Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: To use the national Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry to describe the natural history, national incidence and treatment patterns for ductal prostate cancer (PCa) over the last 20 years, as the available literature on ductal PCa is limited to small case series because of few patient numbers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From the SEER registry, 693 men with ductal PCa were identified from 1970. The demographics, clinical features and cause of death data were collected from men with ductal and acinar histological types. RESULTS: The incidence of ductal PCa has increased over each decade, but the overall percentage of ductal relative to acinar PCa has remained stable. Men with ductal PCa were more likely to present with advanced disease (30% T3 with ductal PCa, compared with 7% with acinar PCa). Men with ductal PCa underwent similar rates of radical surgery, lower rates of radiotherapy but a higher frequency of outlet (transurethral resection) procedures. Men with ductal PCa had a significantly greater rate of death from PCa (12% vs 4%) than men with acinar PCa. Comparing PCa-specific mortality, men with ductal PCa had similar rates of death to men with Gleason 4 + 4 grade acinar PCa. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a stable incidence, ductal PCa remains an aggressive PCa usually presenting with advanced clinical stage and resulting in a high rate of PCa-specific mortality similar to Gleason 4 + 4 acinar PCa. Patients would probably benefit from combined modalities including radical surgery, radiotherapy and palliative outlet procedures.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the spectrum of symptoms in men with urethral stricture presenting for urethroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 214 men who underwent anterior urethroplasty by a single surgeon (CMG) from March 2001 to June 2010. We retrospectively reviewed the initial patient history. All voiding and sexual dysfunction symptoms were recorded. RESULTS: The most common presenting voiding complaints were weak stream in 49% of cases and incomplete emptying in 27%. Overall 21% of men did not present with voiding symptoms specifically addressed by the American Urological Association symptom index. The most common of these symptoms were spraying of urinary stream in 13% of men and dysuria in 10%. No symptoms were reported in 10% of men. Men with lichen sclerosus were more likely to present with obstructive symptoms (76% vs 55%) while men with penile urethral stricture were more likely to present with urinary stream spraying (17% vs 6%, each p <0.05). Sexual dysfunction was reported by 11% of men, most commonly in those with failed hypospadias repair (23% vs 9%) and lichen sclerosus (24% vs 10%, each p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: While the American Urological Association symptom index captures the most common voiding complaints of men with urethral stricture, 21% of those who presented for urethroplasty did not have voiding symptoms assessed by the index. A validated, disease specific instrument is needed to fully capture the presenting voiding symptoms and sexual dysfunction complaints of men with urethral stricture disease.

OBJECTIVE: To use the National Trauma Data Bank (NTDB) to evaluate bicycling-related genitourinary (GU) injury. Bicycling is a popular recreational and competitive sport with recognized risks. GU injuries associated with bicycling is unknown. METHODS: Patient cases were extracted from the NTDB, version 9.1, using the mechanism of injury Ecode for pedal cyclist and ICD-9 codes for GU injuries. The type of GU injuries, patient demographics, Injury Severity Score, surgical management, outcomes, and disposition were analyzed. RESULTS: Of 635,013 trauma cases evaluated, 16,585 were identified as trauma because of bicycle injury. GU injuries were sustained in 358 (2%) patients; 86% were male, with a mean age of 29 years. The most commonly injured GU organ was the kidney (75%), followed by bladder and urethra (15%), and penis and scrotum (10%). These injuries resulted in nephrectomy (0.4%), cystorrhaphy (11.3%), scrotorrhaphy (42.1%), testicular repair (3.1%), and penile repair (7.5%). Most common associated injuries included vertebral fracture (35%), pelvic fracture (25%), spleen (19%), and open head wound (15%). Patients who sustained a vertebral fracture commonly sustained a concomitant bladder and urethra (37.7%) or a renal injury (22.6%). CONCLUSION: GU injury is an infrequent occurrence with bicycle trauma, occurring in 2% of bicycle injuries, with kidneys being the most commonly injured GU organ. Physicians treating bicyclists who sustained a vertebral fracture should be aware of a possible concomitant renal or bladder injury. Young males appear to be principally at risk for GU injury.

