Andreas Manseck

Bladder wall thickness in normal adults and men with mild lower urinary tract symptoms and benign prostatic enlargement.

There is evidence that increased bladder wall thickness can be a useful parameter in the evaluation of men with clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, normal values for bladder wall thickness (BWT) in adults have not been established.

Is There a Relationship between the Amount of Tissue Removed at Transurethral Resection of the Prostate and Clinical Improvement in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Objective: To assess in a prospective trial the influence of the amount of tissue resected at transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostatic enlargement on the symptom improvement as assessed by symptom scores. Methods: Between December 1996 and August 1998 a total of 138 men (mean age 68.2, range 53–89) with symptomatic benign prostatic enlargement who underwent TURP participated in this prospective study. Patients were assessed preoperatively with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the American Urological Association Bother Score (AUA–BS) and the Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Impact Index (BPH–II) as well as urinary flow rate measurements (Qmax) and prostate volume (PV) and residual urine determination by ultrasound. The amount of tissue resected was weighed. Patients were followed with reevaluation of Qmax, residual urine and the symptom and bother scores at 3 and 6 months. Results: A close correlation between preoperative PV (mean 49.0 ml, SD 22.0, range 13–140) and the resected tissue weight (RTW, mean 24.7 g, SD 18.0, range 6–128) was seen (r = 0.75, p<0.001). Age was correlated with preoperative PV (r = 0.23, p<0.05). While significant mean improvements in Qmax, residual volume and IPSS, AUA–BS and BPH–II were found 3 and 6 months postoperatively, a negative correlation was seen between the RTW and the IPSS, the AUA–BS and the BPH–II 3 months after TURP (r = –0.23, p<0.024; r = –0.23, p<0.025; r = –0.20, p = 0.05). No statistically significant correlation was seen between symptom change and the percentage of PV removed or the residual prostatic weight. Classification of the patients into groups depending on preoperative PV (<30, 31–50, 51–70 and >70 ml) showed a tendency for patients with larger PV to gain more symptom improvement postoperatively. Conclusions: Early symptom improvement after TURP will depend on the amount of tissue removed but the relationship is weak and affected by several other confounding factors. Apparently, the symptomatic improvement after TURP is not primarily dependent on the relative completeness of the resection. Patients with larger prostates and larger RTW tend to gain more symptomatic benefit from TURP than do patients with smaller prostates.

Combined anesthesia with epidural catheter. A retrospective analysis of the perioperative course in patients ungoing radical prostatectomy

