Rudolf Hohenfellner

Adjuvant polychemotherapy of nonorgan-confined bladder cancer after radical cystectomy revisited : long-term results of a controlled prospective study and further clinical experience

A total of 83 patients with nonorgan-confined bladder cancer with or without lymph node metastases (tumor stages pT3b, pT4a and/or pN1, pN2) was evaluated in November 1993 for relapse-free and overall survival. All patients underwent radical cystectomy between 1987 and 1991, 38 underwent adjuvant polychemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine and cisplatin plus doxorubicin (M-VAC) or epirubicin (M-VEC). Of the 83 patients 49 had entered a prospective randomized trial comparing adjuvant to no adjuvant treatment. The protocol was activated in May 1987. Patient recruitment was concluded in December 1990 because an interim analysis of the 49 randomized patients revealed a significant prognostic advantage in favor of the 26 patients randomized to the chemotherapy group compared to 23 in the control group (p = 0.0015, log-rank test for relapse-free survival curves). Preliminary data were published in 1992. Of the 26 patients randomized for adjuvant chemotherapy 18 were treated with M-VAC or M-VEC, 7 refused chemotherapy before or during cycle 1 and 1 received chemotherapy without cisplatin because of impaired renal function. The update of patient followup obtained in November 1993 continues to demonstrate a significant improvement in progression-free survival in favor of patients randomized for adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.0005). Followup of patients living free of disease ranged from 38 to 78 months. In a second analysis of actual treatment, the total collective of 83 patients treated from 1987 to 1991 was reviewed: 38 who had actually undergone adjuvant M-VAC/M-VEC (18 during the prospective trial and 20 in 1991 as the routinely recommended therapy) were compared with 45 without adjuvant M-VAC/M-VEC (7 refused to participate in the adjuvant trial, 8 randomized for but did not undergo adjuvant M-VAC/M-VEC, 23 belonged to the control group of the trial, and 7 underwent cystectomy in 1991 and remained without adjuvant treatment). This analysis again revealed a significant prognostic advantage in favor of the patients treated with adjuvant M-VAC/M-VEC. We conclude that adjuvant chemotherapy with M-VAC/M-VEC leads to a significant prolongation of relapse-free survival and to an improvement of the definitive cure rates after radical cystectomy for locally advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Radical cystectomy : Often too late?

From 1967 to 1985, 246 cystectomies for treatment of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder were performed. Perioperative mortality decreased from 15% in the early years to 0% in 1985. Preoperative radiotherapy was not given. Patients who underwent cystectomy immediately following the diagnosis of invasive bladder carcinoma had a significantly better prognosis than those having cystectomy after recurrence of a transurethrally resected invasive carcinoma in spite of identical G and T criteria. A total of 26 patients who were cystectomized because of tumor recurrence after definitive radiotherapy (salvage cystectomy) represented the group with the worst prognosis: they had a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. It is concluded from these results that recurrence of an infiltrating bladder tumor is an indication of poor prognosis. Early cystectomy after diagnosis of tumor infiltration can improve survival rates. Transurethral resection without adjuvant therapy cannot be regarded as reliable curative treatment of bladder cancer infiltrating the lamina propria (pT1). Modern surgical techniques of continent urinary diversion or total bladder replacement combined with sparing of the pelvic nerves (and thus preservation of potency) reinforce our view that radical cystoprostatectomy need no longer be regarded as mutilating surgery.

The Mainz Pouch II (Sigma Rectum Pouch)

A low pressure rectosigmoid reservoir for urine is created obviating the need for colostomy, augmentation or extensive bowel surgery. Antimesenteric splitting of the intestine at the rectosigmoid junction and subsequent side-to-side anastomosis are performed. Urodynamic data demonstrate that the detubularization is effective in rendering high pressure bowel contractions ineffective. Without the risk of damaging the mesentery the pouch is fixed at the promontory, which lessens the risk of ureteral kinking and upper urinary tract dilatation. The technique is indicated not only in cases of failed ureterosigmoidostomy but also for primary urinary diversion. All 47 patients who underwent the operation were evaluable with a followup of 1 to 20 months (mean 10 months). All patients are continent during the daytime with a mean emptying frequency of 5 times. All but 1 elderly woman are dry at night with a mean frequency of 1 episode. With the reservoir full the basal pressure was 24 cm. water and the highest peak pressure recorded was 35 cm. water. The low pressure improves continence, protects the upper urinary tract and even allows dilated ureters to be implanted.

