[Stress urinary incontinence in women caused by severe sphincter hypotonia. Goebbel-Stoeckel intervention as alternative to artificial sphincter. Apropos of 26 cases treated between January 1985 and January 1994]

Stress urinary incontinence with low urethral closure pressure and urethral mobility is often treated by artificial urinary sphincter. Our retrospective report in 19 patients evaluates the sling procedure as an alternative to the artificial urinary sphincter (7 patients). All patients had a preoperative clinical and urodynamic evaluation. 13 patients were continent (68.4%) in the sling procedure group and 5 in the sphincter group. Continence remained stable with a mean follow-up of 77 months (range: 39-110 months). 2 patients had urgency and none had dysuria. The sling procedure gave us the same results as sphincter with less morbidity.

[Electroconductive extracorporeal lithotripsy with Sonolith 4000+. A prospective study of the ECG desynchronization using a fixed-rhythm simulator]

INTRODUCTION

Electrohydraulic lithotripters use a R-wave triggering system as episodes of cardiac arrhythmia were observed during early clinical experiments. This study was designed to assess the safety of non triggered shock wave treatments using an external fixed rate device (120/min) on the Sonolith 4000 Plus (*), a non bathtub electroconductive lithotripter.

METHODS

Our study is the first prospective evaluation of non-EKG-gated lithotripsy where the patient under continuous Holter monitoring served as his own control during a randomized alternation of periods with or without R-wave triggering. This design allowed for a direct comparison of the effect of EKG-gated and non-EKG-gated lithotripsy respectively. The sequence of the different periods was randomly assigned. The recordings were compared to a pre-treatment recording, the cardiologist ignoring the randomization.

RESULTS

25 consecutive patients without cardiac history have been treated for urinary stones. Ventricular and supraventricular excitability disorders have been noted in 7 patients, always during a non-EKG-triggered period. There was no correlation with stone location. No cardiac rhythm disturbances have been observed during triggered periods in the 25 patients. Auricular extrasystoles (0.1-0.5/min) were observed in 6 patients, and auricular couplets (0.5/min) in one. Ventricular extrasystoles were noted in 4 patients, and ventricular couplets in one. One patient had an asymptomatic non sustained ventricular tachycardia which resolved spontaneously. No clinically significant disorder occurred. Treatment time and analgesics requirements were reduced by non-EKG-triggering.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-EKG-triggering lithotripsy has a definite potential for cardiac disturbances, but appeared to be clinically safe in these patients with no cardiac history.

[Urinary calculi and indinavir sulfate in patients with HIV infection. Apropos of 4 cases]

We report on 4 cases of urinary stone observed in patients treated with the drug Crixivan (Indinavir Sulfate) and review the literature. Comments include stone composition, clinical aspects, treatment and prevention.

[Advances in surgical techniques and results of radical cystectomies for bladder cancer. 106 patients]

AIM OF THE STUDY

Retrospective analysis of result of radical cystectomy at Cochin Hospital.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We report the results of a 106 patients series treated by radical cystectomy for bladder carcinoma after a 5-year period follow-up.

RESULTS

The extent of the tumour invasion according to pathological analysis was: pT1 or less: 26%, pT2 and pT3a: 33%, pT3b and over: 41%. Morbidity rate was 19% with a 7.5% reintervention rate. Long term complication rate was 31%, concerning essentially ureteral stenosis. A local recurrence or distant metastasis occurred in 35% of patients. Local recurrence rate was 10.7%. Cancer specific survival rates were 88%, 81% and 42% for pT1, pT2-pT3a, and pT3b patients respectively.

CONCLUSION

The present results confirm that radical cystectomy is the most effective curative treatment for invasive bladder carcinoma.

[Chemotherapy of metastatic cancer of the bladder. Apropos of 50 patients treated with M-VAC]

The most effective chemotherapy of metastatic bladder cancer in M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, cisplatin), as it was shown M-VAC by phase III trials. The complete remission rate is 15-20%. The toxicity is severe, and M-VAC cannot be delivered to fragile patients. Survival is improved. This increase in survival results in an increased incidence in brain metastases. The Cochin Hospital experience with 50 patients treated with M-VAC for a metastatic bladder cancer is presented.