ZusamenfassungPatienten, die sich einer radikalen Prostatektomie (rPE) einschließlich retroperitonealer Lymphadenektomie (rLA) unterziehen, haben aufgrund ihres Alters und ihrer Begleiterkrankungen ein erhöhtes perioperativen Risiko. Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es, den intra- und postoperativen Verlauf der standardisierten Operation rPE+rLA unter verschiedenen Anästhesieregimen zu analysieren.Krankenakten von 433 Patienten, die sich zwischen 1994 und 1999 in unserer Einrichtung einer rPE+rLA unterzogen, wurden retrospektiv ausgewertet. Die Patienten wurden nach dem durchgeführten Anästhesieverfahren eingeteilt:1. Allgemeinanästhesie (AA),2. Kombination lumbale Epiduralanästhesie (LEA)+AA,3. thorakale Epiduralanästhesie (TEA)+AA.Für die intra- und postoperative Katheteranalgesie wurden Bupivacain 0,25% oder Ropivacain 0,2%, 8–12 ml/h verwendet. Die Allgemeinanästhesie wurde als balancierte Anästhesie durchgeführt.Diese retrospektive Erhebung zeigt unter epiduraler Analgesie, gemessen an Tachykardien und hypertensiven Episoden, eine reduzierte intra- und postoperative Stressantwort, kürzere Extubationszeiten, früheres Wiedereinsetzen der gastrointestinalen Motilität ([h] AA: 50,6±11,1/ LEA: 39,3±13,6/ TEA:33,8±13,0), tendenziell selteneres Erbrechen und eine um einen Tag verkürzte Krankenhausverweildauer ([d] AA: 12,4±5,8/ LEA: 11,1±3,1/ TEA: 11,5±3,8). Dabei war unter TEA die Dauer der Anästhesiepräsenz im OP-Bereich vergleichbar mit AA ([min] AA: 222,9±43,5/ LEA: 238,2±41,8/ TEA: 227,0±46,2), und der Wachstationsaufenthalt verkürzt. Daneben war unter TEA die Anzahl der auffälligen postoperativen Thoraxröntgenbefunde reduziert. Zum Erreichen einer der TEA vergleichbaren Analgesie mussten unter LEA häufiger sensomotorische Blockaden, saO2-Abfälle und tendenziell eine höhere Anzahl kardialer Komplikationen in Kauf genommen werden.Gemessen an den von uns erhobenen Parametern stellt damit die Kombination einer Allgemeinanästhesie, insbesondere mit thorakaler Epiduralanalgesie ein sicheres und auch betriebswirtschaftlich effizientes anästhesiologisches Vorgehen bei radikalen Prostatektomien dar.AbstractPatients requiring radical prostatectomy (rPE), including retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy are often aged and have coexisting cardiopulmonary diseases, increasing the risk of perioperative complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate our perioperative anaesthesiologic regimen over the last five years, in terms of safety and patients comfort.Records of 433 patients who underwent rPE between 1994 and 1999 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided in those who received:1. general anaesthesia (GA) alone,2. a combination of lumbar epidural anaesthesia (LEA)+GA or,3. thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA)+GA.General anaesthesia was performed as balanced anaesthesia, and epidural administered local anaesthetics were bupivacaine 0.25% or ropivacaine 0.2%, 8–12 ml/h.In terms of intra- and postoperative numbers of tachycardic and hypertensive episodes, a reduced stress response was observed under epidural anaesthesia (EA). Moreover, the weaning duration was shorter under EA and onset of gastrointestinal motility was found earlier ([h] GA: 50.6±11.1/ LEA: 39.3±13.6/ TEA:33.8±13.0). Furthermore, a trend to rarer phases of postoperative vomiting and a significant decrease of in hospital stay of about one day ([d] GA: 12.4±5.8/ LEA: 11.1±3.1/ TEA: 11.5±3.8) was observed. The duration of personnel binding in the OR did not differ significantly between GA and TEA ([min] GA: 222.9±43.5/ LEA: 238.2±41.8/ TEA: 227.0±46.2), but ICU stay was shortened under TEA. Besides this, TEA reduced the number of pathologic postoperative thorax-x-rays. Senso-motor blockades, decreases of SaO2 and cardiac complications were experienced more frequent under LEA as compared with TEA.Combination of GA and EA, especially TEA, appears to improve perioperative care of patients undergoing rPE, in terms of patients safety and comfort.

Durable complete remission of metastatic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder with cisplatin and gemcitabine in an 80-year-old man.

A patient with a durable, complete, local and pulmonary remission of a metastatic sarcomatoid carcinoma of the bladder treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin is presented. Sarcomatoid carcinoma arising in the bladder is a rare and notoriously aggressive variant of urothelial carcinoma for which an effective systemic treatment has not been reported up to now.

Favorable long-term outcome in adult genitourinary low-grade sarcoma

OBJECTIVES To report our experience treating sarcomas in 20 consecutive patients. METHODS Pretreatment and follow-up data were obtained from 20 adult patients consecutively treated between 1992 and 1998 for primary or locally recurrent genitourinary sarcoma. RESULTS Eight patients (40%) were classified as having high-grade and 12 (60%) low-grade disease. Except for 3 patients, the primary treatment was surgery alone. The median follow-up was 52 months. The actuarial disease-specific 5-year survival rate was 84% in all patients and was 100% for patients with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) Stages 1-2 and 54% in MSKCC Stages 3-4. The disease-specific survival was significantly better in low-grade tumors (log-rank test, P = 0.0063) and inguinal-scrotal tumors (P = 0.019), tumors 5 cm or less (P = 0.039), and MSKCC Stages 1-2 tumors (P = 0.0035). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study with a high proportion of low-grade, low-stage, and inguinal-scrotal sarcomas demonstrate the favorable prognosis of these subgroups.

Primary Renal Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma – a Difficult Differential Diagnosis

Introduction: Primary renal lymphoma (PRL) as a clinical entity is not undisputed because the kidneys do not contain lymphatic tissue and the mechanism of development of PRLs is unclear. Most of the few cases reported showed rapid systemic progression and a poor prognosis. Although there are no clearly defined diagnostic criteria for renal lymphomas, abdominal and thoracic computed tomography as well as renal and bone marrow biopsy are recommended. 3 cases of renal lymphoma are reported and their diagnosis and management discussed. Case Reports: Between 1996 and 2001, 3 male patients with renal lymphoma were diagnosed and treated at our institution. In patient No. 1, because of persisting macroscopic hematuria a bilateral PRL was diagnosed by renal biopsy, without any detectable lesions on CT imaging. Patient No. 2 presented with a large renal mass which, on biopsy, was diagnosed as a lymphoma. Patient No. 3 showed lymphoma on renal biopsy and bone marrow involvement. All 3 patients were treated with systemic chemotherapy which resulted in death of disease in 2 patients and a complete remission in 1 patient after adjuvant radiotherapy and nephrectomy. Conclusion: PRL represents a rare entity which must nevertheless be considered in cases of unusual renal masses or otherwise unexplained renal symptoms. If diagnosed early, cure is possible, and multimodal treatment should be considered.