Continent appendix stoma : a modification of the mainz pouch technique

The submucosally embedded in situ appendix guarantees an ideal continence mechanism in patients with ileocecal urinary reservoirs. To date this modification of the Mainz pouch technique has been performed successfully in 13 patients. The appendicocutaneous stoma was placed at the lower right abdominal quadrant in 12 patients and into the umbilical funnel in 1. Urodynamic investigations of the submucosally embedded appendix showed a maximum closure pressure of more than 80 cm. water in pressure profiles. Only 1 case of stomal stenosis required reoperation.

Nephron-sparing surgery of renal cell carcinoma with a normal opposite kidney: long-term outcome in 180 patients

OBJECTIVES To investigate the long-term outcome of an organ-saving approach for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with a normal opposite kidney (elective indication). METHODS Since 1979, 180 patients have undergone nephron-sparing surgery at our institution for RCC in the presence of a normal contralateral kidney. The mean age was 56 years (range 23 to 83), and the mean follow-up was 4.7 years (maximum 14. 8). Most of these tumors were found incidentally, with a mean tumor diameter on ultrasound of 3.3 cm (range 1.0 to 8.6). RESULTS The postoperative course was unremarkable in 173 patients. Postoperative bleeding was encountered in 4 patients and urinary extravasation in an additional 3 patients. No surgical reintervention was necessary. One hundred seventy-five RCCs were pT1 and 5 were pT3a; 73 were grade 1, 100 grade 2, and 7 were grade 3. The mean tumor diameter (surgical specimen) was 3.2 cm (range 0.5 to 7). In 132 cases, the tumor was less than 4 cm and in 48 cases, greater than 4 cm. Three patients experienced local tumor recurrence (1.6%) during follow-up, and two others developed distant metastases. The 5-year tumor-specific survival rate was 98.0%. CONCLUSIONS Nephron-sparing surgery for RCC under an elective indication in selected patients offers excellent long-term survival and an acceptably low local tumor recurrence rate. These results support the concept of nephron-sparing surgery in the presence of a normal contralateral kidney.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of urinary calculi: experience in treatment of 3,278 patients using the Siemens Lithostar and Lithostar Plus.

Between March 1986 and June 1989, 3,278 patients with upper urinary tract calculi were treated at our medical center with the Lithostar lithotriptor. The stones were located in the calices in 41.9% of the cases, renal pelvis in 25.7% and ureter in 32.4%. Perirenal hematoma was noted in 0.5% of the patients but this resolved spontaneously within a few days. Auxiliary procedures were performed in 37.3% of the cases, including Double-J stent and ureteral catheter in 26.8%, ureterorenoscopy in 2.1%, percutaneous nephrostomy in 1.6%, Zeiss loop in 4.3% and percutaneous nephrolithotripsy in 3.5%. Of the treatments 83.1% were performed without general or regional anesthesia. Followup after 3 months showed a 63.8% rate free of stone. The Lithostar upgraded with the overhead lithotripsy module is called Lithostar Plus. A total of 25 patients with upper urinary stones underwent treatment with the overhead module. Initial experience revealed fragmentation of stones after the first session in 20 patients, while a second session was necessary in 5. Analgesic sedation was used in 4 patients in whom a Double-J stent was inserted.

Computerized Tomography: An Unreliable Method for Accurate Staging of Bladder Tumors in Patients who are Candidates for Radical Cystectomy

A total of 164 patients with bladder tumors underwent preoperative staging by computerized tomography. All patients were previously untreated, or had undergone only transurethral biopsy or resection of the tumor before computerized tomography. The post-cystectomy histological stage was compared to the preoperative computerized tomography stage. Computerized tomography accuracy according to the tumor, nodes and metastasis classification was only 32.3%, whereas overstaging was found in 39.6% and understaging in 28.1% of the cases. In untouched tumors or after transurethral resection computerized tomography accuracy demonstrated no significant difference. Only 2 of 19 true positive lymph nodes were staged correctly. Of 10 suspicious nodes results of computerized tomography were false positive in 8. Computerized tomography is an unreliable method for accurate preoperative staging of bladder carcinoma. The indication for either an operation, chemotherapy or radiotherapy for the treatment of bladder neoplasms should not be based on computerized tomography findings.

