It was reported that 11.1% of women undergo surgery for pelvic organ prolapse or urinary incontinence or both by the age of 80 years. The high rate of failure with conventional colporrhaphy for pelvic organ prolapse has led to an increasing use of synthetic and biological grafts in order to obtain more durable results. Problems associated with the use of mesh during vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse include dyspareunia and mesh exposure. The aim of this video was to describe the treatment for a severe erosion of the bladder trigone by a prolene mesh.

Nowadays, because of early diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC) and the widespread use of nomograms to predict pathological stage of the tumour, seminal vesicle biopsy is considered as a useful tool only in case of clinical suspicion of seminal vesicle invasion. On the other hand, in last years some authors described their experience in less demolitive surgical procedures for PC, such as seminal sparing radical prostatectomy, in an attempt to improve both postoperative urinary continence and sexual function, as reported by Hauri and Montie, respectively. Patients, who may undergo to such procedure, could benefit from preoperative seminal vesicle biopsy, instead of rely on probability of seminal vesicle invasion indicated by nomograms only. From November 2001 to June 2003, 135 patients with negative rectal examination and PSA ≤10, with no contraindications to radical prostatectomy, underwent transrectal ultrasound guided seminal vesicle biopsy at our Institution. We performed seminal-monolateral nerve sparing radical prostatectomy in patients with monolateral PC, Gleason score <7 and <4 positive biopsy cores, without seminal vesicles involvement. Patients with seminal vesicle invasion were addressed to radiotherapy. Seminal vesicles biopsy showed in our hands good feasibility and low morbility; it was in general well tolerated by the patients. All biopsy cores were adequate for histological examination. Among patients with PC diagnosis, only one patient (4%), with serum PSA = 5 ng/mL and Gleason score = 6, had seminal vesicles involvement. We performed seminal-nerve sparing radical prostatectomy in 21 patients, neither histological examination on frozen section nor final pathology showed seminal vesicle invasion in any case. Real usefulness of seminal vesicle biopsy remains controversial, but due to its good feasibility and low morbility it may play a role in the staging of selected patients.

According to some authors, residual tumour rate after superficial bladder cancer transurethral resection varies from 4–78%; among high risk superficial tumours (TaG3, T1G3, Tis) managed by transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) and adjuvant immunotherapy, residual tumour rate varies from 57–76%. This study was aimed to evaluate residual tumour and/or tumour recurrence in 56 patients diagnosed with high risk superficial bladder tumour, who underwent transurethral resection, adjuvant 6-weekly course of intravesical bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and second TURB on the first resection sites, and in other sites suspicious for recurrence. Overall, 7/56 patients (12.5%) had residual tumour and/or recurrent disease at second TURB; no histological progression was recorded. Disease persistence or recurrence was not related to tumour multifocality at first diagnosis. Our results appear to be consistent with other recent experiences, reporting low rates of residual tumour and disease progression in superficial bladder tumours after a first adequate resection and adjuvant immunotherapy. Thus, our current practice in management of high risk superficial bladder tumour is oriented towards routine cystoscopy within 3 months after first bladder tumour resection, completed by cold biopsies on previous resection sites. To our opinion, this approach provides adequate diagnostic reliability besides sparing the costs of a new resection and improving patients quality of life.

