Cholesterol crystal embolization following plaque rupture: a systemic disease with unusual features

Cholesterol crystal embolic (CCE) syndrome is often a clinically challenging condition that has a poor prognostic implication. It is a result of plaque rupture with release of cholesterol crystals into the circulation that embolize into various tissue organs. Plaque rupture seems to be triggered by an expanding necrotic core during cholesterol crystallization forming sharp tipped crystals that perforate and tear the fibrous cap. Embolizing cholesterol crystals then initiate both local and systemic inflammation that eventually lead to vascular fibrosis and obstruction causing symptoms that can mimic other vasculitic conditions. In fact, animal studies have demonstrated that cholesterol crystals can trigger an inflammatory response via NLRP3 inflammasome similar to that seen with gout. The diagnosis of CCE syndrome often requires a high suspicion of the condition. Serum inflammation biomarkers including elevated sedimentation rate, abnormal renal function tests and eosinophilia are useful but non-specific. Common target organ involvement includes the skin, kidney, and brain. Various testing including fundoscopic eye examination and other non-invasive procedures such as trans-esophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful in identifying the embolic source. Treatment includes aspirin and clopidogrel, high dose statin and possibly steroids. In rare cases, mechanical intervention using covered stents may help isolate the ruptured plaque. Anticoagulation with warfarin is not recommended and might even be harmful. Overall, CCE syndrome is usually a harbinger of extensive and unstable atherosclerotic disease that is often associated with acute cardiovascular events.     

Study of grading of urothelial carcinoma in transurethral resection of urinary bladder tumor specimens

This study is conducted to evaluate prognostic significance of recently introduced WHO (World Health Organization) 1999 grading system for urothelial carcinoma on transurethral resection of urinary bladder tumor (TURBT) specimens reported during the period from 1996 to 2000. Progression free survival estimates were obtained by Kaplan-Meier method on SPSS software with log rank test application. Among 70 cases, progression occurred in 38 patients from which grade I were 3, grade II were 11 and grade III were 24. The mean period from diagnosis to progression was 76.8, 19.2 and 3.5 months for grade I, II, III respectively. The progression free survival rates at one year were 100% for grade I, 42% for grade II and 5% for grade III. (Log rank test: p < 0.001). WHO 1999 grading system can classify urothelial carcinomas into prognostically different groups, which is statistically significant.     

经膀胱碎石和前列腺电切治疗巨大前列腺并膀胱结石

目的 探讨巨大前列腺并膀胱结石患者同时行耻骨上经膀胱气压弹道碎石和前列腺电切的效果。方法 对21例同时行耻骨上膀胱气压弹道碎石术及经尿道前列腺电切术患者进行回顾总结。结果 所有患者均一次性治疗成功，除碎石时膀胱粘膜有散在充血、水肿外，无膀胱穿孔发生，未见结石复发及尿失禁和尿道狭窄等并发症。结论 同时进行耻骨上气压弹道碎石术和经尿道前列腺电切术是治疗巨大前列腺并膀胱结石的一种高效、安全的方法。     

前列腺增生并膀胱结石患者一期腔内手术治疗

目的探讨前列腺增生并膀胱结石的一期腔内手术疗效,为临床治疗前列腺增生并膀胱结石的一期腔内手术提供参考。方法选择良性前列腺增生(BPH)伴膀胱结石患者49例,采用经尿道前列腺电切(TURP)同时进行经尿道膀胱结石气压弹道碎石治疗。结果所有患者均一次性治疗成功,无膀胱穿孔发生,未见结石复发及尿失禁和尿道狭窄等并发症。结论同期进行经尿道前列腺电切除和气压弹道碎石术是治疗前列腺增生并膀胱结石的一种高效、安全的手术方法。     

Grading and staging of bladder carcinoma in transurethral resection specimens. Correlation with 105 matched cystectomy specimens

