Three-Dimensional Computerized Model Based on the Sonourethrogram: A Novel Technique to Evaluate Anterior Urethral Stricture.

PURPOSE: The sonourethrogram is a useful alternative to the traditional retrograde urethrogram to evaluate anterior urethral strictures. With the development of 3-dimensional reconstructive techniques 3-dimensional urethral imaging can provide more accurate and useful information to enable the surgeon to make the best surgical decisions. We evaluated the accuracy and efficacy of a 3-dimensional reconstructed digital model of the urethra based on the sonourethrogram to assess anterior urethral disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 50 patients with an anterior urethral stricture and 10 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study from April 2014 to January 2017. All patients and volunteers underwent sonourethrogram and retrograde urethrogram. Three-dimensional urethral models were reconstructed based on the sonourethrogram. Stricture length and location on retrograde urethrogram or sonourethrogram based images were compared with those found at operation. RESULTS: The 3-dimensional digital model revealed the entire anterior urethra, including the navicular fossa, and the penile and bulbar parts. The semitransparent model clearly demonstrated the structure of the corpus spongiosum and inside the urethral lumen. Further information on spongiofibrosis could also be seen in the 3-dimensional digital model. There was no significant difference in stricture length or location in the 3-dimensional model compared with retrograde urethrogram imaging and actual surgical findings. However, the latest technique could only reconstruct the short segment of the anterior urethra due to the probe width limitation. CONCLUSIONS: The 3-dimensional computerized model based on the sonourethrogram is a novel and effective technique of evaluating anterior urethral strictures.

Intermediate-Term Outcomes and Complications of Long Segment Urethroplasty with Lingual Mucosa Grafts.

PURPOSE: We evaluated outcomes and donor site complications in male patients with complex urethral strictures who underwent urethroplasty using with long strip oral mucosal grafts. We also analyzed whether a lingual mucosa graft is a good substitute for repairing long segment urethral strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study was done in 81 male patients with complex urethral strictures who underwent oral mucosal graft urethroplasty. Patients with long segment (8 cm or greater) anterior urethral strictures who were considered candidates for long strip lingual mucosa graft urethroplasty were included in study. RESULTS: Oral mucosal graft urethroplasty was performed in 81 patients with complex urethral strictures between August 2006 and December 2014. Mean urethral stricture length was 12.1 cm (range 8 to 20). A single 9 to 12 cm long strip lingual mucosa graft was used in 52 patients, a lingual mucosa graft greater than 12 cm was placed in 17 and a lingual mucosa graft combined with a buccal mucosal graft was used in 12. Mean followup was 41 months (range 15 to 86) postoperatively. The overall urethroplasty success rate was 82.7%. Urethral complications developed in 14 patients (17.3%), including urethral strictures in 10 and urethrocutaneous fistulas in 4. At 12 months 5 patients (6.2%) reported minimal difficulty with fine motor movement of the tongue. CONCLUSIONS: Lingual mucosa harvested from the ventrolateral surface of the tongue can provide a wide and long graft that is an excellent urethral substitute. Donor site complications are primarily limited to postoperative year 1. Our study confirms that the lingual mucosa graft is a good substitute for urethral reconstruction and lingual mucosa graft urethroplasty is a valuable procedure to treat long anterior urethral strictures.

Single-Staged Improved Tubularized Preputial/Penile Skin Flap Urethroplasty for Obliterated Anterior Urethral Stricture: Long-Term Results.

INTRODUCTION: To present an improved tubularized flap (ITF) technique and report the outcome of single-stage urethroplasty using preputial/penile skin flaps (PSFs) for the treatment of obliterative anterior urethral strictures (AUSs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2000 to June 2012, 42 cases of obliterative AUS (3-14 cm, mean 6.38 cm) with urethral plate unsalvageable were treated using PSF-ITF urethroplasty including longitudinal skin flap, circular island flap, L-flap, Q-flap. Patients were divided into 3 groups: pendulous urethral stricture (Group A), bulbar urethral stricture (Group B) and panurethral strictures (Group C). Patients were followed up by uroflowmetry, urethrography and ureteroscope when necessary. RESULTS: The mean follow-up in these patients was 65 months (range 36 months-15 years). The primary success rates at 3-year follow-up were 75, 75 and 60% for Groups A, B and C, respectively. The overall success rates were 85, 83 and 70% with the remedial measure of a single visual internal urethrotomy at 3-year follow-up. A total 60% of the patients in the study completed more than 5 years of follow-up with no additional recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Improved tubularized preputial/PSF urethroplasty with relatively high overall satisfaction is a novel technique for treatment of AUS when there is inadequate urethral plate or obliterative defects.

