Minimally invasive retrieval of a retained Jackson--Pratt drainage tube using the Sachse urethrotome.

Objective: A retained postoperative drain tube, trapped by one or more of the sutures of the abdominal wall closure, is a rare complication of frustrating consequences and potential legal repercussions. There are few reports of techniques for minimally invasive removal of an anchored postoperative drain tube, which not infrequently has been treated by reopening the wound.

Method/result: A 75 years-old man with a left T2-T3N0M0 renal carcinoma was treated with transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomy and a Jackson-Pratt drain was left in place.

Jaques-Louis Reverdin (1842-1929): the surgeon and the needle.

Summary Objectives: With the development and rise of abdominal laparoscopic techniques, the old Reverdin needle has had a revival, because it proved to be useful for the endoscopic closure of laparoscopic access ports, in order to lower the incidence of incisional hernias. Several new modifications of the Reverdin needle, with different names, are in the market now. This new use of an old instrument, prompted a review of the life and work of Jaques-Louis Reverdin, the Swiss surgeon trained in Paris and founder of the modern Swiss surgery.

[Extraperitoneal bladder rupture coinciding with bone fragments: the case for surgical treatment].

Introduction: In closed traumatic bladder ruptures, a surgical treatment of the intraperitoneal rupture, and a conservative approach to the extraperitoneal one, with bladder catheter, antibiotics and confirmation of bladder wound closure after two to three weeks-, was recommended. Only recently, attention was paid to the importance of the presence of bone fragments of the pelvic fractures, that in the vecinity of a bladder catheter or urinary infection may give raise to either severe pelvic infection or permanent urinary fistula.

Patients And Method: The two cases of extraperitoneal bladder rupture here presented, demonstrate the difficulties of a secure diagnosis by CT, and the potential severity of the existence of bone fragments impronting the bladder disruption.

[Spontaneous transuretero-ureterostomy after complete stenosis of an ileal conduit, with four years of conservative follow-up].

Introduction: Stenosis of an ileal conduit is a rare complication of this urinary diversion. In the case here described, such a complication was neglected for some weeks and left the patient in a high risk situation. After implantation of a bilateral nephrostomy, a spontaneous transuretero-ureterostomy was found.

[Knowledge of the urogenital diseases in the work of Gaspar Casal, "natural and medical history of the Principality of Asturias" (1762)].

Objectives: Gaspar Casal (Gerona, 1680, Madrid, 1759) made most of his medical work in Oviedo (Asturias, Spain), where he lived for thirty-four years, before his return to Madrid as a doctor for the Royal House. Fruits of this work is the book "Natural and medical history of the Principality of Asturias" (Madrid, 1762), considered the best exponent of the Spanish medicine of the 18th century, and where the "disease of the rose", known later as pellagra or hypovitaminosis B, was first described in.

Methods: Study of the life of Gaspar Casal and analysis of "Natural and medical history of the Principality of Asturias", speculating on the knowledge about nephro-urologic and external genitalia diseases that can be deduced from the text.

Idiopathic chronic hematocele of the vaginal sac.

We report a 39-year-old male who presented non-traumatic testicular swelling and pain. Physical examination and sonography presented a suspicion of testicular tumor and both surgical exploration and inguinal orchiectomy were performed. Hematocele may both clinically and sonographically resemble a testicular tumor.

[Secondary bladder amylodosis with severe recurrent hematuria: transurethral Mikuliz procedure as hemostatic option].

Objectives: Primary localized amyloidosis of the urinary bladder generally has a benign course. On the contrary, secondary amyloidosis, a consequence of systemic amyloidosis, may have massive bleeding and produce complications such as bladder rupture or lifethreatening hemodynamic problems requiring desperate hemostatic procedures such as hypogastric artery embolization or ligature, or cystectomy. We report one case in which hemostasis was achieved by a Mickulicz transurethral bladder tamponage.