Intermittent androgen suppression in prostate cancer: testosterone levels and its implication.

Introduction: Intermittent androgen suppression (IAS) in patients affected by prostate cancer seems to lessen the severity of the side effects that are associated with continuous androgen ablation.

Aim: This report monitors the effect of IAS on testosterone values, quality of life, and sexual function during phases of therapy.

Methods: A total of 100 patients entered a prospective study of IAS.

Five-year outcome of uterus sparing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse repair: a single-center experience.

Introduction And Hypothesis: The study aims to report an extended follow-up of our case series of sacrohysteropexy for pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Methods: Fifty-five patients with symptomatic POP underwent uterus sparing surgery. All patients were followed up for 1, 3, 6 and 12 months and then annually.

[The new materials in prolapse surgery and incontinence].

In line with the results of general surgeons, who revolutionised the surgical approach and the success rate of ventral hernia repair using synthetic mesh, urologists and gynaecologists recently moved towards the use of prosthesis to augment the native tissues. The rationale was based on the relatively high failure rates of the traditional anterior vaginal compartment repair and the recognition that the native tissue may no longer assume the position, strength or functionality by simple re-approximation. Actually the plethora of mesh or graft material, ranging from absorbable (synthetic and biological) to non-absorbable materials, indicates how uncertain we are about the best management.

Uterus preservation in pelvic organ prolapse surgery.

Attitudes to sexuality and the psychological value of reproductive organs have changed in Western countries over the last few decades. Nevertheless, repair of pelvic support defects with concomitant hysterectomy is still considered the standard treatment for pelvic organ prolapse. Over the last 10 years, however, interest has been growing in uterus-sparing surgery, which can be divided into vaginal, abdominal, and laparoscopic procedures.

[Calculations of mean refraction and variation of refraction using a dioptric space].

Polar notations (sphere, cylinder, and axis) of refraction perfectly characterize a single refraction but are not suitable for statistical analysis or graphic representation. While the spherical component of refraction can be easily analyzed by the spherical equivalent, statistical analysis of astigmatism requires non-polar expressions of refraction. Indeed, the cylinder and axis of astigmatism are not independent data.

Outcomes of radical prostatectomy in clinically locally advanced N0M0 prostate cancer.

Introduction: Radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with locally advanced (cT3) prostate cancer (PCa) is considered an optional therapy.

Aim: To evaluate outcomes of surgery for cT3 disease and to compare results with those of patients treated for cT1-T2 PCa.

Patients And Methods: Data of 74 consecutive patients with cT3 N0M0 PCa who underwent RP were compared to those of 425 consecutive unselected patients who underwent surgery for cT1-T2 N0M0 disease.

Updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the comparative data on colposuspensions, pubovaginal slings, and midurethral tapes in the surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence.

Context: Burch colposuspension, pubovaginal sling, and midurethral retropubic tape (RT) and transobturator tape (TOT) have been the most popular surgical treatments for female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been published comparing the different techniques, with conflicting results.

Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy, complication, and reoperation rates of midurethral tapes compared with other surgical treatments for female SUI.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin versus gemcitabine for intravesical therapy in high-risk superficial bladder cancer: a randomised prospective study.

Objective: To evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of adjuvant intravesical gemcitabine versus bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the treatment of high-risk superficial bladder cancer.

Method: 64 patients with high-risk superficial bladder cancer (pT1 and/or G3 and/or CIS) were assigned to interventions (gemcitabine or BCG) in a randomised controlled trial. All the patients were evaluated for recurrence and progression rates (primary endpoint) and safety and tolerability (secondary endpoint).

Patients of surgical educational course may have a poorer outcome for pelvic organ prolapse repair and higher complication rate: a case-control study in urogynecology.

Introduction And Hypothesis: To investigate the outcome of the surgical educational course setting in patients undergoing urinary incontinence (UI)/pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair.

Methods: A case-control study of patients who underwent surgery for UI and/or POP during educational post-graduate courses (group A) or during routine hospital work (control--group B). The primary outcome measures were changes in the incontinence rate, presence/absence of POP, and complications.

Iatrogenic trapped penis in adults: new, simple 2-stage repair.

Purpose: We present a new, 2-stage functional and cosmetic reconstruction of concealed penis in adults with short-term subjective outcomes.

Materials And Methods: Patients with excess penile skin removal, shaft tissue scarring and penile retraction with poor functional and cosmetic results underwent 2-stage repair. At stage 1 after a coronal incision and penile degloving an intrascrotal tunnel was formed and the penis was transposed through the scrotum.

