Göran Holmberg

Treatment of Simple Renal Cysts by Percutaneous Puncture and Instillation of Bismuth-Phosphate

One hundred and fifty-six patients with simple renal cysts had either a percutaneous puncture alone, percutaneous puncture combined with bismuth-phosphate instillation or no intervention at all. At follow-up, 25% of the cysts in which there was no intervention had grown and the mean size showed a slight increase. Ten per cent of the cysts which were only percutaneously punctured disappeared, while the mean size was reduced up to 24 months after puncture. Later, there was no statistically significant difference in change in mean size between punctured cysts and cysts that had no intervention. When puncture was combined with bismuth-phosphate instillation, a gradual reduction was seen in the mean size during the entire follow-up time and 44% of the cysts disappeared. Thirty-six or more months after puncture and instillation, the mean size was only 21% of the original size. It was concluded that percutaneous puncture combined with a bismuth-phosphate instillation is a meaningful treatment of simple renal cysts.

Radical Nephrectomy Is Still Preferable in the Treatment of Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma

Objectives: Due to the advances of radiological methods, an increased number of incidentally detected renal cell carcinomas is diagnosed. The reported excellent results of nephron-sparing surgery have promoted its application in patients with a normal contralateral kidney. However, the risk of local tumor recurrence and surgical complications after nephron-sparing surgery might be higher compared with radical nephrectomy. Methods: In 89 patients with localized renal cell carcinoma treated with radical nephrectomy, long-term renal function, morbidity, and survival were evaluated. The renal function was followed up regularly with serum creatinine measurements. Results: The cause-specific 5-year survival rate was 91.6%. There was neither local nor contralateral kidney tumor recurrence in any patient. Surgical complications were observed in 3% of the patients. Mean serum creatinine after the nephrectomy was 123 µmol/l without further increase during 10 years of follow-up. Conclusions: Radical nephrectomy of localized renal cell carcinoma has low morbidity, excellent local tumor control, and a high survival rate. For patients with a normally functioning contralateral kidney the long-term renal function remained adequate. Based on these data, there is no convincing evidence justifying nephron-sparing surgery to be used routinely for patients with a normally functioning contralateral kidney.

Karyometric investigations on urinary bladder carcinoma, correlated to histopathological grading

The aim of this study is to provide karyometric data which may be of value in the grading of urinary bladder tumours. For this purpose 27 biopsies were studied: four from normal bladder mucosae, eleven from grade I tumours, six from grade II tumours and another six from grade III tumours, according to a I–IV scale. After standardized fixation and plastic embedding, semithin sections were used for light microscopic stereology. Mean profile areas and mean volume densities of the nuclei tended to be higher in the more malignant cases. The nuclear volume densities were significantly higher in grade II than in grade I. The most important finding relates to the large nuclear profiles (> 90 µm2), which were found almost exclusively in grade III tumours. Simple measurements of nuclear size can thus provide objective data to aid in the diagnostic procedure.

Renal Cell Carcinoma in a Renal Cyst: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

We report a case of renal cell carcinoma within a simple renal cyst in the lower pole of the right kidney. Excretory urography showed a mass and ultrasonography revealed multiple renal cysts with a solid component arising from the wall in 1. This finding also was visualized by computerized tomography. Analysis of the cystic fluid showed a high cholesterol level but negative cytological results. At operation a 7 mm. tumor arose from the wall of the cyst. Histopathological examination showed grade 3 renal cell carcinoma with an aneuploid deoxyribonucleic acid content.

Immediate versus deferred radiological investigation after acute renal colic : A prospective randomized study

Objective. The timing of radiological assessment after acute renal colic is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of immediate versus deferred radiological imaging and to compare morbidity rates after an attack of acute renal colic. Material and methods. Between September 2001 and December 2002 all 686 patients with acute renal colic attending our university hospital were registered. Of these, 172 patients rendered pain-free after analgesic injection were randomized to either immediate or deferred radiological investigation. All patients received a questionnaire encompassing questions on consumption of analgesics, impact of symptoms on normal daily activity (including working ability), need for additional emergency department visits and hospitalization. Stone treatments were registered. Results. The incidence of renal colic was 0.9/1000 inhabitants per year. In total, 74% of all patients became pain-free after analgesic injection. Morbidity was low among the randomized patients, and did not differ between the immediate or deferred radiological investigation groups. In both groups, the duration of impairment of normal daily activities and analgesic consumption was a median of 2 days. In the immediate group, 14% needed another emergency visit and 4% were hospitalized. Corresponding figures for the deferred group were 15% and 7%. In the immediate group, 17% had stone treatment, compared with 8% in the deferred group. Conclusion. For most patients with acute renal colic, parenteral analgesia resulted in complete symptom resolution. When initial medical treatment was successful, patient morbidity was low. In these patients, immediate radiological imaging did not lead to reduced morbidity compared with radiological imaging after 2–3 weeks.

