Complications of Synthetic Midurethral Slings: Is There a Relevant Discrepancy Between Observational Data and Clinical Trials?

CONTEXT

The complications of synthetic midurethral slings (MUSs) in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) have become a globally debated issue.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the short- and long-term complications of mesh slings reported in observational data compared with clinical trial data, to determine whether the complication rates from clinical trials reflects "real-world" observational data.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched. Methods as detailed in Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses and Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions were followed.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Thirty registries/databases including 709 335 MUS procedures (1-22 yr of follow-up) were identified. MUS procedures were associated with intraoperative bladder perforation in 0.86-3.6%, urethral perforation in 0-0.1%, vascular injury in 0.04-0.1%, voiding lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in 1.47-3.5%, vaginal exposure in 0.2-1.9%, and reoperation in up to 9% of cases. Forty-three randomised clinical trials were identified, including 6284 women who underwent MUS procedures and 2177 women who underwent other interventions (1-10 yr of follow-up). MUS procedures were associated with urinary tract perforation in 2.58%, vaginal injury in 1.43%, de novo voiding LUTS in 4.37%, de novo storage LUTS in 5.41%, mesh extrusion/exposure (vaginal/urinary tract) in 2.54%, dyspareunia in 2.26%, pain (pelvic/suprapubic/perineal) in 2.83%, and reoperation for complications required in 1.82% of cases. Meta-analyses of the randomised controlled trials revealed that retropubic MUSs were associated with more events of urinary tract perforation (risk ratio [RR] 9.81, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.05-19.04, high certainty of evidence [COE]) and voiding LUTS (RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.19-2.07, high COE) than transobturator MUSs. MUSs were associated with more events of pain than mini-slings (RR 1.72, 95% CI 1.04-2.87, moderate COE).

CONCLUSIONS

Short- and long-term data on complications of polypropylene mesh used for female SUI are fairly comparable when using outcome data from well-designed clinical trials or from less structured prospective or retrospective registries. Comparisons have to be made with caution since the two systems of data collection are inherently incomparable. This knowledge should be incorporated in the discussion on how to implement polypropylene mesh for female stress incontinence.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In order to know whether mesh tapes used for treating stress incontinence work well and are safe, high-quality information is important. It appears that well-designed clinical studies give similar results to large registration databases. These data should be interpreted with caution in view of the different ways the information was collected. These results will help physicians and patients understand the risks of mesh tapes.

[Use of synthetic slings and mesh implants in the treatment of female stress urinary incontinence and prolapse : Statement of the Working Group on Urological Functional Diagnostics and Female Urology of the Academy of the German Society of Urology]

Due to a safety alert issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 for transvaginal mesh implants to treat female prolapse as a result of numerous reports of complications such as infection, chronic pain, dyspareunia, vaginal erosion, shrinkage and erosion into other organs nearly all industrial products have been withdrawn from the market in the meantime. The United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand extended warnings and prohibitions even on the implantation of midurethral slings (TVT, TOT). In view of these current international controversies regarding the use of implanted materials for the treatment of stress incontinence and prolapse and the lack of clear guidelines for the use of biomaterials, the opinion of the Working Group on Urological Functional Diagnostics and Female Urology should provide clarity. The Opinion is based on the SCENIHR Report of the "European Commission's Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks", the "Consensus Statement of the European Urology Association and the European Urogynaecological Association on the Use of Implanted Materials for Treating Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Stress Urinary Incontinence" and in compliance with relevant EAU and national guidelines and the opinion of the Association for Urogynaecology and Plastic Pelvic Floor Reconstruction (AGUB eV). In addition, recommendations are given for the future handling of implants of slings and meshes for the treatment of stress incontinence and prolapse from a urologic viewpoint.