Etiology and Management of Male Iatrogenic Urethral Stricture: Retrospective Analysis of 172 Cases in a Single Medical Center.

PURPOSE: To investigate the etiology and management of male iatrogenic urethral stricture in China. METHODS: The data of 172 patients with iatrogenic urethral stricture who underwent treatment at a high volume reference center in China from January 2008 to February 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. Databases were analyzed to understand the impact of different types of iatrogenic injury on stricture location, length and treatment of urethral strictures, as well as success rates. RESULTS: The most common type of iatrogenic stricture was urethral instrumentations in 80 patients (46.51%). Mean stricture length was 3.3 ± 2.54 cm and the longest strictures were those caused by intravesical instillation. Substitution urethroplasty was the most common intervention and was performed in 60.47% (104/172) of patients. The overall success rate was 85.00% (136/160). Univariable analyses revealed that the type of iatrogenic injury was significantly related to restenosis (p = 0.036), and it is more apt to postoperative restenosis in the type of intravesical instillation than others. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that urethral instrumentation is the most common etiology of iatrogenic urethral stricture, and most iatrogenic urethral strictures involve the anterior urethra. The different etiologies are closely associated with stricture location, length and the overall prognosis of urethral strictures.

Changing trends in the causes and management of male urethral stricture disease in China: an observational descriptive study from 13 centres.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there have been any changes in the causes and management of urethral strictures in China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The data from 4,764 men with urethral stricture disease who underwent treatment at 13 medical centres in China between 2005 and 2010 were retrospectively collected. The databases were analysed for the possible causes, site and treatment techniques for the urethral stricture, as well as for changes in the causes and management of urethral strictures. RESULTS: The most common cause of urethral strictures was trauma, which occurred in 2,466 patients (51.76%). The second most common cause was iatrogenic injures, which occurred in 1,643 patients (34.49%). The most common techniques to treat urethral strictures were endourological surgery (1,740, 36.52%), anastomotic urethroplasty (1,498, 31.44%) and substitution urethroplasty (1,039, 21.81%). A comparison between the first 3 years and the last 3 years showed that the constituent ratio of endourological surgery decreased from 54% to 32.75%, whereas the constituent ratios of anastomotic urethroplasty and substitution urethroplasty increased from 26.73% and 19.18% to 39.93% and 27.32%, respectively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: During recent years, there has been an increase in the incidence of urethral strictures caused by trauma and iatrogenic injury. Endourological urethral surgery rates decreased significantly, and open urethroplasty rates increased significantly during the last 3 years.

Factors that influence the outcome of open urethroplasty for pelvis fracture urethral defect (PFUD): an observational study from a single high-volume tertiary care center.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical features of pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) and assess the real effect of factors that are believed to have adverse effects on delayed urethroplasty. METHODS: An observational descriptive study in a single urological center examined 376 male patients diagnosed with PFUI who underwent open urethroplasty from 2009 to 2013. Analyzed factors included patient age at the time of injury, etiology of PFUI, type of emergency treatment, concomitant injuries, length and position of stricture, type of urethroplasty and the outcome of surgery. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied, together with analytical statistic methods such as t test and Chi-square test. RESULTS: The overall success rate of delayed urethroplasty was 80.6 %. Early realignment was associated with reduced stricture length and had beneficial effect on delayed surgery. Concomitant rectum rupture, strictures longer than 1.6 cm and strictures closer than 3 cm to the bladder neck were indicators of poor outcome. Age, type of injury, urethral fistula and bladder rupture were not significant predicators of surgery outcome. Failed direct vision internal urethrotomy and urethroplasty had no significant influence on salvage operation. CONCLUSIONS: The outcome of posterior urethroplasty is affected by multiple factors. Early realignment has beneficial effect; while the length and position of stricture and its distance to bladder neck plays the key role, rectum rupture at the time of injury is also an indicator of poor outcome. The effect of other factors seems insignificant.

Therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells on erectile function in rats with cavernous nerve injury.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (hUCBMSCs) on promoting erectile function in a rat model of bilateral cavernous nerve (CN) crush injury. RESULTS: Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to sham + PBS group (n = 10), BCNI (bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury) + PBS group (n = 10), BCNI + hUCBMSCs group (n = 30). At day 28 (n = 10) post-surgery, erectile function was examined and histological specimens were harvested. Compared with BCNI + PBS group, hUCBMSC intracavernous injection treatment significantly increased the mean ratio of ICP/MAP, nNOS-positive nerve fibers in the dorsal penile nerve, smooth muscle content, and smooth muscle to collagen ratio in the corpus cavernousum. Electron microscopy revealed few CN and major pelvic ganglion (MPG) lesions in the BCNI + hUCBMSCs group. Injected hUCBMSCs were localized to the sinusoid endothelium of the penis and MPG on day 1, 3, 7, and 28 post-intracavernous injection. CONCLUSION: hUCBMSCs intracavernous injection treatment improves erectile function by inhibiting corpus cavernosum fibrosis and exerting neuroregenerative effects on cell bodies of injured nerves at MPG in a BCNI rat model.

Crosstalk between TGF-ß1 and CXCR3 signaling during urethral fibrosis.

Urethral fibrosis is an important pathological feature of urethral stricture. TGF-ß1 and CXC chemokine receptor 3 (CXCR3) signaling have been reported as the critical pathways involved in the pathology of fibrosis. Here, we collected the urine samples from the patients with recurring urethral stricture, recurring stricture treated by cystostomy, and age- and gender-matched healthy people. ELISA detection revealed that TGF-ß1 level was significantly up-regulated for the urethral stricture patients. By contrast, flow cytometry, real-time PCR detection, and immunofluoresecent staining showed that urethral stricture resulted in decreased expression of CXCR3. TGF-ß1 treatment could increase cell proliferation and migration ability of urethra fibroblasts, whereas IP-10/CXCR3 signaling showed the opposite effect. Further, we found a crosstalk between TGF-ß1 and CXCR3 signaling in the regulation of urethral fibrosis. Thus, pharmacological intervention of TGF-ß1 or CXCR3 signaling has a potential as the therapeutic target for the prevention of urethral fibrosis.

Electrocautery-induced cavernous nerve injury in rats that mimics radical prostatectomy in humans.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the early and delayed effects of cavernous nerve electrocautery injury (CNEI) in a rat model, with the expectation that this model could be used to test rehabilitation therapies for erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical prostatectomy (RP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided equally into two groups (15 per group). The control group received CNs exposure surgery only and the experimental group received bilateral CNEI. At 1, 4 and 16 weeks after surgery (five rats at each time point), the ratio of maximal intracavernosal pressure (ICP) to mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured in the two groups. Neurofilament expression in the dorsal penile nerves was assessed by immunofluorescent staining and Masson's trichrome staining was used to assess the smooth muscle to collagen ratio in both groups. RESULTS: At the 1-week follow-up, the mean ICP/MAP was significantly lower in the CNEI group compared with the control group, at 9.94% vs 70.06% (P < 0.05). The mean ICP/MAP in the CNEI group was substantially increased at the 4- (35.97%) and 16-week (37.11%) follow-ups compared with the 1-week follow-up (P < 0.05). At all three follow-up time points, the CNEI group had significantly decreased neurofilament staining compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Also, neurofilament expressions in the CNEI group at both 4 and 16 weeks were significantly higher than that at 1 week (P < 0.05), but there was no difference between 4 and 16 weeks (P > 0.05). The smooth muscle to collagen ratio in the CNEI group was significantly lower than in the control group at the 4- and 16-week follow-ups (P < 0.05), and the ratio at 16 weeks was further reduced compared with that at 4 weeks (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the CNEI rat model, we found the damaging effects of CNEI were accompanied by a decline in ICP, reduced numbers of nerve fibres in the dorsal penile nerve, and exacerbated fibrosis in the corpus cavernosum. This may provide a basis for studying potential preventative measures or treatment strategies to ameliorate ED caused by CNEI during RP.

Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome in juveniles and adults with female phenotypes.

AIM: To report on six cases of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) and a review of the relevant published work. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of a total of six patients with CAIS who were admitted to our hospital between September 1985 and June 2012. All surgical patients were examined for sex chromosomes and sex hormone levels pre- and postoperatively, respectively, and underwent lower abdominal B ultrasounds and pathological examinations among other tests. RESULTS: Five of the patients were treated with castration, one patient aged 5 years was treated conservatively Tissue from surgical resections showed normal testicular tissue that comprised Leydig cells and Sertoli cells, and pathological examinations showed no sign of testicular cancer. Following corrective operations, postoperative complications, such as female secondary sexual characteristics, stagnation and osteoporosis, have not developed. Sex hormone level ratio changed significantly after being treated with castration compared with preoperative levels; mainly testosterone and estrogen decreased significantly (P < 0.05), while luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone significantly increased (P < 0.05). However, prolactin did not change significantly (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study show that removal of the testes in CAIS patients after puberty is safe and reliable. Meanwhile, it is essential to provide a hormone drug after being treated with castration. Further studies are needed to evaluate the safety and the quality of life for CAIS patients.

Optimizing anterior urethral stricture assessment: leveraging AI-assisted three-dimensional sonourethrography in clinical practice.

PURPOSE: This investigation sought to validate the clinical precision and practical applicability of AI-enhanced three-dimensional sonographic imaging for the identification of anterior urethral stricture. METHODS: The study enrolled 63 male patients with diagnosed anterior urethral strictures alongside 10 healthy volunteers to serve as controls. The imaging protocol utilized a high-frequency 3D ultrasound system combined with a linear stepper motor, which enabled precise and rapid image acquisition. For image analysis, an advanced AI-based segmentation process using a modified U-net algorithm was implemented to perform real-time, high-resolution segmentation and three-dimensional reconstruction of the urethra. A comparative analysis was performed against the surgically measured stricture lengths. Spearman's correlation analysis was executed to assess the findings. RESULTS: The AI model completed the entire processing sequence, encompassing recognition, segmentation, and reconstruction, within approximately 5 min. The mean intraoperative length of urethral stricture was determined to be 14.4 ± 8.4 mm. Notably, the mean lengths of the urethral strictures reconstructed by manual and AI models were 13.1 ± 7.5 mm and 13.4 ± 7.2 mm, respectively. Interestingly, no statistically significant disparity in urethral stricture length between manually reconstructed and AI-reconstructed images was observed. Spearman's correlation analysis underscored a more robust association of AI-reconstructed images with intraoperative urethral stricture length than manually reconstructed 3D images (0.870 vs. 0.820). Furthermore, AI-reconstructed images provided detailed views of the corpus spongiosum fibrosis from multiple perspectives. CONCLUSIONS: The research heralds the inception of an innovative, efficient AI-driven sonographic approach for three-dimensional visualization of urethral strictures, substantiating its viability and superiority in clinical application.

Clinical application values of a novel synthetic training simulator for bulbar urethral anastomosis.

Purpose: This study aimed to report a newly developed, high-fidelity synthetic simulator to simulate excision and primary anastomotic (EPA) bulbar urethroplasty and its clinical use for new practitioners in shortening the learning curve. Material and Methods: The bulbar urethral anastomosis simulator consists of several standardized components created according to the actual size of the male patient. Interns, novice residents, and fellows inexperienced with urethral reconstruction (n = 10, 5, 5) from different medical centres were invited to participate in the training programme. Two reconstructive urology experts monitored each practice. Following the training, three kinds of validity testing were used to assess the simulator: face, content, and construct. In the intern group, the task performance in the first five training sessions and the last five training ones were compared using a self-control approach. In the resident and fellow group, the real surgical data, including estimated blood loss, operative duration, and 6-month post-operative success rate of trainees after training, are plotted, which are compared with that of reconstructive urology experts (n = 5) included retrospectively to study the effectiveness of the simulator in shortening the learning curve. Results: The overall mean satisfaction rate for the simulators was inspiring and evaluated by experts. In the intern group, significant improvement can be achieved through 10 training sessions (p < 0.05). In clinical practice, the intraoperative indicators and surgical success rate of both the training groups showed the tendency to close or even better than those in the expert group. In terms of the learning curve, training groups performed better compared with experts in the early stages of their careers. Conclusions: In conclusion, this synthetic training simulator for bulbar urethral anastomosis is novel, effective, and convenient for beginners of different groups. The training course can bridge the gap between preclinical use and actual surgery via this simulator.

