[Anatomy and anatomical foundations of urethral surgery]. / Anatomie und anatomische Grundlagen der Harnröhrenchirurgie.

To achieve an optimal outcome after urethral reconstructive surgery knowledge of urethral and urogenital anatomy is mandatory. It is necessary to know the anatomical characteristics of grafts and flaps to achieve successful surgical results. An ideal graft is not yet available and an optimal surgical outcome depends on the technique of harvesting, graft handling and histological transplant characteristics. Surgical technique and experience are building a successful urethral surgery out of the challenge.

[Non-adjustable sling for treatment of male stress urinary incontinence]. / Nicht adjustierbare Bänder zur Therapie der männlichen Belastungsharninkontinenz.

Even though the artificial sphincter is still the treatment of choice in the surgical therapy of male stress urinary incontinence, recent developments have introduced numerous minimally invasive treatment options with acceptable clinical results. The male slings have been included into the EAU guidelines for treatment of male stress urinary incontinence. A distinct choice of patients and treatment options will lead to the highest chance of success. Besides the adjustable compressive slings, the non-adjustable and non-compressive AdVance Sling offers a possible option for a functional approach to treatmentratio. A critical assessment of all these methods remains essential and prospective randomized trials are still missing.

[Urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy]. / Harninkontinenz nach radikaler Prostatektomie.

Despite improved operative techniques the number of patients suffering from urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy cannot be ignored. The recommended therapy after radical prostatectomy is initially to attempt conservative therapy during the first 6-12 months. If there is no improvement in the incontinence an operative procedure is recommended. An artificial sphincter which has been established over decades has good long-term results but is also beset by diverse problems. Recently diverse minimally invasive procedures have been introduced for therapy of male stress incontinence which are effective due to compression or have a functional therapeutic approach.

[Stress urinary incontinence after radical cystectomy: neobladder construction and placement of the functional retrourethral sling]. / Belastungsinkontinenz nach radikaler Zystektomie: Anlage einer Neoblase und Einlage der funktionellen retrourethralen Schlinge.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) following radical cystectomy and orthotopic ileal neobladder construction represents a challenging problem. The incidence of incontinence following this surgery is reported to be 30-60% and is - despite a better understanding of the male (and female) pelvic anatomy - still regarded as an adverse outcome of this surgery.Therapeutic options have been limited up until now and include pharmacological agents, surgical treatment and pelvic floor training with only moderate amelioration of the symptoms and often unacceptable side effects. Nevertheless, urinary continence is probably the most important key to patient satisfaction. Here we introduce the perineal approach of the functional retrourethral mesh as a new and innovative sling suspension based on a non-obstructive procedure in a patient with urinary stress incontinence after ileal neobladder. The sling adjusts the changed anatomy after radical cystectomy returning it to the former preoperative position and thus continence can be achieved again. The approach of the sling in a patient with ileal neobladder is safe and the good result concerning continence is promising.

[Management of urethral strictures]. / Management von Harnröhrenstrikturen.

Urethral strictures represent a relevant problem, particularly among urological patients, since they can also develop in conjunction with endourological instrumentation. After functional and radiological diagnostics, the choice of an individualized treatment concept is foremost while taking into consideration minimally invasive endourological procedures and techniques of surgical reconstruction. The best long-term results for this disorder, which has a considerable tendency to recur, are achieved with open reconstructive methods whereas urethrotomy pursues a curative approach only in cases of short-segment bulbar urethral strictures without spongiofibrosis.

[Functional retrourethral sling. A change of paradigm in the treatment of stress incontinence after radical prostatectomy]. / Die funktionelle retrourethrale Schlinge. Ein Paradigmenwechsel in der Therapie der Belastungsinkontinenz nach radikaler Prostatektomie.

The ever rising number of radical prostatectomies entails an increasing number of patients suffering from postoperative stress incontinence. Several minimally invasive techniques exist as surgical intervention options. All these procedures are based on an obstruction of the urethra. The functional retrourethral sling is a new and innovative sling suspension, which offers for the first time a non-obstructive functional therapeutic approach. The sling adjusts the changed anatomy after radical prostatectomy and exerts its effect by repositioning the lax and descended supporting structures of the sphincter in the former preoperative position. Thus continence can be achieved again. The success rate of this new technique is very good, yielding good results regarding both improving incontinence and continence rate. This new technique is secure and the results are reproducible.

