Faculty Bibliography

Acute urinary retention (AUR), an uncomfortable and potentially dangerous condition, often occurs in men who have benign prostatic hyperplasia. Although the reported incidence of AUR varies in the literature, there are a number of events that are known to precipitate episodes of AUR, including ingestion of certain agents, infection, general anesthesia, and performance of various diagnostic genitourinary procedures. Because it is preferable to avoid the need for catheterization (and the associated risks) in men at high risk for AUR, certain measures have been studied as means to prevent AUR episodes. Specifically, alpha-blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors have been shown to reduce the incidence of initial and subsequent AUR episodes in certain at-risk men

Since the early 20th century, radical prostatectomy has been used in the treatment of prostate cancer. However, before the widespread acceptance of prostate-specific antigen screening, the majority of cancers were clinically advanced and not amenable to cure, so relatively few men were candidates for this procedure. Modern advances have contributed dramatically to the reduction of complications and morbidity associated with radical prostatectomy. As a result, the procedure has become the most common treatment selected by men with localized prostate cancer. This article reviews several issues regarding radical prostatectomy, including surgical techniques, cancer control, intraoperative localization of the cavernous nerves, patient selection, and laparoscopic versus robotic approaches

PURPOSE:: The embryological origin of the utricle is thought to be a remnant of the fused caudal ends of the mullerian ducts (MDs). Others propose that the urogenital sinus (UGS) contributes either partially or totally to the development of this structure. Using immunohistochemical probes, we provide strong evidence that the utricle is of UGS origin only. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Human fetal prostates, gestational ages 9 to 24 weeks, were serially cross-sectioned. Representative sections were stained with antibodies to p63 (basal cell marker), vimentin (mesoderm marker), uroplakins (marker for urothelium) Pax-2 (expressed in ductal and mesenchyme of urogenital system including the MDs and wolffian ducts) and Ki67 (proliferation). Apoptosis was detected with the TUNEL assay. RESULTS:: By 9 weeks there was weak expression of p63 in the basal layer of the UGS. At 11 weeks there was increased staining of p63 in the UGS and some p63 staining of the fused MDs, which expressed Pax-2 at this time. At 14 to 15 weeks as the MDs were undergoing apoptosis, there was an ingrowth of uroplakin-expressing UGS epithelium into the periurethral stroma, which formed a plate of p63 positive cells just beneath the UGS that was Ki67 positive. The remaining caudal MD epithelium was p63 negative and expressed vimentin and Pax-2. By 17 weeks the plate of p63 positive cells elongated forming the utricle that remained p63 positive but Pax-2 and vimentin negative. CONCLUSIONS:: We show that the utricle forms as an ingrowth of specialized cells from the dorsal wall of the UGS as the caudal MDs regress

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to evaluate the impact of image fusion on the interpretation of indium-111 Prosta-Scint SPECT scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-seven consecutive patients referred for rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after initial therapy for primary prostate cancer underwent SPECT 96 hr after infusion of (111)In Prosta-Scint, with simultaneous technetium-99m blood pool imaging. Volume data sets from the SPECT scans were then fused with those from CT and MR images of the pelvis using a 3D landmark-based warping program. The SPECT scans were initially interpreted without benefit of MRI or CT fusion. The fused Prosta-Scint MRI-CT volumes were reevaluated by a nuclear radiologist and an MRI radiologist. Independent reviews before and after fusion were available in these patients. Validation of results after fusion was performed through correlation with PSA changes after radiation therapy. RESULTS: Six patients with sites that could not be evaluated and three without their original Prosta-Scint scanning reports were excluded; thus, 58 patients were studied clinically. Seventy-four of 161 prefusion-positive sites were found to be negative after fusion. These 74 sites subsequently were identified primarily as showing bowel, vessel, or marrow uptake after fusion. In two patients, nodal disease was identified although the review before perfusion indicated none. Twenty-five patients previously thought to have nodal disease appeared to have only local disease after fusion. After local radiation therapy, PSA levels decreased in 12 of 25 patients, increased in five, and were unavailable in eight. CONCLUSION: Although Prosta-Scint SPECT alone can help in the proper management of recurrent prostate cancer, fusion with MRI-CT of the pelvis can improve the specificity of the examination

