[Caudal migration of the verumontanum and enlargement of the utricle in hypospadias]. / Die kaudale Migration des Verumontanums und Erweiterung des Utrikulus bei der Hypospadie.

Hypospadias is one of the morphological and functional alterations of the internal urogenital organs under the influence of androgen deficiency. In the time period 1974-1998 a total of 823 cases of hypospadias were surgically treated and the findings of the preoperative X-ray diagnostics with micturating cystourethrogram (MCU) and urethrocystogram (UCG) as well as urethrocystoscopy were analyzed. A caudal migration of the verumontanum could be detected in 55% of cases with hypospadias (453/823) and in 79% (322/403) of middle grade (penoscrotal) and high grade (scrotoperineal) cases of hypospadias. Enlargement of the utricle was present in 31.5% (259/823) cases of hypospadias and in 46.2% (186/423) of middle grade (penoscrotal) and high grade (scrotoperineal) cases of hypospadias.

Lower urinary tract problems in patients with enuresis.

OBJECTIVE(S): Two hundred and thirty-eight children (170 males, and 68 females) with nocturnal enuresis were retrospectively studied for lower urinary tract problems. Surgical correction of subclinical organic obstruction in the lower urinary tract was evaluated for the improvement of bed-wetting. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-five micturating cystourethrography (MCU), and 89 urodynamic studies were performed. Optic internal urethrotomy was done in a boy, and meatoplasty in a girl for urethral 'ring' stenosis (URS). RESULTS: Nocturnal enuresis was found in 153 cases and nocturnal enuresis associated with daytime enuresis in 67 cases. Vesicoureteral reflux was found in 30, URS in 42, and posterior urethral valve in 3 cases on MCU. Detrusor instability was recognized in 39.4% of 38 cases of nocturnal enuresis associated with daytime enuresis and in 25.0% of 51 cases of nocturnal enuresis. Surgery brought 73.8% improvement of bed-wetting in 42 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical correction of subclinical obstruction in the lower urinary tract might contribute to the earlier resolution of bed-wetting in children with nocturnal and/or diurnal enuresis.

[Prostatic cancer with cystic formation: a case report].

An 82-year-old man presented with a huge hypogastric tumor. A pelvic computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a multiple cystic mass 14 x 10 x 15 cm in diameter. The prostate specific antigen (PSA) value was elevated to 903 ng/ml. Histological examination of the needle biopsy specimens of the prostate revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Bone scintigraphy showed a hot area in part of the costa. No other abnormalities were found. The tumor origin was suspected to be the prostate, but the possibility that it was another organ could not be denied completely since the tumor was located in the anterior portion above the bladder. Treatment with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist and diethylstilbestrol was initiated considering the patient's age. The PSA value returned to normal and the tumor size was reduced markedly after 28 weeks of therapy. Thirty-seven case of prostatic cancer with cystic formation in the Japanese literature are reviewed.

[Clinical phase III study of cimetropium bromide (DA3177) on the pain with upper urinary calculus: a double-blind study in comparison with scopolamine butylbromide. DA3177 Study Group].

A double-blind study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy, safety and usefulness of cimetropium bromide (DA3177) in the patients with pain caused by upper urinary calculus at a daily dose of 75 mg t.i.d. (Group D, 97 patients) in comparison with scopolamine butylbromide at a daily dose of 60 mg t.i.d. (Group B, 101 patients). According to patient's impression, the rate of "moderately improved" or better was significantly higher in Group D (68.7%) than in Group B (53.5%; Wilcoxon 2 sample test: p = 0.0044). For pain, the rate of "moderately improved" or better was 69.1% in Group D and 60.4% in Group B. In global improvement, the rate of "moderately improved" or better was significantly higher in Group D (70.1%) than in Group B (61.4%; Wilcoxon 2 sample test: p = 0.0469). The rate of "no problem in safety" showed no significant difference between Group D (91.5%) and Group B (93.3%). Adverse reactions occurred in 8.5% in Group D and 6.7% in Group B. The major adverse reactions were "dry mouth", "abdominal distension", "constipation" and "nausea". The rate of "useful" or better was 68.7% in Group D, and 60.4% in Group B. In conclusion, DA3177 was confirmed to be a useful drug for patient with pain caused by upper urinary calculus.

[Ocular complications after renal transplantation].

