We aim to assess the effect of Cavacurmin® on prostate volume (PV), lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and micturition parameters in men after 1 year of therapy. From September 2020 to October 2021, data from 20 men with LUTS/benign prostatic hyperplasia and PV ≥40 mL who were on therapy with α1-adrenoceptor antagonists plus Cavacurmin® were retrospectively compared with 20 men on only α1-adrenoceptor antagonists. Patients were evaluated at baseline and after 1 year using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), maximum urinary flow (Qmax) and PV. A Mann–Whitney U-test and Chi-square were used to assess the difference between the two groups. A comparison of paired data was performed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05. There was no statistically significant difference in baseline characteristics between the two groups. At the 1-year follow-up, PV [55.0 (15.0) vs. 62.5 (18.0) mL, p = 0.04)], PSA [2.5 (1.5) ng/mL vs. 3.05 (2.7) vs. p = 0.009] and IPSS [13.5 (3.75) vs. 18 (9.25) p = 0.009] were significantly lower in the Cavacurmin® group. Qmax was significantly higher in the Cavacurmin® group [15.85 (2.9) vs. 14.5 (4.2), p = 0.022]. PV was reduced to 2 (5.75) mL in the Cavacurmin® group from baseline, while it increased to 12 (6.75) mL in the α1-adrenoceptor antagonists group (p < 0.001). PSA decreased in the Cavacurmin® group [−0.45 (0.55) ng/mL], whereas it increased in the α1-adrenoceptor antagonists group [0.5 (0.30) ng/mL, p < 0.001]. In conclusion, one-year Cavacurmin® therapy was able to block prostate growth with a concomitant decrease in PSA value from baseline. The association of Cavacurmin® with α1-adrenoceptor antagonists had a more beneficial effect compared to patients on α1-adrenoceptor antagonists alone but this needs further larger studies to be confirmed, particularly in the long-term.
Dear Editor, Inguinal lymphadenectomy represents a crucial step in both staging and treatment of penile cancer and can be curative in some patients.Nevertheless,severe morbidity can be high in up to 50%of cases.The most-reported complications are skin necrosis,wound infection,lymphoedema,and lymphocele[1].
INTRODUCTION:Patients with stage II germ-cell tumours (GCT) usually undergo radiotherapy (seminoma only) or chemotherapy. Both strategies display a recognised risk of long-term side effects. We evaluated retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) as exclusive treatment in stage II GCT.METHODS:Between 2008 and 2019 included, 66 selected stage II GCT patients underwent primary open (O-) or laparoscopic (L-)RPLND. Type of procedure and extent of dissection, operative time, node rescue, hospital stay, complications (according to Clavien-Dindo), administration of chemotherapy, relapse and site of relapse were evaluated.RESULTS:Five patients had pure testicular seminoma. Nineteen (28.8%) had raised markers prior to RPLND; 48 (72.7%), 16 (24.2%) and two (3.0%) were stage IIA, IIB and IIC, respectively. O-RPLND and unilateral L-RPLND were 36 and 30 respectively. Six stage II A patients (12.5%) had negative nodes. Four patients underwent immediate adjuvant chemotherapy. One patient was lost at follow-up. After a median follow-up of 29 months, 48 (77.4%) of the 62 patients undergoing RPLND alone remained recurrence-free; one patient had an in-field recurrence following a bilateral dissection. According to procedure, number of rescued nodes (O-RPLND: 25. IQR 21-31; L-RPLND: 20, IQR 15-26; p: 0.001), hospital stay (L-RPLND: 3 days, IQR 3-4; O-RPLND: 6 days, IQR 5-8; p: .001) and grade ≥2 complications (L-RPLND 7%, O-RPLND 22%; p: 0.1) were the only significant differences.CONCLUSION:Primary RPLND is safe in stage II GCT, including seminoma, and may warrant a cure rate greater than 70%. When feasible, L-RPLND may be as effective as O-RPLND with better tolerability.
