Is postoperative cystography necessary after ureteral reimplantation?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the patients in our practice to determine whether postoperative cystography was useful in monitoring the outcome after ureteroneocystostomy. Surgical repair of vesicoureteral reflux is the treatment of choice after medical therapy failure. Radiographic evaluation by ultrasonography or voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) is commonly used postoperatively to evaluate for urinary tract obstruction or persistent reflux. However, imaging modalities are not without cost, both in monetary terms and in terms of radiation exposure and trauma to the child. METHODS: We reviewed the records of all patients who underwent ureteroneocystostomy without ureteral tapering at our institution between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 1999 for primary vesicoureteral reflux. These records were evaluated with respect to the type of surgical procedure, preoperative and postoperative clinical course, and radiographic studies performed. RESULTS: We performed reimplantation on 267 renal units in 153 patients. The surgical technique was the Cohen cross-trigonal in 120 renal units (45%), Glenn-Anderson ureteral advancement in 92 (35%), and modified Leadbetter-Politano ureteral advancement in 55 (20%). All patients underwent imaging with ultrasonography within 6 weeks of surgery. The follow-up ranged from 4 to 42 months (average 14.2). Between 3 and 8 months postoperatively, 61 patients underwent imaging with VCUG. We identified persistent reflux in six renal units. Four of six had marked improvement in their reflux. All the patients with persistent reflux were asymptomatic, including 2 patients who were no longer receiving antibiotics. Four patients developed febrile urinary tract infections postoperatively. Three of the four underwent imaging with VCUG after treatment; all three had no evidence of reflux. CONCLUSIONS: In our population, the addition of VCUG to the postoperative evaluation did not allow us to identify those patients at risk of febrile urinary tract infections. Patients in whom persistent reflux was identified were all asymptomatic. We continue to monitor patients with ultrasonography, but believe that VCUG often provides little benefit to these children.

Small intestinal submucosa as a urethral coverage layer.

PURPOSE: Urethrocutaneous fistula is the most common complication of hypospadias surgery. Numerous techniques have been used to decrease the incidence of this complication and the use of biocompatible materials in surgery has expanded the options in difficult situations. We hypothesized that porcine small intestinal submucosa may be used as a coverage layer after urethral surgery. We evaluated the histological changes associated with small intestinal submucosa when used as a coverage layer over the urethra in a rabbit model. METHODS AND METHODS: We performed urethral surgery in 16 New Zealand White rabbits divided into 4 animals each in groups 1-sham operation with penile degloving only, 2-penile degloving and small intestinal submucosa patch placement, 3-urethrotomy without a patch and 4-urethrotomy with a small intestinal submucosa patch. The graft edges were marked with permanent suture at surgery for later identification. All rabbits were maintained for 6 weeks before sacrifice. The urethra of each animal was then serially sectioned and examined histologically. RESULTS: Histological examination of animals with an small intestinal submucosa patch revealed a foreign body tissue reaction with an infiltrate of histiocytes, giant cells and lymphocytes in the area of graft placement. There was no histological evidence of remaining small intestinal submucosa patch in any sections. The urethral mucosa healed normally in all cases in which it was disrupted. There was no evidence of acute or chronic inflammation in any group 1 or 2 nonsmall intestinal submucosa animals and none in the animals with a small intestinal submucosa graft in areas other than the former graft site. There were also no urethrocutaneous fistulas in any of the 8 rabbits that underwent urethrotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Small intestine submucosa provides an adequate coverage layer in the rabbit penis after urethrotomy. Histologically the foreign material did not alter normal healing of the urethral mucosa, although it did appear to cause an infiltration of histiocytes, giant cells and lymphocytes. Small intestinal submucosa has previously been studied as a scaffold on which tissue may be remodeled or may regenerate. Our study shows that small intestinal submucosa did not interfere with normal tissue healing in this animal model. When used as a urethral coverage layer, it appears to provide extra tissue between the urethra and skin. Small intestinal submucosa may potentially decrease the incidence of urethrocutaneous fistula after urethral surgery.

Ratio of free-to-total prostate specific antigen correlates with tumor volume in patients with increased prostate specific antigen.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the relationship between the ratio of free-to-total prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate pathology, including grade, stage and tumor volume, among patients with prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively analyzed 54 consecutive patients with prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy and in whom frozen serum was available for assessment of free-to-total PSA ratio. Pathological review was done with whole mount sections, and total tumor volume was determined by planimetry. Comparison between free-to-total PSA ratio and pathological parameters was performed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Among the 54 patients mean total and free-to-total PSA ratio were 5.81 and 14.2 ng./ml., respectively, and free-to-total PSA ratio directly correlated with prostate volume (p = 0.037), and inversely correlated with Gleason score (p = 0.012) and extracapsular disease (p = 0.0074). Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between free-to-total PSA ratio and pathological stage pT2a/b in 39 cases versus pT3a/b in 15 (p = 0.005). Overall, there was no correlation between free-to-total PSA ratio and tumor volume. However, among 37 patients with an increased PSA, defined as greater than 4.0 ng./ml., a significant inverse relationship between free-to-total PSA ratio and tumor volume was identified (p = 0.01). Among this subset there was only a weak correlation with prostate volume (p = 0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that free-to-total PSA ratio may be predictive of tumor biology among those patients with a total PSA of greater than 4 ng./ml. as evidenced by good correlation with tumor grade and volume. This finding appears to be independent of prostate volume. These preliminary results suggest the need for additional studies among patients with an increased PSA designed to evaluate the potential role of free-to-total PSA ratio in combination with traditional clinical variables in the prediction of prostate cancer pathology.

