Masahisa Wajiki

Treatment of Bladder Carcinoma in Patients More than 80 Years Old

We reviewed 26 patients more than 80 years old with bladder carcinoma to determine if an active surgical policy is justified. Ten patients with superficial carcinoma were treated with transurethral resection; none died of cancer and half have survived 5 years. Of 16 patients with invasive carcinoma 9 underwent total cystectomy with urinary diversion and 2 underwent partial cystectomy. There was no operative mortality. Postoperative complications were not serious. Five of the 9 patients who underwent total cystectomy are alive, with a mean survival of 35 months. The 4-year crude survival rate was 50 per cent. Both patients who underwent partial cystectomy died within 2 years. One patient treated with radiotherapy alone and 1 without any treatment have survived 2 years. These results suggest that contrary to the general tendency towards conservative treatment, a curative operation is worth attempting in elderly patients with bladder carcinoma.

Tuberculous rectourethral fistula

A rare case of tuberculous rectourethral fistula is reported. The fistula developed as a sequel of prostatic tuberculosis and was successfully repaired by the method of omental interposition.

Chemical Pericystitis: A Rare Complication of Intravesical Doxorubicin

We report a rare instance of chemical pericystitis in a 60-year-old man who had undergone transurethral resection of a bladder tumor and subsequent intravesical instillation of doxorubicin. The patient had a high fever lasting for 18 days, lower abdominal pain and mild hydronephrosis. Extravasation of doxorubicin through the resected and thinned region of the bladder wall seemed to be responsible for this complication. The lesion improved spontaneously without any sequela.

A CASE OF AN AROMATASE-PRODUCING SERTOLI CELL TUMOR PRESENTING WITH GYNECOMASTIA

A 64-year-old man had complained of a left scrotal mass and gynecomastia since June 2012. A left testicular tumor was suspected and the patient was referred to our department in December 2013. He presented with bilateral gynecomastia and a painless left scrotal mass that was firm, smooth surfaced, and the size of large hens egg. Levels of markers of testicular germ cell tumors were all within normal range. Endocrinological examination revealed a marked elevation in serum estradiol (E2) level. The patient underwent high inguinal orchiectomy in December 2013.The pathological diagnosis was a Sertoli cell tumor of the left testis. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of aromatase synthesis; we speculated that this E2 production by the tumor caused the gynecomastia.Serum E2 level normalized after the orchiectomy. Owing to the diagnosis of malignancy, retroperitoneal lymph node dissection was performed in January 2014. No lymph node metastasis was found in the specimen. The gynecomastia improved gradually, and the patient has been free of disease since the surgery.