Subcapsular nephron-sparing surgical approach for small renal graft tumor: a case report.

Conservative treatment of renal cell cancer in kidney grafts is rare. Only six reports have been presented in the literature regarding nephron-sparing surgery in this setting. We report the case of a 38-year old man with a kidney transplant from a 72-year-old donor 2 years prior. Ultrasonography detected a renal exophytic mass (2 cm) in the lower pole, which was treated with open tumor enucleation by a subcapsular approach. No vascular clamping was performed, and minimal bleeding occurred. The kidney graft is well functioning, with serum creatinine of 1.6 mg/dL. The histological diagnosis was cromophyle renal adenocarcinoma.

[The usefulness of pelvic lymphadenectomy in bladder cancer]. / Utilidad de la linfadenectomía en el cáncer de vejiga. Revisión de la literatura.

OBJECTIVE: [corrected] To assess the usefulness of pelvic lymphadenectomy in bladder cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS: With the followings key words: "bladder cancer, lymphadenectomy, lymph node metastasis" we search in Medline/PubMed database for papers published during the last ten years. Thirty three papers fulfilling the search criteria were selected. CONCLUSIONS: It does not exist any randomized prospective study comparing different pelvic lymphadenectomy techniques. Nodal metastasis in bladder cancer after radical cystectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy ranged between 18% and 28%. Standard lymphadenectomy could improve tumor staging and probably survival in selected patients. It is advisable to remove, as a quality parameter, at least 10 to 14 nodes in a pelvic lymphadenectomy. Lymph node density seems to predict survival better than TNM staging system. It is advisable to perform separate lymph node dissection rather than en-bloc.

[Volume determinations of the whole prostate and of the adenoma by transrectal ultrasound: correlation with surgical specimen]. / Correlación ecográfico-anatómica de la medición del volumen prostático total y de la zona transicional mediante ecografía transrectal.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated whether preoperative transrecta ultrasound (TRUS) mesaurements of the transition zone (TZ) and total prostate volumen predict real prostatic weight. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We compare estimated TRUS volumes with surgical specimen weight, in surgically treated patients with localized prostate cancer (group A, n = 33) or benign prostatic hyperplasia (group B, n = 37). The volume was calculated by the ellipsoid formula. Both measurements were compared with surgical specimen weight, assuming 1 as specific prostate weight. RESULTS: Group A: mean prostate measured volume was 38.6 cc. (SD 22.7), mean RP specimen weight was 54,2 g (SD 27.2) (p = 0.001). Total estimated prostate volume underestimated prostatectomy specimen weight by 29%. In order to adequate the estimated volume to the specimen weight, we calculated the formula: estimated prostate weight = 0.95 x prostatic measured volume + 17,657 (p = 0.005). Group B: mean TZ measured volume was 62.8 cc. (SD 23.3), mean adenomectomy specimen weight was 79.9 g (SD 45.9) (p = 0.001). TZ estimated volume underestimated adenomectomy specimen weight by 21%. In order to adequate the estimated volume to the specimen weight, we calculated the formula: estimated TZ weight = 1.67 x TZ measured volume - 24,768 (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We found significative differences between TRUS measured volumes and real weight of surgical specimen. These differences could be corrected by simple formulas that allow to minimize the observed underestimations.

[Opened vs. laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in renal adenocarcinoma cost comparison]. / Comparación de costes entre la nefrectomía radical laparoscópica y la abierta en el adenocarcinoma renal.

PURPOSE: To undertake a cost comparison (cost minimization) between transperitoneal laparoscopic and opened nephrectomy in renal adenocarcinoma treatment. METHOD: Retrospective study on the first 26 patients submitted to LN without intra or postoperative complications in the period 2002-2003, using as control 22 patients treated with ON with the same characteristics and in the same period. Demographic variables were evaluated (age, sex, tumor size, etc.), intraoperative (operative time and fungible material used) and postoperative (length of stay in Postanaesthesic Care Unit, Acute Pain Unit needs and hospital stay). Our Hospital costs plus those imputed during year 2003 to the Urology Service, as well as the cost of fungible material for the same year were applied, carrying out a comparison of costs between both groups. RESULTS: There were no differences between the demographic variables between both groups except in the tumor, bigger size in the opened nephrectomy (p=0,001). Transperitoneal laparoscopic was 29,4% globally more expensive than opened nephrectomy. The transperitoneal laparoscopic intraoperative cost (operating room, anesthesia and fungibles) the exceeded in 151,6% to that of the opened nephrectomy, whereas in the opened nephrectomy the postoperative cost was a 63 % higher than in the transperitoneal laparoscopic cases. CONCLUSIONS: Transperitoneal laparoscopic in our Center is more expensive than opened nephrectomy due to a major occupation of operating room and that the specific fungible material used at the surgical act has a very high cost. It would be necessary to drastically reduce surgical time and decrease fungible material expenses, thus transperitoneal laparoscopic procedure could be competitive in our Hospital.