[Ins and outs in the surgical treatment of female stress urinary incontinence]

Proper indication, preoperative diagnostics and final choice of surgical technique in the operative management of female stress urinary incontinence are subject to somewhat irrational, trend-based changes. For various reasons (insufficient reimbursement, poor expertise, limited therapeutic spectrum) preoperative urodynamic tests are increasingly thought to be unnecessary and are progressively replaced by perineal ultrasound despite lack of evidence. Since the AWMF guidelines (AWMF: Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany) for the diagnosis and treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women were published, individualized planning of therapy is "out". Unconditional guideline adherence in certified pelvic floor centers, which have become very popular in Germany, has furthermore restricted the spread of therapeutic options due to minimum procedure number requirements. With regard to suburethral tension-free alloplastic slings, the retropubic version, which was temporarily unfashionable, has been experiencing a renaissance at the cost of the transobturator alternative. Single-incision slings were developed for the outpatient US market and have never become established in Germany due to lack of proof of superiority. In the setting of a limited spectrum of surgical procedures, adjustable sling systems offer promising treatment options for risk groups with acceptance of higher infection and erosion rates, thus gaining popularity. Reliable and comprehensive preoperative patient information comprising the whole spectrum of therapeutic options with individual risks and opportunities is key to prevent the impending ban of alloplastic implants in female stress incontinence surgery.

Surgical treatment of large volume prostates: a matched pair analysis comparing the open, endoscopic (ThuVEP) and robotic approach

OBJECTIVE

To compare open simple prostatectomy, endoscopic enucleation and laparoscopic, robot-assisted enucleation of high-volume prostate in terms of operation time, blood loss, transfusion and complication rates and early continence rates.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients with BPH treated endoscopically (ThuVEP, Hamburg and Hannover) or robotically (Mainz) were evaluated prospectively for prostate size, free flow and validated questionnaires (IPSS, QoL). 35 patients were matched to patients after open prostatectomy (Mainz) for age, prostate size, IPSS and QoL scores. Operation time was noted from the first cut to the last suture; blood loss was estimated by the drop of haemoglobin preoperatively and one day after surgery. Transfusion rates were documented. Early continence was estimated by pad use over the first 24 h after catheter removal. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 22.0.

RESULTS

No significant differences in prostate size, age and preoperative questionnaires were found (p > 0.3). Postoperative flow and the results of the questionnaires were significantly improved (all p < 0.05), without difference between the approaches (p > 0.8). Endoscopic surgery showed superiority in operation time (both p < 0.05); blood loss and transfusion rates were significantly lower compared to open surgery (both p < 0.01) and lower than in robotic surgery without reaching significance (p = 0.18, p = 0.36). Similar results were seen in early continence rates.

CONCLUSION

Due to our results, endoscopic surgery should be considered as first-line therapy unless there are comorbidities like diverticula and/or bladder calculi that can be easily treated simultaneously by robotic surgery. Against the background of these findings, indications favouring open surgery are getting sparse.

[Implants for genital prolapse : Contra mesh surgery]

Alloplastic transvaginal meshes have become very popular in the surgery of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) as did alloplastic suburethral slings in female stress incontinence surgery, but without adequate supporting data. The simplicity of the mesh procedure facilitates its propagation with acceptance of higher revision and complication rates. Since attending physicians do more and more prolapse surgeries without practicing or teaching alternative techniques, expertise in these alternatives, which might be very useful in cases of recurrence, persistence or complications, is permanently lost. It is doubtful that proper and detailed information about alternatives, risks, and benefits of transvaginal alloplastic meshes is provided to every single prolapse patient according to the recommendations of the German POP guidelines, since the number of implanted meshes exceeds the number of properly indicated mesh candidates by far. Although there is no dissent internationally about the available mesh data, thousands of lawsuits in the USA, insolvency of companies due to claims for compensation and unambiguous warnings from foreign urological societies leave German urogynecologists still unimpressed. The existing literature in pelvic organ prolapse exclusively focusses on POP stage and improvement of that stage with surgical therapy. Instead, typical prolapse symptoms should trigger therapy and improvement of these symptoms should be the utmost treatment goal. It is strongly recommended for liability reasons to obtain specific written informed consent.

Haematopoietic toxicity of radium-223 in patients with high skeletal tumour burden

In patients with metastasized, castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treatment with radium-223 (Xofigo) is an attractive therapeutic option. In particular, patients with high tumour load seem to profit from this treatment in regard of survival and quality of live. Aim of this study was to stratify mCRPC patients according to a quantitative imaging marker derived from routine bone scans (EXINI bone) and analyze haematopoietic toxicity of Xofigo in these patients.

