Bladder rupture due to accidental oxygen insufflation via an indwelling urethral catheter--a report of two cases

Two cases of bladder rupture caused by accidental insufflation of oxygen through an indwelling urethral catheter are described. Both patients were ill with multiple diseases. Conservative treatment, including an open indwelling urethral catheter, and surveillance of abdominal status seem appropriate when managing this complication.

Perforation of continent urinary reservoirs. Scandinavian experience

In a questionnaire survey of urological departments in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway, 20 episodes of perforation of continent urinary pouches were found to have occurred in 18 patients, representing an incidence of 1.5%. This complication occurred with ileal as well as colonic segments, without predilection. In one case there was perforation of an appendiceal outlet. Noticeable findings were (a) a long delay (median 10h) to treatment and (b) that investigational procedures such as enterocystography and enterocystoscopy were not commonly employed. Treatment of this potentially lethal complication was by oversewing the perforation, and there were no subsequent major complications. This complication should be strongly suspected if a patient with continent urinary reconstruction presents with acute abdominal pain.

Local excision of ureteral tumours

A retrospective study was carried out on 20 patients with transitional cell ureteral tumours (TCUT). Surgical exploration of the tumour was performed in 17 patients. Biopsies for frozen section were evaluated for decision concerning the extent of operative intervention. If radical excision of the tumour could be done, and if the ureteral defect could be bridged, a conservative procedure was chosen. Thus, segmental resection of the ureter and primary end-to-end closure of the ureter was performed in 5 patients and ureteroneocystostomy in 3 patients. In nine patients local tumour excision was not feasible and nephroureterectomy was done. The survival rate at 3 and 10 years after ureteral resection as well as after nephroureterectomy was the same, 66% and 16%, respectively. Local excision of non-invasive low-grade ureteral tumours could be safely performed in selected patients, based on local findings and frozen section at the time of surgery.

One or two incisions for nephroureterectomy in transitional cell renal pelvis tumours

A retrospective study comprising 18 patients with transitional cell renal pelvis tumours (TCPT) was carried out to evaluate the results after two different surgical procedures for nephroureterectomy. The kidney was removed by a flank incision and the lower part of the ureter by either an incision in the lower part of the abdomen or intussusception of the ureter followed by transurethral resection of the ureteral orifice. Eight patients were subjected to nephroureterectomy by means of two incisions and another eight patients underwent a simple nephrectomy followed by ureteral intus-susception and transurethral resection. Two patients received other treatments. After nephroureterectomy with a separate incision for ureterectomy, the average hospital stay was 12 days, compared with 7.5 days in patients operated upon with only one abdominal incision. Recurrence of tumour or survival was not significantly different in the two groups.

Long-term experience of self-injection therapy with prostaglandin E1 for erectile dysfunction

A total of 42 evaluable patients 36-80 years old were treated with intracavernous injection of prostaglandin E1 for erectile dysfunction. They reported retrospectively via a questionnaire their long-term experience of this method. Twenty-four patients (57%) were after 46.9 months still using the technique, while 18 patients (43%) had abandoned the method after 21.4 months of use. No major complications were observed or reported.

Prostaglandin synthetase inhibition of renal pelvic smooth muscle in the rabbit

The prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors diclofenac and indomethacin relieve pain in renal colic probably by decreasing renal pelvic pressure. Decreased diuresis and effects on the oedema around the obstructing stone are plausible explanations. In the present study on rabbit renal pelvic tissue strips it was found that both indomethacin and diclofenac decreased the spontaneous phasic activity of the strips. ED50 was 5.4 +/- 0.7 X 10(-5) M for indomethacin and 2.4 +/- 0.5 X 10(-5) M for diclofenac (P less than 0.001). With the prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors still in the tissue bath the activity was regained when either prostaglandin E2 or F2 alpha was added, prostaglandin E2 being more potent in this respect. It was concluded that prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors seem to reduce smooth muscle activity in the renal pelvis, a mechanism which might contribute to the pain-relieving ability of these drugs in renal colic.

Surgical alleviation of ureteric obstruction in idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. An analysis of 9 cases

Nine patients with retroperitoneal fibrosis were reviewed. All patients had idiopathic disease, bilateral in eight patients. An IVP on admission was normal in only one of 17 kidneys with delayed excretion in seven. The upper urinary tract was dilated in eight kidneys and no excretion of contrast medium was seen in four; another four kidneys were not examined by IVP because of uremia. Surgical alleviation of ureteric obstruction was carried out by ureterolysis alone (2 ureters), ureterolysis and lateral displacement of the ureter (2 ureters), ureterolysis and neoimplantation into the bladder (2 ureters), ureterolysis and intraperitonealization (2 ureters), and ureterolysis and omental wrap (7 ureters). After surgery, an IVP showed normal excretion in six of the seven kidneys with delayed excretion preoperatively. Two of the four preoperatively nonfunctioning kidneys also showed normal excretion at IVP. Of the four kidneys not preoperatively examined by IVP because of uremia two showed a normal excretion on postoperative IVP. Two ureters developed recurrent obstruction and required additional surgery whereas 10 ureters remained unobstructed in the follow-up period of 26-89 months. Our experience suggests that complete and extensive ureterolysis combined with omental wrapping gives the best results on a long-term basis.

