Pedram Ilbeigi

Unusual cause of obstructive uropathy.

We report a case involving a 55-year-old healthy man that presented with urinary retention and a lower abdominal mass. His evaluation revealed a large mucocele arising from the appendix that caused severe bilateral ureteral obstruction and renal failure. Appendiceal mucoceles are rare and insidious entities that can present with urologic manifestation. Despite their rarity, this case highlights the importance of including mucoceles in the differential diagnosis in cases involving ureteral obstruction caused by external compression.

Multi-Institutional Outcome Study on the Efficacy of Closed-Suction Drainage of the Scrotum in Three-Piece Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Surgery

Infection is a devastating complication of penile prosthesis surgery that occurs in approximately 2–5% of all primary inflatable penile primary implants in most series. Prevention of hematoma and swelling with closed-suction drains has been shown not to increase infection rate and yield an earlier recovery time. Despite the intuitive advantages of short-term closed-suction drainage in reducing the incidence of postoperative scrotal swelling and associated adverse effects, many urologists are reluctant to drain the scrotum because of a theoretical risk of introducing an infection. In conclusion, this study was undertaken to evaluate the incidence of infection in threepiece penile prosthesis surgery with scrotal closed-suction drainage. A retrospective review of 425 consecutive primary three-piece penile prosthesis implantations was performed at three institutions in New Jersey, Ohio, and Arkansas from 1998 to 2002. Following the prosthesis insertion, 10 French Round Blake (Johnson & Johnson) or, in a few cases, 10 French Jackson Pratt, closed-suction drains were placed in each patient for less than 24 h. All subjects received standard perioperative antibiotic coverage. Average age at implant was 62 y (range 24–92 y). Operative time (incision to skin closure) was less than 60 min in the vast majority of cases. There were a total of 14 (3.3%) infections and three hematomas (0.7%) during an average 18-month follow-up period. In conclusion, this investigation revealed that closed-suction drainage of the scrotum for approximately 12–24 h following three-piece inflatable penile prosthesis surgery does not result in increased infection rate and is associated with a very low incidence of postoperative hematoma