A rationale for procedure selection to repair female urethral stricture associated with urethrovaginal fistulas.

PURPOSE: We investigated a rationale for procedure selection to repair female urethral stricture associated with urethrovaginal fistula. We compared the outcomes of the 5 techniques used. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 1999 and October 2011, 44 female patients with urethral stricture associated with urethrovaginal fistula were treated using a total of 5 techniques. The surgical techniques were labial pedicle flap urethroplasty in 24 patients, vulvar flap urethroplasty in 3, anterior vaginal flap urethroplasty in 11, end-to-end anastomosis in 4 and bladder flap urethroplasty in 2. Supplementary procedures were performed in some patients during urethroplasty, including bladder neck reshaping for incontinence in 5, intestinal-vaginal fistula repair in 3, colpoplasty for island vulvar skin flaps in 3, middle vaginal stricture vaginoplasty in 2 and enlargement of the vaginal introitus in 1. RESULTS: Average postoperative followup was 42.3 months (range 6 to 140). Urethrovaginal fistula recurred in 2 patients because of infection, urethral stricture developed in 1 and stress incontinence appeared in 1. The other patients voided normally with an average maximum urine flow greater than 15 ml per second (range 16.7 to 46). The overall anatomical success rate was 93.18% (41 of 44 cases) and the functional success rate was 90.91% (40 of 44). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical procedures for treating female urethral strictures with urethrovaginal fistulas should be based on fistula location, stricture length and vaginal anatomy. A transvaginal approach might be optimal if the vagina is wide and easily dilated. Pedicle labial flap urethroplasty was a reliable technique for complex strictures.

Recurrence and complications after transperineal bulboprostatic anastomosis for posterior urethral strictures resulting from pelvic fracture: a retrospective study from a urethral referral centre.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the complications of transperineal end-to-end anastomotic urethroplasty in patients with posterior urethral strictures resulting from pelvic fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 573 patients, who underwent bulboprostatic anastomosis for posterior urethral strictures, were enrolled in this study. Distraction defects were measured using retrograde urethrography combined with voiding cysto-urethrography. All patients underwent perineal excision and primary anastomotic urethroplasty. The urethroplasty was considered successful if the patient was free of stricture-related obstruction and did not require any further intervention. The degree of stress incontinence was assessed daily by pad testing. The prevalence of pre- and postoperative sexual disorders was investigated using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire. RESULTS: Of 573 bulboprostatic anastomosis procedures performed, 504 (88%) were successful and 69 (12%) were not successful. The mean (sd) maximum urinary flow rate, assessed by uroflowmetry 4 weeks after surgery, was 20.52 (5.1) mL/s. Intraoperative rectal injury was repaired primarily in 28 cases. Recurrence of urethral strictures was observed in 10 (1.7%) patients during the first 6 months after surgery, and in 45 patients from 6 months to 1 year. All of these patients underwent re-operation. Twenty-four (4.2%) patients had mild urge incontinence and 28 (4.9%) had mild stress incontinence. Erectile dysfunction (ED) was present in two (<0.1%) patients before trauma and in 487 (85%) patients after trauma. There was no statistical difference between the incidences of preoperative and postoperative ED (85 vs 86%, P > 0.05). Nine (1%) patients were found to have false passage between the posterior urethra and bladder neck. CONCLUSION: The majority of complications associated with transperineal bulboprostatic anastomosis can be avoided as long as meticulous preoperative evaluation to define the anatomy and careful intra-operative manipulation are ensured.

