Do retractile testes have anatomical anomalies?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the incidence of anatomical anomalies in patients with retractile testis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied prospectively 20 patients (28 testes) with truly retractile testis and compared them with 25 human fetuses (50 testes) with testis in scrotal position. We analyzed the relations among the testis, epididymis and patency of the processus vaginalis (PV). To analyze the relations between the testis and epididymis, we used a previous classification according to epididymis attachment to the testis and the presence of epididymis atresia. To analyze the structure of the PV, we considered two situations: obliteration of the PV and patency of the PV. We used the Chi-square test for contingency analysis of the populations under study (p<0.05). RESULTS: The fetuses ranged in age from 26 to 35 weeks post-conception (WPC) and the 20 patients with retractile testis ranged in ages from 1 to 12 years (average of 5.8). Of the 50 fetal testes, we observed complete patency of the PV in 2 cases (4%) and epididymal anomalies (EAs) in 1 testis (2%). Of the 28 retractile testes, we observed patency of the PV in 6 cases (21.4%) and EA in 4 (14.28%). When we compared the incidence of EAs and PV patency we observed a significantly higher prevalence of these anomalies in retractile testes (p=0.0116). CONCLUSIONS: Retractile testis is not a normal variant with a significant risk of patent processos vaginalis and epididymal anomalies.

Severe forms of concealed penis without hypospadias: Surgical strategies.

INTRODUCTION: Concealed penis (CP) may vary in severity and includes megaprepuce (MP) as a variant. Many different surgical strategies have been described in order to maximize penile exposure and to deal with skin deficiency. We describe the strategies that we use to overcome technical problems in severe cases of CP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six consecutive cases of severe CP (including 3 with MP) were treated in a 2-year period between January 2011 and April 2013. These patients were treated using extensive degloving, removal of dysplastic dartos, Alexander's preputial flap, scrotal flaps and skin grafts. Three patients had been previously circumcised. Cases associated with hypospadias, obesity, disorders of sexual differentiation and micropenises were excluded. RESULTS: All six patients attained good results, with good exposure of the penis, ability to void standing with a well-directed flow and reasonable esthetic results. A technical algorithm for the treatment of primary or recurring cases of CP is proposed. CONCLUSION: Alexander' s distally based ventral preputial flap is a useful technical resource to treat MP cases. Free skin grafts and/or laterally based scrotal flaps may be used to cover the penis after release in severe cases of CP.

Penile hair tourniquet resulting in hypospadias failure.

Penile hair tourniquet (PHT) is a painless form of penile ischemia, typically seen in toddlers with long-haired mothers, caused by entanglement of hair on the balano-prepucial sulcus, normally associated with circumcision. Its association with hypospadias has been reported only once. A school-aged boy admitted for surgery to treat hypospadias failure was incidentally detected to have PHT and severe hourglass deformity of the penis. Urethral anastomosis and glanuloplasty were done after removal of the constricting ring, without complications. Normal erections were reported during follow up. Treatment may involve urethral reconstruction and penile reimplantation in extreme cases.

Structural study of the cremaster muscle in patients with retractile testis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the structure of the cremaster in patients with retractile testis (RT), comparing the distribution of nerves, elastic system and muscles with patients having cryptorchidism and inguinal hernia (IH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 31 patients, 17 with RT (mean age=5.17years); 9 with IH (mean age=2.6) and 5 with cryptorchidism (mean age=3). A cremaster biopsy was performed and submitted to routine histological processing and studied using histochemistry and immunohistochemistry. The samples were photographed under an Olympus BX51 microscope. The images were processed with the Image J software and the cremaster muscle structures were quantified. Means were compared statistically using ANOVA and the unpaired t-test (p<0.05). RESULTS: There were no differences (p=0.08) in diameter of muscle fiber between the groups. The muscle fiber density differed between patients with RT and IH (p=0.02): RT (mean=17.71%, SD=16.67), IH (mean=38.06%, SD=14) and cryptorchidism (mean=21.47%, SD=16.18). There was no difference (p=0.07) in the density of elastic fibers in the three groups. We observed a lower concentration of cremaster nerves of patients with RT compared with IH (p=0.0362): RT (mean=1.72%, SD=0.58), IH (mean=3.28% SD=0.94) and cryptorchidism (mean=2.52%, SD=0.53). CONCLUSIONS: Retractile testis is not a normal variant, and presented a similar cremaster muscle structure as in patients with cryptorchidism. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II; prospective comparative study.

Adolescents and adults in pediatric urology clinics.

