Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: To determine if intraoperative frozen sections of the bladder neck during radical prostatectomy (RP) could decrease the incidence of final positive surgical margins at the bladder neck. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 51 consecutive men who underwent anatomic RP at University of Florida & Shands Jacksonville. All patients had intraoperative frozen section of bladder neck sent for analysis. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed. Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures were intraoperative bladder neck margin status, final pathologic bladder neck margin status, and postoperative urinary complications. Median follow-up for the 51 patients was 22 months. RESULTS: The final positive surgical margin rate was 20% (10 patients). An additional three patients had positive surgical margins at the bladder neck intraoperatively. These patients then had a wider resection of the affected bladder neck until the frozen sections were negative for cancer or prostatic tissue. Final pathologic evaluation of bladder neck margin was negative for tumor or persistent prostatic tissue in all 51 men. CONCLUSION: With intra-operative frozen sections, we were able to obtain a negligible positive bladder neck margin rate. Surgeons who are still on the learning curve for RP should consider intra-operative frozen section of the bladder neck.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: To report the seven-year preliminary results of a single-center on brachytherapy with Iodine-125 seeds, used in combination with external beam radiotherapy in selected patients with localized prostate cancer (T1-T2). MATERIALS AND METHODS: All 105 patients treated by brachytherapy with Iodine-125 seeds, from January/1998 to December/2004, were retrospectively analyzed. The prescribed dose was 144 Gy at the periphery of the prostate for isolated brachytherapy, and 110 Gy for the combination with external beam radiotherapy. The external beam radiotherapy dose was 45 Gy, at the prostatic bed. Neoadjuvant hormone therapy was indicated for selected patients, who received luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) and/or antiandrogens. For definition of biochemical relapse, it was adopted the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology consensus. RESULTS: Of the 105 patients treated, 90 were followed for a mean period of 70 months. Biochemical disease control was achieved in 62 (69%) and biochemical recurrence was manifested in 28 (31%). The analysis of each risk group showed biochemical disease control rates of 79%, 71% and 52% in the low, intermediate and high risk groups, respectively. The mean time for biochemical recurrence was 22 months. Genitourinary acute toxicity was classified as grade 0-2 (RTOG) in 88.5% and in 94.2% for the late toxicity (RTOG/EORTC). Gastrointestinal acute toxicity was graded as 0-2 (RTOG) in 100% and in 97.7% for the late morbidity. No grade 5 was detected. CONCLUSIONS: Brachytherapy with Iodine-125 seeds is an effective alternative treatment for early stage prostatic cancer, with good biochemical disease control rates and low to moderate toxicity. The best results were obtained in low and intermediate risk patients.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: Radical cystectomy is the standard treatment for invasive bladder carcinoma in elderly patients at major surgical centers. As yet no data are available as to the question whether radical surgery on the genitourinary tract of patients over 75 can also be carried out at municipal hospitals with comparable intra and postoperative morbidity, and respective mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 452 radical cystectomies and urinary diversions as ileum conduits or ileum neobladders due to transitional cell carcinoma were carried out at three municipal hospitals between 1992 and 2004. At the time of the surgery, 44 patients (9.7%) were > 75 (75-84) (Group-1), by comparison 408 patients were younger than 75 (35-74) (Group-2). Comparisons are to be made between the groups for 30 day mortality, 30 day reoperation rate, early complication rate (< 3 months), late complication rate (> 3 months), progression-free survival, and overall survival. The results are to be discussed in view of the international literature. Mean follow-up was 49 months (median: 38 months). RESULTS: The perioperative mortality in Group-1 was 2.3% compared to 2.5% in Group-2 (p = 0.942). There was no significant difference in the perioperative mortality with regard to the different case load of the evaluated hospital. There were no significant group differences regarding the 30 day reoperation rate, early and late complications. Progression-free and overall survival of all patients after 5 years was 56.1% and 53.6% respectively; here again the differences between the age groups was not significant (p = 0.384 and p = 0.210). Our results for patients > 75 do not differ from the published data of large clinics with a high cystectomy frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Our data confirm that radical cystectomy on elderly patients can also be carried out in municipal hospitals with acceptable mortality and morbidity rates. Of prime importance is a careful patient selection based on comorbidity scores and possibly geriatric assessment.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: Compare clinical outcomes in patients having urothelial tumors invading less than one half of the depth of bladder muscle and greater than one half of bladder muscle and, to determine various clinical variables as predictive factors for survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: According to our inclusion criteria, 57 patients among cases with T2 bladder tumor were selected. Thirty-five patients (61.4 %) had pT2a (Group-1) and 22 patients (38.6%) had pT2b (Group-2) muscle invasive tumors. Mean follow up time was 7.3 years for Group-1, and 6.1 years for Group-2. Multivariate analysis was performed in order to identify possible correlation of clinical variables like age, gender, grade of primary tumor, appearance of local and/ or distant metastasis with patient outcome. RESULTS: Five year recurrence-free and overall survival rates were 69.1% and 44.3% for patients with pT2a tumor, whereas these ratios were 66.1% and 43%, respectively for patients with pT2b tumor (p = 0.896; p = 0.975). Mean overall and progression-free survival times were 87.7 ± 13.8 and 116 ± 13.12 months for Group-1, while they were 73.8 ± 13.7 and 88.85 ± 12.55 months for Group-2, respectively. On both univariate and multivariate analysis, age was noticed as an independent predictive factor for survival. CONCLUSIONS: The depth of muscle invasion in bladder tumors has no prognostic significance. Recurrence of the disease either locally or at distant sites dramatically shortens patients' life. Being older than 60 years old during the time of radical surgery, is also a bad prognostic factor for overall and progression-free survival.