Endoscopic ureteroneocystostomy: palliative urinary diversion in advanced prostatic cancer

Distal ureteral obstruction is a common complication in advanced prostatic cancer, secondary to direct compression at the ureterovesical junction and/or invasion of the ureteral orifice and/or of the intramural ureter by the tumor. The ureteral orifice may not be readily visible to the trigone-infiltrating tumor, but remains superficial as it is pushed upward by the tumoral tissue. The indications for palliative diversion in patients with pelvic malignant disease and renal failure from ureteral obstruction remain controversial. We present the results of our endoscopic ureteroneocystostomy technique by which the trigone is resected to restore continuity of the ureteral orifice and to place a double pigtail ureteral stent. Of the 31 operations performed for obstructive prostate cancer, continuity was restored in 76% of cases. Length of hospital stay was gradually reduced to a few days. Median survival after surgery was 8 months (0.25 to 27.5 months). Palliative diversion may be considered a reasonable option for many patients, even in the case of an apparently unpassable obstruction of the pelvic ureter, thereby prolonging survival and improving quality of life.

p53 status does not predict initial clinical response to bacillus Calmette-Guerin intravesical therapy in T1 bladder tumors

PURPOSE

In superficial urothelial tumors of the bladder, p53 status is currently the most informative pretreatment parameter to define a population at higher risk for invasive carcinoma. Also, in T1 tumors, occurrence of muscular invasion is often related to an early relapse following BCG therapy. With the knowledge of biological parameters able to identify the group of initial BCG therapy non-responders, it would be possible to offer earlier treatment to the patients who need a more aggressive mode of therapy. The aim of this work was to study the predictive value of the p53 tumor status on the early BCG therapy response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The population included a selected group of 43 patients presenting T1 bladder tumors with no carcinoma in situ (Tis), treated by transurethral resection (TUR) followed by intravesical BCG therapy. Clinical outcome was analyzed in relation to usual clinical and histopathological parameters, and pretreatment p53 tumor status was assayed by an immunohistochemical technique using DO7 monoclonal antibody. For 16 specimens, p53 gene was investigated using a Single Strand Conformation Polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and sequence determination.

RESULTS

p53 anomalies were strongly correlated to smoking behavior (p = 0.003) and tumoral grade (p = 0.025). Univariate analysis revealed an absence of correlation between p53 immunostaining and initial, one and two years response-rate to BCG therapy. However, longterm followup revealed a trend between positive staining and disease progression. The p53 molecular study validated the use of DO7 immunostaining in detection of p53 anomalies.

CONCLUSIONS

In T1 bladder tumors, pretreatment p53 determination was not useful to define a group of early BCG non-responders. Thus, p53 status and immunological response induced by BCG endovesical therapy are two independent events.

Positive prostate-specific antigen circulating cells detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction does not imply the presence of prostatic micrometastases

OBJECTIVES

Detection of circulating tumor cells may improve the preoperative local staging of prostate cancers. The aim of this study was to perform enhanced reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) mRNA to define the predictive value of PSA-positive circulating cells in a large series of patients.

METHODS

The study included 46 patients with Stage T1 to T2 prostate cancer, 94 with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and 51 (including 9 women) with nonprostatic disease. PSA-positive cells from peripheral blood samples were detected by Southern blot analysis of the RT-PCR products. Original oligonucleotide primers were defined to exclusively detect the three PSA mRNA splices.