The relationship between erectile dysfunction and open urethroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Various urethroplasty techniques have been used to treat urethral stricture. Whether the patient erectile function is affected by this open surgery is still controversial. AIM: The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between erectile function and open urethroplasty. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed using Medline, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases through October 2012 to identify articles published in any language that examined the effect of open urethroplasty on the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED). This meta-analysis was conducted according to the guidelines for the meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The incidence of ED after urethroplasty. RESULTS: This meta-analysis consisted of 23 cohort studies, which included 1,729 cases. No significant difference was noticed in patients with anterior urethral stricture before or after intervention (odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.52-1.40; P = 0.53). While statistical difference in the incidence of ED was revealed in patients before and after intervention for a posterior urethral (OR = 2.51; 95% CI: 1.82-3.45; P < 0.001), further comparisons demonstrated that most anterior urethroplasties did not have an obvious effect on patient erectile function. However, it seems that the incidence of ED was higher in the bulbar anastomosis group than in the oral graft urethroplasty group (OR = 0.32 95% CI: 0.11-0.93; P = 0.04). For the posterior urethroplasty, previous operative history did not show a strong relationship with ED. No statistically significant difference in the risk of ED was demonstrated comparing the posterior urethral reconstructive techniques included in this analysis. CONCLUSION: The adverse effect of urethroplasty itself on erectile function is limited, as more patients recover erectile function after urethral reconstruction. For anterior urethroplasty, bulbar anastomosis might cause a slightly higher incidence of ED than other operations. For posterior urethroplasty, trauma might be the main cause of ED.

Outcome of small intestinal submucosa graft for repair of anterior urethral strictures.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the feasibility of small intestinal submucosa graft for the repair of selected anterior urethral strictures. METHODS: From June 2009 to May 2011, 28 men (mean age 39 years) with anterior urethral strictures underwent urethroplasty using a four-layer small intestinal submucosa patch graft in an onlay or inlay fashion. The stricture was localized to the bulbar urethra in eight patients, the bulbopenile area in nine patients and the distal penile urethra in 10 patients. Failed hypospadias was observed in one patient. The mean stricture length was 4.6 cm (range 3.5-7.0 cm). RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 24.8 months (range 12-30 months). No postoperative complications, such as infection or rejection, were related to the use of heterologous graft material. The patients voided well postoperatively, with peak flows between 16 and 44 mL/s (mean 25.4 mL/s) in 26 patients. Two patients (7.1%) developed a urethral narrowing; this occurred at 5 months in one patient and 6 months in the other, and cystoscopy, which was carried out at 20 and 24 weeks, respectively, showed clear cicatricial tissue at the proximal anastomotic site. Dilation was carried out once every 4-6 months for recurrent stricture in one patient and lingual mucosal graft urethroplasty was carried out in the other patient at 18 months postoperatively. Biopsies were obtained in four patients at 18, 24, 36 and 42 weeks, respectively. Squamous epithelium with or without hyperkeratosis was observed on histological examination of the small intestinal submucosa-grafted areas. CONCLUSIONS: The small intestinal submucosa matrix appears to be a safe and effective reconstructive material for selective use in urethral reconstructive surgery.

Curcumin induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells by regulating the expression of IkappaBalpha, c-Jun and androgen receptor.

Curcumin possesses chemopreventive properties against several types of cancer, but the molecular mechanisms by which it induces apoptosis of cancer cells and inhibits cancer cell proliferation are not clearly understood. To evaluate the antitumor activity of curcumin for prostate cancer, we used an androgen dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cell line and an androgen independent PC-3 prostate cancer cell line as experimental models. We treated these cells with curcumin and then evaluated the effects of curcumin on cell cycle profiling and apoptosis, as well as the activation of NF-kaapaB and c-jun in these cells. The results showed that the ratios of apoptosis in LNCaP and PC-3 cells were significantly elevated in a dose dependent manner after exposure to curcumin. In addition, curcumin induces the G2/M cell cycle arrest of LNCaP and PC-3 cells in a dose dependent manner. Mechanistically, we found that curcumin upregulated the protein level of NF-kappaB inhibitor IkappaBalpha and downregulated protein levels of c-Jun and AR. These data suggest that curcumin is a promising agent for the treatment of both androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Three-dimensional spiral computed tomographic cysto-urethrography for post-traumatic complex posterior urethral strictures associated with urethral-rectal fistula.