Seventy-two post-renal transplant patients were studied for ocular complications. Of 72 patients, 56 (77.8%) showed some ocular abnormality. Steroid cataract was the most common complication, occurring in 45 patients (62.5%). Eleven patients (18 eyes) had undergone operations for cataract. The average of their ages was 39.7 years and the period from renal transplantation to cataract operation was 3.3 years. Postoperative visual acuity was over 20/20 in most cases. Increased intraocular pressure was encountered in 9 patients (12.5%), cytomegalovirus ocular infection in 2 (2.8%), hypertensive retinopathy in 2 (2.8%), branch retinal vein occlusion in 1 (1.4%), and subconjunctival hemorrhage in 15 (20.8%). A new immunosuppressant, cyclosporine, increased renal graft survival more than azathioprine. However, ocular complications such as steroid cataract occurred frequently in spite of the use of cyclosporine, as in the azathioprine era. In conclusion, it is necessary for renal transplant patients to receive a periodical ophthalmological check-up.

Surgical results of complete hypospadias repair in two stages.

Between 1980 and 1992, 403 patients with hypospadias and with no previous operations were treated in Hyogo College of Medicine. Surgery was not performed in children younger than 3 years. The major points in the surgical repair were complete resection of the chordee, normal location of the meatus and reducing complications such as fistula formation or stricture. In order to achieve these aims we performed a two-stage repair, with the second operation at leat 12 months after the first one. In 57 of 245 patients with "chordee without hypospadias" and slight to moderate degree of hypospadias we performed surgery by the Crawford-Ikoma technique, which is characterized by 3 layers of watertight continuous sutures at the time of urethroplasty. The incidence of postoperative fistulae was 1.8%, the rate of strictures was 3.5%. After the Mays-Ikoma technique, where we perform a glandular urethroplasty in addition to chordectomy in the first stage, we diagnosed an urethral fistula in 7.9% and a stricture in 2.3%. A severe degree of hypospadias was seen in 158 patients. After performing the Crawford-Ikoma technique we acknowledged a rate of postoperative fistulae in 3.6% and strictures in 10.7%. The incidence of fistulae after the Mays-Ikoma technique was 8.9% and of strictures 1.1%. Altogether we found persistent chordee in 2 cases.

Pyeloplasty in hydronephrosis: examination of surgical results from a morphologic point of view.

BACKGROUND: Dilatation of the upper urinary tract is the most common congenital urogenital anomaly. Pyeloplasty is the therapy of choice in those patients with significant obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction. There are not many reports concerning the operative long-term results from a morphologic point of view. Furthermore, little information is available about children with giant hydronephrosis treated without resection of the dilated renal pelvis. METHODS: Between 1973 and 1993, 231 children with 262 renal units (kidney, renal pelvis, ureter) were treated at our institution. Giant hydronephrosis was observed in 52 renal units. The clinical and follow-up data were obtained from the patients' records. The dilatation of the upper urinary tract, confirmed by means of intravenous pyelogram, was divided into 5 grades. RESULTS: In 215 renal units, reconstructive surgery was performed without reduction of the renal pelvis. Revision of the pyeloplasty was necessary in 5 of the 215 renal units. The dilatation of the upper urinary tract improved or remained stable in 99.4% of the renal units during the follow-up period of 4.8 years (range, 1 month to 21 years). CONCLUSION: Surgical reconstruction of the ureteropelvic junction obstruction is a safe and successful procedure. The excision of the dilated pelvis does not seem to be necessary, even in patients with giant hydronephrosis.

The significant effect of HLA-DRB1 matching on acute rejection in kidney transplants.

The object of the present study was to confirm the HLA-DRB1 matching effect on rejection crisis, its severity, and kidney graft survival based on genotyping. Ninety-four renal allografts were included in this study. DNA typing of HLA-DRB1 was performed by the polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific oligonucleotide method. The incidence of acute rejection within 6 months following transplantation, the frequency of OKT3 administration for steroid-resistant rejection, histopathological findings, and graft survival rate were compared between the DRB1-matched (n = 23) and DRB1-mismatched (n = 71) groups. Four acute rejections occurred in the DRB1-matched group (incidence; 17%) and 40 in the DRB1-mismatched group (56%). In the DRB1-matched group, the incidence of acute rejection was significantly less frequent than that of the DRB1-mismatched group (P < 0.005). In the DRB1-matched group, only one patient received OKT3 administration (4%), in contrast to 16 of 71 patients in the DRB1-mismatched group (23%). The use of OKT3 was significantly less frequent in the DRB1-matched group (P < 0.05). Histopathological findings from biopsy specimens showed no constant distribution of pathological grades of acute rejection according to DRB1 matching in the present study. The graft survival rate in the two groups did not differ significantly, but the graft survival rate in the DRB1-mismatched group had a tendency to decrease as the grafts survived longer. In conclusion, the results of the present study confirm that HLA-DRB1 matching has marked beneficial effects on kidney transplants through reduction of the acute rejection rate and decrease of the severity of rejection, and suggest that improvement of graft survival will be obtained through kidney allocation to a DRB1-matched recipient.

