AlliumTM Bulbar Urethral Stent: An Updated Long-Term Multi-Center Study with New Treatment Modality for Bulbar Urethral Stricture

Objectives: To report the 2-years follow-up of patients with bulbar urethral strictures treated with the new AlliumTM Bulbar Urethral Stent (Allium BUS). Methods: The stent is a fully covered, self-expendable, large caliber metal stent specially designed for the treatment of bulbar urethral strictures. The stent is comprised of a coiled super-elastic structure covered by a polymeric coating designed to prevent mucosal hyperplasia. The indwelling time is 12 months, after which the stent should have been removed. Sixty-four patients with recurrent bulbar stricture were treated with Allium BUS in 3 worldwide centers. Results: All stents were successfully inserted with no perioperative complications. In a median follow-up of 25.5 months, the mean maximal flow rate following stent insertion was significantly higher compared to the pre-surgical flow rate (14 ml/sec vs 6.6 ml/sec, p < 0.0001). Longer indwelling time and shorter stricture length were significantly related to success rate. The main complications were stent migration, stent re-stenosis and urinary tract infections. Conclusions: The temporary placement of the AlliumTM BUS showed encouraging results with long-term failure rate of only 25%.

Epididymo-Orchitis in Pre-Pubertal Children. Epidemiology, Etiology, Management and Follow-Up Recommendations

Epididymo-Orchitis (EO) is a disease that may affect males in all ages. Neonates and elderly patients may suffer from bacterial infection due to congenital or aging processes affecting the urinary tract. In sexually active post pubertal and young males sexually transmitted organisms may cause EO. EO is also prevalent in pre pubertal healthy boys;however in this group the etiology, the needed imaging modalities and proper management are not clearly defined yet. This manuscript will systematically review the various etiologies causing EO in pre-pubertal boys, discus about the needed proper imaging, and image interpretation, will give treatment and follow-up recommendations.

Completion of Maintenance Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Therapy Might Prolong Recurrence-Free Survival in Patients with Non Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

Objective: The aim of our study was to compare recurrence-free survival between patients who completed treatment with maintenance Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and patients who did not complete the planned treatment. Materials and Methods: Data on 115 patients with intermediate- and high-risk Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) who were treated with BCG were available for analysis. Patients were categorized into 4 groups based on treatment duration: patients who completed three years of maintenance treatment, patients who stopped treatment while on maintenance, patients who were still on-treatment and patients who were treated with induction course only. Results: Of 115 patients, 86 were men and 29 were women with mean age of 67.8 (range 40 - 93) years. 51% had high-grade tumors and 49% had low-grade tumors. Seventy-three patients (63%) had multiple tumors. Thirty patients (26%) were treated with induction-only, 18 patients (16%) are on-treatment, 14 patients (12%) finished maintenance protocol and 53 patients (46%) discontinued treatment. Reasons for stopping treatment were disease recurrence in 13 patients and toxicity in 40 patients. 5-year recurrence-free survival was 100%, 63%, 60% and 56% in patients who completed maintenance treatment, stopped during maintenance treatment, were on-treatment and those who received induction only therapy, respectively. Conclusions: Patients should be encouraged to adhere to maintenance BCG treatment because of its favorable effect on recurrence-free survival probability.

CT Appearance Following Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma Using Tissue Adhesive Bioglue

Background: The use of biological sealants has greatly increased during nephron sparing surgery. In many cases the bulk of the material was erroneously mistaken for tumor recurrence. Objective: To describe the characteristic appearance of biological adhesive material used for tumor bed closure on computerized tomography (CT) following nephrone sparing surgery (NSS) for renal cell carcinoma, in order to differentiate between typical features of the adhesive material and local tumor recurrence. Design, Setting and Participants: We retrospectively reviewed follow-up CT scans of 120 patients who underwent NSS for T1N0M0 RCC. In all cases tumor bed was closed during surgery with biological tissue adhesive (BioGlue). Results and Limitations: During 1994-2009, 120 patients with a single T1 renal cell carcinoma lesion, underwent NSS with closure of tumor bed with bio adhesive material. There were 66 males and 47 females with mean age of 58.7 years (median: 58 years, range: 28 - 85 years). Mean follow-up time was 45 ± 34 months (median 42, range 12 - 168). During follow-up, 3 patients had local recurrence at the site of previous enucleated lesion. In the first post-operative CT scan the BG appeared as a heterogeneous mass with sharp edges measuring 20 - 70 HU with no attenuation following the injection of contrast material. In subsequent follow-up scans the BG in most patients remained stable in size;in few patients slight reduction in size was observed probably due to the resolution of post-operative hematoma. Tumor recurrence that was documented in 3 patients was seen as a heterogeneous mass with attenuation of more than 20 HU following the injection of contrast material. In sequential CT’s the mass was increasing in size. Conclusions: BG appears as a non-enhancing stable mass in sequential CT’s following NSS, hence could be differentiated from local tumor recurrence. The ability to differentiate between normal post-operative status and recurrence could be compromised in patients with decreased renal function in whom contrast material could not be used.