[Scrotal lymphangioma--a rare cause of acute scrotal pain in childhood]

INTRODUCTION

Scrotal lymphangioma is a rare differential diagnosis in boys with acute scrotal pain.

CASE REPORT

A 5-year-old boy presented with acute scrotal pain and swelling. Physical examination demonstrated an unusual cystic scrotal mass with a normal testis. Ultrasound and MRI showed a complex septated cystic mass. The tumor was excised completely via an inguinal and scrotal approach. 2-year follow-up examinations with physical examination and ultrasound have shown no evidence of recurrence.

CONCLUSIONS

Scrotal lymphangiomas are commonly misdiagnosed preoperatively. When ymphangioma is suspected, ultrasound and MRI imaging of the adjacent inguinal, perineal and pelvic region should be performed. To prevent recurrence, complete surgical excision is mandatory.

Hans-Christian Jacobaeus (1879–1937)

Already 94 years ago in 1910, Dr. Hans Christian Jacobaeus performed the first clinical laparoscopic surgery in Stockholm. His pioneering procedure was based on the animal experiments of Georg Kelling (1866-1945), a German physician from Dresden, who performed the first laparoscopic intervention in 1901 using a Nitze cystoscope in a dog. In 1910 Jacobaeus published his first experiences with laparoscopic surgery in the Münchner Medizinische Wochenschrift under the title "The possibility to perform cystoscopy in examinations of serous cavities." He used this technique for diagnostic purposes in unclear abdominal complaints and functional impairment. Jacobaeus was the first who pointed out the possibility of causing injury to organs, especially the gut, by inserting the trocar. In 1910 Jacobaeus recognized the immense diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities of laparoscopic surgery, but also the difficulties and limits. He also was the first who recognized the need to complete training sessions on animals and corpses. He demanded the development of special laparoscopic instruments to optimize and simplify the operation.

[Obstructive nephropathy]

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are regarded as a single entity. The degree of obstruction may have an additional influence on the parenchymal malfunction. Congenital dilatation of the upper urinary tract associated with symptomatic urinary tract infection must be treated early with intensive antibiotic therapy. In some cases temporary urinary diversion is also required. Further diagnostic procedures are then postponed in such cases. In all other cases of dilatation of the upper urinary tract diagnosed prenatally or early in the postnatal period, diuresis renography is still the cornerstone of diagnosis, even though it has definite limitations in young infants and in babies with poor kidney function. Functional gadolinum MR-urography will become the method of choice in the near future, since it combines good functional and excellent morphological presentation. When an obstruction hampering function is definitely present surgical correction is indicated: open and endoscopic surgery yield similarly good results. Molecular markers in CAKUT may soon be used as prognostic indicators. Examination of the molecular alterations that occur in renal and urinary tract anomalies may also lead to medicamentous protection of renal function.

[Biofeedback for urinary bladder dysfunctions in childhood. Indications, practice and the results of therapy]

In children, abnormal behavior during micturition, i.e. detrusor/sphincter dyscoordination, causes persistent voiding problems, urinary incontinence and/or recurrent urinary tract infections in up to 15% of cases. Contractions of the external urethral sphincter during micturition lead to functional subvesical obstruction. Nowadays, biofeedback training is the most suitable therapy. Biofeedback training for children is based on the assumption that relaxation and contraction of the urinary external sphincter is a habitual phenomenon and can be restored. With specially developed, computer-assisted biofeedback programs, sphincter contraction and relaxation can be transformed into acoustic or visual signals. Acoustic or optical feedback indicates relaxation and contraction control to the patient. The residual urine volume should subsequently be assessed. The results should be reviewed after each micturition. Poor compliance sometimes makes biofeedback training impossible. Further biofeedback training at home is a reasonable suggestion. Good results-a response rate of up to 90%-demonstrates that biofeedback training is successful in the treatment of detrusor-sphincter dyscoordination. After effective therapy, associated urinary tract infections and vesicoureterorenal reflux may disappear.

Clinical evaluation of a newly developed endoscopic resection device (Rotoresect): physical principle and first clinical results

BACKGROUND

Endoscopic resection techniques on benign prostatic tissue aim at a high ablation rate and a minimal bleeding rate. Although commercial resection electrodes are effective, they either cause high blood loss (loop electrode) or reduce the bleeding rate with a compromised ablation rate (electrovaporization electrode). To resolve these problems, a new electrosurgical resection device, The Rotoresect, has been developed.

METHODS

The Rotoresect incorporates a specially designed working element. The resection electrode is driven by a micromotor with a high-frequency current that enables simultaneous coagulation and vaporization during rotoresection. To date, 40 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia have undergone transurethral rotoresection of the prostate with this new device.

RESULTS

The actively rotating resection electrode enables tissue coagulation and vaporization as well as mechanical tissue ablation. Only slight bleeding was observed during the entire resection procedure. Postoperatively, no significant changes in hemoglobin and sodium concentration were detected. The deobstructive effect of the Rotoresect was comparable to that of the standard loop.

