Bilateral percutaneous nephrostomy as treatment for severe hemorrhagic cystitis.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of severe hemorrhagic cystitis successfully treated by bilateral percutaneous nephrostomy. METHODS: The case of a 67-year-old female patient who had monosymptomatic gross hematuria with clots is reported. RESULTS: Standard conservative treatments failed and the patient developed a clot-retention plugged bladder. Endoscopic evacuation and electrocoagulation of bleeding areas was unsuccessful. Due to persistent hematuria and development of renal failure and hemodynamic instability, bilateral percutaneous nephrostomy was performed. At 24 hours, hematuria ceased, patient recovered hemodynamic stability, and no additional blood transfusions were required. CONCLUSIONS: Bilateral percutaneous nephrostomy may be a valuable option for the treatment of hemorrhagic cystitis when standard conservative measures have failed and as a prior step to performance of other more invasive procedures.

[Emphysematous cystitis: case report]. / Cistitis enfisematosa:a propósito de un caso.

OBJECTIVE: To report one case of emphysematous cystitis and to review its diagnosis and treatment in the related literature. METHOD: We report the case of a type II diabetic 91-year-old woman with jaundice, hematuria, vomits, abdominal pain and poor glycemia control. Diagnosis was obtained by plain abdominal X-ray and ultrasonography, and confirmed by CT. E.coli was isolated in urinary culture. RESULTS: Antibiotic intravenous therapy with piperacillin-tazo-bactam, urinary bladder catheterization and strict glycemia control. The patient was discharged from hospital on day 5, with 14 additional days of orally administered amoxicillin-clavulanic and bladder catheterization. Complete clinical, radiologic and microbiologic resolution was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: Emphysematous cystitis is a rare entity, most common in diabetic women, which results from infection of the urinary bladder with gas-producing pathogens, mainly E.coli. Clinical presentation is variable. Emphysematous cystitis can be diagnosed radiologically, mainly with CT scan. The management consists of broad-spectrum antibiotics, strict glycemic control and bladder drainage. Emphysematous cystitis usually has a benign course, but complications may arise in up to 10-20% of cases, requiring surgical treatment.

[Splenosis simulating a renal mass]. / Esplenosis simulando una masa renal izquierda.

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of splenosis and to review its diagnosis and treatment in the related literature. METHOD: We report the case of an asymptomatic 49-year-old man with splenectomy performed when he was 22. Lumbo-sacral MRI showed a left perirenal mass probably with renal origin. RESULTS: CT scan ruled out the renal origin. Due to previous splenectomy, splenosis was suspected. 99mTc-labeled heat-damaged erythrocytes scan confirmed the diagnosis. No treatment was applied. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware that unknown origin masses, mainly in the peritoneal cavity, with a history of previous splenic trauma or splenectomy, might represent splenosis. A non-invasive diagnosis can be achieved with 99mTc-sulphur colloid scan, 99mTc-labeled heat-damaged erythrocytes or ferrumoxide-enhanced MRI, thus avoiding unnecessary surgical explorations.

[Appendiceal mucocele misdiagnosed with infected urachal cyst: a differential diagnosis to keep in mind]. / Mucocele apendicular confundido con quiste de uraco infectado: un diagnóstico diferencial a tener en cuenta.

OBJECTIVE: To report one case of appendiceal mucocele misdiagnosed with an infected urachal cyst and to review their differential diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. PATIENT: We report the case of a 74-year-old-male with abdominal pain, fever and dysuria. Hypogastric abscess image in ultrasonography and CT. Percutaneous drainage and antibiotic therapy. Opaque enema, colonoscopy and cystoscopy were normal. RESULTS: Exploratory laparotomy and resection of a large cecum-fixed mass, independent to the bladder. Appendectomy and cecectomy. Pathology showed an appendiceal mucinous cystoadenoma (mucocele). CONCLUSIONS: Appendiceal mucoceles and urachal cysts are uncommon, mostly asymptomatic. Cystoadenoma or cystoadenocarcinoma mucoceles are large and can reach the midline, confounding with urachal cysts. Diagnosis by ultrasonography and/or CT. Surgical treatment in both, keeping the mucocele intact during operation to avoid the risk of pseudomyxoma peritonei.

[Clinical-pathological study of incidental renal cell carcinoma]. / Estudio clinico-patologico de los adenocarcinomas renales incidentales.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the percentage of renal cell carcinomas incidentally diagnosed (IRCC) and to compare their clinical and pathological characteristics with symptomatic or non-incidentally diagnosed tumors (SRCC). METHODS: We retrospectively study 189 patients who were diagnosed of renal carcinoma between 1990 and 1999. 166 underwent surgery (149 radical nephrectomy; 17 nephron-sparing surgery). We determine the percentage of IRCC detected by radiological tests and compare them with the SRCC diagnosed after presenting with some of the classic symptoms or metastasis, with special focus on tumor size, pathology stage, tumor recurrence, progression and evolution. RESULTS: 87 SRCC (46%); 102 SRCC (54%). There are not differences in terms of age, gender, side, and postoperative hospital stay. Tumor size was higher in the SRCC (mean 8.5 cm) than in the IRCC (6.3 cm). SRCC tumor stage was: pT1 27.3%, pT2 27.3%, pT3a 23.8%, pT3b 16.6%, pT3c 2.3%, and pT4 2.3%; IRCC stage was: pT1 51.3%, pT2 25.6%, pT3a 10.9%, pT3b 10.9%, pT3c 1.2%, and no pT4. The percentage of patients with lymph node involvement was higher (p = 0.02) in the SRCC (15%) than in the IRCC (4.8%). The percentage of patients with metastasis at the time of diagnosis was higher in the SRCC group (26%) than in the IRCC (9.2%). Recurrences were more frequent in the SRCC Group (8.3%) than in the IRCC (1.2%) (p = 0.07). Tumor progression was more frequent in the SRCC group (34%) than in the IRCC (7.3%) (p<0.01). 76% of the patients undergoing nephron sparing surgery were IRCC. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there is a high percentage of IRCC (46% in our series from 1990-99). Renal tumors presenting as IRCC have better prognosis, since they have significantly smaller size, lower stage, less advanced disease, less recurrences, and less progression than SRCC.

