[Uretero-iliac artery fistula as a urological emergency]. / Ureteroiliakale Fistel als eine Urologische Notfallsituation.

Uretero-iliac artery fistulae represent a urological emergency with considerable mortality. We present 2 cases of a uretero-iliac artery fistula. Nowadays, minimally-invasive endovascular therapy seems to be the treatment of choice. For an optimal outcome, a multidisciplinary team with imminent availability of radiology, vascular surgery, urology and anaesthesia is required.

[Successful laparoscopic robot-assisted surgical treatment of bilateral ureterosciatic hernias (Lindbom's hernia) and pelvic kidney]. / Erfolgreiche laparoskopische roboterassistierte operative Therapie bei beidseitigen ureteroischialen Hernien (Lindbom's Hernie) und Beckenniere.

Ureterosciaic hernia is a rarely described pathology that represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for the treating physician. In this case report, we present a patient with symptomatic bilateral ureteroschial hernias and a pelvic kidney on the left. The definitive surgical treatment of the hernias was performed in the robotic-assisted laparoscopic technique.This is the second case describing bilateral intestinal sciatic hernia, in combination with its diagnosis and robotic surgical repair.In this paper we present the fourth known case of a robotic approach to the surgical treatment of ureterosciaic hernia with detailed presentation of diagnostic and therapeutic measures, as well as postoperative results and literature research on this rare pathology.

[Robot-assisted laparoscopic bladder diverticulum resection (RABDR)]. / Roboterassistierte Harnblasendivertikelresektion (RAHDR).

AIMS: Since October 2018, urinary bladder diverticulum resections at our Department of Urology have been carried out with robot assistance and with minimal invasivion, Paediatrical urological and robot-assisted minimally invasive urological surgery for the Bamberg Social Foundation were performed with the DaVinci robotic systemTM. The aim of the present study was to record the surgical results of our patients and to compare these if necessary with available data on optimal diagnostic and therapy. METHODS: In this retrospective analysis, we included all patients who received RAHDR between October 2018 and March 2020. The primary endpoints were postoperative blood loss (postoperative haemoglobin decrease), the operation time (min), complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification, length of hospital stay (days), postoperative residual urine, postoperative urine extravasation at the anastomosis of the bladder, postoperative quality of life and postoperative satisfaction with micturition. RESULTS: We reviewed a total of 11 patients, all of whom were male. Mean age was 64.8 years (52-82). Average BMI was 26.5 (19-37). 3 patients were ranked with ASA score III, 5 with II and 3 with I. The average residual urine value preoperatively was 183 ml (90-240). A cystogram to rule out extravasation was performed on day 6 postoperatively. The mean duration of surgery was 212 min (148-294) and the mean duration of hospitalisation was 7.6 days (6-10). The mean residual urinary value after surgery was 25 ml (10-60). The mean postoperative maximum of flow was measured at 27.7 ml/s (11-55). No contrast agent extravasation in the cystogram was detected in any of the patients. The complications according to Clavien were not measurable. The mean postoperative haemoglobin decrease was 1.61 g/dl (0-3. 2). CONCLUSIONS: In most cases, the removal of one or more bladder diverticula is possible using the minimally invasive robotic technique. Various surgeries such as YV-bladder neck plastic, prostate adenoma enucleation, bladder stone restoration, and inguinal herniotomy can be carried out simultaneously. A robot-assisted urinary bladder diverticulum resection is an effective and gentle procedure. However, it must be considered that it brings financial disadvantages due to the lack of adequate representation within the German DRG-system (Diagnosis Related Groups).

Improving Drinking and Micturition Habits in Preschool Children: An Educational Project.

