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Biomedical subjects

C B Brendler

Publications and source records attributed to C B Brendler.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Comparison of RigiScan and formal nocturnal penile tumescence testing in the evaluation of erectile rigidity.

Evaluation of male erectile function ideally should include measurement of axial rigidity expressed as grams force required to produce penile buckling. An axial rigidity more than 550 gm. is generally considered adequate for vaginal penetration. Unfortunately, this test cannot be done frequently and may disrupt sleep. An alternative method of determining rigidity is to use the RigiScan,* which makes repetitive measurements of radial rigidity at the base and tip of the penis expressed as per cent of normal maximum. Previous studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between axial and radial rigidity measurements but they have not been compared in patients with a wide range of erectile function. We performed a prospective study in a consecutive series of patients presenting with impotence comparing axial rigidity measured with a tonometer and radial rigidity measured by RigiScan. Erectile rigidity also was evaluated by a trained, blinded observer. Overall, RigiScan base and tip radial rigidity correlated well with axial rigidity (p < 0.002) and observer ratings (p < 0.003); axial rigidity similarly correlated well with observer ratings (p < 0.0001). However, when RigiScan base and tip radial rigidity exceeded 60% of maximum, there was a poor correlation with axial rigidity and observer ratings (p > 0.1). In this range, the RigiScan failed to discriminate axial rigidities between 450 and 900 gm. buckling force; however, axial rigidity in this same range again correlated well with observer ratings (p < 0.0001). Since an axial rigidity of more than 550 gm. is considered adequate for vaginal penetration, the RigiScan may not be able to detect mild abnormalities in erectile function. Further study is in progress to evaluate the significance of these findings but presently a RigiScan measurement of radial rigidity in excess of 60% of maximum should be interpreted cautiously and not necessarily regarded as normal. In this range further measurements of axial rigidity or observer ratings of rigidity may be necessary to establish the diagnosis.

Erectile Dysfunction↗

Objective double-blind evaluation of erectile function with intracorporeal papaverine in combination with phentolamine and/or prostaglandin E1.

We performed a double-blind, crossover study using objective measurements to compare maximum rigidity and duration of erections with papaverine hydrochloride in combination with phentolamine mesylate and/or prostaglandin E1. The rationale for the protocol was to combine a smooth muscle relaxant (papaverine) with either or both vasodilating agents (phentolamine and prostaglandin E1) commonly used for injection therapy. The 7 volunteer patients with organic impotence documented by abnormal nocturnal penile tumescence testing were injected with 0.5 to 1.0 ml. papaverine (30 mg./ml.) in combination with phentolamine (0.5 mg./ml.) and/or prostaglandin E1 (5 micrograms./ml.). Each patient received 2 injections on each of 2 testing dates; injection 2 was given after tumescence resulting from injection 1 had subsided completely. The medications were given in a randomized, counterbalanced order following double-blind procedures. Patients evaluated the erections subjectively. In addition, the RigiScan device was used to measure maximum rigidity and duration of erections. All patients observed increased duration of erections with both combinations containing prostaglandin E1. Analysis of RigiScan measurements showed no statistically significant differences for maximum rigidity (p greater than 0.1) but significantly greater duration of erections with papaverine plus prostaglandin E1, and papaverine plus phentolamine plus prostaglandin E1 compared to papaverine plus phentolamine (p less than 0.001). There was no statistical difference in rigidity or duration of erections between papaverine plus prostaglandin E1 and papaverine plus phentolamine plus prostaglandin E1. No patient reported significant penile pain with any of the injections. We conclude that the combination of papaverine and prostaglandin E1 produces erections of longer duration than papaverine plus phentolamine and that no additional benefit is gained by adding phentolamine to a combination of papaverine and prostaglandin E1. Further studies are in progress to define optimal dose response curves for papaverine and prostaglandin E1 as individual agents and in combination.

Alprostadil↗

The value of serum enzymatic acid phosphatase in the staging of localized prostate cancer.

With the development of reliable assays for the measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA), the use of serum enzymatic acid phosphatase in the staging of disease before radical prostatectomy has been called into question. We evaluated 460 consecutive men who were referred to our institution as candidates for radical prostatectomy. Staging evaluation included digital rectal examination, serum measurements of enzymatic acid phosphatase and PSA, bone scans and, in patients in whom advanced clinical stage was anticipated, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging or transrectal ultrasonography. Of the 460 men 21 (4.6%) had elevations of serum enzymatic acid phosphatase. All 19 men with elevations who were fully evaluated proved to have either positive bone scans, extraprostatic extension of disease, PSA greater than 100 ng./ml., positive lymph nodes or positive seminal vesicles. However, in 17 of the 21 men (81%) with elevated serum enzymatic acid phosphatase advanced disease was detected by either abnormal digital rectal examination or PSA alone. Thus, serum enzymatic acid phosphatase provided unique information in only 4 of the entire study population (0.9%). Recognizing this low yield of unique information, we believe that measurements of serum enzymatic acid phosphatase are no longer mandatory before radical prostatectomy but may provide important confirmatory information in patients in whom advanced disease is suspected.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Application of argon beam coagulation in urological surgery.

