Primary urethral carcinoma: Recommendations of the oncology committee of the French Urology Association.

Primary urethral carcinoma (PUC) is defined as a tumor process arising within the urethra, with no history of other urinary tract localization or synchronous tumor of the urinary tract. The most common histological types are urothelial carcinoma (UC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC). In men, UC predominates, while AC is rare. In women, AC affects around one in two patients, while EC and UC are equally divided between the remaining cases. Diagnosis is often delayed, and requires endoscopic examination with biopsies. MRI is the gold standard for local staging. FDG-PET scan can help in cases of doubt about regional or distant extension. The prognosis remains unfavorable despite aggressive surgical treatment. Multimodal management combining surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy appears to improve prognosis in severe forms.

[French recommendations for malignant pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas by the national ENDOCAN-COMETE network]. / Recommandations du réseau national ENDOCAN-COMETE pour la prise en charge des phéochromocytomes et paragangliomes métastatiques.

Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are rare neuroendocrine tumors, developed respectively in the adrenal medulla and in extra-adrenal locations. Their malignancy is defined by the presence of distant metastases. Forty percent of them are inherited and can be part of different hereditary syndromes. Their management is ensured in France by the multidisciplinary expert centers of the ENDOCAN-COMETE national network "Cancers of the Adrenal gland", certified by the National Cancer Institute and discussed within multidisciplinary team meetings. The diagnostic and therapeutic work-up must be standardized, based on an expert analysis of clinical symptoms, hormonal biological secretions, genetics, morphological and specific metabolic imaging. In the context of a heterogeneous survival sometimes beyond seven to ten years, therapeutic intervention must be justified. This is multidisciplinary and relies on surgery, interventional radiology, external or internal radiotherapy and medical treatments such as sunitinib or dacarbazine and temodal chemotherapy. The personalized approach based on functional imaging fixation status and genetics is progressing despite the extreme rarity of this disease.

[Guidelines of the French National ENDOCAN-COMETE, Association of Endocrine Surgery, Society of Urology for the management of adrenocortical carcinoma]. / Recommandations conjointes du réseau National ENDOCAN-COMETE, de l'Association francophone de chirurgie endocrinienne et de la Société française d'urologie pour la prise en charge du carcinome corticosurrénalien.

The adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a primary malignant tumor developed from the adrenal cortex, defined by a Weiss score≥3. Its prognosis is poor and depends mainly on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. Care is organized in France by the multidisciplinary expert centers of the national ENDOCAN-COMETE "Adrenal Cancers" network, certified by the National Cancer Institute. This document updates the guidelines for the management of ACC in adults based on the most robust data in the literature. It's divided into 11 chapters: (1) circumstances of discovery; (2) pre-therapeutic assessment; (3) diagnosis of ACC; (4) oncogenetics; (5) prognostic classifications; (6) treatment of hormonal hypersecretion; (7) treatment of localized forms; (8) treatment of relapses; (9) treatment of advanced forms; (10) follow-up; (11) the particular case of ACC and pregnancy. R0 resection of all localized ACC remains an unmet need and it must be performed in expert centers. Flow-charts for the therapeutic management of localized ACC, relapse or advanced ACC are provided. It was written by the experts from the national ENDOCAN-COMETE network and validated by all French Societies involved in the management of these patients (endocrinology, medical oncology, endocrine surgery, urology, pathology, genetics, nuclear medicine, radiology, interventional radiology).

[Management of testicular torsion by a general surgeon isolated in Africa]. / Prise en charge de la torsion du testicule par un chirurgien généraliste isolé en Afrique.

