[Prostate biopsy: Procedure in the clinical routine]. / Prostatabiopsie : Durchführung im klinischen Alltag.

Over the last decade there has been a 25% decrease in the mortality rates for prostate cancer. The reasons for this significant decrease are most likely associated with the application of urological screening tests. The main tools for early detection are currently increased public awareness of the disease, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided topographically assignable biopsy sampling. Together with the histopathological results these features provide essential information for risk stratification, diagnostics and therapy decisions. The evolution of prostate biopsy techniques as well as the use of PSA testing has led to an increased identification of asymptomatic men, where further clarification is necessary. Significant efforts and increased clinical research focus on determining the appropriate indications for a prostate biopsy and the optimal technique to achieve better detection rates. The most widely used imaging modality for the prostate is TRUS; however, there are no clearly defined standards for the clinical approach for each individual biopsy procedure, dealing with continuous technical optimization and in particular the developments in imaging. In this review the current principles, techniques, new approaches and instrumentation of prostate biopsy imaging control are presented within the framework of the structured educational approach.

[Giant bile duct stones in a patient with a 4-year remaining biliary stent]. / Tonnenkonkremente im Ductus choledochus bei einer 4 Jahre vergessenen, impaktierten Endoprothese.

We report on a 67-year-old female patient who presented in July 2005 with sudden onset of pain in the right upper abdomen. The patient had undergone cholecystectomy in 1987. Because of recurrent complaints in the right upper abdomen, a pigtail stent was placed into the common hepatic duct in 2001. When the patients presented now, the laboratory tests including liver enzymes were within normal ranges. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, however, revealed a remaining 10-French, impacted double pigtail endoprosthesis that was obstructed by sludge as well as multiple giant bile duct stones of 20 to 30 mm in size. The giant stones could be finally removed by the combined use of ESWL and endoscopic techniques. This case demonstrates that impacted stents may favour the development of giant bile duct stones that may result in clinical symptoms only after prolonged periods of time.

Complete gangrene of penis in patient with arterial vascular disease.

We present a clinical case of distal penile gangrene in a patient with peripheral vaso-occlusive disease that did not correlate with the extension of the intraoperative finding and required total penectomy. Surgical intervention at the onset of wet gangrene avoids the complication of sepsis.

[Plexiform testicular schwannoma. Rare differential diagnosis of a testicular tumor]. / Das plexiforme Schwannom des Hodens. Seltene Differenzialdiagnose eines Hodentumors.

In this report we describe the case of a testicular schwannoma in a human. Histologically, the tumor presented as a plexiform schwannoma. This rare benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor is an uncommon nodular variant of schwannoma, which mimics plexiform neurofibroma by its multinodular growth.

Extended radical lymphadenectomy in patients with urothelial bladder cancer: results of a prospective multicenter study.

PURPOSE: Previous studies demonstrate a positive correlation between postoperative survival and the extent of pelvic lymphadenectomies in patients with bladder cancer. However, the distribution of nodal metastases has not been examined in sufficient detail. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive prospective analysis of lymph node metastases to obtain precise knowledge about the pattern of lymphatic tumor spread. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1999 and 2002 we performed 290 radical cystectomies and extended lymphadenectomies. Cranial border of the lymphadenectomy was the level of the inferior mesenteric artery, lateral border was the genitofemoral nerve and caudal border was the pelvic floor. We made every effort to excise and examine microscopically all lymph nodes from 12 well-defined anatomical locations. RESULTS: Mean total number and standard deviation of lymph nodes removed was 43.1 +/- 16.1. Nodal metastases were present in 27.9% of patients. The percentage of metastases at different sites ranged from 14.1% (right obturator nodes) to 2.9% (right paracaval nodes above the aortic bifurcation). By studying cases of unilateral primary tumors or with only 1 metastasis we observed a preferred pattern of metastatic spread. However, there were many exceptions to the rule and we did not identify a well-defined sentinel lymph node. CONCLUSIONS: We strongly recommend extended radical lymphadenectomy to all patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer to remove all metastatic tumor deposits completely. The operation can be conducted in routine clinical practice and our data may serve as a guideline for future standardization and quality control of the procedure.

Simplified orthotopic ileocecal pouch (Mainz pouch) for bladder substitution.

OBJECTIVE: To report operative modifications that render construction of the orthotopic Mainz pouch more simple, namely formation of the pouch using absorbable staples and utilization of the ileocecal valve as an antireflux mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2001 and May 2002 out of 92 cystectomy cases, 21 patients (20 males and 1 female) underwent a simplified orthotopic Mainz pouch. The ureters were implanted via Wallace or Nesbit technique in the supravalvular portion of the ileocecal valve. The mean (range) age was 58 (43 - 74) years and the mean follow-up is 11.6 months (range 1 - 27). RESULTS: No staple-related complications were encountered. Four renal units (8.8 %) were dilated, one secondary to an impacted ureteral stone and three secondary to ureteral stenosis requiring reimplantation. At 6 months follow-up, 5 renal units showed reflux (11.1 %) but without any clinical symptoms. 86.5 % of patients void spontaneously without significant residual urine. Continence was achieved in 74 % of cases during day and in 74 % at night. CONCLUSION: The simplified Mainz pouch is a versatile form of continent urinary diversion. The use of absorbable staples has simplified the pouch creation and yields functional results which favorably compare with other pouch forms. The ileocecal valve serves as an anti-reflux-mechanism.