Argon beam coagulation is a new form of electrocautery that has proved useful to control diffuse bleeding in other surgical specialties. We report its application to urology. Three cases are presented in which argon beam coagulation provided excellent hemostasis in situations that are often difficult to control, such as partial nephrectomy for penetrating trauma, hemorrhagic cystitis refractory to other forms of treatment and after anterior exenteration for bladder cancer. The basis, technique and advantages of argon beam coagulation are discussed, as well as other instances in urological surgery in which it may have application. Argon beam coagulation is an alternative to conventional methods of hemostasis whenever there is a diffusely bleeding operative site.

Adult↗

Molecular biology of bladder cancer.

Recent studies have provided the first clues as to the molecular mechanisms responsible for bladder carcinogenesis. Cytogenetic and molecular studies have demonstrated nonrandom changes of chromosomes 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 17. The finding of monosomy of chromosome 9 in early noninvasive lesions has initiated a search for a bladder-specific gene responsible for bladder oncogenesis. Activation of ras and erbB oncogenes has been reported, although the role that these changes play in bladder cancer is not yet understood. Inactivation of two well-characterized tumor suppressor genes, p53 and Rb, also appears to be important in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer, and evidence suggests that inactivation of p53 correlates with the acquisition by bladder cancer cells of the invasive phenotype. Although the picture is far from complete, it is clear that for the first time an understanding of the molecular events responsible for bladder cancer is possible, and that this information will have clinical impact on patients in the near future.

Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic↗

Ileocolic neobladder post-cystectomy: continence and potency.

Incontinence and impotence are 2 of the primary complications associated with total bladder reconstruction after cystectomy for carcinoma. These and other features are addressed in 25 patients who underwent total neobladder reconstruction following cystectomy for transitional cell carcinoma. Of these patients 20 had a urethral anastomosis. No patient had to wear a pad or device. Enuresis was rare. When the radical cystoprostatectomy population was contrasted with a radical prostatectomy patient population, continence was achieved more rapidly in the neobladder group. Potency was maintained in 15 of 21 (71%) evaluable patients. This ileocolic neobladder produces a large volume and low pressure, and provides excellent day and night continence. With preservation of the neurovascular bundle potency can be maintained in the majority of patients.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗

Experimental intravesical therapy for superficial transitional cell carcinoma in a rat bladder tumor model.

A rodent bladder cancer model that is induced by intravesical instillation of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) was characterized. Cohorts of four to five week old female Fisher 344 rats received four biweekly 1.5 mg. doses of intravesical MNU and were sacrificed at various intervals. By week 13 all animals had flat atypia and/or papillary transitional cell tumors, and 67% of the lesions were moderately (grade II) or poorly differentiated (grade III). By week 20, 83% had gross muscle invasive tumors that eventually killed the host. A cohort of 40 MNU treated animals was subsequently treated commencing at week 17 after initiation of MNU with one of three intravesical six week regimens: 1) saline; 2) BCG (Tice strain); or 3) recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (RTNF) plus adriamycin. There was no difference in animal survival or tumor growth in any group of animals commencing therapy at week 17. A second cohort of 107 animals commenced therapy at 13 weeks after initiation of MNU with one of five intravesical six week regimens: 1) intravesical BCG (Tice strain); 2) adriamycin; 3) recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (RTNF); 4) RTNF plus adriamycin; or 5) BCG plus adriamycin. BCG, RTNF or adriamycin alone had no effect on tumor growth; however, BCG plus adriamycin and RTNF plus adriamycin commencing at week 13 significantly inhibited tumor growth and progression. In conclusion, this autochthonous intravesical rodent transitional cell carcinoma model appears useful for the following reasons: 1) it closely resembles human transitional cell carcinoma histologically and biologically in that all animals develop neoplastic changes in-situ that progress to muscle invasion and kill the host; 2) as with human bladder cancer these tumors do not respond to intravesical therapy if treated when tumor burden is large; however, tumor growth is inhibited when treated early; and 3) this model appears appropriate for screening and developing new intravesical treatments for superficial bladder cancer.

Administration, Intravesical↗

Use of the Benchekroun hydraulic valve as a catheterizable continence mechanism.