OBJECTIVES:To describe the operative technique of a new, Y-shaped, ileal neobladder and report the clinical and functional outcomes to add a contribution to the most discussed issues about orthotopic neobladders, in particular related to the problem of the prevention of strictures of ureteral-neobladder anastomoses. METHODS:Between January 1999 and June 2002, 50 patients (41 men and 9 women) underwent radical cystectomy and Y-shaped orthotopic neobladder reconstruction. The following parameters were considered: operative time, complications, and functional outcomes (evaluated with voiding chart and a questionnaire analyzing continence). Urodynamic studies were performed in the first 20 patients. RESULTS:The operative time for neobladder reconstruction was 15 to 20 minutes. No severe complications or significant metabolic complications were recorded. Only 1 case of unilateral stricture of the ureteral-neobladder anastomosis was recorded (1% of renal units); the stricture was easily treated with a retrograde endoscopic approach. Daytime and nighttime continence was good or satisfactory in 90% and 85% of patients, respectively. One year after surgery, the average maximal neobladder capacity was 390 mL, and the average pressure at maximal capacity was 15 cm H2O. CONCLUSIONS:The ileal Y-shaped orthotopic neobladder had good functional outcomes comparable to most popular orthotopic neobladders. Moreover, the surgical technique of the Y-neobladder is easy, rapid, and reliable. In particular, the Y-neobladder seemed to reduce, in our experience, the occurrence of strictures at the ureteral-neobladder anastomosis, because it permits a perfectly aligned anastomosis without mobilization of the ureters.

The authors report their preliminary results of making Y neobladders, which they consider has contributed to reducing the incidence of uretero-ileal anastomosis stricture. Between 1999 and 2002, 43 patients (35 men and 8 women) underwent radical cystectomy due to invasive bladder cancer followed by the construction of an orthotopic Y-shaped neobladder. Of these patients, 40 have been assessed at an average follow-up of 13 months. No complications have been observed connected with the surgical procedure, nor infection of the urinary tracts or metabolic complications. Calculosis in the neobladder was observed in 2 patients (5%). Stenosis of the uretero-neovesical anastomosis was detected urographically in just one case (1.2%) and successfully treated by endoscope. Maximum capacity of the neobladder varied between 270 and 480 ml (average 390 ml) one year after the operation with an average pressure of 15 cm H 2 O (11-25 cm H 2 O). Most patients had excellent continence in the daytime and satisfactory at night. In conclusion, the Y shaped neobladder is similar to other forms of orthotopic urinary diversion in terms of complications, urinary continence and urodynamic parameters, but offers a reduction in strictures of the uretero-ileal anastomosis thanks to the absence of mobilisation of the ureters.

PURPOSE:The biological behaviour of prostate cancer is highly variable and prediction by the commonly employed prognostic parameters is not sufficient. The concept of neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation in prostate adenocarcinoma has recently received increasing attention due to possible implications for prognosis and therapy.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Core needle biopsies from 142 newly diagnosed patients were immunohistochemically examined for the coexistence of NE differentiation using an antibody against chromogranin A (CgA). Circulating CgA was available in 106 of these patients.RESULTS:NE differentiation was found in 64 (45.1%) tumors. Among them 29 (20.4%) had CgA positive cells scattered or focally distributed in less than 5% per mm3 of tumor tissues, 26 (18.3%) between 5% and 10% and 9 (6.4%) more than 10%, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the extent of NE features and either Gleason score (P < 0.01) or stage of disease. Circulating CgA but not PSA correlated with immunohistochemical CgA (P < 0.03) particularly in metastatic cases.CONCLUSIONS:These data support the concept that NE differentiation in human prostate cancer has a negative prognostic significance. Circulating CgA levels reflect immunohistochemical findings.

BACKGROUND:Neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation of prostate adenocarcinoma has received increasing attention in recent years as a result of possible implications for prognosis and therapy. The presence of NE tumor subpopulation can be gauged non invasively by measuring circulating levels of secretory products, primarily chromogranin A (CgA).METHODS:This article provides a review on published papers evaluating circulating CgA in prostate cancer patients.RESULTS:Circulating CgA levels were found to be higher in prostate cancer patients than in patients with benign or pre-malignant prostatic diseases. In patients with malignancy, they correlated either to the stage of disease or to the condition of hormone refractoriness. CgA levels did not correlate with serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) and were supranormal in the majority of advanced patients with PSA within normality. In hormone refractory cases, elevated CgA was a significant predictor of poor prognosis, independently from serum PSA. CgA values were not substantially affected by either endocrine therapy or chemotherapy. They were found to increase during androgen deprivation in some cases and this trend preceded that of PSA. The administration of a somatostatin analog in hormone refractory cases was able to reduce plasma CgA values consistently.CONCLUSIONS:Present data suggest a potential role of circulating CgA in the management of prostate cancer patients. CgA determination may be useful diagnostically and prognostically and could offer complementary information with respect to PSA. Serial evaluation of circulating CgA could provide information on changes in the NE phenotype expression as a consequence of tumor progression and/or treatment administration.