Metabolic evaluation and medical management of upper urinary tract stone disease. Guidelines from the Scandinavian Cooperative Group for Urinary Stones.

A set of simple guidelines for metabolic evaluation and medical/dietary management of patients with urolithiasis is presented. The evaluation scheme is based on the documented risk factors in the Nordic area and the results of controlled clinical trials, and takes its basis in the severity of the stone disease in the individual stone patient. The initial evaluation in all patients aims at diagnosing conditions with a definitive metabolic, infectious or anatomical/functional cause of stone formation (MIAF urolithiasis). Patients with MIAF urolithiasis are treated according to the nature of the underlying disease. Having excluded/diagnosed MIAF urolithiasis, patients with idiopathic calcium nephrolithiasis remain, and in this group, which comprises approximately 85% of the total stone population in the Scandinavian region, only those with a complicated stone disease are subjected to additional evaluation, which aims at identifying underlying pathophysiological derangements for which medical therapy has been proven to be effective in controlled clinical trials.

A Comparison of Radiologic Methods in the Diagnosis of Renal Mass Lesions

The reliability of radiologic diagnosis was studied in 99 patients undergoing ultrasonography, computerized tomography and angiography in work up of renal mass lesions. The diagnoses were confirmed by angiography combined with percutaneous puncture or by surgery. Of the lesions, 37 were simple renal cysts and 56 were renal cell carcinomas. Eighty-eight percent were diagnosed correctly by ultrasonography, 96% by computerized tomography and 84% by angiography. The conclusion is that the radiologic evaluation of a renal mass lesion found at urography should start with ultrasonography. Percutaneous puncture is not recommended if all criteria of a simple renal cyst are strictly fulfilled at ultrasonography. In all other cases a computerized tomography is thought to be mandatory to avoid false negative diagnoses of malignant tumours or other diseases which may need therapy. In some patients a combination with angiography and percutaneous puncture is advised to establish a diagnosis prior to surgery.

Significance of Simple Renal Cysts and Percutaneous Cyst Puncture on Renal Function

Renal function was investigated in 17 patients with simple renal cysts. Single kidney glomerular filtration rate was estimated by gamma camera renography with 99mTc-DTPA before, 5 days and 6 months after percutaneous puncture and evacuation of the cysts. Prior to the puncture and evacuation, the only negative effects on renal function noted were signs of moderate obstruction of the renal outflow in 2 patients. Percutaneous puncture with evacuation of the cystic fluid did not change the renal function significantly. It was concluded that simple renal cysts do not have any functional consequences nor does percutaneous puncture and evacuation of the cysts.

A New System for Descriptive Classification of Stones in the Upper Urinary Tract

A descriptive classification is proposed to stratify upper urinary tract stones by their number, size and location. The system considers the minimal but most important factors regarding the choice of surgical treatment and its success. Its principle is adaptable to more complex staging systems already existing. Practical use of the system has shown it to reflect clinical events, and its simplicity offers an opportunity for compliance in routine clinical study. It facilitates easy computerized stratification of stones in the upper urinary tract.

Multiple Renal Masses in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma: Diagnostic Pitfalls and Surgical Implications

Additional renal masses were found in the same or contralateral kidney in 41 of 131 patients with renal cell carcinoma. In 35 of the patients the additional renal masses were simple renal cysts situated in the kidney contralateral to the renal cell carcinoma in 16 patients, in the same kidney in 11 and bilaterally in 8 patients. Four patients had bilateral renal cell carcinomas. One patient had polycystic kidney disease as well as renal cell carcinoma and another patient had a benign tumour in the contralateral kidney. In 3 of the 30 patients with additional renal masses in the kidney contralateral to the renal cell carcinoma the radiologic examinations were insufficient to exclude malignancy. Only explorative surgery could establish a true diagnosis of these masses.