Resumo em Inglês:

INTRODUCTION: The corpora cavernosa are cylindrical vessels containing fluid under pressure. Thus, if cavernous wall resistance decreases, the radius increases and internal pressure decreases (LaPlace's law). We reasoned that if we decrease the corpus cavernosum radius, by excising a strip from each tunica albuginea, intracavernous pressure would increase during erection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We treated with this procedure, four patients (mean age 41.5) with long-standing erectile dysfunction due to veno-occlusive dysfunction, non-responders to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors and intracavernous PGE1 injection. RESULTS: Two months post-surgery, intracavernous PGE1 (40 mcg) induced a satisfactory erection in two patients and a 45% and 58% tumescence in the other two. PGE1 responders also responded to 100 mg sildenafil. After 100 mg sildenafil and 20 mg tadalafil, the two non-responders had erections that enabled penetration but were short lasting. CONCLUSION: The procedure described could be more effective than cavernous revascularization operations. The results seem to confirm the mathematical assumptions.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of autoantibodies against spermatozoa present in the semen on the outcome of in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of clinical and laboratorial data from a six year-period ICSI cycles. Screening for the presence of ASA in the semen, by using the direct immunobeads test (IBT), was available for 351 cycles. According to the percentage of antibody-bound spermatozoa in the semen, we divided the cycles in four groups: I (n = 194): 0%-10% ASA; II (n = 107): 11%-20%; III (n = 33): 21%-50% and IV (n = 17): 51%-100% ASA. Additionally, a group of 349 ICSI cycles performed with ejaculated spermatozoa from oligo/asthenozoospermic men who had insufficient number of motile sperm available for ASA screening was included for comparison. ICSI outcomes were compared among groups and included fertilization rate (2 PN), cleavage rate, cleavage velocity, embryo quality, clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates. Data were examined statistically, with an alpha level of 5% considered significant. RESULTS: Fertilization, cleavage rate and velocity, percentage of good quality embryos, as well as clinical pregnancy and miscarriage rates did not differ among different ASA levels groups. ICSI outcomes in men exhibiting different levels of autoimmunity against spermatozoa did not differ from those with severely abnormal seminal parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcomes are not influenced by ASA levels on sperm.

Resumo em Inglês:

Robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is gaining acceptance and popularity among urologists all over the world. Early oncologic and functional results are encouraging. In this manuscript, we describe in detail both approaches for RARP and show the results of the robotic surgery program with over 300 RARP performed at our institution.

