Inflammatory pseudotumor of the epididymis.

We report the case of a 73-year-old patient who presented clinically with a palpable left scrotal mass after a 3-month history of therapy-resistant epidiymitis. He underwent epidiymectomy, and the following histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluation revealed an inflammatory pseudotumor. We present the second case of an inflammatory pseudotumor of the epididymis being reported in the literature and give a brief review of the literature concerning this very rare neoplastic entity.

Seizures associated with cisplatin administration.

A 50-year-old patient with a diagnosis of a primary extragonadal germ cell tumor received cisplatin-containing polychemotherapy and developed seizures after the first course of drug administration. We discuss this very rare toxic side effect of cisplatin and present a review of the literature concerning the experience with neurotoxic effects exerted by this agent.

Diagnostic and therapeutic laparoscopy of the nonpalpable testis.

We report about laparoscopic examination and treatment of 19 patients with 25 non-palpable testes. Thirteen patients presented with unilateral and six patients with bilateral absent testes, respectively. In all cases of non-palpable testes laparoscopy was able to determine the exact localization and supported the surgical approach.

The continent sigmoid urinary reservoir--an experimental study in pigs.

Objective: To evaluate the function of a continence mechanism in combination with a colonic urinary reservoir in a pig model.

Materials And Methods: A colonic urinary reservoir was constructed as a bladder augmentation in six domestic pigs. The pouch was connected to a narrowed and tunnelled ileal tube as a continence mechanism.

Visual laser ablation of the prostate: efficacy evaluated by urodynamics and compared to TURP.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of visual laser ablation of the prostate (VLAP) in comparison to conventional transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

Material And Methods: 133 patients with benign hyperplasia of the prostate (BPH) were treated by VLAP (n = 90) or TURP (n = 43). International prostate symptom score (IPSS), uroflow, residual urine and grade of obstruction determined by pressure flow studies were evaluated before and after treatment.

Biofeedback in the treatment of voiding disorders in childhood.

Voiding disorders are a common problem in pediatric urology. Biofeedback is a non-invasive method in the treatment of voiding disorders in childhood. Biofeedback takes aim at the learning or relearning of influencing involuntary functions.

[Visual laser ablation of the prostate--a prospective study].

Since february 1993 90 patients with BPH were treated with VLAP. Preoperatively determined parameters, WHO Prostate Symptom Score, uroflow, residual urine and obstruction grade were reevaluated 3, 6 and 9 months after operation. After dividing the whole collective into two groups (prostate size < 50 ml, prostate size > 50 ml), we could conclude, that VLAP in smaller prostate glands is similarly effective as transurethral resection, but in larger glands by obstructive symptoms can be improved by VLAP without removing the urodynamically proved obstruction.

Urodynamic evaluation and electrical and pharmacologic neurostimulation. The rat model.

We introduce a rat model that allows simultaneous or independent recording of bladder and sphincteric activity. Via a polyethylene tube inserted into the bladder dome, bladder pressure is measured in response to constant intravesical saline perfusion. The electrical activity of the intra-abdominal urethra (a well-defined striated muscular tube which, in the rat, constitutes the external urethral sphincter) is recorded simultaneously with an electromyography needle electrode.

Topographic-anatomical basis of sacral neurostimulation: neuroanatomical variations.

In 4 male and 5 female cadavers we undertook a detailed anatomical dissection of the caudal segment of the spinal cord with special emphasis on the conus medullaris, length of the spinal segment and pattern of nerve bridging between adjacent sacral roots. We found an unexpectedly high incidence of intradural bridging--some of simple formation and others more complex. These interconnections were more frequent between dorsal than ventral roots but never joined dorsal to ventral roots or vice versa.

[The electromotor unit of the upper urinary tract].

The muscular architecture of the upper urinary tract constitutes a functional but no anatomical syncytium, where the cells are coupled by nexus and crosslinking with low electrical resistance. The action potentials are evoked by spontaneous depolarisation of muscle cells. The sites of peak depolarisation could be termed pace-maker cells.

Intrathecal administration of substance P in the rat: the effect on bladder and urethral sphincteric activity.

At the lumbosacral spinal cord level in the rat, substance P-positive neurons are present in dense concentration in the dorsal horn and the sacral parasympathetic nucleus. We undertook the present study to investigate the effect of intrathecal substance P (10 micrograms at the L6-S1 level) on urinary bladder and urethral sphincteric activity and to compare these effects with those of intravenous and intra-arterial administration. Three different bladder pressure responses were triggered by intrathecal substance P: (A) an immediate, strong bladder contraction (n = 5); (B) augmentation of the micturition reflex, as indicated by strong detrusor contractions in response to intravesical saline perfusion (n = 4); and (C) a slow, gradual increase to a high, steady peak (n = 8).

Ultrastructural changes in impotent penile tissue: a comparison of 65 patients.

To determine whether impotence is caused by specific and consistent changes in erectile tissue, we compared the ultrastructure of the corpora cavernosa in 6 controls with that in 59 patients undergoing implantation of a penile prosthesis. The impotent patients were divided into groups based on a medical history of hypertension (10), pelvic surgery (9), alcoholic smokers (8), hypertensive alcoholics (3), hypertensive alcoholic smokers (3), smokers (3), diabetics (8), diabetic smokers (3), Peyronie's disease (3), spinal cord injury (3) and isolated causes (6). Our data demonstrate that different behavioral and/or medical conditions produce similar degenerative tissue responses.