PATIENTS, METHODS

Toxicity and oncologic outcome were investigated in a cohort of 14 patients with high tumour load. Additionally, based on a web survey, experience of toxicity in 41 high tumour load patients in Germany in 2014 was collected.

RESULTS

In patients with a bone scan index (BSI) greater than 5, significant toxicity occurred in more patients than expected from the ALSYMPCA trial. This was associated with application of fewer cycles. Similar experiences have been made in other centers in Germany. Approximately 7% of these patients will need very long time or will not recover from grade ≥ 3 toxicity.

CONCLUSION

Close follow-up of haematopoietic indices and, in case of toxicity, early termination of therapy is in particular necessary in late stage disease where limited bone marrow reserve is likely.

[Gap between postulated and real outcome quality of radical prostatectomy]

BACKGROUND

Certified Prostate Centers proclaim congruent process and outcome quality results for treatment of prostate carcinoma. Therapy in accordance with the guidelines after presentation of the patient in an interdisciplinary conference and regular documented follow up are not in themselves a guarantee for good quality results (complication free, continence, erectile function, negative surgical margins, biochemical recurrence free), and are significantly influenced by factors not contained within the certification framework.

DISCUSSION

An association between exceeding the minimum number of operations and quality assurance exists, if at all, only vaguely and on no account justifies the absolute numbers necessary for certification. Although good measuring instruments for a Pentafecta analysis are available, the gathering of quality results for a center are limited to questionnaires for functional quality results and in the non-differentiated request for a pT2R1 rate of under 10 % for oncological quality results.

CONCLUSIONS

The reasons for this systematic ignoring of the for the patient so important quality results with a simultaneous excessive regard for standardizing organizational procedure processes are manifold. They comprise valid verifiability of process quality, the unclear effects of standardized treatment pathways on actual operation quality and the capitulation to statistical and patient determined problems with sufficient acquisition of comparable functional OP results. Whereas the outcome quality is more important than the process quality for patients with prostate carcinoma, the certified centers conduct themselves in exactly the opposite manner, thus creating a virtually insoluble dilemma.

[Perioperative Outcomes in Correlation to the Learning Curve for Robotic Assisted Partial Nephrectomy: The First 109 Cases of our Clinic]

BACKGROUND

In contrast to conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, the approach of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) shows a steep learning curve with shorter warm ischaemia times (WIT) and comparable postoperative outcomes. Therefore RAPN is considered a good minimally-invasive surgical procedure for patients presenting with a renal cell carcinoma in clinical stage cT1a. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate the perioperative outcomes of our patients after RAPN and to illustrate the learning curve based on characteristic perioperative parameters such as WIT.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The data of 109 patients treated by RAPN in our clinic between January 2010 and April 2015 were retrospectively analysed regarding perioperative, laboratory and oncological outcomes. Postoperative complications until 30 days after surgery were documented. We analysed the data of the largest patient population treated by a single urologist, comparing WIT, operating time, blood loss and decline of the glomerular filtration rate between the first and the second 30 consecutive cases.

RESULTS

Mean WIT was 18.4 min (SD±10.2), mean operating time was 199 min (SD±20), and mean estimated blood loss was 657 millilitres (SD±715 ml). Mean loss of GFR was reported to be 4.99 mg/dl/1.73 m (2) (SD±15.44). 83 (76%) malignant lesions were removed. 11 patients (10%) had a R1 resection, one patient had a R2 resection and in 2 cases the resection status was Rx. 22% of patients developed postoperative complications. Intraoperative complications were documented in 2 cases. According to the Clavien-Dindo Classification, 6% of patients had grade 1 and 2 complications and 13% developed grade 3 and 4 complications. WIT was significantly lower after 30 consecutive cases treated by one urologist. Regarding operating time, GFR or blood loss no significant correlation was found.

CONCLUSION

Our data is in line with the surgical outcomes described in the literature. RAPN is a safe surgical technique with a steep learning curve. In our experience, 30 surgical cases provide a urologist with sufficient expertise to achieve good perioperative results. Weaknesses of this report include the retrospective design and insufficient documentation in some cases.