Problems with continence and access for catheterization with previous continent stoma techniques have led us to search for an alternate method. We report our initial experience with the Benchekroun hydraulic valve in 9 patients. Five patients underwent creation of an ileocolic bladder: for myelodysplasia in 1, after cystectomy for bladder cancer in 2 and for exstrophy in 2. Two patients underwent conversion from an uncatheterizable Indiana pouch because of exstrophy (1) and interstitial cystitis (1). Two patients underwent small bowel augmentation of a small, poorly compliant bladder with an abdominal Benchekroun stoma: 1 had exstrophy and 1 had myelodysplasia. Patient age ranged from 7 to 63 years. Two patients had de novo creation of an ileocolic bladder, whereas 7 had bladder or previous bowel conduits incorporated in the continent reservoirs. At up to 20 months of followup all patients had diurnal and nocturnal continence, and none had experienced serious long-term complications. Problems were encountered in 5 patients. One patient had a valve fistula that was surgically revised. One patient experienced transient difficulty with catheterization when the reservoir was overdistended and a false passage developed. Three patients had stomal stenosis and require periodic dilation. We believe the Benchekroun hydraulic valve to be a useful adjunct in the construction of a continent urinary reservoir. It is easy to construct, provides reliable continence and is easy to catheterize. Furthermore, it may be applied to standard ileocolic bladders either de novo or as a salvage procedure for failed efferent limbs.

Adolescent↗

Anatomic radical cystoprostatectomy.

Radical cystoprostatectomy is considered one of the most difficult urologic operations. The nerve-sparing modifications that have allowed preservation of potency have resulted from an improved understanding of pelvic anatomy. This knowledge is not only important for preservation of potency; it also allows the entire operation to be done more precisely with increased exposure and decreased perioperative morbidity. Although many of the steps described above may seem routine to the urologist who does this operation frequently, we hope that this step-by-step guide proves useful to the practicing urologist who does only a few each year and to the resident who is learning the procedure.

Cystectomy↗

Myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bladder.

Although the most common soft tissue sarcoma of adulthood, malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is an extremely rare tumor of the urinary bladder. Only three well-documented cases have been reported in the world literature. The patient presented in this report represents the first case of the myxoid variant to develop in the urinary bladder. Whereas all previous patients with MFH of the bladder had intermittent hematuria, this patient's chief complaint was bladder outlet obstruction due to extension of the tumor into the prostate. He was managed with radical cystoprostatectomy, postoperative radiation therapy to the tumor bed, and adjuvant chemotherapy using doxorubicin. The patient tolerated the therapy well and was disease-free at the 3-year follow-up visit. The histogenesis, clinical features, pathologic characteristics, and treatment considerations of this rare bladder tumor are discussed in detail.

Aged↗

Characterization of an N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced autochthonous rat bladder cancer model.

Cohorts of 4- to 5-wk-old female Fischer 344 rats received four biweekly 1.5-mg doses of N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) intravesically and were sacrificed at various intervals. By 13 wk after initiation of the carcinogen, all animals have flat epithelial atypia and/or papillary transitional cell bladder carcinomas, and 67% of the lesions are histological Grade II or III. By 20 wk, 83% have gross bladder wall muscle-invasive tumors that eventually kill the host. There was no gross evidence of visceral metastases in any animal. This rat model of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is useful because: (a) all animals develop progressive neoplastic changes in situ within 4 mo after initiation of MNU treatment; (b) these lesions progress to grossly detectable bladder tumors which invade the bladder wall and kill the host; (c) this full progression of bladder epithelial cells from atypical hyperplasia through flat carcinoma in situ to transitional cell carcinoma occurs at discrete time points; (d) the histology of the grossly detectable tumors is that of invasive transitional cell carcinomas; and (e) no leukemias, breast cancers, lymphomas, or other non-bladder tumors are induced. Six MNU-induced bladder wall-invasive tumors were karyotyped, and all tumors were diploid with 42 chromosomes. Three of the tumors had apparently normal karyotypes, while three tumors had karyotypes containing one or more cytogenetic structural markers. One of these markers (i.e., 8p+) was observed in two of the three tumors. The level of expression of total ras p21 (N-, Ki-, and Ha-ras p21) and codon 12-mutated c-Ha-ras p21 (i.e., glycine to glutamic acid mutation in codon 12) in a series of these MNU-induced bladder tumors was determined by Western blot analysis. No increase in the total ras p21 nor any expression of codon 12-mutated c-Ha-ras p21 was detected in any of these tumors.

Animals↗

Advanced small cell carcinoma of the bladder. Successful treatment with combined radical cystoprostatectomy and adjuvant methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin chemotherapy.

