Holmium laser-assisted endoscopic extraction of a fishhook from the male urethra

A man 37 years of age presented with frequency and dysuria. Rigid cystoscopy revealed the presence of a fishhook in the anterior urethra. Initial attempts to remove the fishhook in one piece by forceps or a basket were unsuccessful. The fishhook was cut into two pieces using a holmium laser via a 9-Fr ureteroscope and removed by forceps. The anterior urethra experienced a minor tear during the procedure. He voided well without significant urethral stricture 6 months postoperatively. An open urethrotomy is usually indicated for unsuccessful endoscopic removal of foreign bodies from the male urethra, which often leads to recurrent urethral stricture. The novel use of a holmium laser to facilitate the endoscopic removal of a fishhook from the male urethra may reduce the risk of postoperative urethral stricture.     

Genitourinary neurofibromatosis mimicking posterior urethral valves

A 12-year-old boy, examined after an episode of acute urinary retention, was found to have neurofibromatosis of the bladder neck and prostatic urethra. His symptoms of bladder outlet obstruction and radiographic findings of a dilated prostatic urethra mimicked posterior urethral valves. Complete urologic investigation, including cystourethroscopy, revealed that the dilatation of the prostatic urethra was secondary to neural involvement of the external sphincter and posterior urethra without mechanical obstruction or posterior urethral valves.     

Treatment of urethral diseases with neodymium:YAG laser

Over a thirty-month period, a wide variety of common urethral problems were treated on an ambulatory basis, with the neodymium:yttrium-aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser. When used discriminately, laser treatment appears to be an effective modality for the management of selected urethral strictures. Thus far, excellent results have been obtained in 30 of 31 cases of short strictures where laser urethrotomy was performed as the first stricture procedure (average follow-up 10 months). Furthermore, in a series of 36 cases of secondary bladder neck contractures, all of the evaluated patients responded well (average follow-up 7 months). Good results were obtained in only 11 of 48 complicated strictures (average follow-up 14 months). However, while most of these extensive strictures were not eradicated, laser therapy generally produced a documented clinical improvement, comparable to urethrotomy or dilatation, in 15 of these cases. A series of 24 condylomata involving the urethra were treated satisfactorily, with no recurrences (average follow-up 13 months). Laser treatment also has been used successfully for the management of several urethral caruncles, urethral polyps, two meatal hemangiomas, one urethral carcinoma, and a distal duplicated urethra. Recently, the Nd:YAG laser has been applied to the prostatic urethra with vaporization of obstructing median bar hyperplasia. Favorable results have been achieved in 5 of 6 cases treated with a newly developed technique that utilizes direct laser contact. Retrograde ejaculation has not been encountered in these patients (average follow-up 6 months). All of these procedures have been accomplished in the office, largely without urethral catheterization. Lidocaine jelly occasionally supplemented with intravenous sedation provided satisfactory anesthesia.     

Anterior urethral valves in children: A possible association between anterior urethral valves and Cowper''s duct cyst

To elucidate the pathophysiology of congenital obstruction of the anterior urethra and to investigate the association between anterior urethral valves and syringocele. Three boys with congenital obstruction of the anterior urethra diagnosed at our department between 1997 and 2004 were analyzed retrospectively. All three boys had congenital obstruction in the bulbar urethra. The presenting symptoms and age of each patient were varied. Whereas continuity between Cowper's duct and the diverticulum was not demonstrated radiographically in all of the boys, it was speculated endoscopically in all. Our series has suggested a possible association between anterior urethral valves (diverticulum) and syringocele. These congenital anomalies of the anterior urethra should be considered in the differential diagnosis of obstructive lesions of the urinary tract.     

Fogarty balloon catheter ablation of neonatal posterior urethral valves

We describe a technique to ablate posterior urethral valves with a Fogarty balloon catheter. This technique has been used for 14 years in 10 cases with a good result in 9. Fogarty balloon catheter ablation of posterior urethral valves would seem to be particularly applicable to the small neonate with a vulnerable anterior urethra.     

Voiding cystourethrography in boys. Does the presence of the catheter during voiding alter the evaluation of the urethra?

