Tsan-Jung Yu

Effects of early pelvic-floor muscle exercise for sexual dysfunction in radical prostatectomy recipients.

Background: Sexual dysfunction is common after radical prostatectomy (RP). Although pelvic-floor muscle exercise (PFME) has been recommended for sexual dysfunction, the optimal time for starting exercises after this surgery and the effects of exercise still need to be examined. Objectives: The present study was intended to explore the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and to assess the efficacy of PFME in sexual dysfunction following RP. Methods: Participants were randomly distributed into an experimental group (n = 35) or a control group (n = 27). The experimental group took part in PFME as part of regular daily activities after catheter removal post-RP. The control group was taught the exercise in the third month after RP. We followed up the participants at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results: All of the patients experienced a severe degree of sexual dysfunction after receiving RP. A t test showed a significant difference in the sexual function mean score between the experimental and control groups at 6 and 12 months. A mixed-model analysis indicated that, after a controlled surgical approach, there was a significant difference in group effect. The experimental group’s sexual function was better than the control group’s sexual function. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that early PFME is an effective intervention for sexual dysfunction in prostatectomy patients. The results can help healthcare providers to include this intervention in patients’ discharge plans. Implications for Practice: Patient sexual dysfunction after an RP is common. Nurses should evaluate and manage patients’ sexual dysfunction and promote the early return of patients’ potency.

Changes in quality of life among prostate cancer patients after surgery.

Background: Quality of life (QoL) often is impacted after radical prostatectomy (RP) procedures. Although patients’ QoL scores gradually improve after RP, changes in the QoL score over time after different RP procedures must be examined. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the changes in QoL over time of prostate cancer patients who were treated with open RP (ORP) or laparoscopic RP (LRP) procedures. Methods: A longitudinal study design was used. A convenient sample of 67 prostate cancer patients was recruited after RP (ORP = 34, LRP = 33). QoL scores were assessed at 1, 3, and 6 months after RP using the University of California, Los Angeles, Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI). Results: With respect to the PCI mean score between the ORP and LRP groups, there were significant differences in overall PCI and urinary function at time 1 (1 month after RP). However, a mixed-design analysis of covariance on the overall PCI of the 2 groups over time indicated that, after controlling for nerve sparing, there were significant differences in the main effects for group and time, but no interaction effect. Conclusion: Results indicated that all patients’ QoL scores improved over time. Laparoscopic RP patients’ overall scores were better than ORP patients’ scores, but this may be due to unmeasured preoperative differences in this nonrandom sample, and thus, these findings cannot be attributed to treatment differences alone. Implications for Practice: Patients’ QoL after either RP surgery is likely to drop but is regained by 6 months. This information should be given to patients undergoing RP who are deciding between various RP procedures.

Bilateral Renal Myxoid Perineuriomas

A perineurioma is a benign tumor of the peripheral nervous system which is composed of perineurial cells. Perineuriomas commonly develop as extraneural tumors from soft tissues and less commonly have intraneural localization. This case report describes a 25-year-old man with large bilateral renal masses that were diagnosed as perineuriomas. After surgical excision, the patient recovered fully and had no evidence of recurrence at the 1- and 2-year follow-up examinations.

Gastric Cancer With Bladder Metastasis: Case Report and Literature Review

Bladder cancer is the eighth most common cancer in Taiwanese men, and the incidence of primary bladder cancer is more common than that of metastatic bladder cancer. Metastatic bladder cancers most commonly occur secondary to skin melanomas, followed by breast and gastric cancers. Therefore, bladder adenocarcinoma is rare and should be considered due to its metastatic origin. Its clinical course is aggressive and the prognosis is bad. We report a case of gastric cancer with bladder metastasis in a middle-aged man. We review the literature and discuss the clinical course, pathological characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of this disease.