Prediction of tumour volume and pathological stage in radical prostatectomy specimens is not improved by taking more prostate needle-biopsy cores.

OBJECTIVE: To determine what, if any, additional prognostic information is available from the prostate needle biopsy by comparing the number of biopsy cores obtained with the pathology assessed from the radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) specimen. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results from 135 consecutive patients who underwent RRP at a single institution were reviewed. Needle biopsy information (number of cores, percentage of positive cores, laterality of the positive cores, and Gleason sum) were compared with the pathological data of the RRP specimen, including stage, Gleason sum and tumour volume. Patients were further stratified into those with six or fewer cores (96 men) or more than six cores (39 men). Clinical data, including biopsy information and pathological findings, were compared using univariate and multivariate models. RESULTS: Overall, univariate analysis showed that the total prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, number of positive cores, bilateral positive cores and percentage of positive cores were directly correlated with tumour volume (P=0.01). Also, PSA and percentage of positive cores were directly correlated with extracapsular extension (P=0.008 and P=0.01, respectively). In the multivariate model, the most important independent predictors of RRP tumour volume and pathological stage were the preoperative PSA level and percentage of cancer in the biopsy (P<0.01). There was no significant relationship between the number of cores obtained and the predicted pathology of the RRP specimen. There were no differences in the number of positive cores, bilateral positive cores or percentage tumour in the cores between men with more or less than six biopsies. In men with more than six core biopsies, there was no significant increase in prognostic information for tumour volume and extracapsular extension, or a correlation between the Gleason sum on biopsy and the RRP specimen. Taking more than six biopsies did not result in a significantly greater detection of potentially indolent tumours (defined as a tumour volume of <0.5 mL). CONCLUSIONS: While taking more prostate needle biopsy cores seems to improve the detection of prostate cancer, there appears to be no major improvement in prognostic information over that gained from traditional sextant biopsies. Furthermore, the results suggest that the percentage of positive cores is the best predictor of both pathological stage and tumour volume, from among the information readily available from prostate needle biopsy. Given the variability in the number of cores obtained for diagnosis in clinical practice, these results add credence to the use of the percentage of positive cores in the biopsy set, with known predictors such as PSA and Gleason score, into future models that attempt to predict tumour biology.

Treatment of elderly women with urge incontinence in middle tennessee: a single institution practice-based study.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Urinary urge incontinence (UUI) is a major factor in reducing quality of life in elderly women. The treatment of UUI in the elderly population is complicated by comorbidities, polypharmacy, cost, and side effects. The purpose of this study was to examine our practice pattern in Middle Tennessee for the treatment of elderly women with UUI. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all women over age 65 seen at our institution between January 1, 1998 and September 1, 1999 with an initial complaint of pure UUI. Diagnosis was based on history and physical examination by a single urologist (JJF). Initial treatment in all patients was medication as well as timed and double voids. Medication chosen was based on cost factors, co-morbidities, current medications, and outcome from previous treatment. RESULTS: Of 53 women ranging in age from 65-87 years of age (avg. 74.7) included in this study, 6/53 (11.3%) had a previous CVA, and 2/53 (3.7%) had grade I-II cystoceles. Initial pharmacologic treatment included anticholinergic medication in 47 patients (88.6%), and either imipramine or topical estrogen alone in the remaining 11.4%. Of the anticholinergics, hyoscyamine time capsules were used in 29, tolterodine in 7, standard oxybutynin in 5, oxybutynin XL in 1, and a combination with imipramine in 5. Thirty-four of the 53 total patients (64.1%) discontinued their medications because of no improvement 14 (41.1%), dry mouth 9 (26.4%), other side effects 9 (26.4%), cost 1, and other reasons in the remaining 2 patients. Only 17 patients (32%) stated they were doing well on their initial medications; 11 of those (64.7%) were taking hyoscyamine time capsules. Upon subjective failure, 22/36 patients (61.1%) had their medications changed, while 14/36 (38.8%) pursued behavioral therapy without additional medications. Urodynamic studies were done in 12 patients who failed empiric medical treatment (22.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Only 32% of elderly women treated medically for UUI were satisfied and continued therapy in this patient population. One-fourth of elderly women failed empiric medical management of UUI due to lack of efficacy, and one-third due to intolerable side effects. In this practice, hyoscyamine was continued more often than any other anticholinergic because of reasonable cost, efficacy, and side effect profile.