[Anatomy and vascularization on the male urethra and penis]. / Anatomia y vascularizacion de la uretra y el pene.

In this review we present an update on the anatomy and vascularization of the male urethra. The real objective of this review is to make the following chapters more understandable, both to know the physio-pathological mechanisms of urethral pathology and also to help us in their surgical management.

Mortality prediction model for patients with bladder urothelial tumor after radical cystectomy. / Modelo predictivo de mortalidad en pacientes con tumor urotelial de vejiga tras cistectomía radical.

OBJECTIVE: Based on preoperative clinical and postoperative pathological variables, we aim to build a prediction model of cancer specific mortality (CSM) at 1, 3, and 5 years for patients with bladder transitional cell carcinoma treated with RC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 517 patients with diagnosis of cell carcinoma treated by RC (1986-2009). Demographic, clinical, surgical and pathological variables were collected, as well as complications and evolution after RC. Comparative analysis included Chi square test and ANOVA technique. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression to identify the independent predictors of CSM. The individual probability of CSM was calculated at 1, 3 and 5 years according to the general equation (logistic function). Calibration was obtained by the Hosmer-Lemeshow method and discrimination with the elaboration of a ROC curve (area under the curve). RESULTS: BC was the cause of death in 225 patients (45%). One, three and five-year CSM were 17%, 39.2% and 46.3%, respectively. The pT and pN stages were identified as independent prognostic variables of CSM at 1, 3 and 5 years. Three prediction models were built. The predictive capacity was 70.8% (CI 95% 65-77%, p=.000) for the 1st year, 73.9% (CI95% 69.2-78.6%, p=.000) for the third and 73.2% (CI% 68.5-77.9%, p=.000) for the 5th. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction model allows the estimation of CSM risk at 1, 3 and 5 years, with a reliability of 70.8, 73.9 and 73.2%, respectively.

Effect of adjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced urothelial carcinoma of the bladder treated with cystectomy. / Efecto de la quimioterapia adyuvante en el carcinoma urotelial de vejiga localmente avanzado tratado con cistectomía.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy (ADJ) in muscle invasive bladder tumor remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of ADJ on cancer specific survival of muscle invasive bladder tumor after radical cystectomy (RC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 292 patients diagnosed with urothelial bladder tumor pT3-4pN0 / + cM0 stage, treated with RC between 1986-2009. Total cohort was divided in two groups: 185 (63.4%) patients treated with ADJ and 107 (36.6%) without ADJ. Median follow-up was 40.5 months (IQR 55-80.5). Comparative analysis was performed with Chi-square test and Student's t test /ANOVA. Survival analysis was carried out with the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Multivariate analysis (Cox regression) was made to identify independent predictors of cancer-specific mortality (CSM). RESULTS: 42.8% of the series presented lymph node involvement after RC. At the end of follow-up, 22.9% were BC-free and 54.8% had died due to this cause. The median cancer specific survival was 30 months. No significant differences were observed in cancer specific survival regarding the treatment with ADJ in pT3pN0 (p=.25) or pT4pN0 (p=.29) patients, but it was significant in pT3-4pN+ (p=.001). Multivariate analysis showed pathological stage (p=.0001) and treatment with ADJ (p=.007) as independent prognostic factors for CSM. ADJ reduced the risk of CSM (HR:0.59,95% CI 0.40-0.87, p=.007). CONCLUSIONS: pT and pN stages were identified as independent predictors of CSM after RC. The administration of ADJ in our series behaved as a protective factor reducing the risk of CSM, although only pN+ patients were benefited in the stage analysis.

Influence of laparoscopic access in cancer-specific mortality of patients with pTa-2pN0R0 bladder cancer treated with radical cistectomy. / Influencia del acceso laparoscópico en la mortalidad cáncer-específica de los pacientes con cáncer de vejiga en un estadio pTa-2pN0R0 tratados con cistectomía radical.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Minimally invasive surgery represents an attractive surgical approach in radical cystectomy. However, its effect on the oncological results is still controversial due to the lack of definite analyses. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the laparoscopic approach on cancer-specific mortality. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective cohort study of two groups of patients in a pT0-2pN0R0 stage, undergoing open radical cystectomy (ORC) (n=191) and laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) (n=74). Using Cox regression, an analysis has been carried out to identify the predictor variables in the first place, and consequently, the independent predictor variables related to survival. RESULTS: 90.9% were males with a median age of 65years and a median follow-up period of 65.5 (IQR27.75-122) months. Patients with laparoscopic access presented a significantly higher ASA index (P=.0001), a longer time between TUR and cystectomy (P=.04), a lower rate of intraoperative transfusion (P=.0001), a lower pT stage (P=.002) and a lower incidence of infection associated with surgical wounds (P=.04). When analyzing the different risk factors associated with cancer-specific mortality, we only found the ORC approach (versus LRC) as an independent predictor of cancer-specific mortality (P=.007). Open approach to cystectomy multiplied the risk of mortality by 3.27. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, the laparoscopic approach does not represent a risk factor compared to the open approach in pT0-2N0R0 patients.