Undifferentiated small cell carcinoma of the bladder is a rare tumor with pathologic features similar to those of oat cell carcinoma of the lung. This neuroendocrine neoplasm of the bladder has a highly malignant biological behavior; most patients present with either locally advanced or distant metastatic disease and die despite aggressive therapy. Here the histologic, immunocytochemical, and ultrastructural features of small cell carcinoma of the bladder are reviewed in detail. In addition, two patients with advanced small cell carcinoma of the bladder who were treated successfully with radical cystoprostatectomy and adjuvant methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin chemotherapy (M-VAC) are presented. Both men had regional lymph node involvement and are disease free at follow-up of 1 year and 2.5 years, respectively. This is the first report of combined surgical and M-VAC chemotherapy in the treatment of undifferentiated small cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Urethrectomy with preservation of potency.

Recent understanding of the anatomy of the pelvic plexus and cavernous nerves to the penis has resulted in modified surgical techniques of radical prostatectomy and radical cystoprostatectomy that allow for preservation of potency in the majority of men undergoing these procedures. To date, however, a technique of urethrectomy that preserves potency has not been reported. We describe a modified approach to urethrectomy based on recent anatomical and surgical observations that has allowed for preservation of potency in 2 patients.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗

Rapidly progressive bilateral ureteral obstruction.

This is an unusual case of bilateral ureteral obstruction secondary to metastatic adenocarcinoma of an unknown primary. Knowledge of this condition and evaluation directed towards tissue confirmation of the process are important because recent reports suggest that chemotherapy may be helpful for some patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Local recurrence and survival following nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy.

From March 1982 through July 1988, 76 men underwent nerve-sparing radical cystoprostatectomy for carcinoma of the bladder at our hospital. Of the 76 patients 2 (2.6%) had positive surgical margins (dome of the bladder and left ureter) and neither had positive margins at the site of nerve-sparing modifications. Of 3 patients (3.9%) who had local recurrence none had positive surgical margins. The 5-year actuarial local recurrence rate is 7.5%. Thirteen of 76 patients (17%) died of transitional cell carcinoma and 7 (9%) died of other causes, while 53 (70%) are alive without evidence of disease with a mean followup of 38.4 months. The 5-year actuarial survival rates are 64% over-all, 68% without disease and 78% disease-specific. Of the 42 evaluable men who underwent cystoprostatectomy alone 27 (64%) are potent, compared to 2 of the 12 men (17%) who also underwent urethrectomy. We conclude that the nerve-sparing modifications do not compromise cancer control, that local recurrence and survival rates are at least comparable to those achieved with standard radical cystoprostatectomy, and that it is possible to preserve potency in most men undergoing this procedure.

Actuarial Analysis↗

Improved technique for creation of ileal conduit stoma.

Creation of a circumferentially protruding urinary intestinal stoma is an important aspect to prevent stomal regression, stenosis and parastomal herniation. Furthermore, an improperly fashioned stoma may make fitting of an ostomy appliance difficult, resulting in urinary leakage with secondary dermatitis and incrustation. The major difficulty in fashioning the stoma is everting the mucosa over the intestinal mesentery. We describe our method of stoma formation that creates a circumferentially symmetrical protruding stoma free of tension that has been used successfully even in obese patients. This technique has made the use of a Turnbull stoma unnecessary in our recent experience.

Humans↗

Snap-gauge compared to a full nocturnal penile tumescence study for evaluation of patients with erectile impotence.

A total of 50 consecutive male patients underwent simultaneous Snap-Gauge and full nocturnal penile tumescence evaluation with objective rigidity measurements to determine the correlation between the 2 studies. Subsequent clinical evaluation was conducted in patients in whom the 2 tests differed regarding diagnoses to determine which test more accurately predicted the clinical outcome. One patient was excluded from the study for technical reasons. Of 14 patients who had a normal Snap-Gauge evaluation, defined by breakage of all 3 bands, 12 (86%) had a normal and 2 (14%) had an abnormal nocturnal penile tumescence evaluation. A total of 28 patients failed to break any of the Snap-Gauge bands and 7 broke only 1 or 2 bands. Of these 35 patients with an abnormal Snap-Gauge study 14 (40%) had a normal and 21 (60%) had an abnormal nocturnal penile tumescence evaluation. In a subsequent clinical evaluation 1 of the 2 patients with a normal Snap-Gauge study and an abnormal nocturnal penile tumescence test reported continued inadequate sexual function and, subsequently, he received a penile prosthesis. Of the 14 patients with an abnormal Snap-Gauge study and a normal nocturnal penile tumescence test 11 were located and 8 were sexually active with adequate erections for intercourse without further medical treatment other than counseling. We conclude that the correlation between Snap-Gauge and nocturnal penile tumescence is not good, and that the nocturnal penile tumescence test is more accurate to determine the clinical diagnosis.

Adult↗