Resumo em Inglês:

Salvage surgical procedures after failed reconstruction for an extrophy-epispadias complex are extremely challenging. The goals are to restore continence and improve aesthetic appearance in order to provide quality of life and an improved body image to the patient. We describe the surgical steps in an adult patient who presented anal urinary incontinence and a poor body image due to the absence of an umbilicus and the presence of hypertrophic scars. He underwent a modified Mainz II reconstruction of the lower urinary tract at childhood for an extrophy-epispadias complex. Restoration of continence was achieved by the construction of a modified Mainz I pouch with a continent stoma in a neo-umbilicus. Body image improved dramatically by the construction of a neo-umbilicus, a surgical revision of the hypertrophic abdominal scars and an abdominoplasty. It is mandatory that such demanding surgery should only be attempted as a combined multidisciplinary effort with urologists and plastic/reconstructive surgeons.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: Somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) is an electrophysiological test used to evaluate sensory innervations in peripheral and central neuropathies. Pudendal SSEP has been studied in dysfunctions related to the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor. Although some authors have already described technical details pertaining to the method, the standardization and the influence of physiological variables in normative values have not yet been established, especially for women. The aim of the study was to describe normal values of the pudendal SSEP and to compare technical details with those described by other authors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clitoral sensory threshold and pudendal SSEP latency was accomplished in 38 normal volunteers. The results obtained from stimulation performed on each side of the clitoris were compared to ages, body mass index (BMI) and number of pregnancies. RESULTS: The values of clitoral sensory threshold and P1 latency with clitoral left stimulation were respectively, 3.64 ± 1.01 mA and 37.68 ± 2.60 ms. Results obtained with clitoral right stimulation were 3.84 ± 1.53 mA and 37.42 ± 3.12 ms, respectively. There were no correlations between clitoral sensory threshold and P1 latency with age, BMI or height of the volunteers. A significant difference was found in P1 latency between nulliparous women and volunteers who had been previously submitted to cesarean section. CONCLUSIONS: The SSEP latency represents an accessible and reproducible method to investigate the afferent pathways from the genitourinary tract. These results could be used as normative values in studies involving genitourinary neuropathies in order to better clarify voiding and sexual dysfunctions in females.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of surgical treatment of stress urinary incontinence on the sexual function of women and to identify whether such treatment can improve their sexual function and overall quality of life. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 64 heterosexual women with such indication were studied using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire, modified by introducing one question to evaluate the impact of urine loss. This was applied preoperatively and six months after surgery. RESULT: Among these 64 patients, 60.94% had regular sexual activity, while 39.06% did not. Among sexually active patients, 59% had urine loss during sexual intercourse and, of these, 87% had urine losses in half or more of sexual relations. There were no statistically significant differences in assessments of desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain, or in totaling the scores, between the preoperative period and six months after surgical treatment. However, the scores for urine losses during sexual intercourse were significantly better after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the results allowed the following conclusions to be reached: Urine lost during sexual activity was frequent among patients with stress urinary incontinence. Suburethral support surgery did not jeopardize sexual activity. Patients cured of stress urinary incontinence did not present improvement in sexual function.

Resumo em Inglês:

OBJECTIVE: Microsurgical procedures are currently the gold standard for vasovasostomy with excellent results, but it takes an increased operative time demanding special training and experience in microsurgery. The objective of this study is to reach the same results with reduced operative time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male adults Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: I) 20 rats in control group, II) 20 with conventional one-layer microsuture and III) 20 with fibrin glue. After four weeks each rat was left for two weeks with two female rats. RESULTS: The fertility rates were 80% in group I, 70% in group II and 65% in group III (p > 0.05). In group II granuloma was found in 75% of the rats, while in group III in 85% (p < 0.05). Anastomosis was considered with patency in 75% and 80% of the rats in groups II and III (p > 0.05). Overall operative time was 41.7 ± 2.49 and 28.55 ± 1.14 minutes in groups II and III (p < 0.05) and the time to anastomosis of 24.6 ± 1.8 and 9.35 ± 0.78 minutes (p < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We can conclude that vasovasostomy with fibrin adhesive has the same results of the conventional microsurgery technique but with a reduced operative time and a simplified procedure.