Giant adrenal myelolipoma: report of a case and review of the literature.

Myelolipoma of the adrenal gland is a benign, endocrinologically inactive neoplasm composed of mature adipose tissue and a variable amount of hematopoietic elements. Rarely giant adrenal myelolipomas have been reported in literature and they are very unusual clinical entities. We describe a case in a 72 year-old woman observed at our Department of Urology for nausea, flank and abdominal pain. The surgical resected mass measured 16.5x11.5x10 cm and weighted 1 250 g. A survey of the literature on this topic is made.

[Systemic adjuvant chemotherapy of bladder carcinoma with 5 fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide]. / Chemioterapia adiuvante sistemica del carcinoma vescicale con 5 fluorouracile e ciclofosfamide.

Patients with bladder cancer in pT2 and pT3 infiltrating stages have a 5 year survival rate less than 50% after primary surgical and/or radiant therapy. Aim of the present study was to evaluate if adjuvant chemotherapy could improve survival in these subjects. For this purpose, 16 patients underwent treatment with 5-Fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide (min. three, max six courses). The obtained results have shown a 5 year actuarial survival rate of about 48%. Our experience has not shown therefore any improvement compared with primary treatment alone.

[Transperitoneal nephrectomy of crossed ectopic kidney without fusion associated with stenosis of the pyeloureteral junction and pyelocaliceal staghorn calculi]. / Nefrectomia transperitoneale di rene ectopico crociato senza fusione con stenosi del giunto pielouretrale e calcolosi a stampo completa secondaria.

The authors report their experience on a case of crossed ectopic kidney without fusion associated with stenosis of the pyeloureteral junction and secondary pyelocaliceal staghorn calculosis. After a brief summary of the various types of kidney ectopia and related principles of operation they describe their case report underlying the rarity of their case and the surgical approach. They consider the anterior transperitoneal approach as the most indicated for this type of malformation as it permits a better surgical view of the kidney and of the vascular structures.

[Technical problems in achieving continence after radical retropubic prostatectomy by the "digitoclasia" technique]. / Problemi di tecnica per la continenza dopo prostatectomia radicale retropubica con tecnica "digitoclasica".

Radical prostatectomy today has become a frequent operation in all urology wards. An increasing attention is nowadays paid to the question of post-operation continence, which is considered a fundamental aspect for a good quality of life. The Authors propose two variations to the Walsh's technique: conservation of the distal sphincter obtained by "digitoclasic" isolation of the same and conservation of the proximal sphincter obtained by means of a personal preparation technique of the vesical neck and anastomosis of the same to the urethral stump. The record of cases, not large enough, and in particular some initial failures occurred during the finalization phase of the technique, do not yet allow to draw final conclusions.

[Our experience concerning scrotal traumatology]. / La nostra esperienza sulla traumatologia scrotale.

The Authors present their experience on 24 blunt scrotal traumas observed since January 1991. They underline the importance of an ecographic scanning that enables a precise evaluation of the traumatic event. Patients that present positive ultrasonic findings are promptly operated thus permitting bleeding and infection control. In this way gonadic function is restored and hospital care reduced. The diagnostic approach is presented, cases reported and results discussed. After a review of the literature on the topic they stress the role of Eco-Color-Doppler examination in scrotal blunt trauma for the intrinsic characteristics of precision, rapidity and non invasivity. This permits a nosologic evaluation of all types of blunt trauma and selects, for surgery, only those patients with a well definied diagnosis.

[Our experience with prostatic incision (TUIP) with local anesthesia]. / La nostra esperienza sull'incisione prostatica (TUIP) in anestesia locale.

The Authors present their experience in the treatment of prostatic obstruction with bladder neck incision (TUIP) performed under local anesthesia. An Hulbert 6 Fr endoscopic needle is used to infiltrate the prostatic area submitted to TUIP with 200 mg of Lidocaine 2%. The TUIP was done with a single deep incision at 7 hours using a 24 Fr Iglesias resector with Collins device. 28 patients with an age range from 69 to 85 years (mean 74) affected by IPB in an obstructed fase were submitted to this procedure. Various parameters were achieved for the selection of the patients: urodynamic diagnosis of low urinary tract obstruction, prostatic volume less than 50 ml without important prostatic median lobe, high anesthesiological risk, absence of correlated vesical complications. A clinical follow up was done at 1-6 and 12 months. The results obtained showed a good compliance of the patients treated with satisfactory urodynamic patterns. The Authors conclude that this less invasive approach, in selected cases, is the treatment of choice not only for low invasivity and morbidity rate but also for the reduced time of catheterization, hospitalization and costs.

[Our technique in orthotopic neobladder]. / La nostra tecnica di neovescica ortotopica.