[Asymptomatic kidney stones: active surveillance vs. treatment]

The prevalence of kidney stones is increasing worldwide. Asymptomatic non-obstructing kidney stones are increasingly detected as an incidental finding on radiologic imaging, which has been performed more frequently over the last decades. Beside the current interventional treatment modalities such as extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), ureterorenoscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL), active surveillance of asymptomatic kidney stones has been a focus of discussion lately, not only for attending physicians, but even more so for patients. The current German and European guidelines recommend active surveillance for patients with asymptomatic kidney stones if no interventional therapy is mandatory because of pain or medical factors. Herein we review the current literature on risks and benefits of active surveillance of asymptomatic non-obstructing kidney stones.

[General and method-specific complications of sacrocolpopexy]

Sacrocolpopexy has remained standard procedure for correction of pelvic organ prolapse regardless of the affected compartment. Assuming the appropriate indication, it is characterized by an excellent long-term cure rate. Asymptomatic pelvic organ prolapse is no indication for surgery and should not be corrected in view of possible complications. This article summarizes general and method-specific complications of sacrocolpopexy, identifies causes, and allows error management to be tailored to each individual patient to increase treatment and outcome quality.

[Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: functional and oncological outcomes]

BACKGROUND

In recent years, small renal masses (SRM) have been increasingly detected as an incidental finding of radiological or ultrasound studies for other indications. Organ-sparing renal tumor resection as open partial nephrectomy (OPN) is the international standard for renal tumors <7 cm.

RESULTS

Due to technical developments, minimally invasive procedures have emerged as an alternative to OPN. In experienced hands, conventional laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) has achieved good functional and oncological results comparable to OPN. Robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RAPN) has been performed since 2004. Compared to LPN, RAPN provides a faster learning curve, better visualization and more versatile instrumentation due to the degrees of freedom of the articulated instruments. After about 30 procedures, a level of experience is reached, which is characterized by good functional results, less blood loss, and shorter warm ischemia time of the kidney as compared to LPN. This can relate to a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery. Complications according to the Clavien classification are mostly grade I and II and are mainly treated conservatively.

CONCLUSION

Oncological long-term results are not available yet; so that RAPN cannot be considered as an equivalent treatment to LPN and OPN. Until long-term evidence is available, decisions regarding the surgical technique for organ-sparing renal tumor resection will be determined by patient's wishes and surgeon's preference.

[Complication management in prolapse and incontinence surgery]

Tension-free alloplastic slings (TFAS) have revolutionized surgery for female stress urinary incontinence for more than 20 years. The procedure is easy to perform, minimally invasive with a short operating time in an outpatient setting and has proven efficacy comparable to retropubic colposuspension. The frequency of surgery for female stress incontinence has tripled within one decade which has to have an impact on the number of complications. In contrast, sacrocolpopexy has remained the gold standard in urological prolapse surgery as none of the new techniques has reached similar efficacy or safety; however, possible complications have to be named and their causes have to be understood to maintain the highest quality of care in the future. Possible complications of TFAS are potentially underestimated with respect to prevalence and manageability. Possible complications of prolapse and incontinence surgery are presented and the underlying causes are identified. Knowledge of the pathophysiology and the cause of complications together with the results of a postoperative diagnostic work-up, allow complication management to be tailored to each individual patient. To prevent complications all conservative treatment options should have been tried preoperatively and a complete evaluation (including urodynamics) should have been carried out for every patient. Postoperative urodynamics may help to document treatment success and to identify and quantify complications.

Robot-Assisted Transvesical Enucleation of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Lessons from a Single Surgeon’s Learning Curve

INTRODUCTION

Open simple prostatectomy is a well-established and effective operation for prostate volumes greater than 80 gm but also associated with bleeding and urinary incontinence. To benefit from the advances of laparoscopy, robot-assisted simple prostatectomy was established. We determined the learning curve of this minimally invasive surgery by evaluating the first procedures by an experienced robotic surgeon.

METHODS

Patients presenting for surgical therapy with prostate volumes greater than 80 gm were considered for the study. Evaluation included validated questionnaires preoperatively, and at 6 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Blood loss, transfusions, operation time and pad use after catheter removal were documented. The experience based on the results from 18 cases treated with robot-assisted simple prostatectomy by one of us (JWT) is presented.