False penile fractures (FPF) represent a rare sexual emergency characterized by blunt trauma of penis in the absence of albuginea’s injury, with or without lesion of dorsal penile vein. Their presentation is often indistinguishable from true penile fractures (TPF). This overlapping of clinical presentation, and lack of knowledge about FPF, can lead surgeons often to proceed directly to surgical exploration without further examinations. The aim of this study was to define a typical presentation of false penile fractures (FPF) emergency, identifying in absence of “snap” sound, slow detumescence, penile shaft ecchymosis, and penile deviation main clinical signs. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis based on Medline, Scopus and Cochrane following a protocol designed a priori, to define sensitivity of “snap” sound absence, slow detumescence and penile deviation. Based on the literature search of 93 articles, 15 were included (73 patients). All patients referred pain, most of them during coitus (n = 57; 78
Non-dilated obstructive uropathy (NDOU) is a condition of renal insufficiency characterized by functional kidney failure and inability of collective system to dilate because of several causes, e.g. hypotension, severe oliguria or dehydration. TUR-syndrome is a complication of bladder resection possibly leading to this condition through electrolytic disequilibrium after fluids reabsorption. We present the case of a patient with solitary kidney suffering from this uropathy regardless of mild electrolytic disorders and small bladder perforations. Prompt diagnosis and management with ureteral stent or nephrostomy tube are imperative in this setting.
This collection includes some unusual cases and how they were diagnosed and treated. Case 1: A case of a patient with primary hyperthyroidism presenting with a submucosal ureteral stone after endoscopic lithotripsy was described. After multiple endoscopic treatment, the stone was successfully removed by open ureterolithotomy recovering ureteral patency and normal renal function. Case 2: A case of burned-out testicular cancer with atypical lymphatic spread (stage II A) was presented. After right orchiectomy and complete remission of tumor markers, due to atypical metastases location and uncertain histology, the patient was treated with systemic therapy based on bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (PEB). At re-staging after chemotherapy computed tomography showed reduction of all node metastases and an observation protocol was proposed. Case 3: A patient was readmitted to hospital after 12 days from an uneventful Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP) for prostate cancer due to lower abdominal pain plus abdominal distension, nausea and constipation not responsive to medical therapy. Computed Tomography showed colon and small bowel dilatation without any evidence of anatomical or mechanical obstruction. Laparoscopic abdominal exploration confirmed bowel distension without evidence of obstructing lesions. Ogilvie's Syndrome or acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (ACPO) was diagnosed. The patient fully recovered and was discharged six days after the procedure. Case 4: A case of recurrent Acute Idiopathic Scrotal Edema (AISE) was diagnosed on clinical signs together with the decisive help of pathognomonic ultrasound findings as the "fountain sign". Case 5: Small bilateral testicular nodules were diagnosed in a 30-years old patient undergoing scrotal ultrasound in follow up of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Ultrasound guided testis sparing surgery was performed demonstrating Leydig cell tumors.
INTRODUCTION Submucosal ureteral stone is a very atypical location and rare condition that can occur after multiple endoscopic procedures. In the literature, there is a complete lack of evidence in the management of this condition. The European Association of Urology guidelines describe an overall complication rate after retrograde ureterorenoscopy (URS) ranging between 9% and 25% (1). The most frequent complications reported in the literature are: fever and sepsis, steinstrasse and ureteral lesions (2).
Up to 19% of patients with renal cell carcinoma present with a venous thrombus at diagnosis and 1% have a thrombus extending above the diaphragm. The higher the thrombus level, the more challenging the surgery. Cavoatrial tumor thrombus usually requires circulatory arrest and sometimes cardiopulmonary by-pass. We present a case of non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma with a cavoatrial tumor thrombus in a patient who was unfit for cardiac surgery. Eight months of targeted molecular therapy downsized the tumor thrombus to inferior vena cava and allowed us to perform a radical nephrectomy with minimal cavothomy for thrombus resection.