Evaluating the Clinical Impact of Ureteral Frozen Section Analysis During Radical Cystectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

Introduction The objective of this study is to find out if there are any differences in upper urinary tract recurrence and overall mortality between patients who underwent a frozen section analysis during radical cystectomy and those who did not. Materials and methods In an observational retrospective cohort study, we evaluated data from 164 patients who underwent radical cystectomy in our institution over a five-year period from 2013 to 2018. Fisher's exact test was applied to find any difference in upper urinary tract recurrence between the two groups.

Vasoactivity of rucaparib, a PARP-1 inhibitor, is a complex process that involves myosin light chain kinase, P2 receptors, and PARP itself.

Therapeutic inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), as monotherapy or to supplement the potencies of other agents, is a promising strategy in cancer treatment. We previously reported that the first PARP inhibitor to enter clinical trial, rucaparib (AG014699), induced vasodilation in vivo in xenografts, potentiating response to temozolomide. We now report that rucaparib inhibits the activity of the muscle contraction mediator myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) 10-fold more potently than its commercially available inhibitor ML-9.

An unusual presentation of a retroperitoneal cyst.

A 34-year-old woman presented to the surgical assessment unit with severe right loin to groin pain. An ultrasound scan of the abdomen revealed a complex cyst in the right iliac fossa and a subsequent CT scan revealed a 7.5 cm retroperitoneal cystic lesion below the lower pole of the right kidney.

Collectives of diagnostic biomarkers identify high-risk subpopulations of hematuria patients: exploiting heterogeneity in large-scale biomarker data.

Background: Ineffective risk stratification can delay diagnosis of serious disease in patients with hematuria. We applied a systems biology approach to analyze clinical, demographic and biomarker measurements (n = 29) collected from 157 hematuric patients: 80 urothelial cancer (UC) and 77 controls with confounding pathologies.

Methods: On the basis of biomarkers, we conducted agglomerative hierarchical clustering to identify patient and biomarker clusters.

The impact of biomarkers in multivariate algorithms for bladder cancer diagnosis in patients with hematuria.

Background: We appraised 23 biomarkers previously associated with urothelial cancer in a case-control study. Our aim was to determine whether single biomarkers and/or multivariate algorithms significantly improved on the predictive power of an algorithm based on demographics for prediction of urothelial cancer in patients presenting with hematuria.

Methods: Twenty-two biomarkers in urine and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in serum were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and biochip array technology in 2 patient cohorts: 80 patients with urothelial cancer, and 77 controls with confounding pathologies.

Subclavian vein thrombosis: an unusual presentation of renal cell carcinoma.

Subclavian vein thrombosis is an uncommon clinical condition which is often associated with venous catheterization or secondary to excessive effort. We present a 54-year-old female with subclavian vein thrombosis as a first presentation of renal cell carcinoma. Although this is an unusual presentation, malignancy should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Laparoscopic bladder diverticulectomy.

Acquired bladder diverticulae are herniations of the bladder mucosa through detrusor muscle. Due to the ineffective emptying of the bladder diverticulum, urine accumulation may lead to urinary tract infection, stone disease, and lower urinary tract malignancy in the diverticulum. We report a case of laparoscopic bladder diverticulectomy for transitional cell carcinoma in an acquired bladder diverticulum.

The utility of prostate-specific antigen velocity thresholds in clinical practice: a population-based analysis.

Objective: To investigate the ability of prostate-specific antigen velocity (PSAV) to predict prostate cancer, and assess the test characteristics of several PSAV thresholds for identifying prostate cancer and high-grade cancers.

Patients And Methods: From a population-based database of PSA results, men with an initial PSA level of <10.0 ng/mL, taken between I January 1994 and 31 December 2003, were identified.

Long-term functional outcome of renal units after laparoscopic nephron-sparing surgery under cold ischemia.

Background And Purpose: Renal-artery occlusion is used to control bleeding during laparoscopic nephronsparing surgery, but there are worries about ischemic damage. We compared the functional outcomes of kidneys treated under warm and cold ischemia.