PURPOSE: We performed a global self-assessment of continence following radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) and determined how this global self-assessment of continence correlates with commonly used definitions of continence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2000 and February 2002 all men who underwent RRP were encouraged to complete the University of California-Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index 3, 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively. Beginning October 2002 a single question capturing the patient global self-assessment of continence status was added to the postoperative continence assessment. The study design was cross-sectional since only continence surveys submitted between October 2002 through February 2003 were evaluated. Sensitivity, specificity and kappa coefficient was determined for the relationship between the patient global assessment of continence vs the definition of continence based on pad requirement, problem due to incontinence and frequency of incontinence. RESULTS: Continence progressively improved 3 to 24 months following RRP for all continence outcomes. At 24 months following RRP 97.1% of men considered themselves continent, while 97.1%, 94.1% and 97.1% were considered continent using continence definitions, including the requirement of no or 1 pad in a 24-hour interval, no or slight bother due to incontinence and total control or occasional dribbling, respectively. Our 3 definitions of continence derived from responses to the University of California-Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index had excellent agreement with patient global self-assessment of continence (kappa coefficients between 0.76 and 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of men achieve continence without invasive intervention following RRP. Final continence status should be ascertained at 24 months. The patient global assessment of continence provides face validity for other definitions of continence based on responses to validated self-administered questionnaires

PURPOSE: We determined the impact of radical retropubic prostatectomy on continence and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2000 and August 2002, 500 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy by a single surgeon, and completed the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index and American Urological Association (AUA) symptom index at baseline, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after radical prostatectomy. Univariate analysis was performed to identify factors predisposing the early return of continence. RESULTS: A total of 100%, 98.3%, 97.1%, 94.2% and 98.6% of patients filled out the UCLA Prostate Cancer Index and AUA symptom index at baseline, and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months, respectively. Based on protective pad requirement or frequency of incontinence 100%, 90.9%, 87.2%, 92.1% and 98.5% vs 98.8%, 80.6%, 91.2%, 95.2% and 98.5% of men were continent at baseline, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after surgery, respectively. Age, severity of lower urinary tract symptoms, Gleason score, nerve sparing status, blood loss or presence of benign prostatic tissue in the apical soft tissue margin did not predict early return of continence. All of the individual urinary symptoms captured by the AUA symptom score showed significant improvement after radical retropubic prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy was associated with a mean 5.4 unit decrease in AUA symptom score (40% decrease) in men with baseline moderate/severe LUTS (AUA symptom score 8 or greater). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of men regain continence after radical retropubic prostatectomy and maximal continence is achieved by 24 months. No factors were identified that predicted early return of continence in our cohort of men undergoing radical prostatectomy. Radical prostatectomy has a clinically significant impact on improving LUTS

OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of intraoperative biopsy during radical retropubic prostatectomy. METHODS: Between October 2000 and August 2002, 500 men with clinically localized prostate cancer underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy by a single surgeon. A 2 to 3-mm circumferential biopsy was routinely obtained from the apical and bladder neck soft-tissue margin and submitted for frozen section examination. In selective cases suspicious for capsular incision, a biopsy was sent from what was believed to be the contiguous neurovascular bundle/lateral pedicle. RESULTS: Prostate cancer was observed in 4.5%, 0.8%, and 1.6% of the intraoperative biopsies sent from the apical, bladder neck, and neurovascular bundle/lateral pedicle soft-tissue margins, respectively. Patient age, Gleason score, perineural invasion on diagnostic prostate biopsy, and clinical stage were not associated with prostate cancer at the apical soft-tissue margin. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy of the surgical specimen to predict cancer in the apical soft-tissue margin was 57.7%, 98.2%, 62%, 97.7%, and 96%, respectively. Intraoperative biopsy of the apical soft-tissue margin reduced the positive margin rate by 3.8%. CONCLUSIONS: The yield of intraoperative biopsy of the bladder neck and neurovascular bundle/lateral pedicle is too low to justify it in routine practice. Biopsy of the apical soft tissue should be routinely performed to reduce the positive surgical margin rate