GBP) has been previously described, but a comparative study between laparoscopic and open GBP has not been reported. The purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes oflaparoscopic GBP with those of open GBP for treatment of morbid obesity. STUDY DESIGN: From August 1998 to September 1999, we prospectively collected outcome data on 35 patients with body-mass indices between 40 kg/m2 and 60 kg/m2 who underwent laparoscopic GBP. Demographics, operative data, perioperative complications, and weight losses were collected and compared with those obtained from a retrospective chart review of 35 patients with body-mass indices between 40 kg/m2 and 60 kg/m2 who underwent open GBP before August 1998. RESULTS: Age, gender, preoperative body-mass index, preoperative comorbidity, and earlier abdominal surgery were similar in both groups. All laparoscopic operations were completed without conversion to laparotomy. Mean operative time, operative blood loss, length of intensive care stay, and length of hospital stay were significantly less after laparoscopic GBP than after open GBP (p<0.05). There was no 30-day mortality in either group. At 1-year followup, analysis of the percentage of excess body weight loss showed no significant difference between the two groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass is technically feasible and safe. Laparoscopic GBP confers the clinical benefits of laparoscopy and an initial weight loss similar to that of open GBP.

The role of nitric oxide in obstructive nephropathy.

PURPOSE: Ureteral obstruction leads to tubulointerstitial fibrosis and loss of renal function. Nitric oxide production ameliorates fibrosis due to obstructive uropathy. However, nitric oxide is produced by 3 isoforms of the enzyme, nitric oxide synthase. We evaluated the role of inducible nitric oxide synthase in obstructive uropathy using nitric oxide synthase knockout mice, and determined whether the administration of L-arginine to promote nitric oxide synthesis by alternative nitric oxide synthase isoforms modulates renal fibrosis in these animals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Complete unilateral ureteral obstruction was created in wild-type C57 and inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout mice. Control animals of each strain underwent sham surgery. Throughout the experiment mice had free access to untreated tap water or water supplemented with 10 gm./l. L-arginine. Animals were sacrificed 1 and 2 weeks, respectively, after creation of unilateral ureteral obstruction. We obtained serum as well as bladder and obstructed renal pelvic urine, and determined the nitrite level in each fluid. Renal cortical thickness was measured in the normal and obstructed kidneys. The degree of tubulointerstitial fibrosis was evaluated by trichrome staining and type I collagen deposition in kidney tissue specimens. RESULTS: Nitrite was significantly decreased in the serum, bladder and renal pelvic urine of inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction compared with that in wild-type C57 mice at 1 and 2 weeks (p<0.05). In knockout mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction 1 week in duration that drank tap or L-arginine supplemented water nitrite in serum and each urine sample was higher than in sham operated knockout controls. The level returned to baseline after 2 weeks of obstruction (p<0.05). After 2 weeks of obstruction there was significantly greater cortical thinning in knockout than in C57 mice (p<0.05). Moreover, knockout mice given L-arginine supplemented water for 2 weeks had even greater cortical thinning than after 1 week or than mice given tap water for 1 to 2 weeks (p<0.05). Decreased renal cortical thickness in knockout mice after 2 weeks of obstruction was associated with less intense trichrome staining and a virtual absence of type I collagen deposition compared with findings in the wild-type C57 strain. CONCLUSIONS: Inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction have significantly lower nitrite in serum and urine than wild-type C57 mice. Knockout mice also have more severe renal cortical thinning than C57 animals after creation of unilateral ureteral obstruction. Providing L-arginine supplemented water to inducible nitric oxide synthase knockout mice exacerbates the loss of cortical thickness. Alterations in cortical thinning that we observed in knockout mice were associated with decreased tubulointerstitial fibrosis and a decreased net renal extracellular matrix accumulation. These data indicate that endothelial or neuronal nitric oxide synthase may be more important than inducible nitric oxide synthase for modulating renal fibrosis in obstructive uropathy.

Ibuprofen combined with antibiotics suppresses renal scarring due to ascending pyelonephritis in rats.