Preoperative cardiopulmonary risk assessment as predictor of early noncancer and overall mortality after radical prostatectomy

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the capability of the preoperative cardiopulmonary risk assessment to predict early noncancer and overall mortality after radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer. METHODS In 444 consecutive radical prostatectomy patients, the American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification and the presence of cardiac insufficiency (New York Heart Association classification), angina pectoris (Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification), diabetes, hypertension, history of thromboembolism, and chronic obstructive or restrictive pulmonary disease were assessed. Kaplan-Meier time-event curves and Mantel-Haenszel hazard ratios were estimated for noncancer (other deaths were censored) and overall mortality. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze possible combined effects of risk factors. RESULTS During an average follow-up of 4.7 years, 36 patients died: 15 of noncancer causes, 14 of prostate cancer, 6 of other cancers, and 1 in a car accident. The comorbidity scores for American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification, New York Heart Association classification, and Canadian Cardiovascular Society classification and combinations between the latter two scores were significantly associated with early noncancer mortality in a dose-response pattern. Furthermore, patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were at increased risk. The association with overall mortality was less strong. CONCLUSIONS The preoperative cardiopulmonary risk assessment may be used as a predictor of early noncancer and overall mortality after radical prostatectomy and should be evaluated further as a source of prognostic information in surgical oncology.

Spontaneous late rupture of orthotopic detubularized ileal neobladders: report of five cases

OBJECTIVES To report five spontaneous ruptures in 4 patients. Spontaneous late rupture of orthotopic ileal bladder replacements is a rare complication of continent urinary diversion. METHODS Four recurrence-free patients aged 36 to 68 years experienced apparently spontaneous rupture of continent orthotopic ileal bladder replacement 3 months to 3 years after curative radical cystectomy and urinary diversion for invasive bladder cancer. Ileal bladder rupture occurred twice in 1 patient with an interval of 9 months. RESULTS All 4 patients had had a good result from their diversion procedure and had reported complete day and nighttime continence before the spontaneous rupture. The spontaneous rupture was evidently caused by overdistension of the ileal neobladder in four of five instances. In addition to overdistension, a second factor such as minor blunt abdominal trauma or urethral occlusion was identifiable in two instances. The rupture occurred in the right upper corner of the ileal bladder in four of five instances and led to acute and severe abdominal pain. Cystography was done in three instances, but was diagnostic in only 2 cases. The histologic examination of the excised bladder wall margins revealed nonspecific inflammatory changes in 3 cases. Open surgical drainage and repair was successfully undertaken in all cases. CONCLUSIONS The circumstances of the cases described suggest that late spontaneous rupture of an orthotopic ileal bladder replacement is not related to the surgical technique but rather to factors of patient compliance and medical management.

Kombinierte Anästhesie mit Epiduralkatheter Eine retrospektive Analyse des perioperativen Verlaufs bei Patienten mit radikalen Prostatektomien