RESULTS

Circulating PSA-positive cells were observed in 8 (8.5%) of 94 patients with BPH, 10 (22%) of 46 with Stage T1 to T2 prostate cancer, and 9 (17.6%) of 51 with nonprostatic disease. The detection rate of PSA-positive circulating cells was significantly increased in patients with prostate cancer versus patients with BPH (P = 0.03). Among clinically localized prostate cancers with a Gleason score less than 8, a correlation was observed between PSA-positive circulating cells and Stage pT3 cancer (P = 0.038), capsular penetration (P = 0.04), and a positive margin (P = 0.038). The specificity of the assay for Stage pT3 cancer detection was 84.6%, with a positive predictive value of 60%.

CONCLUSIONS

Although RT-PCR assay may have a role in preoperative local staging, this study demonstrated the absence of tissue and tumor specificity of PSA-positive circulating cells, accounting for the weak positive predictive value of this technique.

IL-6 is a survival prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma

It has been reported that a high plasmatic concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) is correlated to a lack of response to immunotherapy in several malignancies, suggesting that IL-6 was either a marker of tumour aggressiveness or had only a predictive value of response to immunotherapy. To discriminate between these two possibilities, a retrospective study was performed in a series of 19 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who did not respond to IL-2/IFNalpha/5-FU treatment. Serum levels of IL-6, C-reactive Protein (CRP), soluble IL-2-receptor (sIL-2R), M-CSF and neopterin were assayed before treatment. IL-6 showed a significant correlation with patients median survival time (P < 0.016), suggesting that serum concentration of IL-6 before treatment is a marker of tumour aggressiveness rather than a predictive parameter for an immunological response.

[Effectiveness and tolerance of three month sustained release leuprorelin in the treatment of metastatic prostatic cancer (comparative, randomized, multicentric study]

OBJECTIVE

To establish the pharmacodynamic and safety equivalence between 2 sustained-release forms of leuprorelin 11.25 mg and 3.75 mg, in the treatment of metastatic prostatic carcinoma.

METHODS

44 patients received subcutaneous injections of leuprorelin for 9 months (randomization: 2/l): either 11.25 mg every three months (n = 29) or 3.75 mg monthly (n = 15). Main criterion: centralized monthly assay of plasma testosterone (T).

RESULTS

The equivalence of the 2 forms in terms of mean plasma testosterone was demonstrated (p = 0.002): 1 month: T = 0.19 +/- 0.03 ng/ml; 3 months: T = 0.27 +/- 0.04 ng/ml. Exploratory analysis did not reveal any significant difference between the groups for the number of patients castrated at each visit or for the number of patients with all T values < or = 0.5 ng/ml, or for clinical responses or safety.

CONCLUSION

The 2 forms have a comparable efficacy and safety.

[Elaboration and validation of a specific quality of life questionnaire for urination urgency in women]

Urgent micturition interferes with the quality of life (QoL) of women suffering from this symptom. In order to evaluate this disturbance of quality of life and the benefits of treatment, a self-administered questionnaire, specific to the disorders of urgent micturition in women, was developed from a pre-existing scale (Measurement of Urinary Handicap, MUH). The following developmental methodology was adopted: Generation of a first instrument from the patient's descriptions collected by a multidisciplinary group of clinicians: formulation of questions, regrouping of questions into dimensions, choice of reference period and modalities of response. Content validation and test of comprehension in 20 patients. Transverse pilot study (98 patients) designed to reduce the number of questions and analyse the internal reliability and clinical validity. Reproducibility study. The final questionnaire comprises 24 items grouped into 5 dimensions: activities (8 items), emotional repercussions (5), self-image (5), sleep (3), well-being (3). The relevance of regrouping of the questions in their dimension and of calculation of a global score was confirmed by a principal component analysis and multifactorial analysis. The internal reliability and reproducibility of the scores were satisfactory, with a Cronbach alpha of > 0.70 and an intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.80, respectively. The clinical validity of the questionnaire was verified: the QoL scores of patients became significantly lower as the symptoms became more severe. A specific, reliable and clinically valid questionnaire, expressed in the form of a global score and a profile, was able to be developed. The profile of patients suffering from urgent micturition reflects the repercussions of the disease on the major and specific domains of their QoL. This questionnaire presents the required properties to be used in clinical trials designed to evaluate the effects of treatments on the patients' QoL, as a complement to classical clinical evaluations.