PURPOSE: In acute pyelonephritis renal scarring may be decreased by immediate antibiotic therapy. Unfortunately in children there is often a delay in starting treatment, which increases the likelihood of renal scarring. In rodents immediate antibiotic therapy is effective for preventing renal scar formation resulting from experimentally induced pyelonephritis. However, the same treatment beginning 72 hours after infection does not prevent renal scarring in this paradigm. We examined whether delayed administration of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent ibuprofen only or combined with antibiotics suppresses renal scarring in a model of ascending pyelonephritis in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An inoculum of 5x10(9) organisms per ml. of Escherichia coli strain BH-5 was instilled into the bladder of rats and the urethra was occluded for 4 hours. Groups of animals were and were not treated with 15 mg./kg. cefadroxil or 10 mg./kg. ibuprofen given twice daily for 5 days, or the 2 drugs combined. Treatment began 72 hours after inoculation. In an additional group of rats sterile phosphate buffered saline was instilled into the bladder. In each rat the kidneys were examined grossly and microscopically 6 weeks later. RESULTS: Combined antibiotics and ibuprofen significantly inhibited gross renal scarring compared with no treatment or antibiotics only (p<0.05). No difference in renal scarring was detected in animals that received no treatment versus those that received antibiotics or ibuprofen only (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Renal scarring resulting from acute pyelonephritis in this rat model is not decreased by delayed treatment with antibiotics only. The addition of ibuprofen to antibiotic therapy is effective for decreasing renal scarring due to acute pyelonephritis even when treatment is delayed for 72 hours.

Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass for super/super obesity.

Laparoscopic gastric bypass has been recently introduced as an alternative method to conventional open gastric bypass. This procedure has been generally limited to patients with a BMI <60 kg/m2 due to the possible technical limitations of the laparoscopic instruments. In this article, we present a patient with super/super obesity (61 kg/m2) who underwent Rouxen-Y gastric bypass using the laparoscopic approach.

Laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy for the high abdominal testis.

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic orchiopexy is extremely effective for treating patients with nonpalpable testis. However, despite the high dissection and wide mobilization it allows in some cases, vessel length prevents the testis from reaching the scrotum. There have been only incidental cases reported in which laparoscopy has been used for vessel transection and testicular mobilization orchiopexy. We reviewed our cases treated with the Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy performed laparoscopically in 1 or 2 stages. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of all boys who underwent laparoscopy for a nonpalpable testis at our institutions since 1992. Patients who underwent testicular vessel transection and orchiopexy performed laparoscopically in 1 or 2 stages were selected for evaluation. Office charts and operative reports were reviewed in detail. RESULTS: Of the 126 nonpalpable testes in 108 patients 51 (40%) were intra-abdominal, including 18 (35%) in 14 patients in whom the Fowler-Stephens procedure was performed laparoscopically. Five testes were treated with a 2-stage procedure, while 11 were managed by laparoscopic mobilization followed by laparoscopic vessel clipping and orchiopexy in 1 stage. In 2 additional patients nearly all dissection was performed laparoscopically but due to extenuating circumstances inguinal incision was required as well. Thus, 13 testes were managed by 1-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy, including all cases since August 1996 which required vessel transection. Two patients were hospitalized postoperatively for prolonged ileus after the second stage. All other 2-stage and all 1-stage cases were managed on an outpatient basis. There were no complications. At a mean followup of 6 months all cases without previous surgery that were managed by laparoscopic orchiopexy are without atrophy and the testes are in a scrotal position. Two testes in which previous surgery had been done atrophied postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic transection of the testicular vessels is safe in boys with high abdominal testes that do not reach the scrotum after laparoscopic high retroperitoneal dissection. The magnification and wide mobilization of laparoscopy likely allow better preservation of the collateral vascular supply than open exploration. Previous surgery is a risk factor for atrophy. The success rate of 89% overall and 100% in patients who did not previously undergo testicular surgery equals or exceeds that of open orchiopexy in patients with abdominal testes. The 1-stage procedure avoids repeat anesthesia and the extensive, sometimes tedious, dissection that is occasionally required during reoperation.