INTRODUCTION: Children worldwide often do not drink enough. However, sufficient fluids are essential for physical and cognitive health. A regular and adequate supply of fluids also supports bladder maturation in the context of acquiring urinary continence. We investigated whether training preschool children and their caretakers improves drinking and micturition habits. METHODS: This field study in a pre-post design was conducted in 6 kindergartens in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen from October 2018 to February 2019. An intervention group (IG) received a 3-day training on drinking and micturition habits and was compared to a control group (CG) without any training. Caretakers (IG + CG) were instructed about drinking and voiding management, too. Behavioral changes were identified by questionnaires. To analyze the long-term effect, group interviews were performed with the IG 3 months after training. The training was evaluated on different levels. RESULTS: After training, the estimated total daily fluid intake in the IG (1,160 mL) significantly exceeded that of CG (830 mL) (p = 0.015). In the IG, fluid intake until 12:00 a.m. increased (p = 0.001), children took more time for voiding (p = 0.029), and urgency decreased (p = 0.008). Children (IG + CG) used leg support to enable pelvic floor relaxation more often both at home (p = 0.026) and in kindergarten (p = 0.047). Nocturnal enuresis was reduced by approximately 46% in the IG (p = 0.485). Group interviews in the IG showed a considerable learning effect. CONCLUSION: The present study could demonstrate an increased intake of fluids and significant changes in micturition behavior in the IG. So far, this is the first educational project in Germany addressing drinking and voiding management. Our results suggest that a training of preschool children and their caretakers is feasible and effective. Further nationwide research will be needed to confirm our results and assess the need for prevention in these areas.

[A rare case of renal ectopic thyroid tissue]. / Ein seltener Fall eines renalen ektopen Schilddrüsengewebes.

We present a rare case of ectopic thyroid tissue found during robotic nephrectomy of a kidney with a suspected malignant tumour. Such cases of ectopic thyroid tissue are extremely rare in the literature. If ectopic thyroid tissue occurs, it is usually found in the neck region or in the upper mediastinum. Clinical symptoms depend on size, localisation and hormonal function of the ectopic tissue. Surgical resection remains the treatment of choice; in individual cases, conservative treatment can be an option. This case report aims to emphasise that renal tumours of unknown origin might be paraneoplastic or ectopic tissue of other organs.

Primary High-Grade Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: High NFκB Expression in Tumor Specimens Distinguishes Patients Who are at Risk for Disease Progression.

To investigate the potential prognostic role of NFκB expression in primary high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Patients with primary high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who received induction and maintenance BCG therapy were retrospectively included. Recurrence and progression were histologically proven. Intensity and extent of immunochemistry were assessed. The final evaluation of the NFκB staining was done by combining intensity and extent as ΄΄product΄΄ and expressing it as ΄΄low NFκΒ expression΄΄ or ΄΄high NFκB expression΄΄. Epidemiological, pathological, clinical parameters and NFκB expression were statistically analyzed for recurrence (REC), progression (PR), recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS). NFκB is significantly associated with disease progression (p < 0,001 in univariate analysis and p = 0,001, Odds Ratio = 14,484, 95% Confidence Interval = 3187-65,821 in multivariate analysis), but not with recurrence. The median value of NFκB expression as ΄΄product΄΄ is significantly higher for the patients with progression in comparison to patients with recurrence only (p = 0,003) and patients without recurrence or progression (p = 0,001). Patients' age is significantly associated (p = 0,001 in univariate analysis and p = 0,003, Odds Ratio = 1273, 95% Confidence Interval = 1086-1492 in multivariate analysis) with disease recurrence. High NFκB expression in primary high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, treated with postoperative intravesical BCG immunotherapy, could represent an unfavorable prognostic factor.

Congenital juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the testis in newborns.