We compared the grading and staging of transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) and cystectomy specimens for 105 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma between 1980 and 1984. Of 105 patients, 96% underwent cystectomy within 100 days of TURB (median interval, 10 days). Grading was performed according to the 1998 World Health Organization/International Society of Urologic Pathology grading system and staging according to the 1997 TNM classification. Histologic grade was low-grade, 13; high-grade, 92 in TURB specimens; low-grade, 17; high-grade, 88 in cystectomy specimens. Pathologic stage was Ta, 15; T1, 55; and T2, 35 in TURB specimens; Ta, 5; T1, 19; T2, 19; T3, 46; and T4, 16 in cystectomy specimens. Histologic grade at TURB was associated with pathologic stage at cystectomy (P < .001). When all advanced-stage (muscle-invasive) carcinomas (pT2 or more) were considered together, 55 patients were understaged by TURB, 4 had higher stage in TURB than in cystectomy, and 46 were the same stage as by cystectomy. Forty-three of 55 patients with stage T1 carcinoma at TURB had advanced-stage carcinoma at cystectomy, including 34 who had extravesicular extension (pT3 or more). We found pathologic understanding by TURB occurs in a significant number of patients with bladder cancer; the newly proposed grading system predicted final pathologic stage.     

经尿道电切术治疗表浅性膀胱癌合并良性前列腺增生的临床分析

目的探讨合并良性前列腺增生（BPH）的表浅性膀胱癌（SBC）患者同期行经尿道膀胱肿瘤及前列腺电切术的有效性及安全性。方法回顾性研究32例（研究组）同期行经尿道膀胱肿瘤电切（TURBT）及经尿道前列腺电切（TURP）患者和35例（对照组）仅行TURBT的患者,术后均按疗程行羟基喜树碱20mg膀胱灌注,两组在年龄、肿瘤大小、肿瘤分期分级等方面差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。结果所有患者均顺利完成手术,随访期限为1—3年,平均1．8年。研究组膀胱肿瘤复发率为46．9％,对照组复发率为45．7％,平均复发时间研究组为16个月、对照组为13个月,两组间差异均无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。研究组术后复发病例中未发生前列腺窝种植。结论对于合并BPH的SBC患者,同期行TURBT＋TURP术是比较安全有效的方法,同时不增加前列腺窝内肿瘤种植的几率。     

Pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy showing aggressive course after transurethral resection of urinary bladder: an autopsy case report

A 77-year-old man developed pulmonary tumor thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) 2 days after undergoing transurethral resection for urothelial carcinoma (G3) of the urinary bladder and died of respiratory failure 6 days later. Histological findings demonstrated marked intimal fibrocellular proliferation, fibrin thrombi, and both cancer cells and fibrin thrombi in the arteries of the lungs, findings consistent with PTTM. Prominent stenosis in arteries smaller than 300 ??m was also seen. The Ki-67 labeling index of primary and metastasized cancer cells was 62.4 % and 70.2 %, respectively. The membranes of metastasized cancer cells expressed E-cadherin, similar to membranes in the urinary bladder. An aggressive PTTM course is affected by intimal fibrocellular proliferation and the high cell proliferation of cancer cells. Furthermore, prominent stenosis in small arteries and membranous staining of E-cadherin of metastasized cells suggest that cancer cells formed clusters by maintaining adhesion molecules and migrated into the arteries of the lungs, where they easily caused damage to the endothelium of small arteries, in contrast to dispersed cancer cells.     

Cholesterol absorption by the gall bladder.

Model and real biles were used to investigate factors influencing cholesterol and dextran (70,000 molecular weight) absorption by the gall bladder. Cholesterol absorption was proportional to cholesterol concentration when real bile was used, but model biles showed maximal absorption at cholesterol saturation. Reduction of temperature reduced cholesterol absorption and serosal secretion, but had little effect on dextran absorption. This indicates differences in uptake where cholesterol undergoes passive diffusion but dextran is taken up by fluid-phase endocytosis. Model bile prepared with a single bile salt showed lowest cholesterol uptake from cholate bile, but there was no difference in serosal secretion. Dextran uptake was also lowest from cholate bile, although serosal secretion was highest. These results show that an increase in the biliary content of dihydroxy bile salts increases gall bladder permeability to both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules and may lead to the accumulation of lipids in the mucosa, as seen in cholesterolosis.     

Effects of pretreatment transurethral resection on survival in prostatic carcinoma.