Penetrating ureteral trauma at an urban trauma center: 10-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: To review the evaluation and management of patients with penetrating ureteral injuries not associated with iatrogenic etiology. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 20 patients with penetrating ureteral injuries during a 10-year period at a Level 1 trauma center was performed. Data were collected regarding the mechanism of injury, initial urinalysis and radiographic studies, operative procedure, associated injuries, postoperative complications, and outcome. RESULTS: In general, patients were young (mean age 27.8 years) men (95%). All injuries were unilateral (14 left and 6 right), were primarily caused by gunshot wounds (95%), and were associated with other injuries (100%). Three injuries were to the proximal ureter, 7 to the middle, and 10 to the distal ureter. Admission urinalysis failed to show gross or microscopic hematuria in 25% of cases. Preoperative intravenous urography (IVU) was diagnostic in 25% of cases. Fifteen injuries were diagnosed intraoperatively, including 2 with diagnostic IVU. Delayed diagnoses were made in 4 cases at 3 to 11 days; two by IVU postoperatively and the other two by computed tomography. All patients were treated surgically by ureteroneocystostomy, ureteroureterostomy, or pyeloplasty. Every repair was stented for a mean of 38 days (range 10 to 72). All three major complications (ureteral stricture, persistent urinary leak, and ureterocutaneous fistula) were managed successfully. Thirteen patients with long-term follow-up demonstrated no evidence of obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Ureteral injuries must be considered early during the evaluation of penetrating abdominal injuries. The admission urinalysis may be falsely normal and initial IVU may be nondiagnostic. The diagnosis may be made intraoperatively or be delayed. The surgical repair should be stented, and long-term success can be anticipated.

Single system ureteral ectopia in boys associated with bladder outlet obstruction.

PURPOSE: Ureteral ectopia is frequently associated with dysplasia of the associated renal segment in girls with ureteral duplication. However, single system ureteral ectopia is an uncommon anomaly more frequently noted in boys. We report on 6 boys with single system ureteral ectopia into the prostatic urethra above the verumontanum, who presented with radiological and clinical findings of bladder outlet obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Antenatal ultrasound in 3 boys demonstrated renal abnormalities and postnatal studies suggested the diagnosis of posterior urethral valve obstruction. Older boys presented with symptoms suggestive of bladder outlet obstruction. RESULTS: An ectopic ureter inserting into the prostatic urethra was noted in all 6 boys. The distal ureter was dilated elevating the bladder neck causing outlet obstruction. Surgical management consisted of nephrectomy and transurethral endoscopic incision of the distal ureter or nephroureterectomy with reconstruction of the prostatic urethra. In 2 younger boys voiding dysfunction with inability to empty developed. CONCLUSIONS: Single system ectopic ureters in boys may present with symptomatic and radiological findings resembling posterior urethral valves. Surgical treatment should include nephroureterectomy with reconstruction of the hypoplastic prostate. Some patients may have later voiding dysfunction.

Epidermoid cyst of the scrotum extending into the true pelvis.

A 9-year-old boy presented with an asymptomatic scrotal mass that was separate from the testes. The workup included a scrotal ultrasound scan and voiding cystourethrogram. On surgical exploration, the mass was solid, separate from the testes, and extended into the pelvis. The mass was removed, and pathologic examination revealed an epidermoid cyst. This is an uncommon scrotal lesion in boys and may represent a monodermal teratoma or abnormal closure of the median raphe. To our knowledge, this is only the second case report of an epidermoid cyst of the scrotum extending into the true pelvis.

Myofascial wrap to treat intractable urinary incontinence in children.