RESULTS

Mean age of the 18 patients was 71.2 years, mean enucleated prostate volume was 91 gm and mean preoperative flow was 9.0 ml/second. I-PSS and QoL values improved significantly from 25 to 6.1 (p <0.005) and from 5 to 1.1 (p <0.005), respectively, and flow rate increased to 28.2 ml/second (p <0.005) postoperatively. There were no significant changes in sexual performance based on IIEF (p = 0.73). Of the 18 patients 14 had complete continence immediately after catheter removal, and at 6 weeks postoperatively 17 were completely continent. Decreases in operation time from 250 to 150 minutes and blood loss from 400 to 200 ml were noted after 5 procedures. Only minor complications occurred and 1 patient required transfusion postoperatively (Clavien-Dindo II).

CONCLUSIONS

Robot-assisted simple prostatectomy is a safe and effective operation for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which can be learned with good results in a rather short time.

[Sacropolpopexy - pro robotic]

Abdominal sacrocolpopexy is a standard procedure for the correction of pelvic organ prolapse of all three compartments and can also be performed minimally invasively without compromising efficacy as by open techniques. In comparison to conventional laparoscopy robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy benefits from several technical stand-alone features, such as three-dimensional view, increased degrees of freedom through angulated instruments, tremor filter and up and down scaling of instrument movements. These advantages facilitate preparation of the vesicovaginal and rectovaginal spaces as well as suturing and reperitonealization, which should lead to decreased operation time and anesthesia time in extreme Trendelenburg position. Surgeon also benefit from the much more ergonomic working conditions of the da Vinci® system: however, comparative studies are rare and conclusions are preliminary. The German reimbursement system (DRG) does not adequately cover da Vinci expenses which, despite the obvious advantages represents the most significant obstacle in the propagation of this technique.

[Symptomatic reflux and stenosis of ureteroenteric anastomosis. Diagnostics and therapy]

Stenosis of the ureteroenterostomy and symptomatic reflux are among the most dangerous complications of all forms of urinary diversion. Variations in ureter implantation techniques and different surgical expertises are responsible for the heterogeneity of the available prevalence data. Antirefluxive implantation techniques seem to be more vulnerable to stenosis and obstruction than refluxive techniques, although no difference in kidney function deterioration over time was shown according to the presence or absence of reflux protection. Despite frequent controls, approximately one quarter of all obstructed renal units show a complete loss of function. The reimplantation rate of stenotic ureters exceeds 30%.The development of an implantation stenosis may be silent and subtle. The loss of renal function often remains unnoticed if sonography and creatinine measurements are the only follow-up tools employed. Neither of these tests is reliable in estimating kidney function and may mislead both doctor and patient. DMSA scintigraphy and retrograde contrast studies (conduitogram, pouchogram) are the most sensitive tools available to evaluate a symptomatic reflux, whereas MAG-3 renal scans and antegrade function tests (nephrostogram, renal pelvic pressure measurement) are recommended for investigating ureteric obstruction. Stenosis of the ureteroenterostomy usually occurs within 2 years after urinary diversion; delayed occurrence of ureteric obstruction is indicative of malignant local recurrence or compressive metastases.There are various minimally invasive treatment options such as balloon dilatation, internal ureterotomy, stenting and nephrostomy placement. However, the technical challenge of a ureteroenterostomy should not be a deterrent. In fact, if surgically possible, the patient should be offered open revision, since this is the only way to durably cure the underlying pathology and re-establish the already impaired quality of life of patients with urinary diversion as much as possible.

[Indications for different types of urinary diversion]

When urinary diversion is indicated, patient information concerning the advantages and disadvantages of different types of urinary diversion and their choices is of utmost importance for the functional outcome and patient satisfaction. There is a variety of choices for incontinent urinary diversion (ureterocutaneostomy, ileal conduit, colonic conduit) and continent urinary diversion (continent anal urinary diversion, continent cutaneous urinary diversion and urethral bladder substitution). In the individual case, the choices may be limited by patient criteria and/or medical criteria. Important patient criteria are preference, age and comorbidity, BMI, motivation, underlying disease and indication for cystectomy. Medical criteria which possibly limit choices of type of urinary diversion are kidney function/upper urinary tract status and limitations concerning the gastrointestinal tract, concerning urethra/sphincter as well as the ability and motivation to perform intermittent self-catheterization. Preoperative information may use simulation of certain postoperative scenarios (urethral self-catheterization, fixation of water-filled conduit bags, holding test for anal liquids) to allow the individual patient to choose the optimal type of urinary diversion for his/her given situation from the mosaic of choices and possible individual limitations.