Anti- and pro-oxidant factors and endothelial dysfunction in chronic cigarette smokers with coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial dysfunction in cigarette smokers has been ascribed to increased oxidative damage. The aims of the present study were to compare the endothelial function of normotensive smokers with that of non-smokers and to examine its relation to some parameters representative of oxidative damage and of antioxidant capacity. METHODS: We investigated 32 chronic smokers (15-30 cigarettes daily) affected by coronary heart disease, ranging from acute myocardial infarction to instable angina pectoris, and 28 matched non-smokers without any definite risk factors. All subjects underwent assessment of nitric oxide (NO)-dependent endothelial function, measured as brachial artery vasodilatation in response to reactive ischemia, using a standardized echographic method. Plasma and urinary levels of NO were also measured in all subjects, as were urinary 15-isoprostane F(2t), plasma serum lipids, homocysteine (Hcy), ascorbic acid, retinol, tocopherol, and alpha- and beta-carotene (by high-performance liquid chromatography). RESULTS: Smokers showed a significantly lower NO-mediated vasodilatation response (3.50% vs. 6.18%, p<0.001) and higher levels of urinary NO metabolites and 15-isoprostane F(2t). They also had higher levels of Hcy (p<0.001); these values were significantly and inversely related to NO serum levels (r=-0.512, p<0.001). Moreover, smokers had a significant and corresponding reduction in circulating levels of ascorbic acid, tocopherol, and alpha- and beta-carotene. CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows a clear relation between endothelial dysfunction (NO production impairment) and cigarette smoking, especially in the presence of high levels of LDL-cholesterol. It also defines some markers of both oxidative damage and antioxidant protective capacity in this condition. The monitoring of these factors may be advisable in order to assess the amount of endothelial damage.

[Vaginal colonization of the Streptococcus agalactiae in pregnant woman in Tunisia: risk factors and susceptibility of isolates to antibiotics]. / Portage vaginal de Streptococcus agalactiae chez la femme enceinte en Tunisie : facteurs de risque et sensibilité aux antibiotiques des isolats.

Streptococcus agalactiae or Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is one of the main bacterial causes of serious infections in newborns. We have evaluated prospectively GBS vaginal colonization in pregnant women and we have tried to determine the risk factors of the colonization by GBS and the particularities of the different isolated strains. We have screened 300 pregnant women with vaginal and anal sample in a same swab. Thirty nine (13%) pregnant women are colonized by SGB, 0% in the first trimester, 10.2% in the second trimester and 17% in the third trimester. Different factors are associated significantly with GBS colonization: past history of infection in newborns, genital infection during pregnancy and parity The highest rates of resistance are found in tetracycline (97.4%), erythromycin (51.3%) and lincomycin (46.2%). All the strains were susceptible to amoxicilin and pristinamycin.

Interim outcome of the single stage dorsal inlay skin graft for complex hypospadias reoperations.

PURPOSE: Despite high success rates for primary hypospadias repair, some cases require multiple procedures for ultimate reconstruction. We report our experience with single stage dorsal inlay urethroplasty using skin grafts for complex reoperations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 31 patients (mean age 13.8 years) with failed previous hypospadias surgery were included in the study. Indications included fistulas, strictures, diverticula and repair breakdown. The urethral plate had been removed or was severely scarred in all patients. A free penile or groin skin graft was sutured and quilted to the corpora cavernosa, guaranteeing sufficient blood supply. The neourethra was tubularized and covered with a tunica vaginalis or dartos flap, followed by glanuloplasty. Outcome analysis included urethrograms, urethral ultrasound and flow measurements. RESULTS: Foreskin was used in 15 cases, penile skin in 12 and inguinal skin in 4. Average graft length was 3.92 cm. A total of 20 patients required glanuloplasty with a skin graft extended to the tip of the glans. After a mean followup of 30.71 months 5 patients underwent redo surgery, for a complication rate of 16.1%. Urethral stricture of the proximal anastomosis was the most frequent finding. CONCLUSIONS: This single stage approach using dorsal skin grafts is a reliable method to create a substitute urethral plate for tubularization. Complication rates are equivalent to those of staged procedures. Foreskin should be used as a graft donor site to optimize the outcome if available. This approach represents a safe option for reoperations even if the urethral plate or midline penile skin is grossly scarred.