Bladder injuries during total laparoscopic hysterectomy: diagnosis, management, and prevention

Based on a series of 150 total hysterectomies carried out via laparoscopy between January 1993 and December 1994, we observed 2 bladder complications: 1 bladder injury and 1 vesicovaginal fistula. These two accidents form the basis of discussion on the risk factors for these complications, their diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

[Metanephric adenoma: an unusual tumor of the kidney. Apropos of a case]

The authors report an uncommon case of renal adenoma, a metanephric adenoma in a 21 year-old man. Treatment consisted in a tumorectomy. The review of the literature, shows it to be a benign tumor with no malignant potential.

["Minimally invasive" surgery of stress urinary incontinence in women: Burch's operation under laparoscopy. Technical aspect and preliminary results]

Eighteen patients with stress urinary incontinence and normal maximal closure pressure underwent Burch procedure with pelvioscopy. A small (3 cm) incision is necessary to introduce the pelvioscope which allowed suture under visual control. Six month clinical results were 93% success and 7% improvement.

Randomized open labelled comparative study of the efficacy, safety and tolerability of leuprorelin acetate 1M and 3M depot in patients with advanced prostatic cancer

OBJECTIVES

In a European, prospective, 1:2 randomized phase II multicentre study, 237 patients with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer were treated with either the 1M- (80 patients) or 3M-depot formulation (157 patients) of leuprorelin acetate for 9 months to compare efficacy and safety.

METHODS

Standard clinical investigations and methods were employed in the study. Leuprorelin levels were determined using a specially modified RIA.

RESULTS

The two formulations produced virtually identical effects with a pronounced fall in testosterone and gonadotropin serum levels and a marked reduction in PSA levels. After 9 months' treatment, PSA was normalized (< or = 4 ng/ml) in 65.2 and 66.1% of the 1M and 3M depot patients, respectively. The best response to 1M vs. 3M depot during the study was as follows: complete remission in 5 vs. 5.7%, partial remission in 36.3 vs. 33.8% and stabilization in 40.0 vs. 40.8%. The main side effects of both formulations were related to androgen deprivation.

CONCLUSIONS

Comparable results were recorded for the two formulations of leuprorelin acetate in terms of clinical response, endocrine effects and tolerability. The newly developed leuprorelin acetate 3M depot, as a refinement of the established 1M depot, offers an opportunity to improve patient compliance and provides individualized and optimized, patient-orientated treatment by reducing the number of injections to four per year.

[A rare variety of urothelial carcinoma. Apropos of 2 cases]

We report two cases of grade 1 papillary transitional cell carcinoma which have a distinct pathological. The tumor was infiltrating the lamina propria in the first case (pT1) and the superficial muscle in the second case (pT2). These tumors were composed by nests and tubules with few cytological atypias, making the diagnosis of cancer difficult. The prognosis of these tumors is not well defined.

Lack of efficacy of low-dose subcutaneous recombinant interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha in the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of subcutaneous immunotherapy using a combination of recombinant interleukin-2 (r-IL2) and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) for the treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Initially a maximum of 45 patients with advanced RCC were to be included in the study, according to a Fleming three-stage procedure. To be included patients had to have measurable metastasis. Of a potential 45 patients with advanced RCC, 15 patients were included in the study (10 men and five women, mean age 51 years, range 25-69). From the first week of treatment r-IL2 was given subcutaneously on day 1 to 5, at 18 x 10(6) units once a day and then 9 x 10(6) units once a day for the following 5 weeks. IFN-alpha was given three times a week for the last 5 weeks. Minimum follow-up was 6 months.

RESULTS

All patients initially underwent radical nephrectomy. Seven patients were found to have metastases at the time of diagnosis. All patients received ambulatory therapy, except for the first 5 days of treatment. Overall, 80% of the patients received more than 75% of the complete dose of r-IL2. One patient suffered toxicity greater than the World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2 (neutropenia). No patient had a complete or partial response, two patients had a minor response, two patients had stable disease and 11 patients had disease progression.