The onset of sudden and intense scrotal pain exposes to several problems when it occurs in a young man in Africa. Among the possible etiologies, testicular torsion is the surgical emergency to rule out, because beyond 6 hours of evolution the functional prognosis of the testicle is concerned. The septic evolution towards a purulent melting, in case of exceeded torsion, is also possible. Of slightly lower incidence than in Western countries, lack of awareness of this pathology by local health actors, the precariousness or health isolation of certain populations in certain under-medicalized regions, contribute to diagnostic and therapeutic delays. This often leads to a pejorative development, loss of the testicle being directly correlated with the delay in treatment. Testicular torsion has thus been identified as one of the main causes of male infertility in Africa. However, clinical diagnosis and surgical treatment require few resources and remain accessible in an environment with low resources or in precarious conditions. Indeed, despite the contribution of ultrasound in certain situations, the clinical picture is at the center of the diagnosis and therapeutic decision making. At the slightest doubt, surgical exploration is necessary. The multi-tunic anatomy of the testicle facilitates its surgical fixation in the event of conservation, ideally by triangulation of single-strand non-absorbable thread. Simultaneous fixation of the contralateral testicle is currently the subject of debate in the literature. In Africa, the benefit/risk balance, taking into account in particular the difficulty of subsequent access to care, justifies, from our point of view, performing contralateral orchidopexy at the same time. Depending on the appearance of the testicle and, to a lesser extent, the duration of the evolution of the symptoms, orchidectomy may be necessary. This article describes the clinical picture of spermatic cord torsion and the orchidopexy technique.

[Acute urine retention: Epidemiology, optimization of the care pathway and alternative to permanent bladder drainage]. / Rétention aiguë d'urines : épidémiologie, optimisation du parcours de soin et alternative au drainage permanent.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this narrative review was to report the most relevant data on the contemporary management of Acute Urine Retention (AUR). METHODS: A narrative synthesis of the articles in French and English available on the Pubmed database was carried out in June 2021. We explored the registry of Surveillance sanitaire des urgences et des décès (SurSaUD®, Santé Publique France) to rise original data regarding the epidemiology of AUR in France. RESULTS: AUR is a therapeutic emergency that requires a rapid bladder drainage. The average age is 71 years, 87 % are men and the stay in the emergency department is >4hours. In France, the hospitalization rate for UAR is steadily decreasing from 42% in 2014 to 32% in 2019. The introduction of an α-blocker increases the chances to get rid of the urinary catheter of 47% to 77% versus placebo. A post-emergency AUR pathway allows lowering the number of people lost with follow-up and shortening the duration of bladder drainage. The first try for catheter removal should be organized within 48-72hours of the AUR. In case of unsuccessful catheter removal, it is recommended to teach self-catheterization to the patient. The placement of a temporary prostatic stent is a promising alternative that is under evaluation. Immediate surgery is associated with increased morbidity/mortality and is not recommended. CONCLUSION: AUR is a common disease. The management has been optimized in recent years to improve the prognosis and the quality of life of patients.

Active Surveillance for Biopsy Proven Renal Oncocytomas: Outcomes and Feasibility.

OBJECTIVES: To report the outcomes and feasibility of active surveillance (AS) of biopsy-proven renal oncocytomas. METHODS: Multicentric retrospective study (2010-2016) in 6 academic centers that included patients with biopsy-proven renal oncocytomas who were allocated to AS (imperative or elective indication) with a follow-up ≥1 year. Imaging was performed at least once a year, by CT-scan or ultrasound or MRI. Conversion to active treatment (surgical excision or ablative treatment) was at the discretion of the urologist. The primary endpoint was renal tumor growth (cm/year). Secondary outcomes included accuracy of biopsy, incidence, and reason to change AS to active treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were included: Median age 67 years (26-89) and median tumor size 26 mm [15-90] on diagnosis. During a mean follow-up of 43 months'' (median 36 [12-180]), mean tumor growth was 0.24 cm/year. No predictive factors (demographical, radiological or histologic) of tumor growth could be identified. Conversion from AS to active treatment occurred in 24 patients (27%) (13 surgical excisions, 11 ablative procedures), in a median time of 45 (12-76) months'' after diagnosis. Tumor growth was the main indication to convert AS to active treatment (58%) with 8% of the patients opting to discontinue AS. No patient had metastatic progression nor disease-specific death. The correlation between biopsy and surgical specimen was 92%. CONCLUSION: Active surveillance for biopsy-proven renal oncocytomas was oncologically safe and patient adherence was high. No predictive factor for tumor growth could be identified but the tumor growth rate was low, and biopsy efficacy was high.