The strive in the field of orthotopic neobladders derives from the need to improve their morphofunctional aspects and to simplify the surgical procedures. The Authors propose their experience on a new method of orthotopic neobladder in 8 patients submitted to radical cystectomy for advanced bladder neoplasia from march 91 until june 93. The surgical technique was to prepare a reservoir with a simile Camey 2 type procedure modified by them using 50 cm of ileus, 30 of which detubularized and reconfigured into a simile spheric shape with Polygia 75 staplers. The remaining length was left intact for the ureteral anastomosis performing the Wallace 1 type procedure. The advantages of this technique are that: the neobladder is prepared rapidly using staplers, thus reducing operating time the presence of an isoperistaltic segment of ileus for ureteral anastomosis permits an reduced ureteral mobilization with a low probability of reflux a simple reconversion in ileal conduit in case of reservoir failure or neoplastic urethral recurrence is possible. The criteria for selecting the patients are reported and the diagnostic algorithm regarding the follow-up presented. The latter is done with biochemical, echographic, radiological and pressure studies, every 4-6 or 12 months. Particular attention has been focused on the quality of life in relation to the diurnal/nocturnal continence and micturation interval. They conclude that this technique is surgically simple and rapid with satisfactory clinical and urodynamic results.

[Ultrasound-color Doppler in the study of sexual impotence]. / L'eco-color Doppler nello studio dell'impotenza sessuale.

Male impotence is a relatively frequency disease. To define the correct aetiology of this disorder is important to plan a right diagnosis to difference organic, psychological and psycho-organic causes. From June 90 to June 91 fifty-four patients with male impotence of different degree were observed and went through diagnostic investigations. The patients were classified in four groups (A, B, C, D) as clinical results of the pharmacological test (intracavernous injection of PGE1 alpha 15 micrograms). A and B groups showed normal and nearly normal hemogenic finding. C group showed either low arterial flow increase after FIC or venous leakage. D group showed very low haemodynamic increase. The analysis of Eco-doppler studies was performed 5'-10'-20' after intracavernous injection of PGE1 alpha obtaining three haemodynamic markers: the systolic top flow (Vs) the diastolic ending flow (Vd) resistance flow index. The Authors discuss the results obtained considering the Eco-color-doppler the most important stage in the haemodynamic evaluation of sexual impotence.

[The combination of extracorporeal lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostomy in the treatment of obstructive ureteral urate calculi]. / Associazione della litotrissia extracorporea e della nefrostomia percutanea nel trattamento della calcolosi ureterale ostruente uratica.

The authors report their experience with combined percutaneous nephrostomy and extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy to treat obstructive uratic ureteral stones. The role of nephrostomy is stressed as a diagnosis and treatment method before, during and after lithotripsy. Thus, the method proved especially useful to drain obstructed kidneys and restore peristalsis, to evacuate septic urine, to facilitate the elimination of lithiasic fragments, to perform anterograde pyelography before, during and after lithotripsy and finally to allow pharmacological litholysis. Fourteen patients were successfully treated with combined extracorporeal lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostomy and the results compared with those obtained with other techniques--e.g., ureteroscopy, whose value appears lower because the method requires general anesthesia and is more traumatic to the ureter. The authors conclude that combined extracorporeal lithotripsy and percutaneous nephrostomy make the best technique to treat obstructive uric acid stones thanks to their positive results, low invasiveness and to patients compliance.

[Neoadjuvant chemotherapy using cisplatin (CDDP) and methotrexate (MTX) in carcinoma of the bladder]. / Chemioterapia neoadiuvante con cisplatino (CDDP) e methotrexate (MTX) nel carcinoma della vescica.

From June 1986 to November 1989, 7 patients (pts.) with transitional bladder cancer were treated with CDDP 70 mg/m2 i.v. on day 1 and MTX 40 mg/m2 i.v. on days 8 and 15. The initial stage was T2 N0 M0 (2), T2 N0 M0 (8), T4 N0 M0 (4) and T3-4 N+ M0 (3). The median age was 56 years. After a median number of two cycles (1-5) of CDDP-MTX, 3/17 pts. (17.6%) had a complete remission (CM), 9/17 pts. (53%) a partial response (PR) greater than 50%, 4/17 pts. (23.4%) a PR less than 50%, 1/17 pts. (6%) a stable disease. Nausea and vomiting occurred in almost all pts., 20% of pts. had grade 3 stomatitis, 35% of pts. had diarrhoea, 20% of pts. had conjunctivitis, 7% of pts. had a bone marrow depression and hair loss. One patient had severe renal and liver toxicity and grade 4 bone marrow suppression with sepsis, completely controlled after intensive care. The treatment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was: radical cystectomy (11)- in one following radiotherapy -; partial resection + lymphoadenectomy (2); TUR (4) in 1 pt. with lymphoadenectomy. After a median follow-up of 28 months (6-36), 12/17, equivalent to 71% of pts. are disease free, 3/17 (17%) are alive with disease, 2/17 (12%) died. In conclusion the association of neoadjuvant CDDP-MTX can induce a high percentage of response, and can preserve bladder function in some patients. Further controlled trials and a longer follow-up are needed to better define the exact role of this combination in terms of disease free survival, total survival and quality of life.