Patients And Methods: Twelve patients treated with warm ischemia and 14 treated with cold ischemia had renal function investigation 3 to 6 months postoperatively.

Detection of early lymph node metastases in prostate cancer by laparoscopic radioisotope guided sentinel lymph node dissection.

Purpose: Radioisotope guided sentinel lymph node (SLN) dissection (SLND) for prostate cancer has been shown to increase the sensitivity of detecting early metastases in open pelvic lymph node dissection. We developed a technique that allows SLND to be performed by laparoscopy in conjunction with laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: In 71 consecutive patients SLND was performed by 1 surgeon preceding laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Role of laparoscopy in management of renal stones: single-center experience and review of literature.

Background And Purpose: Laparoscopy can be an alternative modality in the management of renal stones. We present our experience with laparoscopic renal stone surgery.

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients (4 males, 14 females) with mean age of 51 years (range 18-86 years) underwent 19 laparoscopic procedures.

Laparoscopic adrenal surgery for recurrent tumours in patients with hereditary phaeochromocytoma.

Objective: To report our experience with Laparoscopic Partial Adrenalectomy (LPA) for recurrent tumours in patients with hereditary phaeochromocytoma.

Patients And Methods: Five patients with hereditary phaeochromocytoma (4 with von Hippel-Lindau disease and 1 with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 2B), who had undergone adrenal surgery previously, presented with recurrent adrenal tumours. One patient was pregnant at 20 weeks of gestation.

Laparoscopic nephron sparing surgery: evolution in a decade.

Objective: To present our experience with laparoscopic nephron sparing surgery (NSS) over a decade.

Methods: Seventy-eight patients underwent NSS since 1994. Two techniques were used-partial nephrectomy without ischemia (group 1) in 29 patients, and with ischemia (group 2) which was in cold or warm ischemia in 24 and 25 patients respectively.

Prospective, randomized controlled study: transperitoneal laparoscopic versus retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy.

Objectives: To evaluate the transperitoneal and retroperitoneal approaches for endoscopic radical nephrectomy in a prospective randomized manner to assess the possible differences in the outcome related to patients' morbidity and technical difficulty for the surgeon.

Methods: A total of 40 patients with Stage cT1-T2 were randomized into two equal groups: laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) and retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy (RRN). The patient demographics and tumor characteristics were comparable.

Virtual cystoscopy from computed tomography: a pilot study.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of virtual cystoscopy reconstructed from helical computed tomography (CT) obtained using an intravenous contrast agent, and to correlate the findings with flexible (FC) and rigid cystoscopy (RC) in patients with bladder tumours.

Patients And Methods: Eighteen patients (16 men and two women, mean age 72 years, range 59-80) with haematuria and found to have a bladder tumour on FC were included in a pilot study. Contrast-enhanced helical CT scans were taken and based on these datasets, virtual cystoscopy (VC) images were reconstructed by a radiologist unaware of the findings at cystoscopy.

Laparoscopic partial adrenalectomy for recurrent pheochromocytoma in a boy with Von Hippel-Lindau disease.

We describe a case of a boy with Von Hippel-Lindau disease who presented with recurrent right adrenal pheochromocytoma 4.5 years after laparoscopic bilateral partial adrenalectomy. The boy had a second laparoscopic adrenal-sparing removal of the tumor.

Intra-testicular varicocele presenting as acute scrotum.

The term varicocele describes a dilated, tortuous and elongated pampiniform plexus of veins, which is well known in relation to the spermatic cord. Recently varicocele has also been observed inside the testis, and this new entity is known as intra-testicular varicocele. We present a case of intra-testicular varicocele presenting as acute scrotum and discuss the management issues.

Squamous cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma arising in bladder augmentations.

Tumours arising in bowel-augmented bladders are rare. Usually these tumours are adenocarcinomas that occur along the anastomotic line. We present two unusual tumours, squamous cell carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma, that occurred in bladder augmentations.