[Urethral trauma]. / Harnröhrentraumen.

Urethral lesions may be caused by blunt or penetrating objects in the course of accidents, or can be iatrogenic resulting from invasive measures such as catheterization or other major surgical measures (prostatectomy or sling operations for continence). They can also be caused by foreign bodies deliberately introduced into the urethra. Injuries may primarily affect the anterior or posterior urethra. Urethral reconstruction presupposes knowledge of the precise anatomy of the pelvic region. The surgical techniques used and the timing of reconstructive procedures will depend on the cause and nature of the urethral injury. A definitive surgical intervention in most cases of lesions resulting from accidents is not generally recommended, especially when the lesion is in the posterior urethra. A treatment algorithm should prevent post-surgical complications such as incontinence, impotence, recurring urinary tract infections, etc., necessitating multiple operations, and assure an adequate quality of life. Diagnostic clarification of the exact nature of urethral injuries requires high quality imaging studies by specialists in the field.

Late occurrence of bilateral tuberculous-like epididymo-orchitis after intravesical bacille Calmette-Guérin therapy for superficial bladder carcinoma.

We report a case of bilateral tuberculous-like epididymo-orchitis occurring 3 years after intravesical bacille Calmette-Guérin instillation therapy in an 83-year-old patient with proven superficial bladder carcinoma. The patient had no previous history of tuberculosis. Because of persistent inflammation and painful swelling of the epididymides and testes, the patient underwent bilateral orchiectomy. This case demonstrates the late adverse effects that can occur after intravesical BCG therapy, which in our patient ended in surgical removal of both gonads.

Three-dimensional transrectal ultrasound of the male urethral rhabdosphincter.

The rhabdosphincter of the male urethra is an omega-shaped loop of striated muscle fibers that surrounds the membranous urethra at its lateral and anterior aspects. We investigated whether this muscle can be visualized by means of three-dimensional ultrasound to define morphological and dynamic ultrasound criteria. We examined the rhabdosphincter of the male urethra in 77 patients by means of this new imaging technique; 37 patients presented with urinary stress incontinence after transurethral resection of the prostate or radical prostatectomy while 40 were fully continent after radical prostatectomy and served as a control group. Contractility of the muscle was quantified by a specially defined parameter (rhabdosphincter-urethra distance). The anatomical arrangement and the contractions of the rhabdosphincter-loop could be clearly visualized in three-dimensional transrectal and transurethral ultrasound; during contraction the rhabdosphincter retracts the urethra, pulling it towards the rectum. We detected defects and postoperative scarrings in the majority of the patients with postoperative urinary stress incontinence. Furthermore, the patients presented with thinnings in parts of the muscle and atrophies of the rhabdosphincter. The rhabdosphincter-urethra distance was significantly lower in the incontinent group than in the continent group (59 vs. 1.42 mm). Our study shows that the rhabdosphincter of the male urethra can be visualized by means of three-dimensional transrectal ultrasound. The sonographic pathomorphological findings of postoperative urinary stress incontinence are well correlated well with the clinical symptoms.

Pro-oxidant and antioxidant factors in acute intermittent porphyria: family studies.