[EAU Guidelines on Urinary Incontinence]

CONTEXT

The first European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines on incontinence were published in 2001. These guidelines were periodically updated in past years.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper is to present a summary of the 2009 update of the EAU guidelines on urinary incontinence (UI).

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

The EAU working panel was part of the 4th International Consultation on Incontinence (ICI) and, with permission of the ICI, extracted the relevant data. The methodology of the 4th ICI was a comprehensive literature review by international experts and consensus formation. In addition, level of evidence was rated according to a modified Oxford system and grades of recommendation were given accordingly.

EVIDENCE SUMMARY

A full version of the EAU guidelines on urinary incontinence is available as a printed document (extended and short form) and as a CD-ROM from the EAU office or online from the EAU Web site (http://www.uroweb.org/guidelines/online-guidelines/). The extent and invasiveness of assessment of UI depends on severity and/or complexity of symptoms and clinical signs and is different for men, women, frail older persons, children, and patients with neuropathy. At the level of initial management, basic diagnostic tests are applied to exclude an underlying disease or condition such as urinary tract infection. Treatment is mostly conservative (lifestyle interventions, physiotherapy, physical therapy, pharmacotherapy) and is of an empirical nature. At the level of specialised management (when primary therapy failed, diagnosis is unclear, or symptoms and/or signs are complex/severe),more elaborate assessment is generally required, including imaging, endoscopy, and urodynamics. Treatment options include invasive interventions and surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment options for UI are rapidly expanding. These EAU guidelines provide ratings of the evidence (guided by evidence-based medicine) and graded recommendations for the appropriate assessment and according treatment options and put them into clinical perspective.

[Pain therapy in addicted patients]

Each individual is entitled to an adequate and sufficient pain therapy. However, only a few studies have examined the peculiarities of pain management in drug-dependent or formerly addicted patients. Any addiction is disadvantageous for a successful pain therapy, since some of the prescribed drugs may themselves cause addiction. Drug-dependent patients are often tolerant to opioids. Additionally, there is a risk of iatrogenic pain becoming chronic due to disregard for already known risk factors and comorbidities. However, a history of addiction should not prevent sufficient pain therapy, especially since there is no risk of addiction when the pain therapy employed is adequate for the pathophysiology involved. There are adequate pain therapies for addicted patients. The best results are achieved by taking into account the physiological and psychological peculiarities of drug-dependent patients. Importantly, this should be combined with a variety of different, optimized, multimodal therapeutic regimes, as well as with an interdisciplinary approach.

[Combined latissimus dorsi and serratus anterior reverse flow pedicle flap. Report of two clinical cases]

The use of combined flap involving the distally based latissimus dorsi muscle pedicled on the lumber perforating arteries and prolonged by the last digitations of the serratus anterior flap muscle supplied by the thoracic branch of thoracodorsal vessels is uncommon but has ever been described. We describe the use of this flap in two original cases. The first case is for coverage of a controlateral dorsal radionecrosis. The second case describes its use in emergency following ballistic chest trauma.

Manifestation of congenital urethral diverticula in a 57-year-old male

Congenital urethral diverticula are a rare finding in adult males. Most cases are diagnosed in childhood or adolescence because of voiding symptoms such as urinary dribbling. Diagnostic workup should include radiography and urethroscopy. The standard therapeutic approach is open surgical excision or endoscopic marsupialization. An unusual case of male congenital urethral diverticula that remained asymptomatic until age 57 is presented.

[Prevalence of lymph node metastases in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Delay of radical cystectomy and upstaging in the cystectomy specimen as risk factors]

OBJECTIVE

To study clinical and histopathologic parameters after cystectomy and lymphadenectomy in non-muscle-invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder and their association with the prevalence of lymph node metastases (N+).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Of 866 patients treated with radical cystectomy and lymphadenectomy, 219 had non-muscle-invasive TCC of the bladder. The prevalence of N+ was related to parameters such as gender, age, number of transurethral resections of the bladder (TURBs), intervals between first TURB and cystectomy, adjuvant therapy, maximum histopathologic tumor stage and grade at TURB, and tumor upstaging in the cystectomy specimen by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 33 patients (15%) had N+. By multivariate analyses, tumor upstaging and the number of TURBs were independent predictors of N+ at cystectomy. The number of TURBs increased the prevalence of N+ from 8% (one TURB) to 24% (two to four TURBs). Tumor upstaging in the cystectomy specimen increased the prevalence of N+ from 4% to 36%.