Role of Cancer Surgery in the Improvement of the Operative Skills of Military Surgeons During Deployment: A Single-Center Study.

INTRODUCTION: The maintenance of military surgeons' operative skills is challenging. Different and specific training strategies have been implemented in this context; however, little has been evaluated with regard to their effectiveness. Cancer surgery is a part of military surgeons' activities in their home hospitals. This study aimed to assess the role of oncological surgery in the improvement of military surgeons' operative skills. METHODS: Between January and June 2019, the surgical activities of the departments of visceral, ear, nose, and throat, urological, and thoracic surgery were retrospectively reviewed and assessed in terms of the operative time (OT). All surgeons working at the Sainte Anne Military Teaching Hospital were sent a survey to rate on a 5-point scale the current surgical practices on their usefulness in improving surgical skills required for treating war injuries during deployment (primary endpoint) and to compare on a 10-point visual analog scale the influence of cancer surgery and specific training on surgical fluency (secondary endpoint). RESULTS: Over the study period, 2,571 hours of OT was analyzed. Oncological surgery represented 52.5% of the surgical activity and almost 1,350 hours of cumulative OT. Considering the primary endpoint, the mean rating allocated to cancer surgery was 4.53 ± 0.84, which was not statistically different than that allocated to trauma surgery (4.42 ± 1.02, P = 0.98) but higher than other surgery (2.47 ± 1.00, P < 0.001). Considering the secondary endpoint, cancer surgery was rated higher than specific training by all surgeons, without statistically significant difference (positive mean score of + 2.00; 95% IC: 0.85-3.14). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the usefulness of cancer surgery in improving the operative skills of military surgeons.

Humanitarian Surgical Care Provided by a French Forward Surgical Team: Ten Years of Providing Medical Support to the Population of the Ivory Coast.

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were as follows: first to quantify and review the types of surgical procedures performed by military surgeons assigned to a Forward Surgical Team (FST) providing medical support to the population (MSP) in the Ivory Coast (IC), and second to analyze how this MSP was achieved. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2012, all of the local nationals operated on by the different FSTs deployed in the IC were included in the study. The surgical activity was analyzed and divided into surgical specialties, war wounds, nonwar emergency trauma, nontrauma emergencies, and elective surgery. Demographics, circumstances of health care management, wounded organs, and types of surgical procedures were described. RESULTS: Over this period, surgeons operated on 2,315 patients and performed 2,556 procedures. Elective surgery accounted for 78.7% of the surgical activity, nontrauma emergencies accounted for 12.7%, nonwar emergency trauma accounted for 8%, and war wounds accounted for 0.6%. The main surgical activities were visceral (43.8%) and orthopedic (including soft tissues) surgeries (38.5%). CONCLUSION: The FSTs contributed widely to MSP in the IC. This MSP required limited resources, standardization of the procedures and specific skills beyond the original surgical specialties of military surgeons to fulfill the needs of the local population.

Comparison of image-guided targeted biopsies versus systematic randomized biopsies in the detection of prostate cancer: a systematic literature review of well-designed studies.

