Distal urethral carcinoma: Contemporary management with phallus preserving techniques.

INTRODUCTION: Primary urethral carcinoma is a rare clinical entity with an incidence of 1 case per million in the United Kingdom. Cancers of the distal urethra are most commonly of squamous subtype and often associated with Human Papilloma Virus infection. Penile preserving techniques are recommended in tumours of the pendulous urethra with a number of surgical approaches described. Herein, we describe the surgical management of 7 patients presenting with primary urethral carcinoma. METHODS: Seven patients diagnosed with primary urethral carcinoma of the distal urethra were identified using a prospectively maintained penile cancer database at our institution from May 2017 to November 2020. RESULTS: The mean age at presentation was 56.5 (33-80) years. Presenting symptoms included visible lesion, LUTS and a groin mass. Three patients had lesions located within the glanular urethra and had a distal urethrectomy and primary closure. Two patients with lesions extending proximal to the glanular urethra and into or beyond the fossa navicularis had a distal urethrectomy with a hypospadic neomeatus formation. One patient with tumour extending into the glans penis underwent distal urethrectomy and partial glansectomy with split thickness skin graft. A partial penectomy was performed for one patient with urethral tumour invading the corporal heads. Mean follow-up was 23.4 (±17.0) months. There have been no disease recurrences to date. CONCLUSION: Penile preserving techniques are feasible in patients with tumours of the pendulous urethra and do not appear to compromise local control.

The Early Impact of COVID-19 on Urological Service Provision.

Aim COVID-19 has posed an unprecedented challenge to healthcare systems. We aimed to observe the impact on urological care delivery in an Irish university hospital. Methods Data on urological activity was prospectively collected for 3 months from March 2020. A retrospective review of the same period in 2019 was performed for control data. Results Over the 2020 study period, 356 urological admissions were recorded; a 23.1% decrease from the 2019 corresponding period(n=463). A 21.7% decrease in flexible cystoscopies was seen (162 versus 207). 125 theatre cases (36 off-site) were performed in the 2020 period, versus 151 in 2019. Emergency case load remained stable, with 69 cases in the 2020 period. The percentage of trainee-performed cases was preserved. COVID-era outpatient activity increased, to involve 559 clinic consultations compared to 439 the preceding year; a reflection of annual growth in service demand and facilitated by virtual clinic application (n=403). There were 490 instances of patients cancelling/failing to attend outpatient appointments, compared to 335 in 2019. Conclusion The Irish COVID-19 outbreak has created obstacles for urological care. Nonetheless, urgent/emergent urological cases persist. Our unit has managed this to-date with flexible adaptation of service delivery. The global challenge posed by COVID-19 will demand ongoing resourcefulness to minimise impact on patients with time-sensitive urological conditions.

Buccal mucosa urethroplasty: a 10-year retrospective review of maxillofacial and urological outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Reconstruction of a urethral stricture poses a difficult surgical problem. Anastomotic repair remains the gold standard. Strictures longer than 2 cm may require substitution urethroplasty. This is a retrospective review of all patients who underwent urethral reconstruction with an autologous free buccal mucosa graft at a Regional hospital between 1998 and 2009. METHODS: Variables recorded included; demographics: patient gender/age; follow-up period. Urology: pre-operative diagnosis/aetiology; presenting complaint; previous urological surgery, pre-operative retrograde urethrogram, stricture length, graft size, operative time/blood loss, morbidity, complications. Maxillofacial: pre-/post-operative inter-incisal opening, patency of Stenson's parotid duct, ipsilateral parotid swelling, sensory nerve deficit. RESULTS: A total of eight male patients were included. Mean age was 33 years. Two patients had one-stage dorsal onlay urethroplasty, and the remaining six had a two-stage BMG urethroplasty. All patients underwent a urethrogram 20 days post-operatively, which demonstrated no leak, and a good caliber grafted urethra in all cases. A flexible cystoscopy scope was accommodated in all patients 8 weeks post-operatively. Mean follow-up was 42 months. At long-term follow-up, there was no evidence of stricture formation, and all patients were voiding well. There were no long-term intra-oral complications. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that anterior urethral strictures up to 6 cm in length may be predictably and safely managed with buccal mucosal urethroplasty. The buccal mucosa is easy to harvest, and can be used successfully in one- and two-stage grafting procedures. The rate of complications, from both a urological and maxillofacial perspective, in the group of patients studied was low.

The effect of a Rapid Access Prostate Cancer Clinic on prostate cancer patient and disease characteristics, primary treatment and surgical workload.