[Evolution of the clinical, echographic and pathological characteristics of patients with indication of transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy between 1994 and 2003]. / Evolución de las características clínicas, ecográficas y patológicas de los pacientes con indicación de ecografía transrectal y biopsia de próstata entre 1994 y 2003.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the evolution in the clinical, echographic and pathological characteristics of patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound and prostate biopsy over a 10 year period (1994-2003). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients undergoing a first biopsy of the prostate between 1994-2003 were studied retrospectively. Since the biopsy criteria have changed several times over this period, results were analysed for four different periods: 1994-1997, 1998, 1999-2003 (the latter was further divided into two periods--1999-2001 and 2002-2003--to observe the temporal evolution with the same biopsy criteria). Patients were assigned to risk groups according to D'Amico. RESULTS: We observed that individuals referred for biopsy and those diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC) had a lower mean age (p=0.0001 and p=0.01), there were more patients with a PSA from 4.1-10 ng/ml (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001), more patients had no significant DRE findings (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001) or ultrasound findings (p=0.0001 and p=0.0001). The incidence of cancer diagnosis has decreased from 39.4% to 34.3% (p=0.03). There was an increased incidence of score 7, at the expense of a decline in scores 5-6 and 8-10 and disappearance of score 2-4 (p=0.0001). Patients assigned to the low risk group increased from 9% to 18.1%, those assigned to the intermediate risk group from 20.2% to 43.1% and there was a reduction in those assigned to the high risk group from 70.7% to 38.7% (p=0.0001). Analysis of the final two time periods revealed that the evolution of the series remained the same except for a decrease in age at biopsy and diagnosis of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Nowadays, the risk factors of patients with an indication of biopsy have less weight than ten years ago. We currently diagnose patients with PC with more favourable prognostic factors. However, the price we pay for this earlier diagnosis is reflected in a less effective biopsy, a larger proportion of the population without PC having to experience the physical complications and psychological stress of a biopsy, a greater number of patients having to undergo a second biopsy and, therefore, a greater and more costly use of resources to diagnose PC.

[Primary seminal vesicle abscess: diagnosis and treatment by transrectal ultrasound]. / Absceso primario de vesicula seminal: diagnóstico y tratamiento mediante ecografía transrectal.

A 38 years old man with the only past medical history of bilateral orchiopexy 15 years ago is diagnosed of left primary seminal vesicle abscess. The patient is sent to our emergency service with an ultrasound finding of either dilated vas deferent or seminal vesicle abscess with hiperecogenic material inside it. The examination was performed after a 5 month history of purulent ejaculation. The diagnose of seminal vesicle abscess is confirmed by TRUS and, in the same procedure, drainage of the abscess was completed by needle-aspiration puncture. After this treatment the patient stay 12 hours at the observation room with intravenous antibiotics and is discharged home with oral antibiotics. We are interested in this case because of the low incidence of this pathology and the easy diagnosis and treatment by TRUS.

[Transdermal iontophoresis with dexamethasone and verapamil for Peyronie's disease]. / Iontoforesis transdérmica con dexametasona y verapamilo para la enfermedad de la Peyronie.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of transdermal iontophoresis with verapamil and dexamethasone in patients with Peyronie's disease of less than one year of evolution. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We have treated ten patients twice a week during six consecutive weeks using iontophoresis with a Miniphysionizer dispositive. This device generates a 2mA electric current during 20 min which triggers the transdermal penetration of medication. In every session dexamethasone 8 mg and verapamil 5mg were administered inside a small self-adhesive receptacle on the penile skin overlying the fibrosis plaque. To evaluate the efficacy, penile curvature was measured by Kelami's test, while the plaque size was assessed by penile ultrasound. Other parameters like pain, erectile function and ability for vaginal intercourse were recorded using questionnaires. Safety parameters were also assessed during treatment. RESULTS: No improvement or progression in penile curvature was evidenced in any of the patients. The hardness of the plaque was reduced in 5 patients, becoming impalpable in 2 of them. Decrease in plaque volume was observed by penile ultrasound in 6. Pain improved in 8 patients, disappearing in 6 of them. One patient recovered his erectile function at the end of the treatment; whereas 3 referred that their ability for intercourse enhanced while 2 reported that treatment improved their sexual life in general. We didn't record any significantly side effects, except for a transitory and slight dermal redness on the site of electrode placement. CONCLUSIONS: Transdermal iontophoresis is an effective treatment for pain control in early stages of Peyronie's disease. Efficacy in reducing penile curvature seems to be limited. Controlled clinical trials are needed, and perhaps reviewing indications in order to obtain more relevant clinical effects.

[Giant bizarre scrotal leiomyoma]. / Leiomioma escrotal bizarro gigante: a propósito de un caso.

OBJECTIVES: To review the diagnosis and therapeutic management of scrotal wall smooth muscle tumors by reporting an illustrative case. To emphasize that despite their histological characteristics on presentation, compatible with malignancy, these tumors have a benign behaviour, even when their size is much bigger than the ones found in the review bibliography. METHODS: 75-year-old male who presented a big, very slowly growing, painless, mobile, hard, not adhered to deep layers, non transilluminating scrotal tumor. RESULTS: Pathology reported a giant bizarre scrotal leiomyoma. CONCLUSIONS: We emphasize the atypical characteristics of this case, which despite its compliance with almost all classical criteria establishing the malignant character of tumor lesions has a benign behaviour. It complies with the criterion that, accordingly to reviewed bibliography, seems to be the most important to determine it: the absence of mitosis. We also insist on the importance of an adequate diagnostic approach which guarantees a proper surgical approach, for which we think ultrasound is essential.