Hulin Li

Transurethral Enucleation and Resection of Prostate in Patients With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia by Plasma Kinetics

PURPOSE We evaluated transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate in patients with urinary symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia using the Plasmakinetic™ system. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the records of 1,100 patients who underwent transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate between January 2003 and February 2009 at our institution. We assessed the International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life score, peak flow rate and post-void residual urine volume preoperatively, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, and yearly thereafter. Enucleation and resection time, enucleated tissue weight, catheterization time, hospital stay and long-term complications were recorded. RESULTS No patient had significant blood loss or signs of the transurethral resection syndrome. Mean±SD patient age was 66.7±7.3 years and mean followup was 4.3 years. Mean preoperative prostate weight was 67.7±12 gm (range 35 to 256), mean enucleation time was 15.5 minutes (range 10 to 38), mean resection time was 46 minutes (range 20 to 65) and mean resected tissue weight was 42.8±7.7 gm (range 23 to 219). Mean catheter time was 1.8±0.4 days and mean hospital stay was 5.3±2.3 days. Transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate induced significant, pronounced, immediate and lasting improvement in the International Prostate Symptom Score, quality of life, maximum urinary flow and post-void residual urine volume. Postoperative complications included meatal stenosis in 9 cases, incontinence in 56, urethral stricture in 12 and bladder neck contracture in 10. CONCLUSIONS Transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate appears to be the modern alternative to transurethral resection of the prostate and open prostatectomy for bladder outlet obstruction due to benign prostatic hyperplasia. It may be done in glands up to 250 gm.

A Randomized Trial Comparing Diode Laser Enucleation of the Prostate with Plasmakinetic Enucleation and Resection of the Prostate for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

PURPOSE We compared the safety and efficacy of diode laser enucleation of the prostate (DiLEP) with plasmakinetic enucleation and resection of the prostate (PKERP). PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 80 patients with bladder outflow obstruction from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were randomly assigned to either DiLEP or PKERP prospectively. All patients were assessed preoperatively and followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Baseline characteristics of the patients, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes were compared. The operative data and perioperative and postoperative complications were also recorded. RESULTS The preoperative data were comparable between the two groups. The DiLEP group had significantly shorter operative time, postoperative irrigation, time and catheterization time than the PKERP group (P=0.000, P=0.000 and P=0.000). The drop in hemoglobin level was statistically significantly less in the DiLEP group (P=0.002). There were no statistical differences in complications between the two groups except irritative symptoms (P=0.018). At the 3, 6, and 12-month follow-up, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in International Prostate Symptom Score, maximum flow rate, quality of life, postvoid residual, prostate volume, and prostate-specific antigen level (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The efficacy of DiLEP and PKERP were similar for relieving obstruction and low urinary tract symptoms. DiLEP provides less risk of hemorrhage, reduced bladder irrigation, and catheter times. The downward morcellation technique is more efficient than the resection technique. Future well designed randomized trials with extended follow-up and larger sample sizes may be needed to better verify the advantage of DiLEP in treating patients with symptomatic BPH.

Suppression of prostate cancer progression by cancer cell stemness inhibitor napabucasin

A small population of cells with stem cell‐like properties in prostate cancer (PCa), called prostate cancer stem cells (PrCSCs) or prostate stemness‐high cancer cells, displays highly tumorigenic and metastatic features and may be responsible for the therapy resistance. A small molecule, napabucasin (BBI608), recently have been identified with suppression of stemness‐high cancer cells in a variety of cancers. However, the effects of napabucasin on PCa cells as well as PrCSCs isolated from PCa cells have not yet been defined. The effect of napabucasin on PCa cells in cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration in vitro were measured by MTS, colony formation assay, and Transwell, respectively. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate cell cycle and cell apoptosis, and the effect on tumorigenesis in vivo was examined by tumor growth assays. Furthermore, the role of napabucasin on self‐renewal and survival of PrCSCs was evaluated by their ability to grow spheres and cell viability assay, respectively. Western Blot and qRT‐PCR were used to determine the effect of napabucasin on the expressions of stemness markers. Decrease in cell viability, colony formation, migration, and survival with cell cycle arrest, higher sensitivity to docetaxel in vitro, and repressed tumorigenesis in vivo was observed upon napabucasin treatment. More importantly, napabucasin can obviously inhibit spherogenesis and even kill PrCSCs in vitro. Downregulation of stemness markers was observed after PrCSCs were treated with napabucasin. This study demonstrates that napabucasin may be a novel approach in the treatment of advanced PCa, specifically for castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Clinical significance of CD24 as a predictor of bladder cancer recurrence