The survival of 117 patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated with radiation at SUNY-Health Science Center at Brooklyn and Kings County Hospital Center was analyzed according to their pretreatment method of diagnosis. Sixty-four patients (54.7%) underwent a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for obstructive symptoms prior to definitive therapy, while 53 patients (45.3%) were diagnosed with needle biopsy. The overall 5-year survival rate was 46% in the needle biopsy group and 38% in the TURP group. Black and white patients with high Gleason scores (7 to 10) and black patients with low-grade tumors who underwent TURP had an adverse 5-year survival rate compared with those patients diagnosed by needle biopsy. The 5-year survival rate of patients with high Gleason scores comparing needle and TURP was 37% versus 16%. The 5-year survival rate of black patients with low-grade tumors comparing needle biopsy versus TURP was 50% and 22%, respectively, although not statistically significant because of the small sample size. When evaluated by stage, there was no difference in survival rates of TURP versus needle biopsy. Black patients who underwent TURP had a 28% 5-year survival rate compared with a 44% 5-year survival rate in white TURP patients. This analysis reveals that black and white patients with high-grade tumors and black patients, even with low-grade tumors, may have a lower survival rate if they undergo TURP prior to radiation, but this may be due to higher stage and larger volume disease in these patients.     

多种干预措施对前列腺电切术后膀胱痉挛的影响

目的：探讨多种干预措施对前列腺电切术后患者膀胱痉挛发生率及严重程度的影响。方法回顾性分析2006年至2013年于我科行前列腺增生电切术后的663例患者资料,根据研究因素将患者分为6组：2组分别为使用硅胶导尿管或乳胶导尿管,作为导尿管观察组;2组分别使用加温冲洗液或常温冲洗液,作为冲洗液温度观察组;2组分别使用丁卡因混合冲洗液或普通冲洗液,作为混合冲洗液观察组。观察2种处理措施对各组患者膀胱痉挛的发生率、持续时间及疼痛视觉模拟评分的影响,并进行统计学比较。结果使用硅胶导尿管、加温冲洗液、丁卡因混合冲洗液的各观察组患者组术后膀胱痉挛的发生率、持续时间及疼痛视觉模拟评分明显低于对照组。其机制可能与硅胶导尿管及加温冲洗液减少了对膀胱黏膜的刺激,丁卡因胶浆能有效降低膀胱神经敏感性有关。结论使用硅胶导尿管、加温冲洗液及丁卡因混合冲洗液处理,可以明显降低前列腺电切术后患者膀胱痉挛的发生率及症状的严重程度。     

Motorised resection device for transurethral resection of the prostate: A laboratory evaluation

Transurethral resection of the prostate is the most common method of relieving urinary outflow obstruction secondary to prostatic enlargement. However, this procedure can be responsible for various complications, including irrigant-fluid absorption and blood loss, both of which are strongly dependent on operation duration time. To reduce the latter, a new resection device has been designed for transurethral prostatectomy. The device basically consists of a rotating cutting loop controlled externally, with three degrees of freedom, to fit the adenoma shape. Its performance is assessed in vitro by drilling conical and semi-ellipsoidal cavities in agar gel models. The mean difference between the calculated and obtained cavity volumes is 3% (SD=0.9%). The volume cutting rate, found to be independent of the type of cavity drilled, is equal to 2.9±0.3 cm³ min⁻¹. The advantages of this motorised resection device prototype are reduction in operation duration and accuracy of the resected volume. In vivo resection of a 20 cm³ adenoma in less than 15 min can be expected.     

Micropapillary component of urothelial carcinoma detected in transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT) tissues: a case report

A case of urothelial carcinoma (UC) containing a micropapillary carcinoma (MPC) component in the urinary bladder of an 83-year-old man is reported. The MPC component of UC has been reported to be a variant featuring poor prognosis and rapid progression. In the present case, a characteristic MPC component with micropapillary growth, in association with a fine meshwork-like stroma, was observed in less than 10% of fragmented cancer tissues of UC, G3, obtained by transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TUR-BT). Lymphatic invasion was also detected. UC cancer cells had invaded the prostatic glands and replaced the original epithelial cells. The unique "insideout" feature of the MPC component was immunohistochemically obvious on staining with antibody to epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). On immunohistochemical study, cancer cells of both UC and MPC components were positive for pancytokeratin AE1/AE3 and cytokeratins 7 and 20. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CAM5.2 were only focally positive in UC cells. MIB-1(Ki-67) labeling index was high, at 80%-90%, in cancer cells of UC. This was a case of UC, G3 with invasion to the muscularis propria layer of the urinary bladder and also to the prostate. MPC and MPC components in cancers should be recognized as a marker of poor prognosis, even when detected in less than 10% of UC within TUR-BT tissues, as in the present case.     

