Botulinum toxin for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Botulinum toxin (BTX) is the most potent biological toxin used for the treatment of urologic conditions. During the last 3 years, the use of BTX has been extended to the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia, however, the actual mechanism through which BTX can reduce prostate volume and infravesical resistance is not well understood. This article reviews the main effects of BTX in prostate tissues.

[Stenosis of the renal artery as a cause of acute renal insufficiency after transplantation].

Eight cases of kidney transplant recipients that developed acute renal failure are described. Arterial renal stenosis was responsabilised for the ARF. One patient was submitted to transluminar angioplasty without success and then operated.

Blood loss during and following transurethral resection.

Blood loss measurement in transurethral prostatic surgery (TUR) has been studied with the following objectives: (1) to measure the total lost volume (during surgery and 48 hours postoperatively); (2) to compare surgical bleeding and coagulogram alterations in benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostatic carcinoma (CaP); (3) to establish the relationship between blood loss, duration of the procedure, and amount of resected tissue. The method of Jansen was used to measure blood loss, and the "coagulogram" included the following parameters: hematrocrit; prothrombin, recalcification, thrombin, and partial thromboplastin times; fibrinogen; platelets and fibrin split products. The study is based on TUR performed on 75 patients from whom a mean weight of 25.

Microvascular surgery: adjunct to renal transplantation.

A new technique for microvascular anastomosis of the polar artery to the renal artery, end to side, is presented. It was performed in 5 cases of renal transplantation with a successful result in all.