ZusamenfassungPatienten, die sich einer radikalen Prostatektomie (rPE) einschließlich retroperitonealer Lymphadenektomie (rLA) unterziehen, haben aufgrund ihres Alters und ihrer Begleiterkrankungen ein erhöhtes perioperativen Risiko. Ziel dieser Untersuchung war es, den intra- und postoperativen Verlauf der standardisierten Operation rPE+rLA unter verschiedenen Anästhesieregimen zu analysieren.Krankenakten von 433 Patienten, die sich zwischen 1994 und 1999 in unserer Einrichtung einer rPE+rLA unterzogen, wurden retrospektiv ausgewertet. Die Patienten wurden nach dem durchgeführten Anästhesieverfahren eingeteilt:1. Allgemeinanästhesie (AA),2. Kombination lumbale Epiduralanästhesie (LEA)+AA,3. thorakale Epiduralanästhesie (TEA)+AA.Für die intra- und postoperative Katheteranalgesie wurden Bupivacain 0,25% oder Ropivacain 0,2%, 8–12 ml/h verwendet. Die Allgemeinanästhesie wurde als balancierte Anästhesie durchgeführt.Diese retrospektive Erhebung zeigt unter epiduraler Analgesie, gemessen an Tachykardien und hypertensiven Episoden, eine reduzierte intra- und postoperative Stressantwort, kürzere Extubationszeiten, früheres Wiedereinsetzen der gastrointestinalen Motilität ([h] AA: 50,6±11,1/ LEA: 39,3±13,6/ TEA:33,8±13,0), tendenziell selteneres Erbrechen und eine um einen Tag verkürzte Krankenhausverweildauer ([d] AA: 12,4±5,8/ LEA: 11,1±3,1/ TEA: 11,5±3,8). Dabei war unter TEA die Dauer der Anästhesiepräsenz im OP-Bereich vergleichbar mit AA ([min] AA: 222,9±43,5/ LEA: 238,2±41,8/ TEA: 227,0±46,2), und der Wachstationsaufenthalt verkürzt. Daneben war unter TEA die Anzahl der auffälligen postoperativen Thoraxröntgenbefunde reduziert. Zum Erreichen einer der TEA vergleichbaren Analgesie mussten unter LEA häufiger sensomotorische Blockaden, saO2-Abfälle und tendenziell eine höhere Anzahl kardialer Komplikationen in Kauf genommen werden.Gemessen an den von uns erhobenen Parametern stellt damit die Kombination einer Allgemeinanästhesie, insbesondere mit thorakaler Epiduralanalgesie ein sicheres und auch betriebswirtschaftlich effizientes anästhesiologisches Vorgehen bei radikalen Prostatektomien dar.AbstractPatients requiring radical prostatectomy (rPE), including retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy are often aged and have coexisting cardiopulmonary diseases, increasing the risk of perioperative complications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate our perioperative anaesthesiologic regimen over the last five years, in terms of safety and patients comfort.Records of 433 patients who underwent rPE between 1994 and 1999 in our hospital were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided in those who received:1. general anaesthesia (GA) alone,2. a combination of lumbar epidural anaesthesia (LEA)+GA or,3. thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA)+GA.General anaesthesia was performed as balanced anaesthesia, and epidural administered local anaesthetics were bupivacaine 0.25% or ropivacaine 0.2%, 8–12 ml/h.In terms of intra- and postoperative numbers of tachycardic and hypertensive episodes, a reduced stress response was observed under epidural anaesthesia (EA). Moreover, the weaning duration was shorter under EA and onset of gastrointestinal motility was found earlier ([h] GA: 50.6±11.1/ LEA: 39.3±13.6/ TEA:33.8±13.0). Furthermore, a trend to rarer phases of postoperative vomiting and a significant decrease of in hospital stay of about one day ([d] GA: 12.4±5.8/ LEA: 11.1±3.1/ TEA: 11.5±3.8) was observed. The duration of personnel binding in the OR did not differ significantly between GA and TEA ([min] GA: 222.9±43.5/ LEA: 238.2±41.8/ TEA: 227.0±46.2), but ICU stay was shortened under TEA. Besides this, TEA reduced the number of pathologic postoperative thorax-x-rays. Senso-motor blockades, decreases of SaO2 and cardiac complications were experienced more frequent under LEA as compared with TEA.Combination of GA and EA, especially TEA, appears to improve perioperative care of patients undergoing rPE, in terms of patients safety and comfort.

Comparison of Transperitoneal versus Retroperitoneal Approach in Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Single-Center Experience of 63 Cases

Background: We report our experience with the retroperitoneal (RP) and transperitoneal (TP) approaches for laparoscopic nephrectomy for clinically localized renal cell carcinoma. Methods: Sixty-three patients with renal cell carcinoma were treated with laparoscopic nephrectomy, 34 by TP and 29 by RP approach between June 1999 and June 2003. Average age, ASA score, tumor stage and tumor size were similar in both groups. Early complications within 30 days and surgical time were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Surgical time was with a mean of 183 and 190 minutes equal for the TP and RP approach. Intraoperative complications occurred in 4 patients and were vascular, requiring blood transfusion in 2 patients each per group. Postoperative complications were thromboembolism in 1 patient and subcutaneous seroma in 1 patient, both in the TP group. Conclusions: Although the sample size is small, it appears that the tumor control and surgical time in laparoscopic nephrectomy are not significantly influenced by the approach.