The effect of intraduodenal installation of oleic acid on plasma neurotensin-like immunoreactivity and on gastric acid secretion stimulated by betazole and sham feeding in man

Intraduodenal administration of oleic acid has previously been shown to inhibit gastric acid secretion induced by pentagastrin in man. This inhibition was dose-dependent and significantly correlated to a rise in plasma concentration of neurotensin-like immunoractivity (NTLI). Maximal inhibition occurred with a volume of oleic acid of 20 ml. In the present study intraduodenal instillation of 20 ml. of oleic acid inhibited acid secretion evoked by sham feeding in healthy subjects but did not significantly inhibit the near-maximal acid secretion stimulated by the histamine analogue betazole. The inhibition of acid secretion induced by sham feeding was the same (about 45%) as the inhibition of pentagastrin-stimulated secretion. Plasma NTLI rose significantly in both the sham feeding and betazole experiments and peaked at about 145 pM. The results are in agreement with the inhibitory characteristics of neurotensin and support the hypothesis that the inhibition of gastric acid secretion by small amounts of intestinal fat is at least partly mediated by neurotensin.

Urethrovaginal and vesicovaginal fistula. A review of 29 patients

During an 11-year period 29 women were treated for 6 urethrovaginal and 24 vesicovaginal fistulae. In all patients the urethrovaginal fistula was preceded by an operation for a benign lesion. Of the 24 patients with vesicovaginal fistulae 11 had a benign and 13 a malignant primary disease. Endoscopy, vaginal examination and IVP provided in most cases sufficient information with which to establish a diagnosis. The urethrovaginal fistulae were operated on either by a vaginal approach (3 patients); two recurrences occurred but healed after reoperation. Of the 24 patients with vesicovaginal fistulae, 14 underwent a combined operation usually including omentum interposition, while 10 underwent primary diversion. Primary cure ensued after 9 of 14 combined operations; recurrences were operated on by a combined approach in 2 patients, vaginal in one and with fibrin occlusion in one. Eight of the 10 patients who underwent urinary diversion had a malignant disease. A vaginal approach in recommended at the primary reconstruction of urethrovaginal fistulae, whereas a combined suprapubic and vaginal approach is recommended in vesicovaginal fistulae as well as in recurrent urethrovaginal fistulae.

Reimplantation of the ureter in prostatic carcinoma associated with bilateral ureteric obstruction

Bilateral ureteric obstruction from prostatic carcinoma is not uncommon. A number of techniques for urinary diversion have been used in selected patients when uraemia develops. Reimplantation of the ureter(s) as an alternative to urinary diversion has been carried out in 21 patients over a 7-year period. In 6 of these patients bilateral reimplantation was done. In another 6 patients reimplantation of the ureter was not possible and cutaneous ureterostomy was carried out. The overall survival time was 10.6 months. In 13 patients living more than 6 months post-operatively, survival time was 1.8 years. Most patients had severe uraemia and advanced (clinical stage III or IV) prostatic carcinoma. The immediate management of these patients is outlined and the importance should be considered is stress. It is concluded that, whenever possible, ureteric reimplantation should be considered for relieving ureteric obstruction in patients selected for active treatment.

Thigh adductor contraction during transurethral resection of bladder tumours: evaluation of inactive electrode placement and obturator nerve topography

Thigh adductor contraction occurred in 17 of 160 patients during transurethral resection of newly diagnosed bladder tumours. In 13 of the 17 patients contractions were abolished by changing the site of the inactive electrode from the buttocks to the thigh. The topographic relationship between the obturator nerve and the bladder wall studied radiographically and at autopsy showed that the distance between the bladder and the nerve considerably diminished with increasing bladder volume. Thus, when obturator nerve stimulation occurs during transurethral resection transposition of the inactive electrode from the buttocks to the thigh should be tried first to prevent further stimulation. Moreover, TUR at low bladder volume may reduce the frequency of obturator nerve stimulation.