The Fate Of The Adult Exstrophy Patient

Between 1968 and 1993, 101 patients with bladder exstrophy or incontinent epispadias underwent surgery at our hospital. The standard procedure was ureterosigmoidostomy and additional genital reconstruction. Of the 56 patients who have reached adulthood 45 could be interviewed regarding social integration, sexuality and fertility. All patients have a functioning urinary diversion. Of the 45 patients questioned 41 have completed vocational training or are currently in training, 3 are unemployed and 1 lives at a therapeutic center. Among the patients 29 are married or have a steady partner. All women engage in sexual intercourse and 2 have delivered 3 children by cesarean section. All men achieve erection. Of the 28 men who underwent reconstruction of the external genitalia 11 have a penile deviation, which is distressing in only 2. Only 3 of the men are dissatisfied with the cosmetic result and 33% had epididymitis, necessitating 2 orchiectomies and 3 vasectomies. No patient with reconstruction of the external genitalia can ejaculate normally or has fathered children, whereas all 5 who did not undergo genital reconstruction had normal ejaculation and 2 have fathered children. Male patients with genital reconstruction and closure of the urethra have a high risk of infertility. Our patients demonstrate that the cosmetic results after genital reconstruction are satisfactory. However, in male patients, surgery is performed at the expense of fertility. Because this corrective procedure is usually performed during childhood, the parents must be informed of these consequences before surgical correction.

NEPHRON SPARING SURGERY FOR CENTRAL RENAL TUMORS: EXPERIENCE WITH 33 CASES

PURPOSE Nephron sparing surgery is standard treatment for small, peripherally located renal cell carcinoma. In patients with a solitary kidney, bilateral tumors or impaired renal function nephron sparing surgery provides the only option to nephrectomy and subsequent hemodialysis or transplantation. We retrospectively investigated the value of nephron sparing surgery for centrally located renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1969 and 1997, 311 renal tumor enucleations were performed at our institution. The tumor was centrally located in 33 cases. The indication for enucleation was elective in 7 cases and imperative in 26, including bilateral tumor in 16 (metachronous in 9 and synchronous in 7), chronic renal failure in 4 and solitary kidney in 6. Four patients had metastasis at enucleation. RESULTS Convalescence was unremarkable in 28 cases. Hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient, a urinary fistula in 2 and a local abscess secondary to a urinary fistula in 1. One patient died postoperatively of heart failure. Average serum creatinine was 1.25, 1.63 and 1.33 mg./dl. preoperatively, at hospital discharge and at a mean followup of 33 months, respectively. Hemodialysis was necessary transiently during convalescence in 1 patient and permanently starting 6 years after enucleation in another. Definitive histology revealed oncocytoma in 4 cases and renal cell carcinoma in 29. Disease was stages pT1 to pT3 in 9, 18 and 2 cases, and grades 1 to 3 in 6, 18 and 5, respectively. Local recurrence developed in 2 patients. Mean followup was 5.2 years (range 0.3 to 16.7). At a mean followup of 6.2 years (range 0.7 to 16.7) 20 patients were free of disease. In addition to the patient who died postoperatively, 9 died of renal cell carcinoma at a mean of 1.6 years (range 0.3 to 5.3) and 3 died of other causes at 5, 11 and 12 years postoperatively, respectively. No patient who underwent elective enucleation died. CONCLUSIONS Nephron sparing surgery for centrally located kidney tumors is technically feasible and associated with an acceptable complication rate. Local tumor control is excellent, and the overall prognosis depends on contralateral disease and metastasis. Benign tumors may be diagnosed and removed without loss of the kidney. By avoiding hemodialysis quality of life is improved.

Ileocecal vaginal construction

In 10 patients, six with previously falled vaginal reconstruction of Mayer-Rokitansky syndrome, two with male pseudohermaphrodltism, one with a history of Wertheim-Meigs operation followed by irradiation of the true pelvis, and one with vaginectomy caused by trauma, a neovagina was created out of cecal or ileocecal segments. Advantages of this technique are the excellent blood supply to the ileocecal region and the long vascular pedicle. The supplemental application of terminal Ileum for prolongation of the cecal vaginoplasty allows for tensionless anastomosis between the neovagina and the vulva, even in patients with difficult anatomic conditions. A detailed description of the operative technique and Indications for ileocecal and cecal vaginoplasty are presented, and the techniques in current use for vaginal replacement are reviewed and discussed.