Given the crucial role of iron and porphyrins in oxidative cellular damage in the chronic porphyrias, we undertook an extensive study in families with acute porphyrias to evaluate the possible role of similar oxidative damage in these diseases, whose natural history is often also complicated by neoplastic evolution. Four unrelated patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) were studied together with 37 members of four different families. Aminolevulinic acid and porphobilinogen were measured in urine, and porphyrins in urine, plasma and stools. The activity of the congenitally deficient enzyme, porphobilinogen deaminase, and the concentrations of plasma iron, transferrin, ferritin, and various antioxidants (ascorbic acid, retinol, tocopherol, alpha- and beta-carotene, by a personal HPLC method) and the urinary and plasma metabolites of nitrous oxide were also assayed. The results showed no relationship between the observed increase of porphyrin metabolites and the presence of markers of oxidative damage or the decrease of circulating antioxidants: however, when such a decrease was registered, it depended on spontaneous or iatrogenic iron accumulation. We conclude that family screening, recommended for the identification of AIP carriers, must also include evaluation of iron stores with a view to preventing the oxidative damage and in order to forestall the neoplastic evolution of the disease.

Late urologic effects after adjuvant irradiation in stage I endometrial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence and type of incontinence after external beam radiotherapy (RT) and brachytherapy. Distinct late effects on the urinary bladder can occur and are frequently mild after adjuvant RT for Stage I endometrial carcinoma. Not all side effects that impair quality of life (eg, urinary incontinence) are classified in the commonly used grading system. METHODS: Forty-one patients were evaluated for newly occurred urinary incontinence after adjuvant RT. The mean follow-up was 64.8 months, and the mean age was 62.1 years. The validated incontinence score from Gaudenz was used. Additionally, quality-of-life questions were asked. RESULTS: Overall, 22 (53.7%) of 41 patients complained of urinary incontinence. Urge incontinence was classified in 45.5% (10 of 22 patients) and stress urinary incontinence in 54.5% (12 of 22 patients). CONCLUSIONS: The onset of stress urinary incontinence after brachytherapy can be explained by anatomic findings, such as adverse affects to the nerve supply of the rhabdosphincter. According to our results, the exposure to additional external beam RT can cause urge incontinence. Patients and doctors must be aware that urinary incontinence, with an occurrence rate of more than 50%, represents the most common side effect after surgery and RT for Stage I endometrial carcinoma. We conclude that, depending on the type of RT, a stress incontinence rate of 24.4% and an urge incontinence rate of 29.2% is possible.

[Solitary synchronous bladder metastasis from renal cell carcinoma treated by transurethral resection]. / Transurethrale Elektroresektion einer solitären, synchronen Blasenmetastase bei Nierenzellkarzinom.

Metastases to the bladder from renal cell carcinoma are extremely rare. The prognosis is poor and seems not related to the type of treatment. Most patients die within 1 year of diagnosis. The treatment should be therefore as conservative as possible. We report a case of solitary, synchronous bladder metastasis treated by transurethral resection. At 24 months the patient is free of recurrence.

Vesicocutaneous fistula 23 years after hip arthroplasty. A case report.

Vesicocutaneous fistula after total hip replacement is a very rare but severe complication, which can appear months or years after operation. Intrapelvic cement (methylmethacrilate) spilling, loosening and dislocation of the prosthesis and infection are believed to be the cause of fistula formation. Only 4 cases of this kind of fistula have been reported in the literature. A new case of vesicocutaneous fistula is presented. The fistula developed 23 years after arthroplasty mainly because of hip-joint infection. Urinary tract symptoms caused by urinary infection appeared only few months earlier.

[Seminal vesicle cysts (and ejaculatory duct cysts) with ipsilateral renal agenesis. Report of five cases and review of the literature]. / Cisti delle vescichette seminali (e del dotto eiaculatore) con agenesia renale omolaterale. Descrizione di cinque casi e revisione della letteratura.

Cystic malformations of the pelvic seminal tract associated with ipsilateral renal agenesis are rare. The cause of this malformation is a maldevelopment of the mesonephric duct between the 4th and 13th weeks of gestation. Usually the disease is discovered in the late second and in the third decade of life, at a time of great sexual activity. Accumulation of fluid in the seminal tract with insufficient drainage leads to complaints like chronic prostatitis, to perineal discomfort and to disturbances of sexual sphere. For the diagnostic evaluation, ultrasound studies (suprapubic and transrectal) are very useful. Treatment should be restricted to symptomatic cases only. The treatment modality ranges from conservative medical treatment to surgical excision. Five cases are presented. Four are treated conservatively and one is treated by transurethral aspiration and alcohol injection.