[Polar and non polar notations of refraction].

Refraction can be expressed by four polar notations which correspond to four different combinations of spherical or cylindrical lenses. Conventional expressions of refraction (plus and minus cylinder notation) are described by sphere, cylinder, and axis. In the plus cylinder notation, the axis visualizes the most powerful meridian.

Preoperative MUCP and VLPP did not predict long-term (4-year) outcome after transobturator mid-urethral sling.

Objective: Maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) and Valsalva leak point pressure (VLPP) have been considered objective parameters for studying the urethral integrity and predicting outcome after surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). We test the hypothesis that preoperative MUCP and/or VLPP may predict long-term outcome after out-in transobturator tape (TOT) surgery for female SUI.

Methods: 65 patients affected by stress or mixed urinary incontinence were enrolled in a prospective observational descriptive study conducted from May 2002 to November 2005 at a single tertiary urban teaching university urogynecological department.

Acute aortic dissection early after off-pump coronary surgery: true frequency underestimated?

Since the adoption of off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB), numerous investigators have compared its short- and long-term results with those of on-pump coronary bypass surgery. Some reports of OPCAB were quite favorable, whereas others were critical, claiming that it resulted in incomplete revascularization and reduced venous graft patency. A potentially serious complication of OPCAB, not heretofore sufficiently confronted, is the increased incidence of early postoperative acute aortic dissection, in comparison with the more familiar intraoperative and late-occurring aortic dissection after conventional on-pump bypass surgery.

Open-label, longitudinal study of tamsulosin for functional bladder outlet obstruction in women.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical effect of tamsulosin for the treatment of functional bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) in adult women.

Methods: In a prospective, longitudinal open-label study, 63 women affected by functional BOO were treated with tamsulosin. Inclusion criteria were: age >18 years, reporting voiding symptoms (intermittent stream, hesitancy, straining and/or a feeling of incomplete emptying), uroflowmetry maximum flow rate (Q(max)) under 12 ml and/or presence of postvoid residual greater than 50% of the voiding volume.

The management of pelvic organ prolapse: a review.

The increase of the prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and urinary incontinence (UI), associated to changes in longevity, population demographics, and lifestyle expectation, is leading to a different set of urogynecological surgical challenges for 21st century women The objective of this review is to determine the characteristics and the effects of the different surgical technique in the management of POP. Here, we reviewed traditional techniques as well as we are going to take in consideration the introduction of several new procedures involving the use of different meshes or grafts, with or without introducer kits. Finally the laparoscopic approaches and the rapidly evolving robotic surgery will be discussed.

The incontinence impact questionnaire: results in an Italian female population stratified by educational status.

Objective: To determine the response rate to the self-administered Incontinence Impact Questionnaire (IIQ) in an Italian female population.

Patients And Methods: 172 consecutive patients referred to the urogynecological department of an urban university teaching hospital were invited to answer the self-administered IIQ. Correlations were investigated between answer rate, age, educational status and urogenital pathology.

ROLC strawberry plant adaptability, productivity, and tolerance to soil-borne disease and mycorrhizal interactions.

The potential to improve strawberry cultivation was assessed regarding the use the rolC genes from Agrobacterium rhizogenes that can confer higher levels of free cytokinins. Strawberry (cv. Calypso) rolC lines were produced by genetic transformation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Should we train urologists in female urology? A European view.

Purpose Of Review: Training in female urology in Europe so far has been a national focus of individual European countries. Because of reasons like differentiation in pathology, activities of other specialisms like gynaecology and reimbursement issues, the way in which extra training in female urology is organized varies a lot.

Recent Findings: We have already encountered big changes in legislation of working hours and the way in which patients are more and better informed about diseases and treatments.

TRP family proteins in the lower urinary tract: translating basic science into new clinical prospective.

The lower urinary tract (LUT) is densely innervated by capsaicin-sensitive primary afferent neurons, a sub set of sensory nerves, in a number of species including humans. These fibers exhibit both a sensory (afferent) function, including the regulation of the micturition reflex and the perception of pain, and an 'efferent' function, involved in the detrusor smooth muscle contractility and plasma protein extravasation. The discovery of specific binding sites for capsaicin, the pungent ingredient of red chilli, initiated a rush that ended up with the cloning of the 'vanilloid receptor', which belongs to the TRP (transient receptor potential) family.