CONCLUSIONS

Subcutaneous r-IL2 and IFN-alpha had no beneficial effect on the first 15 patients and the study was discontinued, in accordance with the Fleming rules. The dose, administration and combination of r-IL2 and IFN-alpha may explain the lack of efficacy. Other studies have shown that low doses of r-IL2 are not effective and the superiority of the combination of r-IL2 and IFN-alpha has not been proven. Therefore, a high dose of r-IL2, in association with other cytokines, chemotherapy and adoptive immunotherapy, may be the only way to improve the response rate of metastatic RCC.

[Surgery of urinary incontinence in men]

Male urinary incontinence needs usually a surgical treatment. Over-flow incontinence is due to bladder neck, prostatic or urethral obstruction and is treated by transurethral resection of the prostate or uretrotomy. Intrinsic sphincter deficiency needs an artificial sphincter implantation or an endoscopic periurethral injection of teflon particles or collagen. Incontinence due to detrusor over-activity is rarely treated by subtrigonal phenol injection or ileal detubularized cystoplasty augmentation.

Electroconductive lithotripsy: principles, experimental data, and first clinical results of the Sonolith 4000

The electroconductive lithotripter (ECL) is a new concept for shockwave generation in which a highly conductive solution channels the discharge between the anode and cathode. In vitro experiments showed a linear relation between the voltage setting and the pressure at F2. In vitro stone disintegration studies showed a considerable reduction in shockwave pressure variability, improved energy transfer to the stone, and a unique linear relation between fragmentation and electrode voltage without a saturation effect. This new concept has been used clinically in the Sonolith 4000 lithotripter. In 142 evaluable treatments with a 3-month follow-up, the overall stone-free rate was 82%, and the retreatment rate in stone-free patients was 10%. For stones equal or less than 10 mm, the 3-month stone-free rate, retreatment rate, and secondary procedure rate were 85%, 5%, and 0%, respectively. For stones between 11 and 20 mm, these figures were 83%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. The efficiency quotient was found to be 81% for stones equal or less than 10 mm and 78% for stones between 11 and 20 mm. These clinical results confirm the improvements in efficacy observed in vitro with very satisfactory tolerance.

Pregnancy after laparoscopic partial cystectomy for bladder endometriosis

We report a case of partial laparoscopic cystectomy in a 31-year-old infertile patient presenting vesical endometriosis. This patient had suffered severe dysmenorrhoea for 10 years previously together with repeated episodes of urinary infection, mostly occurring during the menstrual period. A diagnostic laparoscopy performed in another centre diagnosed a stage IV endometriosis. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists were prescribed for 9 months. After failure of this treatment, the patient came to consult us. A solid mass in the left supratrigone was detected by pelvic ultrasonography and confirmed by cystoscopy. Transurethral resection was carried out. A recurrence of the symptoms 9 months later prompted operative laparoscopy under cystoscopic control. This confirmed recurrence of a 3.5 cm endometriotic nodule. Laparoscopic partial cystectomy was performed using the monopolar electrode. The bladder was then sutured via laparoscopy. No complications occurred. No postoperative treatment was given. Second-look cystoscopy 2 months later revealed that healing was perfect. Eight months later, the patient is well and has a normal intra-uterine pregnancy.

