Urinary Continence Restoration Through an Endourethral Device: A 3-Month Pilot Study on 10 Patients.

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a widespread and frustrating condition that affects millions of people worldwide, with severe consequences on patients' quality of life and health care systems' costs. Currently, the most severe cases of SUI are treated using implanted (and rather invasive) extraurethral artificial sphincters. The authors propose an innovative, minimally invasive endourethral device for the treatment of SUI.

Transperineal laser ablation of the prostate as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer: The results of a Delphi consensus project.

Objective: To evaluate transperineal laser ablation (TPLA) with Echolaser® (Echolaser® TPLA, Elesta S.p.A.

A single-operator experience using EchoLaser SoracteLiteTM for focal laser ablation of prostate cancer: One more arrow in the quiver for the conservative management of the disease.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of patients suffering prostate cancer (PCa) treated conservatively using 1064 nm laser energy for focal laser ablation (FLA). The patients included in the study were unsuitable for surgery or unwilling to receive external beam radiotherapy because they were afraid of the possible side effects of whole-gland therapies.

Methods: This study included patients with a diagnosis of nonmetastatic PCa who underwent FLA using SoracteLiteTM system.

Is prostate-specific antigen percentage decrease predictive of clinical outcome after permanent iodine-125 interstitial brachytherapy for prostate cancer?

Objective: To determine the usefulness of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) percentage (vs. pretreatment value assumed as 100%) in prediction of biochemical relapse, after iodine-125 ((125)I) permanent brachytherapy for prostate cancer, to employ a parameter independent by the initial PSA amount and by the individual prostatic volume.

Methods And Materials: Our study included 133 patients, 102 still disease free (Group A) and 31 who experienced proven biochemical recurrence (Group B).

Transperineal microwave thermoablation in patients with obstructive benign prostatic hyperplasia: a phase I clinical study with a new mini-choked microwave applicator.

Purpose: To evaluate the tolerability and safety of a newly designed probe for trans-perineal microwave thermoablation (TPMT) of the prostate in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and the in vivo microwave effects on prostatic tissue.

Patients And Methods: Nine patients with obstructive BPH who were candidates for open prostatectomy were selected for this study. Under local anesthesia and transrectal ultrasound monitoring, all patients underwent a single standardized application of TPMT.

Prevalence, incidence estimation, risk factors and characterization of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in urological hospital outpatients in Italy: results of a multicenter case-control observational study.

Purpose: We evaluated the prevalence and estimated the incidence and risk factors of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in urological hospital outpatients in Italy.

Materials And Methods: From January to June 2006 patients from 28 Italian urological centers who were between 25 and 50 years old with symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome were consecutively enrolled in this prospective epidemiological case-control study. A total of 152 subjects of similar age, race and area of origin who were investigated for infertile couples but were otherwise healthy served as controls.

Intravesical gemcitabine in BCG-refractory T1G3 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: a pilot study.

Objective: The aim of this pilot study is to analyze the safety and short-term efficacy of gemcitabine (GEM) as salvage intravesical therapy in a very selected population of bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-resistant T1G3 patients.

Methods: 9 recurrent BCG-refractory pT1G3 patients, unsuitable for radical treatment, were treated with GEM, and compared with 10 pT1G3 patients previously treated with at least two courses of transurethral resection plus BGC, with further conservative endovesical BCG administration.

Results: Both intravesical administrations of GEM and BCG were generally well tolerated: no severe adverse events were reported.