PURPOSE: Testicular torsion causes considerable morbidity in the pediatric population but the societal burden is poorly quantified. We determined the modern incidence of testicular torsion as well as the current rates of orchiectomy and attempted testicular salvage, and identified the risk factors for testicular loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort analysis was performed of 2,443 boys (age 1 month to less than 18 years) and 152 newborns who underwent surgery for testicular torsion in the 2000, 2003 and 2006 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database. Patient and hospital characteristics predictive of orchiectomy vs attempted testicular salvage were analyzed. RESULTS: There was a bimodal distribution of testicular torsion with peaks in the first year of life and in early adolescence. The overall mean age +/- SD at presentation was 10.6 +/- 5.8 years. The estimated yearly incidence of testicular torsion for males younger than 18 years old was 3.8 per 100,000. Orchiectomy was performed in 41.9% of boys undergoing surgery for torsion. The adjusted odds ratio for orchiectomy was highest for children in the youngest age quartile (younger than 10 years old, OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.25-2.00). Additional independent predictors of orchiectomy included Medicaid insurance (OR 1.39, 95% CI 1.14-1.69), black race (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.04-1.71), nonemergency room admission source (OR 1.97, 95% CI 1.60-2.42) and surgery at a children's hospital or unit (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.36-1.98). CONCLUSIONS: Testicular torsion is uncommon but the rate of orchiectomy is high, especially in the youngest patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP) is the most expensive, yet most common, surgical treatment for patients with prostate cancer. Furthermore, its popularity continues to grow despite the lack of evidence for functional and oncologic superiority over other treatments. As a result, we modified operating room (OR) processes to determine if the times and costs that are associated with RALRP in an academic setting could be reduced. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Four modifications in OR processes were implemented: Trainee adherence to time-oriented surgical goals; use of a dedicated anesthesia team; simultaneous processing by nursing and urology house staff during case turnover; and identification and elimination of unused disposable instruments. Total surgical, anesthesia, and OR turnover times were measured. Payroll, surgical supply, OR time, and anesthesia costs were also measured. One hundred RALRP cases before and after the modifications were implemented were compared. RESULTS: Patients undergoing RALRP were similar both before and after the modifications were implemented. Total surgical, anesthesia, and turnover times were reduced by 17.4 (6.8%, P=0.041), 4.5 (19.1%, P=0.006), and 12.1 (28.1%, P=0.005) minutes, respectively. Payroll, surgical supply, and OR costs were reduced by $330 (25%), $609 (15.7%), and $1638 (27.7%), respectively. There was no fiscally significant change in anesthesia costs. CONCLUSIONS: Using simple modifications, it is possible that RALRP efficiency can be improved by decreasing its associated times and costs. These modifications were implemented in an academic setting but may be used in any institution. These modifications represent an initial attempt to improve RALRP cost-competitiveness with other treatment modalities.

Nanotechnology is poised to have a substantial influence on biomedicine. A unique example of a nanotechnology that has progressed from proof-of-concept to human clinical trials is the use of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a cell-specific contrast agent for MRI. When injected systemically, these particles are taken up by macrophages of the reticuloendothelial system and accumulate in lymph nodes. This passive, cell-specific targeting of the iron oxide nanoparticles to lymph nodes, and the differential cellular content of benign versus malignantly infiltrated nodes make this method suitable for cancer staging. By using lymphotropic nanoparticle enhanced MRI, differences in benign versus malignant infiltration of lymph nodes can be visualized, which adds accuracy to standard MRI beyond criteria based solely upon the size and shape of lymph nodes. This technology has been used to assess lymph node metastases in a large number of human cancer types. In this Review, we focus on lymphotropic nanoparticle enhanced MRI and its application for the staging of genitourinary malignancies.