[Electroconductive lithotripsy: experimental and clinical results with the Sonolith 4000]

Electroconductive lithotripsy uses a highly conductive liquid to bathe the electrodes rather than water. The effect is to channel energy between the electrodes and force it to pass directly from the anode to the cathode, exactly at F1. The Sonolith 4000 (Technomed Medical Systems) uses this new generation of "electroconductive" shock waves. Experimental and clinical results are presented. The typical electroconductive technique creates a linear relationship between energy level, in kilovolts, and the amplitude of the acoustic shock at F2 over a wide range of power. There is also a linear relationship between power and effectiveness of desintegration. More than 800 patients have been treated to date. Follow-up has reached 3 months in the 166 treatments reported here. Overall success rate without residual stone was 82%. The percentage of patients with residual stones smaller than 5mm was 5%. The rate of clinical success was 87%. The rate of retreatment in patients without residual stone was 10%. For 11 to 20 mm stones, the success rate (0 fragments), the rate of retreatment and the rate of auxiliary procedures were 83%, 4% and 2% respectively for stones < or = 10 mm and 78% for 11 to 20 mm stones. The electroconductive generator used in this study provided very satisfactory results, better than those generally obtained with classical generators. Tolerance was excellent.

[CD4 TIL (Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes) induce complete response in patients treated with IL-2 (Interleukin-2). Preliminary study]

This study analyzed clinical response induced by TIL in patients with renal cell carcinoma previously treated by interleukin-2. Six patients (4 men, 2 women, mean age 44.3 years) with measurable metastatic localizations have been treated by TIL reinjection (0.02 to 7.6 x 10(10) cells). TIL phenotype was a combination of CD4 and CD8 in 3 patients, predominantly CD4 in two patients and predominantly CD8 in one patient. Previous treatment by interleukin-2 induced one partial response, 2 stabilizations of the disease and 3 tumoral progressions. TIL led to an amelioration for 4 patients: 2 were in complete response, 2 were stabilized and 2 had tumoral progression and decreased. This study shows that CD4 TIL may improve an initially response induced by IL-2 therapy.

[Contribution of urodynamic examinations in the exploration of micturition disorders in patients with Parkinson disease]

24 men (mean age 71.2 years) with micturition disorders and parkinson disease have been studied: irritative symptoms are present in 62.5%. Urodynamics were specially usefull when obstructive symptoms (37.5%). In these cases, 3/4 had a mechanical obstruction to be treated by surgery. 3 men had a neurologic bladder and needed a pharmacological treatment. In this high risk population, urodynamics seemed to be necessary.

[TULIP: transurethral ultrasound-guided laser-induced prostatectomy. One-year clinical results]

The TULIP (transurethral ultrasound-guided laser-induced prostatectomy) system combines a real-time ultrasound transducer and a Nd:YAG laser delivery system with a 1.064 microns wavelength within a 22 F urethral probe. The goal is to produce a coagulation necrosis of the prostatic parenchyma, with a subsequent elimination of tissue in the urine. 29 patients have been included in this study, and 13 have a minimal one year follow-up. No complication occurred. 2 patients underwent a transurethral resection of the prostate secondary to the TULIP treatment. All patients complained of irritative urinary symptoms (frequency, burning on urination...) in the days or weeks following the treatment, and suprapubic catheterization tube had to be left in place for a mean duration of 13.8 days. Inclusion/exclusion criteria and evaluation modalities have been the same as in the American national study published elsewhere. At one year, our success rate for at least one criteria has been 84.6%, but only 2 (15%) out of 13 patients have been successful both in symptom score and flow rate.

[Urodynamic study of the behavior of detubulated ileocystoplasties according to feeding]

Twenty-three patients having undergone enterocystoplasty with a detubulated graft has an urodynamic study on an empty stomach and after a standardized meal. All patients (average age 62.9 years) had been operated more than 6 months earlier, and 30% still presented with urine leakages at night. The urodynamic study included a cystomanometric measurement with rapid water filling, an urethral profile and a micturating cystography. It was repeated 60 to 90 minutes after a meal composed of glucids, lipids and protids. Feeding had variable effects on the intestinal graft: increase in peristaltic intensity and/or earlier onset of contractions (10/23); apparently paradoxical decrease in contractions (6/23); sometimes no modification (7/23). This short work without any obvious physiopathological explanation has led us to advocating breaking up feeding for patients who were improved by the meals.

