The Piezo Actuator-Driven Pulsed Water Jet System for Minimizing Renal Damage after Off-Clamp Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy.

In the setting of partial nephrectomy (PN) for renal cell carcinoma, postoperative renal dysfunction might be caused by surgical procedure. The aim of this study was to clarify the technical safety and renal damage after off-clamp laparoscopic PN (LPN) with a piezo actuator-driven pulsed water jet (ADPJ) system. Eight swine underwent off-clamp LPN with this surgical device, while off-clamp open PN was also performed with radio knife or soft coagulation. The length of the removed kidney was 40 mm, and the renal parenchyma was dissected until the renal calyx became clearly visible. The degree of renal degeneration from the resection surface was compared by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining and immunostaining for 1-methyladenosine, a sensitive marker for the ischemic tissue damage. The mRNA levels of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (Ngal), a biomarker for acute kidney injury, were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Off-clamp LPN with ADPJ system was successfully performed while preserving fine blood vessels and the renal calix with little bleeding. In contrast to other devices, the resection surface obtained with the ADPJ system showed only marginal degree of ischemic changes. Indeed, the expression level of Ngal mRNA was lower in the resection surface obtained with the ADPJ system than that with soft coagulation (p = 0.02). Furthermore, using the excised specimens of renal cell carcinoma, we measured the breaking strength at each site of the human kidney, suggesting the applicability of this ADPJ to clinical trials. In conclusion, off-clamp LPN with the ADPJ system could be safely performed with attenuated renal damage.

Impact of Tissue Sealing Sheet on Erectile Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Nerve-Sparing Radical Prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: The tissue sealing sheet has recently been used to prevent intraoperative bleeding from the neurovascular bundles in radical prostatectomy. Surgical stress or inflammatory changes likely play a role in erectile dysfunction after cavernous nerve injury. However, the efficacy of a tissue sealing sheet for preventing erectile function after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy remains unclear. AIM: To evaluate the effect of a tissue sealing sheet on erectile dysfunction after cavernous nerve dissection. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups and subjected to sham operation or bilateral cavernous nerve dissection with (sheet group) or without (non-sheet group) a tissue sealing sheet. In the sheet group, cavernous nerves were sealed with a tissue sealing sheet immediately after cavernous nerve dissection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Erectile function was assessed by measuring intracavernous pressure and arterial pressure during pelvic nerve electrostimulation at 4 weeks after surgery. Expressions of interleukin-6, tumor growth factor-ß1, and heme-oxygenase-1 in the major pelvic ganglion were examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Mean intracavernous pressure along with mean arterial pressure in the sheet group were similar to those in the sham group and showed a significant positive response compared with the non-sheet group (P < .05). Furthermore, expressions of interleukin-6, tumor growth factor-ß1, and heme-oxygenase-1 were significantly lower in the sheet group than in the non-sheet group (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Use of a tissue sealing sheet attenuated postoperative inflammatory changes and oxidative stress and improved erectile function after cavernous nerve injury in rats. The tissue sealing sheet might become a useful therapeutic approach to preserve erectile function after nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy.

Chemotherapy with Gemcitabine and Cisplatin for Advanced Ductal Adenocarcinoma of the Prostate: Clinical Courses of Two Patients.

Ductal adenocarcinoma is an unusual variant of adenocarcinoma of the prostate with a poorly understood natural history, and its treatment is not well defined. Ductal adenocarcinoma is often diagnosed at an advanced stage, because no specific tumor markers are known. Docetaxel has been used for acinar adenocarcinoma of the prostate, a common type of prostate cancer, but it is largely ineffective for ductal adenocarcinoma. Earlier studies suggested that the chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin might be effective for ductal adenocarcinoma. Here we report two patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate that did not respond to docetaxel, but responded to the gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy. Patient 1 was a 59-year-old man who had lung metastasis despite androgen deprivation therapy with undetectable levels of prostate-specific antigen and who presented with brain metastasis during docetaxel chemotherapy. Pathological examination of the resected brain tumor revealed ductal adenocarcinoma with positive immunostaining for carcinoembryonic antigen. The gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy achieved partial response of the lung metastasis with serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels decreasing from 11.4 ng/mL to 2.9 ng/mL. Patient 2 was a 69-year-old man with lung metastasis. Local progression appeared during androgen deprivation therapy, and the subsequent transurethral biopsy revealed ductal adenocarcinoma with positive immunostaining for neuron-specific enolase. Bone and distant lymph node metastasis appeared despite docetaxel chemotherapy. Six courses of the gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy achieved partial response of metastatic lesions, with serum neuron-specific enolase levels decreasing from 118 ng/mL to 2.6 ng/mL. The gemcitabine/cisplatin chemotherapy is a potential option for treatment of advanced ductal adenocarcinoma of the prostate.