CONCLUSIONS

The simultaneous tissue vaporization, coagulation, and mechanical removal by the Rotoresect enables a high ablation rate combined with minimal blood loss. Initial clinical results gained in the transurethral resection of benign prostatic tissue are promising.

[Treatment of urolithiasis in children and adolescents with extracorporeal lithotripsy and adjuvant urologic procedures]

OBJECTIVE

To determine the efficacy of ESWL treatment in children and the need for auxiliary urological procedures. In a retrospective analysis we investigated the number of auxiliary procedures and the stone-free rate in children after ESWL treatment.

METHODS

28 girls and 21 boys with a total of 56 stones were treated from January 1990 to January 1999. ESWL was carried out on either the Lithostar Plus or the Modulith SL20/SLX. Auxiliary procedures were subdivided into curative (ureterorenoscopy, percutaneous nephrolitholapaxy) and adjuvant (urethral stent, nephrostomy).

RESULTS

34.7% of the children were stone-free after the first ESWL treatment; 40.8% of the children were discharged with residual stone particles ready for spontaneous passage; 24.5% underwent re-ESWL treatment. Auxiliary urological procedures were required in 28.6% of the cases (adjuvant 18.3%, curative 10.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is also a highly effective method of treatment for urolithiasis in children. However, curative or adjuvant auxiliary urological measures are required. In order to achieve high success rates, it is advisable to perform this method of treatment in centers with broad experience in ESWL and endourological procedures in children.

[Adrenalectomy within the scope of tumor nephrectomy?]

In urology, renal cell carcinoma is the third most frequently diagnosed malignancy. Localized, non-metastatic tumors are generally cured by radical tumor nephrectomy. Since the 1960s, this procedure has routinely included removal of the kidney together with the perirenal fat, Gerota's fascia, and ipsilateral adrenal gland. In recent years, improved diagnostic methods have led to the detection of tumors at earlier stages. These methods widen the scope for organ-sparing surgical strategies and have consequently sparked controversy over adrenal gland removal. Despite this, radical tumor nephrectomy that includes adrenal gland removal is still strongly advocated. This is the only suitable surgical approach for the cure of patients with direct tumor infiltration of the adrenal gland. In the case of adrenal involvement, minimal tumor dimension and the predisposing localization of the primary tumor have to relevance. The imaging procedure for diagnosis is also difficult to assess, especially in slim patients with upper role tumors. Finally, to date, no justifiable disadvantages of adrenalectomy have been described.

[Burch vs. Stamey comparison. Long-term outcome of 2 competing surgical methods]

Stress incontinence is the most frequent form of incontinence found in females. The usual method of surgery for this is to lift the bladder neck towards cranial and ventral. Two competitive techniques--bladder neck suspension in accordance with Stamey and colposuspension in accordance with Burch--were retrospectively investigated. A total of 95 women underwent surgery and it was possible to evaluate the postoperative course in 46 and 30 (total 76) patients respectively. Initially, both surgical techniques demonstrated a very good success rate (91.3% and 96.7% resp.). However, the continence rate of the Stamey patients deteriorated after 6 weeks down to 78.3% and after more than 2 years only 28.6% of these patients were still completely continent (mean follow-up 40.4 mths), whereas deterioration in the Burch patients was only 87% (mean follow-up 44.25 mths). The disappointing results with the Stamey technique did not correlate with the degree of initial continence. It was noted here that obese patients showed a greater tendency towards regression. The three cases of recurring incontinence after Burch colposuspension were already relapses at the time of surgery. With respect to long-term follow-up, our results with the Stamey method were distinctly poorer than with the Burch technique: Therefore, in our opinion, the Burch colposuspension procedure and fascioplasty should be the method of choice for the management of stress incontinence.

[Current therapy standards in treatment of genuine stress incontinence in the woman with urethral mini-devices]

Conservative treatment of genuine stress urinary incontinence in females gained more and more interest. The use of mini-devices is one of the newly developed therapeutical options however, its clinical relevance and longterm-results are still under debate. This review article gives a critical evaluation of the available urethral plugs and regulators and new developments as well according to the long-term-follow-up studies in the literature and own experience with those devices. The continence rates that can be obtained with the different plugs or regulators are dependent upon the degree of stress incontinence, ability to insert the plug and compliance of the patient. Reported longterm results vary between 48% and 100%. The most frequent side effects are urinary infection, haematuria and/or handling problems with the devices. According to the published material it is impossible to give therapeutical standards for treatment of female stress urinary incontinence with urethral mini-devices. Although proper Patient selection might give excellent longterm-results in patient continence rates.

[Remnants of the Mullerian duct. Case report based on a complex urogenital abnormality]

Persistent remnants of the caudal müllerian ducts can manifest in several forms and are often associated with other urogenital disorders, especially hypospadias. Inadequate activity of the müllerian inhibiting factor, in addition to fetal testosterone deficiency, is responsible for this syndrome. The etiology, diagnosis and management of müllerian duct remnants are discussed. A complex case of penile-scrotal hypospadia, hypoplastic prostate gland, testicular ectopia and retrovesical cyst is presented.