PURPOSE: We determined whether the presence of the catheter during the voiding phase of voiding cystourethrography alters the evaluation of the urethra concerning the normal structures as well as pathological findings, especially posterior urethral valves. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 123 males 3 days to 16 years old (median age 2.6 months) underwent voiding cystourethrography. Urethral catheterization was performed in all cases. Four views were taken during the voiding phase with and without the catheter in place. Only 80 patients had available results. These examinations were studied with special attention to the normal structures and pathological findings. RESULTS: A total of 36 examinations (45%) were normal. Pathological findings were observed in 44 patients (55%), with abnormal vesical findings and/or vesicoureteral reflux in 33 (41.25%). In 11 patients (13.75%) 12 urethral abnormalities were found (posterior urethral valves 3, hypospadias 4, prostatic utricle 1, verumontanum polyp 1, prune belly syndrome with urethral dilatation 1, imperforate anus with urethral fistula 1 and urethral duplication 1). In all cases excluding those involving hypospadias there was no difference between the views with and without the catheter. However, concerning the normal structures, the verumontanum and fossa navicularis were better delineated without the catheter in 27% and 33% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that a urethral catheter does not alter the diagnosis of abnormalities of the posterior urethra but may hamper the observation of normal structures or abnormalities of the anterior urethra.     

Staged pendulous-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty followed by reconstruction of the anterior urethra: an effective treatment for long-segment bulbar and membranous urethral stricture

OBJECTIVES: To describe a novel surgical technique for male long-segment urethral stricture after pelvic trauma using the intact and pedicled pendulous urethra to replace the bulbar and membranous urethra, followed by reconstruction of the anterior urethra. METHODS: Two patients with long-segment post-traumatic bulbar and membranous urethral strictures with short left pendulous urethras who had undergone several failed previous surgeries were treated with staged pendulous-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty followed by reconstruction of the anterior urethra. This procedure was divided into three stages. First-stage surgery was mobilization of the anterior urethra down to the coronary sulcus and then rerouted to the prostatic urethra followed by pendulous-prostatic anastomotic urethroplasty with transposition of the penis to the perineum. Second-stage surgery was transecting the anterior urethra at the revascularised coronary sulcus 6 mo later, followed by straightening of the penis and urethroperineostomy. Third-stage surgery was reconstruction of the anterior urethra 6 mo later. RESULTS: Postoperatively, the two patients reported satisfactory voiding. For patient 1, retrograde urethrography showed that the urethra was patent, and that the mean maximal flow rate (MFR) was 18.4 ml/s with no postvoiding residual urine after the third-stage surgery and at 3-yr follow-up. For patient 2, a 22F urethral catheter could pass smoothly through the urethra, and the MFR was 19.5 ml/s with no postvoiding residual urine at 2-yr follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This procedure was an effective surgical option for men with complex long-segment post-traumatic bulbar and membranous urethral strictures, especially for those who had undergone failed previous surgical treatments.     

Colour Doppler ultrasonography of female urethral vascularization in normal young volunteers: a preliminary report

OBJECTIVE: To assess urethral vascularization in healthy young women, using colour Doppler ultrasonography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Eleven healthy young women volunteers (mean age 33.6 years, range 24-46) with no pelvic floor disorders and no history of incontinence were assessed. The subjects underwent colour Doppler ultrasonography using a 4-7 MHz convex broadband transducer. Translabial sagittal scans of the urethra were taken when the subjects had a full bladder, both during the oestrogenic and progestogenic phases. The colour Doppler ultrasonography parameters were optimized to detect slow flows in the anterior and posterior distal, middle and proximal urethra. A rank-sum nonparametric test was used to assess differences between the resistive indices. RESULTS: The statistical evaluation showed a significant difference in the resistive index only in the anterior urethra, between the distal and middle plus proximal urethra, in both the progestogenic (P = 0.002) and oestrogenic (P = 0.0127) phases. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that the vascularization of the urethra plays an important role in the 'seal' effect, which is considered one of the most important factors in urethral closure. There was a significantly greater resistive index in the anterior proximal urethra than in the middle and distal urethra. These findings suggest that the seal effect is related to the existence of a rich venous urethral vascularization, involved in the mechanism of urethral closure. Colour Doppler ultrasonography of the urethra seems to be feasible and useful for understanding the mechanism of the vascular component in female continence.     

Anterior urethral valves

Anterior urethral valves were found in 4 young male patients in less than one year. The patients complained of enuresis, blood from the penis, or urine leakage. Evaluation consisted of voiding and retrograde urethrograms and endoscopy to include the urethra distal to the veru. Successful management included valve fracture with instrumentation or endoscopic fulguration. Open surgical correction was not employed. We believe that anterior urethral valves may occur more frequently than previously thought.     