Complete ureteral transection associated with percutaneous lumbar disk nucleotomy

A case of complete ureteral transection complicating percutaneous nucleotomy for disk herniation is reported. The ureteral lesion was contralateral to the percutaneous approach and was treated by intubated ureteroureterostomy, since complete section precluded endourological management.

Localized Hyperthermia Versus the Sham Procedure in Obstructive Benign Hyperplasia of the Prostate: A Prospective Randomized Study

Hyperthermia was shown to cause improvement in 50 to 60% of the patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) without considering placebo effects. We studied 68 patients randomly assigned to a treatment group (38) and a sham group (30) who underwent the same manipulation but without applying radio frequency power. The Biodan Prostathermer was used. Criteria for inclusion were based on objective and subjective symptoms. Treatment was performed 6 times at 43 +/- 0.5C for the treatment group. Followup evaluation was performed at 3 months, and the same objective and subjective symptoms were recorded. We observed a statistically significant subjective improvement in the sham group (33%) that was not accompanied by any significant objective improvement. In the treatment group the subjective response was significantly better regarding number of patients (68%) and response rate, and was substantiated by a significant improvement in all objective symptoms (53% of the patients) except voided volume. Therefore, hyperthermia treatment had a definite therapeutic effect on BPH in excess of placebo.

Phenotypic and functional analysis of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes from patients with melanoma and other metastatic cancers

Thirty tumour specimens, among which were 17 melanomas, were cultured with recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) in order to produce tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). In the melanomas, three categories of TIL were characterised. The first, containing mostly CD3+ and CD8+ cells, lysed only autologous tumour cells; the second, containing mostly CD3+ and CD4+ cells, lysed both autologous tumour cells and allogeneic cells lines; the third, with mixed phenotype although cytotoxic for K562 targets, did not kill melanoma cells. The optimal conditions for a good development of TIL were established: we found that the lymph node or cutaneous origin of the tumour was unimportant, a 2 h enzymatic treatment was optimum and that TIL grew well in AIM V serum free medium. Therefore the easiness and the reproducibility of the TIL cultures from melanoma tumour samples allows the rapid development of therapeutic trials in metastatic melanoma.

[The treatment of patients with ureteral calculi by ureteroscopy and intracorporeal lithotripsy]

Ureteroscopy with endocorporeal urinary stone lithotripsy (EUSL) implies an "in situ" stone fragmentation including or not a basket extraction of the fragments. EUSL needs three conditions: ureteronephroscopy (antegrade or retrograde), sources of energy (ultrasonic, electrohydraulic, laser), extraction devices (basket, grasping forceps). The paper reports the data on 120 ureteral stones treated by ureteroscopy and laser lithotripsy with an overall effect of 84%.

Laser treatment of obstruction from incrusted ureteral catheter

Incrustations may develop on ureteral catheters and cause obstruction. We report a case in which obstruction was relieved by laser lithotripsy inside the lumen of the catheter. This completely noninvasive technique may prove to be useful in selected cases.

Clinical experience with a new pulsed dye laser for ureteral stone lithotripsy

Forty-five patients with 46 ureteral stones were treated using a new pulsed dye laser (Pulsolith, TMI). A fiber of 250 micrometers was used through rigid (40 cases) or flexible (6 cases) ureteroscopes. Stones were located in the upper third (5 cases), middle third (5 cases), or lower third (36 cases) of the ureter. Stone composition was calcium oxalate dihydrate or monohydrate, struvite, or uric acid in 34, 7, 2, and 2 patients, respectively. Thirty-six stones (78%) were fragmented, including 14 cases that required basket removal of fragments at the same time. Ten stones were not fragmented, 6 because of the pure monohydrate composition and 4 due to a laser breakdown. No damage to the ureteral wall was noted. Retrograde rigid ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy was effective for lower and middle third ureteral stones. Flexible ureteroscopy with laser lithotripsy was effective (impacted stones) but difficult for upper third ureteral stones. Laser lithotripsy was not effective for pure calcium oxalate monohydrate stones.