Contrast media reactions during voiding cystourethrography or retrograde pyelography.

Contrast media can be absorbed across the urothelium in amounts sufficient to cause severe anaphylactoid reactions. We report 2 cases of anaphylactoid reactions during voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) or retrograde pyelography (RGP). A retrospective review of 783 consecutive VCUGs or RGPs performed at our institution over the last five years revealed no other systemic contrast media reactions. Although our findings and a review of the literature discloses that the incidence appears to be extremely low, urologists and radiologists need to be aware that an anaphylactoid or vagal contrast medium reaction may develop during VCUGs or RGPs. In addition, these physicians need to be prepared to treat a reaction should one occur.

Intravesical oxybutynin chloride: experience with 42 patients.

To evaluate the efficacy of intravesical oxybutynin chloride, 42 patients who were incontinent secondary to uninhibited detrusor contractions and had failed oral anticholinergic therapy were begun on intravesical oxybutynin chloride. Indications for intravesical therapy were detrusor hyperreflexia (N = 20), detrusor instability (N = 19), and bowel/bladder overactivity after augmentation cystoplasty (N = 3). A 5-mg tablet dissolved in 30 cc of sterile water was instilled into the bladder two to three times daily via clean self intermittent catheterization. With a mean follow-up of 18.4 months, no patient reported side effects as a result of the intravesical therapy. Nine patients (21%) dropped out of the study due to inability to tolerate the catheterization or difficulty retaining the solution in the bladder. Eighteen of the 33 patients (55%) who followed the protocol experienced elimination or significant improvement of their incontinence. The results of the current study confirm the safety and usefulness of intravesical oxybutynin in treating uninhibited detrusor contractions in a difficult patient population.

Chemoattractant agents and nerve growth factor stimulate human spermatozoal reactive oxygen species generation.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the ability of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (f-MLP), complement 5a (C5a), and nerve growth factor (NGF) to stimulate human spermatozoal reactive oxygen species generation in fertile and infertile patients. DESIGN: Prospective, controlled study measuring human spermatozoal reactive oxygen species generation after addition of f-MLP, C5a, or NGF. SETTING: A large health maintenance organization. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: The fertile group consisted of 14 men with established fertility and normal bulk semen parameters. The infertile group was comprised of 8 men who were infertile after > 18 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. INTERVENTIONS: The sperm samples were subjected to four test conditions: f-MLP stimulation, C5a stimulation, NGF stimulation, and no stimulation (control). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Reactive oxygen generation was measured over a 15-minute period using the method of chemiluminescence. RESULTS: In both the fertile and infertile groups, reactive oxygen species generation was significantly enhanced by f-MLP, C5a, and NGF compared with controls. No significant difference in f-MLP- and C5a-stimulated reactive oxygen production was demonstrated between the infertile and fertile groups; however, there was a significant difference in reactive oxygen generation between infertile and fertile subjects when stimulated with NGF. CONCLUSIONS: The current study represents the first report of f-MLP-, C5a-, and NGF-stimulated reactive oxygen species generation by human spermatozoa. Nerve growth factor enhanced reactive oxygen species production to a greater extent in infertile subjects compared with fertile subjects. This points to a possible NGF-mediated biochemical defect in the sperm of infertile patients.

Mapping intravascular extension of Wilms' tumor with magnetic resonance imaging.

Accurate preoperative diagnosis of renal vein, vena caval, or intracardiac extension of Wilms' tumor allows the surgeon to better plan operative vascular control and assess the potential benefits of preoperative chemotherapy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and ultrasound were used to study four consecutive patients presenting with Wilms' tumor. Three had vena caval involvement, with one of these having a massive right atrial tumor thrombus. A fourth patient had renal vein involvement only. We found MRI to be superior to both CT and ultrasound for mapping intravascular extension of Wilms' tumor and for delineating nonvascular disease. Because of its noninvasiveness, multiplane imaging capabilities, and image contrast and resolution, MRI is a valuable complimentary imaging modality for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with Wilms' tumor.

Corporeal perforation or undersized prosthesis? The role of corpus cavernosum endoscopy.

At the time of revision for a unilaterally short penile prosthesis it sometimes is difficult to differentiate between an originally undersized implant and a proximal corporeal perforation. Intraoperative inspection of the corpus cavernosum with a cystoscope was performed in 2 instances and appears to be a simple diagnostic method to differentiate a proximal corporeal perforation from an undersizing of unequal corporeal bodies.

Stimulated reactive oxygen species generation in the spermatozoa of infertile men.

To investigate the possible similarities between the reactive oxygen generating systems of the leukocyte and the spermatozoa, and to identify possible biochemical differences between fertile and infertile patients, the effect of various stimulants on the production of reactive oxygen in fertile, fertile with varicocele and infertile patients was examined. Generation of reactive oxygen species by human spermatozoa was examined in 2 patient groups: a fertile group (14), which included 7 patients with a palpable varicocele, and an infertile group (16) composed of 7 patients with a palpable varicocele and 9 who remained infertile 6 months to 3 years (mean 20 months) after internal spermatic vein ligation. Various known stimulants of reactive oxygen generation in leukocytes were used to assess spermatozoal reactive oxygen production. Reactive oxygen species generation was measured by the technique of chemiluminescence. In the infertile group reactive oxygen generation was markedly increased by the calcium ionophore A23187 and the chemoattractants N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine and complement 5a (p < 0.05). In addition, fertile patients with varicoceles showed significantly enhanced chemoattractant stimulated reactive oxygen generation compared to fertile donors without varicoceles. This finding of a biochemical alteration in the sperm of infertile patients and patients with varicoceles may lend support to the argument for early varicocele repair.

Stimulated release of urine histamine in interstitial cystitis.

The diagnosis of interstitial cystitis is primarily made based on clinical and cystoscopic findings with exclusion of other bladder diseases. Despite all of the efforts at definitive identification, interstitial cystitis lacks universal objective findings. Mast cell activation with associated histamine release has been postulated as an etiological factor leading to the symptom complex associated with interstitial cystitis. To investigate this hypothesis, a 3-step controlled prospective study was conducted. In step 1 reliability of urine histamine assay was critically examined, and the assay was established to be simple, reliable and valid. In step 2 random spot urine histamine levels (basal state) were measured in 25 noninterstitial cystitis and 15 interstitial cystitis patients (22.1 +/- 0.95 ng./ml. versus 19.2 +/- 1.19 ng./ml.). There was no significant difference in the random urine histamine levels between the 2 groups (p greater than 0.05). In step 3 urine histamine levels were measured before and after hydrodistention (acute stimulation) in 7 noninterstitial cystitis controls and 6 newly diagnosed interstitial cystitis patients under general anesthesia. The urine histamine-to-creatinine ratio was used to correct for the dilutional effect of normal saline used during hydrodistention. The urine histamine-to-creatinine ratios of the control group showed no significant difference before and after hydrodistention. However, the difference in the urine histamine-to-creatinine ratios of the interstitial cystitis group compared to the controls before and after hydrodistention was highly significant (p less than 0.001). Although measurement of random spot urine histamine alone (basal state) was not found useful to make the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis, measurement of urine histamine before and immediately after hydrodistention (acute stimulation) may become an important objective parameter to assist in the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.