OBJECTIVES: The management of intractable urinary incontinence in the patient with cloacal or bladder exstrophy/epispadias, failed bladder neck plasty, or failed augmentation cystoplasty remains a surgical challenge. The myofascial wrap, a modification of the rectus fascial wrap, was developed to treat intractable urinary incontinence due to sphincteric incompetence in these problematic cases. A full-thickness, vascularized pedicle of anterior rectus sheath, rectus abdominis muscle, and posterior rector sheath is incorporated into a bladder neck wrap to provide support, mucosal coaptation, and active muscular tone. METHODS: Eight patients (5 females and 3 males) with total urinary incontinence due to sphincteric incompetence underwent the myofascial wrap. Urinary tract pathology included cloacal exstrophy (2), female epispadias (2), classic bladder exstrophy (1), male epispadias (1), myelomeningocele (1), and a pelvic tumor (1). The procedure is performed by harvesting a full-thickness strip of pedicled rectus muscle along with the anterior and posterior fascial sheaths. The strip is passed underneath and then over the bladder neck in a near 360 degrees wrap. The free end of the wrap is anchored into the pubic bone in an ipsilateral subperiosteal pouch. RESULTS: Six of the 8 patients are completely continent, and 2 patients void spontaneously without the need for catheterization. CONCLUSIONS: The myofascial wrap provides support, mucosal coaptation, and muscular tone to an incompetent sphincter and bladder neck. Favorable results in a very difficult population of pediatric patients warrant its continued use.

Surgery versus observation for managing obstructive grade 3 to 4 unilateral hydronephrosis: a report from the Society for Fetal Urology.

PURPOSE: The Society for Fetal Urology has undertaken the first multicenter prospective randomized study of high grade obstructive unilateral hydronephrosis to evaluate the natural history of untreated obstruction and compare it to the benefits of pyeloplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since 1991, infants with isolated unilateral Society for Fetal Urology grade 3 hydronephrosis and ipsilateral obstruction with greater than 40% differential renal function on well tempered renography were studied. Patients were randomly assigned to observation or pyeloplasty groups. Renal ultrasound and well tempered renography were performed biannually for 1 year and yearly thereafter. Crossover criteria for surgery included concurrent worsening of isotope washout and increasing grade of hydronephrosis or a greater than 10% point loss in percent differential renal function that was noted between studies. The end point of the study was the 3-year anniversary of randomization. RESULTS: A total of 32 infants from 10 centers were randomized equally to 2 groups. The starting grade of hydronephrosis and percent differential renal function were similar between the 2 groups. At 6 months and 1 year the grade of hydronephrosis was significantly reduced (p < 0.02) and well tempered renography was significantly more likely to demonstrate no obstruction (p < 0.03) in the surgical group compared with the observation group. The mean percent differential renal function remained stable and similar in both groups. Reduced hydronephrosis and resolution of obstruction in the surgery group persisted as a trend at the 2 and 3-year anniversaries. In the observation group 4 patients (25%) showed enough renal deterioration to qualify for crossover to surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Infant pyeloplasty significantly improved the grade of hydronephrosis and drainage pattern at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively, when compared with observation. Renal function stabilization was similar for either management approach. However, 25% of the patients satisfied objective criteria of status deterioration requiring pyeloplasty.

