MEDICAL EXPULSIVE TREATMENT OF DISTAL URETERAL STONE USING TAMSULOSIN.

BACKGROUND: Many minimally invasive interventional techniques as well as expectant treatment exist for the management of lower ureteric calculi. This study was conducted to evaluate th efficacy of tamsulosin as an expulsive pharmacologic therapy for the treatment of distal uretern stone. METHODS: This randomized control trial included 100 patients over 18 years of age wit stone Size > or = mm in distal 1/3 of ureter. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups (A & B Group A Patients were given Capsule Tamsulosin 0.4 mg, 1 daily up to 4 weeks while group B patients were given placebo, 1 Capsule daily up to 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was expulsio rate. A written informed consent was taken from all the patients. Expulsion time, need for analgesics, need for hospitalization and drug side effects were secondary endpoints. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients in group A and 48 patients in group B reported back, therefore 97 out of 10 patients were evaluated. Mean age of the patients was 36.34 years (range 18-57 years). Mea stone size was 5.78 mm (range 4-8 mm) in greatest dimension. A stone expulsion rate of 85.71C (42 patients) was noted in group A and 54.20% (26 patients) in group B. Group A revealed statistically significant advantage in term of stone expulsion rate (p=0.032). Considering expulsio time in days group A showed statistically significant advantage (p=0.015). Regarding age, se) stone size and stone lateralization (right/left), there was no significant difference between th group A and B. No drug side effects were noted in both the groups. CONCLUSION: By usin tamsulosin a higher stone expulsion rates can be achieved in a shorter time. More randomize control trials are required to establish tamsulosin as a standard medical expulsive treatment fc

Bulbar uretheral stricture repair with buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of buccal mucosa graft in single stage urethral reconstruction of bulbar urethral stricture. METHODS: In Armed Forces Institute of Urology Rawalpindi, from Jan 2008 to Oct 2009, 56 patients underwent single stage dorsal onlay urethroplasty using buccal mucosa graft for long bulbar urethral strictures (> 2cm). Urethra was incised along the strictured segment in the 12 o'clock (dorsal) position starting from the distal end. A buccal mucosa graft of required length was harvested. The graft was anchored in a spread fixed fashion to the corporal bodies opposing the dorsally incised strictured urethra. The urethra was rotated back to the normal anatomic position. The margins of urethral incision were sutured to the fixed graft edge and corporal body using interrupted 4-0 vicryl. After completion of right margin's stitches, a 16 Fr silicon catheter was placed and then left margin stitches were completed. RESULTS: Only 54 out of 56 patients could be evaluated because 2 patients were lost to follow up. Mean age of the patients was 48 +/- 11.32 years (range 19-67 yrs). Mean length of the buccal mucosa graft was 3.4 +/- 0.6 cm (range 2.6 - 5.5 cm). Duration of follow up was 4-20 months, mean 16.3 +/- 3.65 months. In 47 (87%) patients, the procedure was successful, 7 (13%) patients developed recurrence, out of these 7 patients, 2 (3.7%) required optical urethrotomy and 5 (9.25%) patients responded to urethral dilatation. Mean operative time was 92 +/- 13.22 minutes. CONCLUSION: Buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty produces encouraging results in long bulbar urethral strictures. Longer follow up is required.