OBJECTIVES: Approximation of the bladder to urethra during robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) is a critical step toward achieving long-term continence. To determine the impact on surgical outcomes after RALP, we compare two techniques for constructing the vesicourethral anastomosis. METHODS: One hundred fifty-four men underwent RALP by one surgeon between 2005 and 2007. The vesicourethral anastomosis was performed in a standard Van Velthoven fashion for the first 61 patients. The anastomosis in the remaining 93 patients was performed in a running fashion with the sutures under continuous tension applied by the surgical assistant and the third robotic arm. Operative times and surgical outcomes were recorded prospectively. RESULTS: When comparing standard Van Velthoven to continuous tension anastomosis, we demonstrate equivalent oncologic outcomes, continence and time required for the anastomosis. Yet, the frequency of complications related to the anastomotic technique, such as urine leaks, bladder neck contractures and migrated hemo-lock clips, were significantly lower with the continuous tension technique compared to the standard Van Velthoven running anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS: Performing the vesicourethral anastomosis under continuous tension demonstrated improved outcomes compared to the Van Velthoven anastomosis by allowing persistent close apposition of the bladder to urethra. Additionally, the learning curve associated with implementation of a new anastomotic technique was negligible.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Specimen morcellation during laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is controversial. We seek to evaluate the safety and efficacy of specimen morcellation and LRN for treatment of presumed malignant renal lesions. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent LRN at three academic institutions from 1996 to 2007. One hundred eighty-eight patients underwent specimen morcellation after LRN for enhancing solid or cystic renal masses. RESULTS: LRN was successfully performed on all the patients. Patient age ranged from 36 to 94. One hundred sixty-seven patients were in clinical stage T1, 19 patients T2, and unknown in two. The specimen was manually morcellated within a Cook Lap Sac or Endocatch II bag under laparoscopic or direct observation. On histological review of morcellated specimens, 165 patients were confirmed to have RCC, 17 had an oncocytoma, and 2 had benign cysts. At least 13 patients with RCC were pathologically upgraded to stage T3. Mean operative time was 225 minutes (range 94-650). Mean hospital stay was 2.5 days (range 1-8). In patients with RCC, 11 developed recurrent disease with mean follow-up of 21 months (range 0.3-111). In one patient, a port site recurrence occurred in concert with renal fossa and lymph node metastases. CONCLUSIONS: Intracorporeal mechanical morcellation after LRN appears to be safe and effective in clinical stage T1 and T2 RCC. This supports the use of morcellation as an alternative for intact specimen removal in properly selected patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Most series on ureteroscopy for urolithiasis use postoperative plain radiography of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder (KUB) or intravenous urography (IVU) to determine outcomes. These imaging modalities, however, are not very sensitive and may overestimate stone-free rates (SFRs). The aim of our study was to assess SFRs after ureteroscopy for urolithiasis using CT follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 92 patients underwent 113 ureteroscopic procedures for either renal or ureteral stones. Success of ureteroscopy was then determined by the absence of any stone fragments (stone-free). Stone-clearance rates (SCRs) were also calculated for < or = 2 mm and < or = 4 mm residual stone fragments. RESULTS: Each renal unit contained a mean of 1.87 stones with a mean stone diameter of 8 +/- 6 mm. The overall SFR was 50.4%. SFRs were significantly higher for ureteral stones (80%) than renal stones (34.8%) (P = 0.0001). Renal units with multiple stones were less likely to be stone free than those with single stones (P = 0.011). No difference in SFRs was found between lower pole and non-lower-pole stones. CONCLUSIONS: Overall SFRs by CT were lower than SFRs reported by radiography of the KUB or IVU criteria. Further studies to identify the clinical significance and natural history of residual stone fragments on CT scan after ureteroscopy are needed.

PURPOSE: As nephron sparing surgery is used more frequently for select renal tumors, the incidence of urine leaks will likely increase. To our knowledge the risk factors of and management strategies for urine leaks have not been studied. We report our experience with the risk factors of and management for urine leaks after open and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 127 consecutive patients who underwent partial nephrectomy between 2001 and 2007, including 70 with open and 57 with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, as performed by 3 surgeons. Urine leak was defined as drain output consistent with urine greater than 48 hours after laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. RESULTS: Of the patients 21 experienced a urine leak after partial nephrectomy, including 13.3% overall, and 10.5% after laparoscopic and 18.5% after open partial nephrectomy. Patients with a urine leak had significantly greater tumor size (3.2 vs 2.4 cm, p <0.044), endophytic locations (57% vs 19%, p <0.00027) and repair of collecting system defects during partial nephrectomy (95% vs 56%, p <0.00072). There was no association with the number of tumors removed, estimated blood loss, ischemia time, body mass index, age or other surgical complications. The median duration of urine leak was 20 days. While most urine leaks resolved with prolonged drainage, 38% of cases required further intervention. Patient age at surgery was the only factor that correlated with prolonged (greater than 30 days) urine leak. CONCLUSIONS: Urine leak is a complication unique to partial nephrectomy that is more commonly noted when a larger endophytic mass involves the renal collecting system. Most leaks resolve with prolonged drainage or replacement of a ureteral stent.