Acute kidney transplant failure following transurethral bladder polyp fulguration

Ureteral obstruction and anastomotic leak represent the most common urologic complications of kidney transplantation. Delay in diagnosis or treatment can lead to allograft loss. Obstruction of the ureter occurs in 2% of kidney transplant recipients. Although the majority of cases are immediate technical complications of the operation, subsequent manipulation of the genitourinary system can result in iatrogenic ureteral injury. We report the case of a long-term kidney transplant recipient who developed obstructive uropathy and acute renal failure requiring dialysis after undergoing cystoscopy and bladder polyp fulguration. The etiology was inadvertent thermal injury of the ureteroneocystostomy incurred during the procedure. After attempted percutaneous management, definitive open repair resulted in a return of allograft function to baseline.     

选择性前列腺切除联合膀胱颈切开治疗小体积前列腺增生的临床研究

目的探讨小体积前列腺增生引起膀胱颈出口梗阻的理想治疗方法。方法选择2009年7月至2010年6月,我科收治的小体积前列腺增生124例手术患者资料,其中单纯经尿道前列腺电切除术（TURP组）61例,选择性前列腺切除加膀胱颈切开术（STURP＋TUIBN组）63例。对两组病人的一般状况、术中术后以及随访资料进行对照分析。结果两组病例在年龄、前列腺体积、术前国际前列腺症状评分（IPSS）、最大尿流率（Qm ax）方面比较无明显差异（P〉0.05）。两组病人手术时间、前列腺切除质量、出血量无明显差异。两组患者术后IPSS评分比较无明显差异（P〉0.05）,但较术前均有明显降低（P〈0.01）。两组术后出院时Qm ax较术前有明显改善（P〈0.01）,STURP＋TUIBN组（24.33±7.64）mL/s较TURP组（18.46±5.79）mL/s明显好转（P〈0.05）。两组患者术后6个月随访结果满意,其中STURP＋TUIBN组Qm ax为（28.28±6.46）mL/s,更为理想（P〈0.01）。TURP组中3例出现膀胱颈挛缩（BNC）和5例尿路感染,均较STURP＋TUIBN组多。结论选择性前列腺切除联合膀胱颈切开术治疗小体积前列腺增生具有较好疗效,值得推广应用。     

Bipolar versus monopolar technique for palliative transurethral prostate resection

Introduction

The aim was to evaluate the postoperative morbidity and outcome of palliative endoscopic resections for relief of infravesical obstruction in prostate cancer patients with hormone deprivation therapy, and to investigate the added value of bipolar technology over conventional monopolar resections.

Material and methods

A retrospective study was performed on 70 patients with prostate cancer under hormone deprivation therapy undergoing 75 endoscopic procedures, by either monopolar or bipolar technology, between August 2005 and March 2009 at a single institution. The analysis used outpatient, inpatient, and operative records, and observations of electrolyte changes in the serum, postoperative morbidity, and the overall results of palliative endoscopic resections. Preoperative cancer stages and grades were compared with the pathological findings after surgery. Postoperative outcome and complications of conventional monopolar and bipolar technology were compared.

Results

Over a period of 44 months, 34 conventional monopolar resections were performed in 32 patients and 41 bipolar resections in 38 patients. Patients’ profiles regarding age, initial cancer stage and grade, resection weight, resection speed, catheterization time, and hospital stay were similar in both groups. No statistically significant difference was observed in sodium drop (p = 0.802), clot retention (p = 0.565), or urinary retention (p = 0.292). The overall success rate in relieving obstruction leading to spontaneous voiding was 77%. While 38% of the patients had a high grade tumour at diagnosis, 79% were found to be high grade after the endoscopic resection (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Palliative endoscopic transurethral resection is an acceptable and safe adjunctive surgical treatment for voiding disorders in prostate cancer patients. Bipolar technology offers no substantial benefit over conventional monopolar technology.