Fat inhibition of gastric acid secretion in man and plasma concentrations of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity

The effects of intraduodenal administration of oleic acid (5, 10, 20, and 40 ml) on gastric acid secretion stimulated by a submaximal intravenous pentagastrin infusion and on plasma concentrations on neurotensin-like plasma immunoreactivity (NTLI) were studied in 18 healthy subjects. Each volume of oleic acid or saline (controls) was tested in six subjects except the volume of 20 ml, which was given to ten subjects. Gastric acid secretion was studied for a 2-h period at 15-min intervals after intraduodenal infusion. Five milliliters oleic acid evoked a significant inhibition (29%) of gastric acid secretion. Maximal inhibition by oleic acid appeared after 20 ml (43%), which was significantly greater than after 10 ml. In seven duodenal ulcer (DU) patients 20 ml oleic acid evoked an inhibition of 20%, which was significantly lower than in the healthy subjects. Proximal gastric vagotomy (PGV) abolished the fat inhibition in DU patients. Basal and peak NTLI concentrations after 20 ml oleic acid were significantly lower in DU patients than in health subjects. In DU patients there was no significant difference in the integrated response of NTLI before and after PGV. The 2-h integrated NTLI response was dependent on the administered volume of oleic acid in healthy subjects. There was a correlation between acid inhibition and the integrated response ot NTLI in healthy subjects. This suggests that immunoreactive neurotensin may be involved in the oleic-acid-induced inhibition of gastric acid secretion. Neurotensin, or a neurotensin metabolite, apparently exerts its inhibitory effect at a synaptic level, which explains the finding that oleic acid did not inhibit gastric acid secretion after PGV. Neurotensin may have a physiological role as a hormone with enterogastrone functions.

Inhibition of pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion by graded intraduodenal administration of oleic acid in man

The inhibitory effect of intraduodenally administered oleic acid in volumes of 5--40 ml on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion was determined in healthy volunteers. In the control experiments, corresponding volumes of saline were given. Five and 10 ml oleic acid brought about a significant inhibition of gastric acid secretion of 29% and 32%, respectively. After 20 ml of oleic acid the inhibition was 46%, a significantly stronger inhibition than after 5 or 10 ml. Forty milliliters of oleic acid did not further increase the inhibition. Maximal inhibition appeared 30--60 min after the administration of oleic acid. In seven duodenal ulcer patients 20 ml oleic acid evoked an inhibition of gastric acid secretion of 20%, which was significantly less than the inhibition produced in healthy subjects after the same volume of oleic acid. The results suggest that the intraduodenal administration of relatively small volumes of oleic acid elicits a dose-dependent inhibition of pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid secretion in man and that maximal inhibition is obtained by 20 ml of oleic acid. The results also indicate that duodenal ulcer patients may have a defective fat inhibitory mechanism.

Fat inhibition of gastric acid secretion in duodenal ulcer patients before and after proximal gastric vagotomy

In seven duodenal ulcer patients the effect of intraduodenal infusion of 20 ml oleic acid on submaximal gastric acid secretion stimulation by a continuous pentagastrin infusion was evaluated before and after proximal gastric vagotomy. In the control tests 20 ml of saline was given. Before vagotomy, oleic acid evoked a significant inhibition of gastric acid secretion of 25% compared with the controls. This inhibition was abolished after proximal gastric vagotomy. The difference in inhibition before and after vagotomy was significant (P=0.01). It is concluded that the vagus nerve in man plays a decisive role in duodenal fat inhibition of gastric acid secretion.

Priapsim: evaluation of treatment with special reference to saphenocavernous shunting in 26 patients

In the past, idiopathic priapism was not treated at all or was conservatively managed by measures including aspiration and irrigation of the corpora cavernosa. Restoration of erectile function rarely resulted. Various venous bypass procedures have been tried since Grayhack, McCullough, O'Connor & Trippel in 1964 described the technique of saphenocavernous shunting in idiopathic priapism. Over a ten-year period 31 instances of priapism were seen in 30 patients. In 26 cases the priapism was classified as idiopathic. Saphenocavernous shunting was done in these 26 patients. At follow-up seven of them were potent. Our data indicate that alcoholism may be an aetiologic factor in idiopathic priapism, since 15 of the 26 men had a history of massive alcohol consumption. Idiopathic priapism should be regarded as a surgical emergency, and a venous shunt should be performed.

Postcesarean vesico-uterine fistula

A case of postcesarean vesico-uterine fistula in conjunction with a fibrous cord joining the anterior and posterior wall of the bladder is reported. The symptoms of menouria and amenorrhoea in the absence of urinary incontinence are explained by reference to the pressure gradients which normally exist in the bladder and the uterine cavity. The etiology, diagnosis and therapy of this and other reported cases are reviewed.