Radical surgery with pubectomy for primary male posterior urethral cancer--a case report]

A 38-year-old male patient with the past history of polioencephalopathy was admitted with urinary retention and high grade fever. Although he was able to walk he had the intelligence of a 3-year-old child and his spine, thorax, fingers were deformed remarkably. Immediately after the admission, cystostomy was carried out and 600 ml of stinky and cloudy urine was noted. Although intensive antibiotic therapy was performed, high grade fever with leucocytosis (greater than 15,000/mm2) persisted for more than 10 days. Retrograde urethrogram showed stricture in the anterior urethra as well as irregular filling defect in the bulbomembranous urethra. After urethral dilation using urethral dilators, 18Fr nephrostomy balloon catheter was indwelled and the patient was discharged. However, the urethral irregular filling defect was unchanged and cytological examination of urine and urethral secretions revealed class V. After the readmission, endoscopic examination revealed papillary tumor lesions occupying the whole posterior urethra were found. With the diagnosis of invasive posterior urethral cancer, anterior exenteration by en bloc pubectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy and ileal conduit urinary diversion were carried out. On the surgical specimen, the tumor occupied the bulbomembranous and prostatic urethra. Histopathological diagnosis was TCC G3 greater than SCC, stage B. Since the tumor invaded the serosa of the membranous urethra, we thought it could not be removed completely without the pubctomy.     

Anterior urethral valves in the fossa navicularis in children

Anterior urethral valves are an uncommon cause of lower urinary tract obstruction in children. They have been noted in the bulbous (40 per cent) and penile (30 per cent) urethra, and at the penoscrotal junction (30 per cent). None has been reported in the fossa navicularis. We encountered 3 cases in which anterior valves were located in the glanular urethra. This entity may be misdiagnosed as meatal stenosis and without a high index of suspicion it might be overlooked. The combination of distal obstruction and a normal urethral meatus should lead one to suspect this entity. Observation of the voided stream is extremely helpful in the diagnosis, since voiding urethrography often fails to include the penile tip and urethroscopy of the distal urethra often is unsatisfactory. Treatment can be performed either transurethrally or by excision through the meatus.     

A case of urethrorectal fistula

A 59-year-old man was hospitalized with complaints of diarrhea and pollakisuria. Retrograde urethrography, urethroscopy and urethral pressure profile revealed a fistula between the urethra and the rectum situated immediately above the external urethral sphincter. Surgical repair was performed by an abdominal approach. Following the total prostatectomy, the fistula was completely resected under direct vision. A closure of the anterior rectal wall and an anastomosis between the urethra and the bladder neck was performed. Operative results were satisfactory. Operative methods for the urethrorectal fistula are discussed.     

Core through urethrotomy with the neodymium:YAG laser for posttraumatic obliterative strictures of the bulbomembranous urethra

PURPOSE: We studied the safety and efficacy of core through urethrotomy with the neodymium (Nd):YAG laser for posttraumatic obliterative strictures of the bulbomembranous urethra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients a mean of 27.5 years old with posttraumatic (motor vehicle accidents) obliterative strictures of the bulbomembranous urethra were treated from May to December 1997. Laser treatment selection criteria were stricture length 2.0 cm. or less, good alignment between the urethral ends and no history of rectal injury or erectile dysfunction. All patients underwent core through urethrotomy with the Nd:YAG contact laser delivered with the 600 micro bare fiber at 15 to 25 W. The urethrotomy was guided only by a metal sound introduced through the suprapubic tract. RESULTS: Blood loss was negligible and excellent visualization was maintained throughout the procedure. Operating time ranged from 45 to 70 minutes. There were no perioperative complications. Hospital stay was 24 hours in the first case and 6 to 8 hours in subsequent cases. All patients returned to work within 5 days. Urethroscopy was performed 4 and 12 weeks after catheter removal in all patients. Only 1 patient required repeat internal urethrotomy. Voiding cystourethrography revealed a stricture-free urethra in 7 cases. At last followup 7 to 14 months (mean 10.25) after the procedure mean maximum flow rate was 18.6 ml. per second (range 16.5 to 22.4) in the patients who were stricture-free and 11.8 ml. per second in 1 with recurrent stricture. CONCLUSIONS: Core through urethrotomy with the contact Nd:YAG laser seems to be a safe and effective treatment option for select strictures. The hospital stay is remarkably short and complications are negligible. Re-stricture rates are likely to be low but more experience and longer follow-up are needed.     