BACKGROUND. The concept that neuroendocrine cells detected within prostate adenocarcinoma produce paracrine factors, that may exert a proliferative effect on exocrine prostate tumor cells, provides a rationale for the use of somatostatin analogs with the aim to counteract or delay the tumor progression. This study was designed to provide preliminary information on the effect of the administration of a long-acting somatostatin analog, lanreotide, on plasma levels of chromogranin A (CgA). Secondary aims were the evaluation of changes in circulating prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1).METHODS. Lanreotide(Ipstyl 30 mg; Ipsen, Milan, Italy) was administered intramuscularly every 14 days for 2 months to nine heavily pretreated prostate cancer patients with hormone refractory disease. All patients had, at baseline conditions, CgA values above the normal range. Androgen deprivation was maintained during the study period, while other concomitant antineoplastic treatments were not allowed. Serum PSA levels and plasma CgA and IGF-1 values were measured every week.RESULTS. Lanreotide treatment was very well tolerated and no patient experienced major toxicity. Plasma CgA values at baseline: mean 109 U/liter, standard deviation +/- 85 decreased significantly after treatment as follows: 42 U/liter, +/- 17.8; 27.2 U/liter +/- 13.6; 31.4 U/liter, +/- 17.8 and 27.6 U/liter, +/- 17.0; after 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, respectively (P < 0.01, Friedman ANOVA). Serum PSA did not change. Baseline IGF-1 was found to be above the detection limit in four cases, all of them showing a decrease after lanreotide.CONCLUSIONS. Lanreotide administration to prostate cancer patients induces a decrease in plasma CgA and IGF-1 levels, without any influence on serum PSA values. Prostate 47:205-211,2001. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

metastatic PC; 2) evaluate their prognostic significance; 3) compare values in patients with hormone-naive and hormone-refractory disease; and 4) assessBACKGROUND, Circulating neuroendocrine markers were measured in patients with prostate carcinoma (PC), prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), and benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) with the goal to: 1) evaluate the differences in the expression of these markers in patients with benign, premalignant, and primary or changes after androgen deprivation or chemotherapy.METHODS. Serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) (immunoradiometric assay) and plasma chromogranin A (CgA) (enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay) were evaluated in 141 patients with BPH, 54 patients with PIN, and 159 patients with PC; 119 patients were bearing hormone-naive disease and 40 were bearing hormone-refractory disease. CgA was monitored in 31 patients submitted to androgen deprivation and in 24 patients receiving chemotherapy.RESULTS. Supranormal CgA was observed more frequently in patients with American Urologic Association (AUA) Stage D2 disease (45.5%) compared with those with Stage D1 disease (33.3%), Stage C disease (16.7%), Stage RIB disease (18.8%), PIN (25.9%), and BPH (17.0%) (P < 0.02). Supranormal NSE did not change in any of the patient subgroups. Elevated CgA was observed in 36.0% of patients with metastases who had hormone-naive disease and in 45.0% of patients with hormone-refractory disease (P value not significant). Supranormal NSE and CgA values were predictors for poor prognosis in patients with hormone-refractory disease. Elevated baseline CgA values decreased > 50% in 1 of 12 patients who received luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogs and in 2 of 12 patients who underwent chemotherapy.CONCLUSIONS. CgA appears to reflect the neuroendocrine activity of PC better than NSE. Elevated CgA. values correlate with poor prognosis and are scarcely influenced by either endocrine therapy or chemotherapy. (C) 2000 American Cancer Society.