[Total penectomy for corpus cavernosum abscess: a case report].

Abscess of corpus cavernosum penis is a rare infection condition. A 69-year-old-man was referred toour hospital with gradual development of penis swelling. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis showed abscess formation in the corpus cavernosum. There was no apparent cause of his penile abscess from either history or clinical examination. Open drainage improved his clinical symptoms transiently. However, severe penile pain relapsed, and abscess progressively extended in the corpus cavernosum and spongiosum, necessitating total penectomy. The surgical specimen revealed intensive inflammation and his condition improved immediately after penectomy.

Stent failure in the management of malignant extrinsic ureteral obstruction: risk factors.

There is still controversy surrounding the indications for performing either a retrograde ureteral stent or percutaneous nephrostomy to manage malignant extrinsic ureteral obstruction (MEUO). We retrospectively analyzed 53 patients who underwent a decompression of MEUO using retrograde ureteral stent. Ureteral stent failure occurred in 18 of 53 patients (34%). Multivariate analysis showed that gastrointestinal cancer as the primary disease, poor preoperative performance status and severe preoperative hydronephrosis were independent predictors of stent failure. Based on the present data, we propose an algorithm for the management of MEUO.

Effects of a Novel Piezo Actuator-driven Pulsed Water Jet System on Residual Kidney After Partial Nephrectomy in a Rat Model.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate renal damage after off-clamp partial nephrectomy (PN) using a novel surgical device, piezo actuator-driven pulsed water jet (ADPJ) system. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups and subjected to sham operation, off-clamp PN by the piezo ADPJ system, radio knife, and soft coagulation, which have been used as thermal coagulation devices. Urine and blood samples were collected, and residual kidneys were harvested at 1, 7, 14, 30, and 90 days after PN. Serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and urinary and serum kidney injury molecule-1 KIM-1 levels were measured. Morphological features and the extent of renal ischemia of resection surfaces were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunostaining using antibodies to 1-methyladenosine, respectively. In addition, the expression levels of KIM-1 mRNA extracted from each resection surface were analyzed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were significantly lower with the piezo ADPJ system than with soft coagulation. Urinary and serum KIM-1 levels were also significantly decreased with the ADPJ. The extent of 1-methyladenosine immunostaining was significantly less with the ADPJ than with thermal coagulation devices. The expression levels of KIM-1 mRNA were also lower in the ADPJ system group. CONCLUSION: The piezo ADPJ system might attenuate renal damage after off-clamp PN.

[Long-term prognosis of incidental renal cell carcinoma--clinical analysis of renal cell carcinoma detected by our health checkup].

PURPOSE: We retrospectively evaluated the characteristics and long-term prognosis of incidentally detected renal cell carcinoma by health checkup. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1987 to December 2005, 556 patients were treated for renal cell carcinoma in our department. Among them, 56 patients were detected by abdominal ultrasonography in health checkup of our health care center. We reevaluated the pathological stage according to 2002 TNM classification and tumor type of renal cell carcinoma according to 2004 World Health Organization histological classification. Survival analysis was determined by Kaplan-Meier's method and log-rank test. RESULTS: Of the patients, 50 were male and 6 were female. The age of the patients ranged 37 to 68 years old at diagnosis (median 54 years). The tumors were located in the right kidney in 22 patients and in the left kidney in 34. Pathologically T1a tumors were found in 40 patients (71%), T1b in 13 (23%), T2 in 2 (4%) and T3b in 1 patients (2%). One case of T3b had N2 and M1 disease. The followup time after the operation ranged 3 to 215 months (median 121 months). Seven patients died of renal cell carcinoma. One of the 7 patients in T1a disease died at 64 months, 4 in T1b at 47, 91, 119, 163 months, 1 in T2 at 39 months and 1 in T3b at 13 months, postoperatively. The cause specific 10-year survival rate was 97% for T1a disease and 57% for T1b (p < 0.01), respectively. CONCLUSION: Most of renal cell carcinomas were T1a disease, which were detected incidentally by health checkup. The cause specific survival rate was significantly higher for T1a disease than for T1b. Our data suggested that early detection was important for good prognosis. The abdominal ultrasonography was only method for detection in routine health checkup and should be broadly implemented.