OBJECTIVE: Adolescents represent a significant proportion of the patients seen by pediatric urologists (PU). Adolescents that require long-term follow-up (FU) eventually need to be transferred to adult care. This research aims to describe the disease profile of adolescent and adult patients from a referral PU clinic, in order to allow future medical education and cost planning. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was made of cases seen in a PU referral clinic from January 1st to December 31st 2011. Patients were classified as child (≤12 years old), adolescent (12 < age ≤ 18 years old) or adult (>18 years old). Diagnoses and presentations were analyzed. RESULTS: 521 patients were seen: 404 children (77.5%), 103 adolescents (19.8%) and 14 adults (2.7%). Clinical profiles differed between the three groups. 43.7% of the adolescents and all adults were FU cases or patients with late sequelae of congenital diseases. Some diseases predominated largely in adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents represent a significant proportion of our PU clinics. Half of them are FU cases or present sequelae from previous treatments/diseases. Some adolescents do not adapt to adult care, and persist being followed up by PU.

Do retractile testes have anatomical anomalies?

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the incidence of anatomical anomalies in patients with retractile testis. Materials and Methods: We studied prospectively 20 patients (28 testes) with truly retractile testis and compared them with 25 human fetuses (50 testes) with testis in scrotal position. We analyzed the relations among the testis, epididymis and patency of the processus vaginalis (PV). To analyze the relations between the testis and epididymis, we used a previous classification according to epididymis attachment to the testis and the presence of epididymis atresia. To analyze the structure of the PV, we considered two situations: obliteration of the PV and patency of the PV. We used the Chi-square test for contingency analysis of the populations under study (p <0.05). Results: The fetuses ranged in age from 26 to 35 weeks post-conception (WPC) and the 20 patients with retractile testis ranged in ages from 1 to 12 years (average of 5.8). Of the 50 fetal testes, we observed complete patency of the PV in 2 cases (4%) and epididymal anomalies (EAs) in 1 testis (2%). Of the 28 retractile testes, we observed patency of the PV in 6 cases (21.4%) and EA in 4 (14.28%). When we compared the incidence of EAs and PV patency we observed a significantly higher prevalence of these anomalies in retractile testes (p=0.0116). Conclusions: Retractile testis is not a normal variant with a significant risk of patent processus vaginalis and epididymal anomalies.

Tratamento e complicações do refluxo vesicoureteral persistente além da adolescência / Treatment and complicatons of post-adolescent vesicoureteral reflux

Objetivo: Verificar o estado da arte no tratamento dos refluxos vesicoureterais (RVU) persistentes além da infância. Métodos: Revisão de literatura. Resultados: Foram revisados os dados de literatura com relação ao tratamento e às complicações do refluxo vesicoureteral persistente no adolescente e no adulto. Conclusão: Não há dados que permitam aconselhar o tratamento intervencionista (cirúrgico ou endoscópico) do refluxo vesicoureteral no adolescente e adulto, exceto em pacientes com lombalgia secundária à doença e infecção urinária (ITU) febril recorrente mesmo com tratamento clínico correto. A cirurgia aumenta o risco de complicações obstétricas urológicas obstrutivas sem modificar outras variáveis obstétricas, que são primariamente determinadas pela presença de cicatrizes renais e pela maior susceptibilidade a infecções urinárias, independente da presença de RVU em atividade. Não há dados disponíveis para analisar as conseqüências clínicas tardias do tratamento endoscópico do RVU depois da infância. A cirurgia por si mesma nãoimpede que ocorram complicações do RVU na idade adulta.

Objectives: To find modern guidelines to treat vesicoureteral reflux persisting in adolescents and adults. Methods: Literature review. Results: We reviewed literature data concerning treatment and complications related to persistent vesicoureteral reflux in adolescents and adults. Conclusion: There are no data to advocate surgical treatment of adolescent/ adult persistent vesicoureteral reflux, except for cases with lumbar pain secondary to reflux and recurrent febrile urinary infections despite correct clinical treatment. Surgery increases the incidence of obstructive ureterohydronephrosis and does not modify other obstetrical risks, which are primarily related to reflux sequelae (kidney scars) and susceptibility to urinary infections (independent of reflux). There are no data concerning late clinical consequences of endoscopic treatment for reflux in adolescents and adults. The surgery itself does not necessarily prevent later complications from reflux.

Estudo das artérias renais em fetos humanos / Renal arterial pedicle in human fetuses

O objetivo do presente trabalho é analisar a incidência de variaçöes anatômicas do pedículo arterial do rim em fetos humanos, e comparar estes resultados com resultados prévios obtidos em adultos. Foram estudados 140 pedículos renais, provenientes de 70 fetos humanos, näo fixados, em bom estado de conservaçäo e sem malformaçöes congênitas. A idade gestacional dos fetos estava compreendida entre 13 e 36 semanas pós-concepçäo. A árvore arterial dos fetos foi injetada com uma resina de micro-injeçäo, de poliéster vermelho, para preencher os vasos e tornar possível a identificaçäo e dissecçäo das pequenas artérias renais do feto. Dentre os 140 pedículos renais analisados, 36 apresentaram variaçöes arteriais (25,7 porcento dos rins estudados). Näo foram encontrados rins com mais de 2 artérias. Em 6 fetos, a variaçäo foi bilateral, com 2 artérias renais para cada rim. Näo houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os rins direitos e esquerdos. Também näo houve diferença estatística significante entre fetos masculinos e femininos