[Cutaneous metastasis of a renal carcinoma: case report and review]. / Metastasis cutánea del cáncer renal: caso clínico y revisión.

OBJECTIVES: To report another rare case of skin metastasis from a renal adenocarcinoma, analyzing the prognostic significance, response to therapy, and clinical presentation after a bibliographic review. METHODS/RESULTS: We report the case of a 65-year-old male with a cutaneous metastasis in the root of his inferior left extremity one year after right nephrectomy for a clear cell adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Skin metastases usually present as solitary cutaneous lesions of variable macroscopic features and rapid growing; the diagnosis is made by histological analysis, being excision the treatment of choice whenever possible. Prognosis is better for solitary lesions appearing asynchronously with the primary tumor, and among them the longer the time after diagnosis of initial lesion they appear the better the prognosis.

[Urologic damage of the primary antiphospholipid syndrome]. / Manifestaciones urológicas del síndrome antifosfolípido primario. Vejiga neurógena.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a review and update of the antiphospholipid syndrome summarizing its urological presentations. METHODS: A complete bibliographic search was performed through PubMed MEDLINE and articles were reviewed with special attention to those bibliographic references about urological presentations. We document the unique and unpublished case of a patient with neurogenic bladder secondary to antiphospholipid syndrome. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: The antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired autoimmune systemic disease generating a permanent hypercoagulability status with recurrent multiorgan thrombotic events due to circulating antiphospholipid antibodies. It may be secondary to a heterogeneous group of diseases (mainly lupus) and drugs, or primary if it appears isolated without any demonstrable systemic disease or concomitant medication. It is mainly characterized by venous or arterial recurrent thrombosis, recurrent abortion, thrombocytopenia, and circulating antiphospholipid auto-antibodies. Treatment with anticoagulants and correction of the hypercoagulable status contributing factors, arterial or venous thrombosis, and vascular risk aim to avoid new thrombosis episodes. Genitourynary system may be affected in any of its parts, generally by arterial or venous thrombosis. Kidney is the most frequently affected organ, in addition to transplanted kidney grafts, adrenal glands, bladder and testicles. There is a relationship between antiphospholipid syndrome and infertility. For the first time, we describe bladder involvement presenting as hyperreflexic neurogenic bladder with detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia after spontaneous spinal cord thrombosis in an asymptomatic adolescent with primary antiphospholipid syndrome which was unknown before.

[Age of onset of urolithiasis: relation to clinical and metabolic risk factors]. / Edad de comienzo de la enfermedad litiásica: relación con factores clínicos y de riesgo metabólico.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the age of onset of urolithiasis in patients with urinary calcium stones and to establish the relationship between age of onset and clinical profile and metabolic risk factors. METHODS: A total of 500 patients with the diagnosis of calcium urinary lithiasis (average age 47.4 years, range 20-75) were asked regarding the age of onset of the disease. Age of onset of urinary stone disease was compared with other factors such as gender, family history of lithiasis, clinical course, unique or recurrent episodes, and metabolic disturbances found in a comprehensive metabolic evaluation, using the chi-square test for categorical variables and analysis of variance (one way-ANOVA) with the Scheffe test for continuous variables. RESULTS: Mean age of onset of urinary stone disease was 38 years (range 4-73 years). This age of onset was lower in patients with low diuresis (31 years), family history of urolithiasis (32 years), hypercalciuria (36 years), recurrent disease (37 years), and hyperuricosuria (37 years). Significant differences were found in patients who had family history of urolithiasis (32 years) vs. those who did not have (40 years) (p < 0.01); patients with recurrent disease (37 years) vs. patients with a unique lithiasic episode (43 years) (p < 0.001); patients with hypercalciuria (36 years) vs. those who did not have (39 years) (p < 0.05); and also patients with low diuresis (31 years) vs. those with higher diuresis (39 years) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The average age of onset of urolithiasis is significantly earlier in patients with low fluid intake habits, family history of urolithiasis, hypercalciuria and recurrent stone disease.

[Measuring the degree of patient satisfaction treated at an extracorporeal lithotripsy unit]. / Medición del grado de satisfacción del paciente tratado en una Unidad de Litotricia Extracorpórea.

OBJECTIVES: To determine by questionnaires the level of satisfaction of patients diagnosed of urinary lithiasis treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in our Renal Stone Centre. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with urinary lithiasis who underwent ESWL, 54 males and 46 females with an average age of 50 years, answered a Lickert type questionnaire (score 1 to 5) consisting of 6 questions to evaluate the patient satisfaction regarding the treatment received. The relationship between answers to each question and patient's clinical characteristics were analyzed applying chi-square and linear regression to determine the level of significance of these relationships. RESULTS: General satisfaction level was high, with a mean score of 4.33 for the six questions. The most valued question was the one referred to assistance received in relation to the planned medical one. Questions referred to treatment suitability, expected timing, and absence of complexity were also highly valued. The least valued question was the one referred to pain level during treatment, which level was kept in a good approval degree with a mean score of 3.81 despite the fact that some patients said they suffered more pain than expected. CONCLUSIONS: ESWL resulted in a high level of satisfaction among patients treated for urinary lithiasis, revealed not only by its suitability, easy planning and performance, but also by its low level of complexity. Pain experienced by these patients during treatment was well-tolerated, so that general use of anesthesia was not required.