[Clinical study of primary carcinoma in situ of the bladder].

In our department 14 patients with primary carcinoma in situ of the bladder were treated. Thirteen patients were male and 1 patient was female. Most of the patients complained of irritative vesical symptoms such as painful urination and/or pollakisuria. Cystoscopic examination revealed no overt tumor but some abnormal findings like localized or diffuse hyperemia or fine granular changes were noted. In 4 patients, total cystectomy was performed primarily and 10 other patients were treated at first with intravesical chemotherapy or intravesical BCG. Five of those 10 patients (50%) developed invasive cancer and total cystectomy was performed secondarily in them. Invasive cancer occurred in the bladder wall in 2 patients, in the prostate in 2 patients and in both bladder and prostate in 1 patient. Five-year and 10-year survival rates of 14 patients in this study were 66.7% and 44.4%, respectively.

Intra- and interindividual variation in the pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus (FK506) in kidney transplant recipients--importance of trough level as a practical indicator.

BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus (FK506) is currently used as the primary immunosuppressant in clinical kidney transplantation in some centers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of this drug and to see if trough level, which has been used widely in therapeutic drug monitoring, can be used as an appropriate substitute for other pharmacokinetic measurement tests. METHODS: The blood concentration-time curve was studied in 10 kidney transplant recipients on 26 occasions after oral dosage of 2 to 18 mg every 12 hours. Whole blood concentration was measured by two-step immunoabsorption assay. Methylprednisolone was used as a concomitant immunosuppressive drug. RESULTS: The blood concentration-time curves showed remarkable interindividual variation. Intraindividual variation was also found, but the degree of variation was slight compared with interindividual variation. On 17 occasions of measurement in one patient, the dose was significantly correlated with trough (r = 0.684), Cmax (r = 0.838) and AUC0-12 (r = 0.817). In nine patients on nine occasions, however, the dose was not significantly correlated with trough (r = 0.351), Cmax (r = 0.270) or AUC0-12 (r = 0.355). tmax ranged from one to four hours (mean + SD; 2.8 + 1.3) and fluctuated in both intra- and interindividual measurements. In spite of a wide variation in the blood concentration-time-curve patterns, a highly significant linear relationship between trough and Cmax or AUC0-12 was observed in both intraindividual (Cmax, r = 0.876; AUC0-12, r = 0.926) and interindividual (Cmax, r = 0.943; AUC0-12, r = 0.984) measurements. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that trough level is a practical acceptable indicator of the blood levels of tacrolimus, and can be used to monitor blood concentration.

[Adrenal hepatoid carcinoma producing alpha-fetoprotein: a case report].

A case of left adrenal hepatoid carcinoma is reported. The patient was a 57-year-old male and his chief complaint was general fatigue. Preoperative laboratory data showed markedly increased levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (30,500 ng/ml) and PIVKA-II (3.01 AU/ml). Both computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance computed tomography (MRCT) showed left adrenal tumor (8 x 5 cm). Angiography showed hypervascular tumor over the upper pole of the left kidney. Thoracoabdominal nephro-adrenalectomy was performed. Histological examination demonstrated hepatoid carcinoma of the left adrenal gland. AFP was positive in the tumor cells. The levels of both AFP and PIVKA-II dropped to the normal range postoperatively. Hepatoid carcinoma in the urological field is very rare. As hepatoid carcinoma in the Japanese literature in the urological field, there were only 4 cases of renal tumor, 2 cases of renal pelvic tumor, 2 cases of retroperitoneal space and 1 case of urachal tumor. This is the first report of adrenal hepatoid carcinoma in Japan.

[A case of capillary hemangioma of the testis in a child].

Testicular tumors derived from connective tissue, blood vessels and musculature are uncommon and intratesticular tumors of vascular origin are extremely rare. A rare case of capillary hemangioma of the testis in a child is reported. An 11-year-old boy was admitted with the chief complaint of painless mass in the right scrotum. He was diagnosed with a right testicular tumor by physical examination and ultrasonography, preoperatively. Right high orchiectomy was done on December 10, 1990. The testis measured 2.5 x 2.3 x 1.5 cm. Pathologically, the tumor was diagnosed as a capillary hemangioma of the testis.