Cluster of differentiation (CD)24 was originally described as a B lymphocyte marker and has recently received considerable attention in cancer research as its overexpression has been observed in several types of carcinoma. The CD24 molecule is a glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked cell surface protein that appears to be associated with aggressive cancers involving invasion and metastasis. However, the expression of CD24 in human bladder cancer and its clinical significance remains largely unknown and no association has been reported between CD24 overexpression and human bladder tumor recurrence. In the present study, the CD24 expression in cancer tissues obtained during transurethral surgery and the subsequent intra-bladder tumor recurrence following surgery were assessed. Immunohistochemical staining was performed and the intensity of CD24 staining was semi-quantitatively evaluated. CD24 expression was observed more frequently in high-grade bladder tumors (G2–G3) than low-grade tumors (G1). Positive CD24 expression was significantly associated with intra-bladder tumor recurrence following surgery and increased staining intensity was also correlated with recurrence. The positive association between CD24 expression and tumor recurrence was observed in each tumor category (stages Ta and T1, low and high grade). The results demonstrated that CD24 expression is significantly associated with bladder tumor recurrence. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal the significance of CD24 as a predictor of bladder cancer recurrence. These insights may lead to future therapeutic strategies targeting CD24 to prevent the dissemination of bladder cancer cells and tumor recurrence.

Orthotopic Detaenial Sigmoid Neobladder after Radical Cystectomy: Technical Considerations, Complications and Functional Outcomes

PURPOSE In recent years the orthotopic neobladder has gained increasing popularity in patients who undergo radical cystectomy. However, there are only a few reports of orthotopic neobladders reconstructed from the sigmoid without detubularization. We investigated the complications and functional outcomes of the orthotopic sigmoid neobladder reconstructed using our detaenial technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective study of the detaenial sigmoid neobladder in 210 consecutive patients who underwent radical cystectomy at our institution from January 2003 to March 2010. ANOVA was used to investigate urodynamic finding differentials with time. Univariable and multivariable analyses were done to determine factors influencing continence. RESULTS Median followup was 48 months. Early complications (90 days or less) were observed in 65 patients (31%). Late complications (greater than 90 days) were observed in 45 patients (21.5%). Five-year daytime and nighttime complete continence rates were 74.6% and 57.1%, respectively. Younger age was the only independent factor associated with complete continence during the day (OR 2.342, 95% CI 1.803-3.041, p <0.001) and night (OR 1.193, 95% CI 1.087-1.310, p <0.001). Mean maximal capacity and post-void residual urine were 328.8 and 22.2 ml, respectively. The mean maximal flow rate was 18.5 ml per second. The mean end filling pressure, pressure at maximal capacity and maximal intravesical pressure were 35.8, 55 and 60.6 cm H2O, respectively. These parameters remained stable with time (each p >0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study confirms that detaenial sigmoid neobladder is a safe, feasible alternative for urinary diversion.

Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy Under Local Infiltration Anesthesia: A Single-center Experience of 2000 Chinese Cases

OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility and safety of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in treating upper urinary calculi under local infiltration anesthesia. METHODS A series of 2000 patients with upper urinary calculi underwent PCNL under local infiltration anesthesia. Of the 2000 patients, 536 had upper ureteral calculi, 805 patients had pelvic calculi, and 659 patients had complex renal calculi. Pethidine premedication (75-100 mg) and Phenergan (25 mg) were used half an hour preoperatively. The mean pain scores at 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively, the demographic characteristics, and the stones characteristics were evaluated to determine the feasibility. The complications were evaluated to determine the safety, and stone-free rate was evaluated to determine effectivity. RESULTS The mean American Society of Anesthesiologists score was 1.55 ± 0.54 (range, 1-3). The mean operative time was 48 minutes (range, 20-125). The mean Visual Analogue Scale scores at 0, 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively were 3.62, 3.02, 2.27, and 2.09, respectively. The mean hemoglobin drop was 1.06 g/dL (range, 0.2-6.8). Sixty-five patients (3.3%) received transfusions, 10 patients (0.5%) required selective renal angioembolism (Clavien grade II), and 1 patient (0.05%) received chest drainage therapy (Clavien grade II). The total stone-free rate was 85.8%. CONCLUSION Local infiltration anesthesia is a well-tolerated alternative anesthesia technique that provides effective intraoperative and postoperative analgesia for PCNL. PCNL performed under local infiltration anesthesia in a selected group of patients is feasible and provides satisfactory clinical outcomes. Comparative studies should be performed to classify efficacy, safety, tract quantity, dilation method, and the best candidates.

Glaucocalyxin A induces G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis through the PI3K/Akt pathway in human bladder cancer cells

Glaucocalyxin A (GLA), a major component isolated from Rabdosia japonica, has been proven to show anti-bacterial and anti-tumor biological characteristics according to previous studies. However, its potential effect on bladder cancer remains unknown. The present research aims to investigate the underlying mechanism in treating bladder cancer in vivo and in vitro. Cell proliferation was analyzed by CCK-8 assay and colony formation. Flow cytometry was used to measure the cell cycle distribution and apoptosis. The expressions of the cell cycle and apoptosis-related proteins were detected by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Meanwhile, the in vivo study was performed to evaluate the anti-tumor effect on a UMUC3 subcutaneous tumor of NOD/SCID mice model. GLA suppressed colony-formation ability, triggered G2/M arrest and promoted apoptosis of UMUC3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, western blotting showed that GLA downregulated the expressions of PI3K p85, p-Akt, Bcl-2, CDK1, Cyclin B1 whereas upregulated the levels of PTEN, Bax, Cleaved Caspase-3. In vivo, GLA at a dosage of 20 mg/kg significantly inhibited tumor growth compared with the control group by intraperitoneal injection. These results suggested that GLA-related G2/M arrest and apoptosis in UMUC3 cells were mediated by a suppressed PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, which regulated p21Waf1/Cip1 as well as intrinsic caspase cascade. Collectively, our observations could help to develop new drugs targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Urethral Reconstruction Using Allogenic Frozen-Thawed Bladder Mucosa: An Experimental Study

Objective: To determine the feasibility and effectivity of allogenic frozen-thawed bladder mucosa for urethroplasty. Methods: Bladder mucosa was harvested from 6 New Zealand rabbits. Changes in the bladder mucosa as seen by histological and electron microscope examination were compared between the frozen-thawed and fresh groups. Twelve urethral stricture models were established and randomly divided into two groups. In the test group, we performed urethroplasty with allogenic frozen-thawed bladder mucosa, and the same operation was done in the control group, but using fresh bladder mucosa. The result of retrograde urethrography and histological changes of the urethral sample were compared postoperatively. Results: No obvious changes on histological and electron microscope examination were observed in the frozen-thawed bladder mucosa. Inflammation reaction of the surgical site in the test group was milder than that of the controls 2 weeks after surgery. The urethral epithelial cells grew well 2 weeks after surgery, but lots of epithelia were necrotic in the control group. The urethra of all rabbits in the test group had good continuity and the urethral lumen was large in the test group 2 months after surgery. There was a layer of urethral epithelium in the test group 2 months after surgery, whereas scar tissue was found in the control group. Conclusions: The freeze-thaw technique can maintain bladder mucosa structure and biological function. Frozen-thawed allogenic bladder mucosa may be a potential material for urethroplasty.