BACKGROUND: In 2009, Rapid Access Prostate Cancer Clinics (RAPC) were introduced to St. James's Hospital to improve the access and organisation of patients to prostate cancer investigations and treatment. AIMS: To observe the effects of the RAPC on prostate cancer diagnosis, primary treatment and overall workload. METHODS: Using a prospectively designed patient database, the records of all prostate cancer patients between 2007 and 2011 were retrieved and analysed. Data were obtained for age, PSA, biopsy Gleason score and primary treatment modality and charted for the observation and comparison of trends. RESULTS: Seven hundred and eighty-nine patients had a new diagnosis of prostate cancer between 2007 and 2011. The median PSA prior to the RAPC was 9.7-13.1 ng/ml, which decreased to 7.79-9 ng/ml after the RAPC. Prior to the RAPC, 77-81 biopsies were performed annually versus 149-271 in the post-RAPC era. Annual requirements for radical prostatectomy also increased from 12 to 27 in the post-RAPC era. Conversely, an initially increasing percentage of patients for radiotherapy was reversed in the post-RAPC period. An increasing trend for higher grade PCa (Gleason score 4 + 4 and higher) was also reversed. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of a RAPC improves the overall pathological characteristics of patients with prostate cancer. However, RAPCs are also associated with a considerable increase in surgical workload. These are important considerations for units considering the incorporation of a similar facility in their institutions.

Emergency management of acute urinary retention: results from an all-Ireland urologist practice survey.

INTRODUCTION: Anecdotal evidence suggests that current service restrictions and operative cancellations are resulting in increased numbers of catheterized men in the community awaiting definitive management of their bladder outlet obstruction. We wished to analyse current admission policies and management strategies of acute urinary retention (AUR) secondary to benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) in Ireland. METHODS: A total of 58 consultant urologists practicing in Ireland were sent a questionnaire about their management of AUR secondary to BPE. Data was collected relating to initial emergency management, timing of trial without catheter (TWOC), their use of alpha-blockers and follow-up policy. RESULTS: Urethral catheterization is the initial management of choice by all 42 respondents. The patient is routinely admitted after catheterization by 20/42 consultants (48 %) and 22/42 (52 %) discharge the patient home with a urinary catheter (UC). TWOC is performed on day 2 in 11/20 (55 %) and on day 3 in 9/20 (45 %). In terms of individuals who admit patients presenting with AUR one failed TWOC is an indication for transurethral resection of the prostate in 10/20 (50 %), with 6/20 (30 %) performing a second TWOC on the same admission and 4/20 (20 %) discharging the patient for interval TURP. A total of 83 % of respondents, all of whom work in public institutions, expressed concerns relating to elective admission difficulties for definitive management of catheterized patients following AUR. CONCLUSION: There is variation in the admission policy for AUR in Ireland. Elective admission and operative restrictions for catheterized patients following episodes of AUR are causing concern to the urologists in Ireland.

Survival after incidental prostate cancer diagnosis at transurethral resection of prostate: 10-year outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The most appropriate management of incidental prostate cancers diagnosed at transurethral resection of prostate has been debated. It is important to determine the long-term outcomes to establish an appropriate management in patients with incidental prostate cancer. AIMS: We aim to determine 10-year survival and to identify the factors of worse prognosis of incidental prostate cancers diagnosed at transurethral resection of prostate. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients with pT1a-pT1b prostate cancers diagnosed between 1998 and 2003. Medical notes, PSA and pathology results were reviewed. Overall and cancer specific survival was calculated at mean 10-year follow-up. RESULTS: Sixty patients with incidental prostate cancer were identified (pT1a = 18, pT1b = 42). Fifty-one percents of the patients were managed on a watchful waiting strategy with overall 84% survival and 9.7% cancer specific mortality. Twenty patients (all with pT1b) received hormone therapy. Overall survival in this cohort was 50% with 20% cancer specific mortality. Nine patients received curative therapy (Radical prostatectomy = 4, Radiotherapy = 5). In this group, overall survival was 88% with no cancer specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Stage pT1a disease and preoperative low PSA were associated with favourable survival. However, for pT1b and/or high Gleason score (≥7), mortality was comparatively higher. Hence, patients with high Gleason score and/or pT1b disease should be considered for curative therapy. Additionally, active surveillance may have a role in selected men with incidental prostate cancer.

Gynaecomastia: an endocrine manifestation of testicular cancer.

Testicular cancer is the most common malignancy affecting young men in their third or fourth decade with an incidence of three to six new cases per 100,000 males each year. When diagnosed and treated in its early stages, it has an excellent cure rate. 7-11% of patients with testicular cancer present initially with gynaecomastia. This may precede the presence of a palpable testicular tumour or hormonal abnormalities. This article evaluates the association between gynaecomastia and testicular cancer and recommends appropriate management for patients presenting with gynaecomastia.

Transitional cell carcinoma of the upper ureter metastatic to the thoracic spine presenting as a spinal cord compression.

We performed a left nephroureterectomy for a gentleman with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper ureter. Histological analysis revealed it to be a T1 lesion, but to be highly mitotically active. The gentleman defaulted on adjuvant therapy and defaulted on follow-up. He represented with symptoms of acute spinal cord compression and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a lesion at T6/7. Neurosurgical resection of the lesion showed it to be a metastatic deposit from the ureteric primary. Despite surgical debulking and subsequent radiotherapy to the lesion, the patient died secondary to metastatic complications. This case report is of interest to the surgeon as it demonstrates both the high metastatic potential of upper tract carcinomas and educates the surgeon on the presentation of acute spinal cord compression.