OBJECTIVE: The clinical utility of image-targeted biopsies can only be judged by a comparison of the current standard of systematic 10-12 core biopsy schemes. The aim of this review was to gather the current evidence in favor of or against targeted biopsies in the detection of prostate cancer based on well-designed, controlled studies, in order to draw clinical relevant conclusions. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS AND METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed addressing studies that compared the prostate cancer detection rates of targeted and systematic biopsy schemes using the imaging techniques of elastography, contrast-enhanced ultrasound, histoscanning and multiparametric MRI. Only well-designed, controlled studies were included and the results summarized. RESULTS: All imaging techniques are associated with varying results regarding better or poorer detection rates relative to systematic biopsies. No technique provides a clear trend in favor of or against image-targeted biopsies. In almost all studies, the combination of targeted and systematic biopsies provided sometimes a substantial, increase in the detection rate relative to systematic biopsies alone. MRI-targeted biopsies show no advantage in the initial biopsy setting, whereas in the repeat biopsy setting improvements in the detection rates are often observed relative to systemic biopsies. CONCLUSION: Based on well-designed, controlled studies no clear advantage of targeted biopsies over the current standard of systematic biopsies can be observed. Therefore, targeted biopsies cannot replace systematic biopsies in the diagnosis of prostate cancer. In all indications, the combination of systematic and targeted biopsy schemes provides the highest detection rate.

External validation of the Heidenreich criteria for patient selection for unilateral or bilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for post-chemotherapy residual masses of testicular cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Heidenreich criteria for patient selection for unilateral retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for residual masses after chemotherapy for nonseminomatous germ cell tumor (NSGCT). SUBJECTS/PATIENTS AND METHODS: For validation, the data of 59 patients who underwent RPLND for residual masses of NSGCT were used. Of these patients, 23 (39 %) qualified for a modified RPLND, the others had an indication for a bilateral dissection. Results from histopathology after RPLND and follow-up data for relapse inside or outside the zone of the resection template were considered for validation. RESULTS: In the study cohort, median age at time of RPLND was 31 years. The 2-year disease-free survival was 90 and 96 % for the bilateral and the unilateral RPLND patients, respectively. Overall, 8 (14 %) relapses were observed after a median follow-up of 54 month. Of these, 6 were outside of the resection field and 2 were in-field. Of the 23 patients with indication for a modified RPLND, 1 patient relapsed in the contralateral testis and 1 inside the modified RPLND template. No relapse was observed outside the modified RPLND field and inside the untouched contralateral RPLND field. The Heidenreich criteria did therefore not misclassify a single patient. CONCLUSION: The Heidenreich criteria for the selection of candidates for unilateral RPLND for residual masses after chemotherapy allow a highly reliable selection of patients. The application of the Heidenreich criteria can help to reduce comorbidity and invasiveness of RPLND.

Anthropometric characterization of spleen in children.

PURPOSE: This paper aims to characterize the 3D geometry of the child spleen which is still unknown. METHODS: An anthropological measurement protocol, based upon 3D modeling using spleen-computed tomography data, was set up. Characteristic measurements were defined to allow dimensions and spatial localization description from classical anatomical landmarks (11th dorsal vertebra and 10th left rib). RESULTS: Growth patterns showed a global enlargement without significant changes in distance to anatomical bone points. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study describes a validated measurement protocol based on 3D reconstructions and gives description of the child spleen during growth.

Uretero-fallopian fistula after gynecological surgery for endometriosis: a case report.

Urinary tract injuries are unfortunate complications of pelvic surgery. These frequently involve the bladder. The incidence of iatrogenic ureteral lesions ranges from 0.05% to 30%. Even though some lesions are observed intraoperatively, most remain undiscovered and reveal themselves later. Fistulas of ureteral origin usually involve the vagina or more rarely the uterus. Uretero-fallopian fistulas are even more rare. We report a case of uretero-fallopian fistula that developed after surgery for endometriosis.

[Late complication of selective renal arterial embolization after percutaneous surgery: renal "colic"]. / Complication tardive d'une artério-embolisation sélective rénale après chirurgie per-cutanée: une "coilique" néphrétique.

Authors report a case of a 31 years old patient who eliminate a urinary stone which contains a platinium coil. Five years ago, this patient had a percutaneous nephrolithotomy. A persistent hematuria was successfully managed with angioembolization of a lower polar artery branch. One of the coils was deployed too distally. It was not efficient, it rolled itself up in the pseudoaneurysm cavity. Different physio pathological hypothesis are developed to explain this expulsion.