Aging veterans and the end-stage renal disease management dilemma in the millennium.

The population of aging veterans with complex multiple medical problems is increasing steadily in developed nations. The life expectancy in an aging population with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is often compared with terminal malignancy. Renal failure in elderly patients often generates a myriad of complicated issues and the nephrologists are faced with the dilemma of conveying the prognosis of renal failure in elderly patients and also explain the pros and cons of offering a renal replacement therapy.

Punch biopsies of melanoma: a diagnostic peril.

Excisional or incisional biopsies of melanoma are used to determine depth of tumor invasion and to plan subsequent treatment. Accurate determination of depth of melanoma invasion is critical for treatment decisions and prognosis. Incisional or punch biopsies can be perilous for histopathologic determination of invasion, and both over- and underestimation of invasion can occur when using incisional methods.

Prostatic epithelial polyp diagnosed in a bladder wash.

Prostatic epithelial polyps, also known as adenomatous polyps or papillary adenomas with prostatic type epithelium, are uncommon lesions. These lesions typically involve the adult male urethra, trigone, or bladder dome. Diagnosis is usually made by biopsy.