New device for visual neodymium:YAG laser prostate ablation: Acute and chronic canine evaluation

This canine study (n = 6) evaluated the acute and chronic effects of Nd:YAG laser prostatectomy using a Prolase II fiber. The Prolase II device consists of a 1,000 μm quartz fiber which directs a cone of Nd:YAG laser energy, at 45° to the axis of the fiber, into the prostatic urethra under direct visual guidance [visual laser ablation of prostate, (VLAP)]. Under visual guidance and saline irrigation, 60 seconds of 60 watts of laser power was delivered at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock positions (14,400 J). One canine was instrumented but received no laser energy (control). One prostate was harvested acutely. The remaining four laser-treated dogs were evaluated at 6 to 16 weeks. The histopathology of acute laser effects shows areas of necrosis with loss of glandular structures and stromal edema. Surrounding this area was a zone of degenerative glandular structures extending up to 12.6 mm into the prostate. Two of the four dogs developed urinary retention at 6.5 and 9 weeks. On examination, both were found to have fibrotic strictures at the distal prostatic urethra with markedly dilated proximal prostatic urethral lumens (1.98 and 2.8 cm). Two other dogs showed no signs of urinary retention at sacrifice. Histopathology, both the 6 and 16 week laser-treated animals without urinary retention demonstrated dilated prostatic urethras with maximum cross-sectional diameters of 1.52 and 1.50 cm, respectively. However, the 16 week dog demonstrated mild distal urethral narrowing by urethrogram. The control dog demonstrated normal histology of the prostate at 16 weeks. This study demonstrates the safety and initial results of a delivery device for trans-urethral laser prostate ablation in a canine model. Further studies are needed to evaluate the cause of the fibrotic urethral strictures in this model and determine its clinical relevance. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Transitional Cell Carcinoma in the Fossa Navicularis of the Male Urethra: A Case Report

We report a case of transitional cell carcinoma arising in the fossa navicularis of the male urethra. The patient was 87-years-old and noticed intermittent urethral bleeding. We could see a tumor protruding from the urethral meatus, removed it successfully, and irradiated the base of the tumor with Nd:YAG laser. The histologic finding was grade 2 transitional cell carcinoma, pTa. There was no other tumor in the urinary bladder or upper urinary tract. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient showed no evidence of disease for 4 months after treatment but died from other causes.     

Neonatal abdominal wall urinoma due to rupture of anterior urethral diverticulum

An anterior urethral valve with diverticulum is an uncommon cause of congenital urethral obstruction and urinary extravasation compared with a posterior urethral valve. We report a neonate presenting with an abdominal wall urinoma caused by rupture of an anterior urethral diverticulum. Urine drainage via urethral catheter was effective to resolve the abdominal urinoma. Voiding cystourethrogram performed 6 months after an endoscopic incision of the distal margin of the diverticulum revealed a normal urethra with smooth voiding. To our knowledge, no similar case has been reported previously.     

Bladder polyp complicated with cystitis glandularis cystica

A one year old boy presented with dribbling of urine since birth. Ultrasonography showed bilateral hydronephrosis and hydroureter suggestive of posterior urethral valves. Micturating cystourethrogram and cystoscopy was not possible due to obstruction at bladder neck. Vesicostomy was initially performed to relieve the obstruction. Child presented again at the age of 3 years whence MCUG suggested a filling defect in the bladder, confirmed as a mass on cystoscopy. Exploration revealed a 3 x 4 cm polypoidal mass arising from the bladder neck near verumontanum. Excision of the mass was easy due to narrow pedicle. Histology suggested it to be a large fibroepithelial polyp complicated by cystitis glandularis cystica. Child had uneventful recovery and is symptoms-free 6 months after surgery.     

Fibroepithelial polyp of the anterior urethra,found during post-operative follow-up of ureteral cancer

A 52-year-old man underwent nephroureterectomy against left distal ureteral cancer (transitional cell carcinoma, Grade 2, pTa), and was followed up by surveillance alone. Twenty-two months postoperatively, a pedunculated tumor was found in the anterior urethra by cystourethroscopy. Pathological examination of the tumor resected transurethrally revealed a fibroepithelial polyp. There have been only twelve cases of fibroepithelial polyp of the anterior urethra reported in the literature. Since 4 out of 8 adult cases among them were found during the postoperative follow up period of urothelial cancer, mechanical irritation by repeated transurethral procedures might be responsible for the development of fibroepithelial polyp of the anterior urethra in these cases. If anterior urethral tumor is found during follow-up urothelial carcinoma, benign urethral polyp should be considered in the differential diagnosis.     

Total anterior urethral reconstruction with the 'BAES flap' in a spinal cord-injured patient.

STUDY DESIGN: A case report of urethral destruction in a spinal cord injured (SCI) patient. OBJECTIVES: To report the reconstruction of the whole anterior urethra in one-stage using an epilated scrotal flap. SETTING: Institut Guttmann, Hospital de Neurorehabilitació, Barcelona, Spain. METHODS: A one-stage tubular substitution urethroplasty based on a bi-axial epilated scrotal flap design ('BAES flap') was performed successfully. RESULTS: Long-term follow-up of 6 years has confirmed the excellent adaptation of the flap to its urethral function. CONCLUSION: The bipedicle epilated scrotal flap can effectively resolve this challenging urethral pathology.