Influence of reproductive tract obstruction on expression of epididymal proteins and their restoration after patency

Vasectomy is a simple and reliable method of male contraception. A growing number of men after vasectomy request vasectomy reversal due to various reasons. The pregnancy rate is lower than the patency rate after vasovasostomy and the pregnancy rate is time dependent. In this study, we evaluated the influence of reproductive tract obstruction on expression of epididymal proteins and their restoration after patency. Adult male Wistar rats were studied 30, 60 and 120 days after vasectomy, 30 days after vasovasostomy or after sham operations. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass-spectrometric technique, multidatabase search, Western blotting and real-time PCR were used to analyze the expression regulation of epididymal proteins. Total integrated intensity and total spot area of autoradiograms showed a consistent downward trend with time after obstruction, and this trend remained after patency. The intensity of the autoradiographic spots in three patency groups showed three trends: a downward trend, similar intensity and an upward trend compared with the correspondent obstruction group, respectively. Further verified experiments on human epididymis 2 (HE2), fertilization antigen-1 (FA-1), clusterin and PH20 demonstrated that compared with the correspondent obstruction group, the translation levels of HE2 and the mRNA transcription levels of HE2 showed an upward trend in patency groups, especially in the groups of obstruction for 60 days where the expression levels of HE2 were significantly upregulated after patency (P<0.05). Reproductive tract obstruction provokes a disregulation of gene expression in the epididymis and this disregulation remained after patency. Successful reversal may recover some proteins and the recovery is time dependent. Obstruction differentially alters mRNA transcription of different proteins and the content of proteins seemed to be easier to be influenced than the gene transcription.

Bipolar transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate: Whether it is ready to supersede TURP?

Objective According to the EAU Guidelines, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has so far still been considered as the gold standard for surgical treatment for patients with obstructing clinical benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). However, its relatively high rate of complications and postoperative recurrence necessitates further modification and innovation on the surgery technique. We reported the patient outcomes with our technique. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 52 patients with obstructing clinical BPH who underwent bipolar transurethral enucleation and resection of the prostate (B-TUERP) between March 2015 and September 2015. Pre- and perioperative parameters were obtained from medical charts. Postoperative follow-ups were administrated at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 month(s) after surgery, respectively. Results All the operations were performed successfully with a mean operative time of 43.1 min and an average tissue removal rate of 74.7%. Qmax was significantly improved immediately after surgery, followed by a continuous improvement throughout the follow-ups. Following a steep decrease in mean prostate specific antigen (PSA) and post void residual (PVR) observed within the first half year after surgery, the serum PSA was then maintained at a constant level of 0.61 ng/mL. Temporary urinary retention was found in four cases (7.7%). Stress urinary incontinence occurred in five patients (9.6%), with the condition resolved in 1–2 weeks without extra treatment. Urethral strictures and bladder neck contractures, as the most commonly observed long-term complications, developed in four patients (7.7%). No recurrence was found during 2 years of follow-ups. An improvement in International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) scores was witnessed in 17 patients preoperatively with normal sexual function during the first 6 months after surgery, and sustained throughout the 24-month period. Conclusions Enucleation reflects an improvement on surgical technique in many ways with a need for surgical equipment that can be broadly accessible in clinical practice. Currently, bipolar resection is a commonly employed procedure in clinical settings, and its similarity shared with bipolar enucleation technique warrants a quick learning of B-TUERP by urologists. Based on these findings, we believe that the substitution of TURP by TUERP as the gold standard for prostate endoscopic procedure can be expected in the future.