BACKGROUND: Granulosa cell tumor of the testis is a rare intermediate stromal cell tumor that can be distinguished in the adult and juvenile type. The juvenile type is the most common reason for scrotal swelling in newborns under the age of six months. Less than fifty cases of this disease entity have been reported in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the following article, two newborn patients with scrotal swelling and a histological confirmation of juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the testis will be presented. RESULTS: Case 1: A newborn patient presented with massive scrotal swelling. Sonography of the testicle exhibited a multiple septic and cystic enlargement of the testicle without distinction of the testicular parenchyma being possible. The laboratory findings demonstrated normal testosterone levels, beta-HCG and inhibin-B levels as well as an increased alpha-fetoprotein level of 35.350 ng/dl. Due to clinical and sonographic findings, an inguinal exploration and later, due to the impossibility of distinction of the testicular parenchyma, an inguinal orchiectomy of the right testicle was performed. Case 2: The clinical and sonographic examination of a newborn patient demonstrated a suspicious process of the left testicle. Sonography exhibited an enlarged testicle with cystic formations with the distinction of the testicular parenchyma not being possible. The laboratory findings demonstrated normal testosterone levels, beta-HCG and inhibin-B levels as well as an increased alpha-fetoprotein level of 9.038 ng/dl and LDH of 768 U/I. An inguinal orchiectomy of the left testicle was performed. In both cases, a histological diagnosis of juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the testis was made. CONCLUSION: These two aforementioned cases demonstrate that juvenile granulosa cell tumor of the testis is a benign disease encountered in newborns, which exhibits an excellent prognosis. Inguinal orchiectomy is the therapy of choice. After surgical removal of the involved testicle is performed no further management is required.

HCMV-infection in a human arterial organ culture model: effects on cell proliferation and neointimal hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: The impact of infections with the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) for the development of atherosclerosis and restenosis is still unclear. Both a clear correlation and no correlation at all have been reported in clinical, mostly serological studies. In our study we employed a human non-injury ex vivo organ culture model to investigate the effect of an in vitro permissive HCMV-infection on cell proliferation and neointimal hyperplasia for a period of 56 days. RESULTS: During routine-nephrectomies parts of renal arteries from 71 patients were obtained and prepared as human organ cultures. Cell free HCMV infection was performed with the fibroblast adapted HCMV strain AD169, the endotheliotropic strain TB40E, and a clinical isolate (AN 365). After 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 56 days in culture staining of HCMV-antigens was carried out and reactive cell proliferation and neointimal thickening were analysed. Successful HCMV-infection was accomplished with all three virus strains studied. During the first 21 days in organ culture no cell proliferation or neointimal hyperplasia was detected. At day 35 and day 56 moderate cell proliferation and neointimal hyperplasia was found both in HCMV-infected segments and mock infected controls. Neointimal hyperplasia in productively HCMV-infected segments was lower than in non infected at day 35 and day 56, but relatively higher after infection with the endotheliotropic TB40E in comparison with the two other strains. CONCLUSION: The data do not support the hypothesis that HCMV-infection triggers restenosis via a stimulatory effect on cell proliferation and neointimal hyperplasia in comparison to non infected controls. Interestingly however, even after lytic infection, a virus strain specific difference was observed.

Chlamydia pneumoniae in an ex vivo human artery culture model.

The role of the obligate intracellular pathogen Chlamydia pneumoniae in the development of atherosclerosis could not be completely clarified. Reasons are the highly discrepant results obtained in the hitherto existing studies and the lack of an experimental system allowing the direct examination of chlamydial effects in the human vasculature. We established a human ex vivo organ culture model for the characterization of vascular chlamydial infection. Ninety sections of renal arteries, obtained from nephrectomies, were inoculated with Chlamydia pneumoniae. Using a monoclonal FITC-conjugated antibody, chlamydial LPS was broadly detected in inoculated arteries during the entire observation period of 35 days. However, recultivation of viable organisms from the artery vessel wall was impossible, indicating that productive infection in human arteries did not occur even under optimized conditions. This was substantiated by low recovery rates of Chlamydia pneumoniae, low amounts of detectable chlamydial 16S rRNA and ultramorphological presence of polymorph multilamellar bodies in experimentally infected smooth muscle cells originating from aortas, coronary and renal arteries. We could demonstrate that the complex environment of a human artery did not support the growth of Chlamydia pneumoniae although the presence of chlamydial LPS in the artery vessel wall following experimental infection was a common event. The presence of chlamydial LPS in the absence of viable organisms within the artery vessel wall may explain the failure of antibiotic treatment strategies for atherosclerosis.