To evaluate the value of three-dimensional spiral computed tomography/cysto-urethrography (CTCUG) in diagnosing posterior urethral strictures associated with urethrorectal fistulas (URF). Between June 2008 and March 2012, 38 patients with posterior urethral strictures associated with URFs were examined by CTCUG, retrograde urethrography (RUG) and cysto-urethrography (CUG). Urethral reconstruction was undertaken and URFs were surgically repaired in all patients. The length of the urethral defect, location and size of URFs were recorded. Data from radiological examinations were compared with surgical findings. No statistically significant difference was found in the length of stricture measured using CTCUG (4.31 ± 2.28 cm) or conventional urethrography (4.02 ± 3.12 cm; p > 0.05), However, the accuracy in determining the location of the stricture was higher with CTCUG (93.12%) than with conventional urethrography (70.59%; p < 0.05). CTCUG identified URFs in all 38 patients (100%), whereas URFs were only observed in 27 patients (71%) using conventional urethrography. In conclusion, CTCUG was more accurate, safer and provided more details of URFs and urethral defects than conventional urethrography in patients with posterior urethral strictures associated with URFs.

Flexible cystoscope for evaluating pelvic fracture urethral distraction defects.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the value of flexible cystoscopy versus conventional urethrography (retrograde urethrography and cystourethrography) in diagnosing pelvic fracture urethral distraction defects (PFUDDs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 2010 and June 2011, 120 male patients with PFUDDs were evaluated. In this study, all patients underwent conventional urethrography after admission. Flexible cystoscopy was also used for comparison, followed by conventional urethrography. The flexible cystoscope was introduced into the posterior urethra and the area was evaluated for the length of the proximal urethra and any possible fistulas, false passages, calculi or displacement of the posterior urethra. RESULTS: Severe allergic reaction or obvious discomfort did not occur in any patients after conventional urethrography or flexible cystoscopy. By comparing the data obtained from flexible cystoscopy to those from conventional urethrography, no statistical difference was found in the measured length of the proximal posterior urethra (4.31 ± 2.28 vs. 4.02 ± 3.12, p > 0.05). However, the rate of detection in other abnormalities was higher in flexible cystoscopy than in conventional urethrography (48.3 vs. 10.8%, p < 0.05). Seventeen (14.2%), 9 (7.5%) and 32 (26.7%) patients were detected with fistula, false passage and calculus, respectively, according to flexible cystoscopy. In comparison, fistula, false passage and calculus were only observed in 2 (1.7%), 7 (5.8%) and 4 (3.3%) patients, respectively, through conventional urethrography imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Flexible cystoscopy is a valuable procedure in the evaluation of the posterior urethra and bladder neck, and in patients with urethral distraction defects before surgery. More details about fistulas, false passages, calculi and urethral defects could be obtained through this method.

[Levels of cytokines and heat-shock protein 70 in the seminal plasma of patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic value and potentially protective capacity of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta) and heat-shock protein 70 (HSP70) in chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). METHODS: We determined the levels of cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and HSP70 by ELISA in the seminal plasma of 150 men: 36 with CBP, 43 with CP/CPPS IIIA, 46 with CP/CPPS IIIB, and 25 healthy controls. We analyzed the correlation of the HSP70 expression in the CBP and CP/CPPS patients with the chronic prostatitis symptom index (CPSI). RESULTS: Significantly increased levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and HSP70 were observed in the seminal plasma of the CBP patients as compared with the CP/CPPS patients and healthy controls. The expression of IL-1beta was significantly higher in the patients with CP/CPPS IIIA than in those with CP/CPPS III B and the controls, while the HSP70 level remarkably lower in those with CP/CPPS than in the controls, and its concentration in the seminal plasma of the CBP patients was negatively correlated with CPSI. CONCLUSION: The levels of HSP70 and IL-1beta in the seminal plasma appear to be most reliable molecular biological markers for the diagnosis of CBP and CP/CPPS, respectively. HSP7O has an important protective role in the regulation of cell functions in CBP patients. CP/CPPS is probably detrimental to the function of T cells and consequently suppresses the expression of HSP70.