Subclinical changes in bladder function in children presenting with nonurological symptoms of the tethered cord syndrome.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the urodynamic findings in myelodysplastic children with the tethered cord syndrome without urological symptoms to determine if occult bladder changes occur or if routine preoperative urodynamic evaluation is not indicated for this select population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative urodynamic studies were performed on children with myelodysplasia and the tethered cord syndrome between 1988 and 1994. Inclusion criteria were neurological or musculoskeletal surgical indications only, without urological status changes, radiographic confirmation of the tethered cord syndrome, and water cystometry performed preoperatively within 1 week and again postoperatively within 6 months. The parameters of interest included total bladder capacity and pressure, leak point pressure, compliance, uninhibited contractions, electromyelogram activity and sensation. RESULTS: A total of 20 children, 11 girls and 9 boys, 2.3 to 17.3 years old were included in the study. Worsening scoliosis and lower extremity weakness were the most common presentations. Urodynamic studies were conducted 1.8 days preoperatively (mean) and 104.3 days postoperatively (mean). Results were analyzed with regard to improvement or deterioration between preoperative and postoperative urodynamic studies. Of the 20 children 15 (75%) demonstrated improvement between the 2 urodynamic studies, including 10 who improved in 1 parameter (most often with resolution of uninhibited contractions), 3 in 2, 1 in 3 and 1 in 4. There were no significant postoperative changes for any of the specific parameters. Urodynamic studies identified 7 children with preoperative leak point pressures above 40 cm. water, of whom only 2 had decreased pressures below 40 cm. water, 2 had postoperative deterioration of compliance and 1 had preoperative detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. CONCLUSIONS: Routine preoperative and postoperative urodynamic evaluations in children with the tethered cord syndrome without clinical changes to urological status may be important. The majority of clinically asymptomatic children will demonstrate preoperative urodynamic findings that improve postoperatively, which serves as another marker of progress after spinal cord untethering. Moreover, some asymptomatic children will demonstrate changes to the urinary tract that merit management changes, such as detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia, elevated bladder storage pressures and poor compliance, which may have otherwise been delayed in recognition.

Urine levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in children with ureteropelvic junction obstruction.

OBJECTIVES: To determine if there are measurable quantities of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in the urine of children with either normal or pathologic conditions of the urinary tract, specifically vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) and ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO). We also sought to determine if the urine TGF-beta level could distinguish between renal obstruction and no obstruction. METHODS: Preoperative bladder urine from consecutive patients undergoing pyeloplasty (UPJO group; n = 13), ureteral reimplantation (VUR group; n = 11), or circumcision/orchiopexy (control group; n = 19) as well as urine from the renal pelvis of the UPJO group was collected. The urine level of TGF-beta 1 was measured using a quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. RESULTS: Urine level of TGF-beta 1 was detected in each group: control (26.6 +/- 6.3 pg/mL), reflux (22.1 +/- 9.6), UPJO-pelvic urine (82.4 +/- 19.3), UPJO-bladder urine (31.2 +/- 8.2). The urine TGF-beta 1 concentration in pelvic urine in the UPJO group was significantly higher than that in bladder urine in children in the UPJO group (p = 0.03). TGF-beta 1 concentrations were similar from the bladder of children in all three study groups (p = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Urine TGF-beta 1 is detectable in children with normal and pathologic urinary tracts. The level of this urine marker is elevated in the renal pelvis of children with UPJO compared to the level in the bladder of either obstructed or nonobstructed upper urinary tracts.

The effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition and angiotensin II receptor antagonism on obstructed rat bladder.

PURPOSE: Others have demonstrated that inhibition of angiotensin II production partially ameliorates obstructive changes in the neonatal rabbit bladder. We examined the effect of angiotensin II converting enzyme inhibition and receptor antagonism on the obstructed rat bladder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three groups of animals were investigated. Partial bladder neck obstruction was created in 23 rats by placing a 2-zero silk ligature around the vesicourethral junction. Eight rats were given untreated tap water, 9 were given water supplemented with 50 mg./kg. of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril and 6 were given water with 30 mg./kg. of the angiotensin II subtype AT1 receptor antagonist losartan potassium. Eight unobstructed rats served as controls. After 2 weeks of partial outlet obstruction the animals were sacrificed and bladders were harvested. Routine histological evaluation and assays for total protein, deoxyribonucleic acid and collagen content were performed. RESULTS: Histological evaluation revealed that administration of captopril or losartan potassium resulted in a mild decrease in the degree of obstructive bladder changes. Biochemically neither captopril nor losartan potassium caused a significant decrease in the amount of total deoxyribonucleic acid, protein or collagen content per bladder compared to untreated obstructed bladders. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to previous studies in neonatal rabbits, neither captopril nor losartan potassium significantly ameliorated the histological or biochemical features of partial bladder outlet obstruction in the rat. Further investigation is necessary into species specific differences to understand better the role that angiotensin II may have in mediating the bladder changes of experimentally induced obstruction.