Takao Kamai

Overexpression of RhoA mRNA is associated with advanced stage in testicular germ cell tumour

Objective To clarify the role of Rho small GTP‐binding protein (Rho) in the progression of testicular germ cell tumour (GCT), by examining the expression levels of mRNAs of Rho genes in testicular GCT.

Combination of a cholinergic drug and an α‐blocker is more effective than monotherapy for the treatment of voiding difficulty in patients with underactive detrusor

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of a cholinergic drug, an α‐blocker and combinations of the two for the treatment of underactive detrusor.

RhoA is associated with invasion and lymph node metastasis in upper urinary tract cancer

To assess the roles of RhoA small GTPase (RhoA) in upper urinary tract cancer by analysing the mRNA and protein levels of RhoA.

Prognostic significance of p27Kip1 and Ki-67 expression in carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter

Objective To determine the significance of p27Kip1 (p27) for tumour behaviour and prognosis of patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis and ureter.

Neuromodulation for the treatment of urinary incontinence

Abstract:  Neuromodulation has been reported to be effective for the treatment of stress and urgency urinary incontinence. The cure and improvement rates of pelvic floor neuromodulation in urinary incontinence are 30–50% and 60–90%, respectively. In clinical practice, vaginal, anal and surface electrodes are used for external, short‐term stimulation, and sacral nerve stimulation for internal, chronic (long‐term) stimulation. The effectiveness of neuromodulation has been verified in a randomized, placebo‐controlled study. However, the superiority to other conservative treatments, such as pelvic floor muscle training has not been confirmed. A long‐term effect has also been reported. In conclusion, pelvic floor exercise with adjunctive neuromodulation is the mainstay of conservative management for the treatment of stress incontinence. For urgency and mixed stress plus urgency incontinence, neuromodulation may therefore be the treatment of choice as an alternative to drug therapy.

Single‐blind, randomized controlled study of the clinical and urodynamic effects of an α‐blocker (naftopidil) and phytotherapy (eviprostat) in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract  Aim:  The aim of our study was to examine the efficacy of naftopidil in terms of the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and urodynamic parameters in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Eviprostat was used as a control to study the efficacy of naftopidil.

Ambulatory Urodynamics in Asymptomatic, Young, Healthy Male Volunteers

Objectives: To assess the incidence of detrusor overactivity and reproducibility of data from ambulatory urodynamic monitoring (AUM) in male volunteers.

Preoperative Virtual Navigation with 3D-CT Volume Rendering for Single Minimum Incision Endoscopic Nephron-Sparing Surgery on Renal Tumors

Thanks to various technical and imaging innovations, pure laparoscopic or hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery is now performed worldwide and is considered to be safe and effective, while also improving the quality of life for patients [1,2]. However, laparoscopy requires three to four incisions, each of which is about 1-2 cm long. Every incision is associated with the potential risk of bleeding, hernia, and/or damage to internal organs, and also incrementally worsens the cosmetic outcome [3,4]. Furthermore, several problems remain to be solved with regard to laparoscopy, including the use of CO2 pneumoperitoneum, the size of the incision required to retrieve the resected specimen, the need for trocar ports, and the high cost of equipment. Alternatives to conventional laparoscopy include single-site surgery, which is known as laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS), as well as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). In 1998, Kihara et al. from Japan reported on minimum incision endoscopic surgery (MIES) performed via a single small incision, which was an attempt to solve the above-mentioned problems with conventional laparoscopic surgery and reduce technical difficulties (Figure 1) [5-9]. MIES is performed via a single small incision that is just large enough to allow extraction of the resected specimen, and is done without gas or trocar ports, making it a safe, reproducible, cost-effective, and minimally invasive treatment option [5-8]. Detection of small renal tumors has continued to increase as a result of improved imaging methods. In patients with a single, small (<4 cm), and localized renal cell carcinoma, nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) has become more common due to advances in renal imaging, improved surgical techniques, and the increasing number of incidentally discovered low-stage carcinomas. As a result, good tumor control and potentially better overall survival have been reported in patients undergoing NSS [10]. Therefore, radical nephrectomy is no longer the standard surgical procedure for such tumors and it has been