CONCLUSION

Inappropriate delay and staging errors of"high risk" non-muscle-invasive TCC of the bladder contribute to an increased prevalence of N+ and should be avoided. In our series, the number of TURBs and tumor upstaging in the cystectomy specimen were independent predictors for N+ by multivariate analysis.

[Botulinum toxin for the treatment of neurogenic detrusor hyperactivity. Consensus paper on use for neurogenic bladder dysfunction]

Due to elevated intravesical storage pressures, neurogenic bladder dysfunction carries a high risk of renal damage. Thus, the goals of neurourologic treatment are reduction of intravesical storage pressure and intermittent bladder emptying in order to protect renal function and to achieve continence. If anticholinergic medication is either ineffective or intolerable, several open and controlled studies showed that the injection of botulinum toxin A into the detrusor muscle is a minimally invasive, safe, and effective treatment option. These studies demonstrated an effective reduction of storage pressures and a significant increase in bladder capacity. The effect has been shown to last up to a year. As this treatment is not approved by European administrations, botulinum toxin A treatment fulfills all criteria for "justified off-label use." The reduction of intravesical storage pressure leads to an improvement of life expectancy due to upper urinary tract protection. Furthermore, quality of life can be improved by low incidence of urinary tract infections, secure continence, and physiologic catheterization intervals.

Welche Untersuchungen sind beim alten Menschen mit Harninkontinenz sinnvoll?

The ageing of our society continuously increases the number of frail elderly patients in the incontinence cohort. Shortage of financial and personnel resources demands reasonable and purposeful use of the diagnostic armamentarium. All intended diagnostic procedures should follow an algorithm hierarchized for invasiveness and should be limited to the minimum extent necessary for initiation of a conservative first-line treatment. Reasonable diagnostics objectify patients' complaints, differentiate between subgroups, reveal underlying pathologies and comorbidities, classify incontinence severity, support the therapeutic strategy, identify possible treatment complications and serve as follow-up tools. Diagnostic results have to be documented in detail and the procedures must be as easy and minimally invasive as possible. Basic diagnostics in urinary incontinence comprise patient history, clinical examination, urinalysis, uroflowmetry and sonographic post-void residual measurement, voiding diary and evaluation of the mental status. With these procedures, the vast majority of elderly patients can be classified correctly and a conservative first-line treatment can be started. Only a minority of patients with incongruent diagnostic results or recurrent incontinence refractory to conservative therapy should undergo further special diagnostics (urethrocystoscopy, urodynamics, morphologic and functional radiologic imaging, perineal or introital ultrasound) if they lead to therapeutic consequences. If not, expensive special diagnostics should be omitted in elderly patients due to their inherent morbidity.

[Established treatment options for male stress urinary incontinence]

Nowadays, male stress urinary incontinence is rare and almost always of iatrogenic origin (radiotherapy, pelvic surgery). However, the prognosis of urinary incontinence following surgery is good and can be improved by pelvic floor muscle exercises in combination with biofeedback systems. For the remaining patient cohort with persistent urinary incontinence, several established surgical treatment options are available. Suburothelial injections of bulking agents can easily be performed in an ambulatory setting. However, regardless of the material used, long-term results are disappointing. Moreover, the residual urethral function deteriorates due to cicatrization of the suburothelial plexus with consequent loss of urethral elasticity. The fascial sling procedure in males has to be performed in preoperated areas and is as technically demanding for the surgeon as it is burdening for the patient. Alloplastic material is not used, thus minimizing risks for arrosion or infection. Since the sling tension can neither be standardized nor postoperatively readjusted, the risk of overcorrection is considerable and the success of the procedure is heavily dependent on the surgeon's experience. Despite wear and high revision rates, the technically mature artificial sphincter produces excellent continence results and has become the gold standard in the therapy of male stress urinary incontinence. The circumferential and continuous urethral compression by the cuff is highly effective, but at the price of an almost inevitable urethral atrophy. To overcome this problem, various surgical techniques have been developed (tandem cuff, cuff downsizing, transcorporal cuff placement). However, the expensive artificial sphincter is not a nostrum for every incontinent man, since it requires certain minimal cognitive and manual capabilities. Therefore, the search for less demanding treatment alternatives seems to be necessary, even if one has to accept lower continence rates.

[Urinary incontinence and urodynamics]

Incontinence can be the result of impaired functioning of the detrusor muscle and/or the sphincter mechanism. For this reason, the pathomorphology and the pathophysiology should be documented before surgery, so that if it is not successful it is possible to deduce what alterations have been caused by an operation and the reason why the treatment has not been successful. Vaginal reconstruction of the pelvic floor following vaginal prolapse is a safe, effective surgical procedure, particularly for older women. Abdominal fixation of the vaginal stump through open or laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy gives long-lasting and anatomically favourable results especially for younger women who are sexually active, but is associated with a higher mortality rate. Incontinence treatment in men is itself gradually becoming accepted as a subspecialty. Pharmacological treatment that is used for urge incontinence takes the form of substances that relax or desensitize the detrusor (antimuscarinics, oestrogens, alpha-blockers, beta-mimetics, botulinum toxin A, resiniferatoxin, vinpocetin), while stress incontinence requires stimulation of the sphincter and pelvic floor (alpha-mimetics, oestrogens, duloxetin). Bladder function disturbances in children can be classified by noninvasive methods, but the therapy remains a difficult endurance test for the children, their parents and the doctor, often extending over years.

[Urethroplasty and simultaneous perineal prostatectomy after traumatic urethral disruption and carcinoma of the prostate]

We present a case of post-traumatic posterior urethral stricture and localized prostate cancer, which could be treated successfully with simultaneous radical perineal prostatectomy and membranous urethral stricture excision. After 6 months follow-up, the patient is continent with no evidence of stricture recurrence. Post-traumatic posterior urethral strictures can be managed surgically through a perineal approach with high success rates. Prostate surgery after pelvic fracture with posterior urethral distraction defects does not necessarily lead to stress urinary incontinence.

Perte de substance ostéo-articulaire de l’IPP des doigts longs : traitement en urgence par implant de Swanson

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

Injury of the proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) with loss of bone and soft tissue (joint surface, tendon, skin cover) can compromise finger vascularization. Fusion or amputation is often proposed. We report our experience with another solution, emergency implantation of the Swanson implant.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Thirteen patients, mean age 47.4 years (range 18-76) underwent emergency surgery between 1997 and 2003. In twelve patients, the finger injury occurred when working with wood. For ten of the thirteen patients, the injury occurred during recreational activity. The index was involved when only one ray was injured. The thumb was spared in all patients. Joint tissue was lost in all patients. The head of P1 was injured in all cases creating a situation incompatible with fusion without loss of finger length. All patients underwent an emergency surgery for complete reconstruction of the PIP joint with Swanson implant, tendon reconstruction or suture, and skin cover performed during the same procedure.

RESULTS

Ten patients, 16 implants, were reviewed at mean 2.7 years (range 1-6 years). Mean flexion reached 41.8 degrees (range 20-80 degrees). Maximal amplitude of flexion was achieved at one year and remained unchanged thereafter. There were no cases of infection, or secondary amputation. Two implant fractures were noted with no functional impact at six years. There were four cases of instability.

DISCUSSION

Most reports in the literature concern composite blast or firearm injuries. Ours appears to be the first series involving injuries occurring while working with wood. Most of the lesions caused by the circular saw were tangential, damaging the dorsal aspect of several PIP joints. Classically, it would be logical to propose arthrodesis if the bone and cartilage loss is not excessive, but with the loss of joint motion provided by implants. Like Nagle, we propose emergency implantation of a Swanson prosthesis if soft tissue and tendon reconstruction can be achieved, avoiding amputation. Although the technique is relatively simple, implantation of a Swanson prosthesis implies certain prerequisites, particularly ligament repair and correct alignment. Oversized implants appear to be better. We did not have to perform any secondary arthrodesis.