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Biomedical subjects

T H Lynch

Publications and source records attributed to T H Lynch.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

The defunctionalized bladder.

Supravesical urinary diversion without cystectomy is a common procedure performed to manage a variety of lower urinary tract pathologies. The purpose of this article is to review the complications associated with the bladder left in situ and to relate this to the female patient. Complications related to the defunctionalized bladder include pyocystis, hemorrhage, pain/spasm and neoplastic transformation. The defunctionalized bladder also has implications for sexual function, pregnancy and undiversion. The risk factors for complications are chronic infection, inadequate drainage, interstitial cystitis and previous irradiation. The incidence of neoplastic change in the defunctionalized bladder is low, but long-term follow-up is advised, as carcinoma could develop many decades after diversion. Sexual function following urinary diversion is better preserved when the bladder is retained.

Female↗

Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: a collaborative multicentre study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of transurethral needle ablation of the prostate (TUNA) for patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a multicentre trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-six patients were recruited from five centres; all were treated with the TUNA system consisting of a powered radiofrequency generator and a TUNA catheter. The patients were evaluated prospectively using the international prostate symptom score (IPSS), uroflowmetry, quality-of-life score, and other variables, and followed for a mean of 12 months after treatment. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were available for follow-up: TUNA produced significant improvements in the IPSS (median 22 before, to 7.5 after treatment). urinary flow rate (mean 8.7 before, to 11.6 mL/s after treatment) and quality-of-life score (median 5 before, to 2 after treatment) at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: If these early promising results are maintained. In the medium to long term, TUNA therapy will be a useful low-morbidity alternative for patients with symptomatic BPH.

Aged↗

High-intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirteen patients (mean age 65 years, range 58-74) were treated with HIFU as part of a phase-2 clinical trial and evaluated prospectively using the International Prostate Symptom Score, uroflowmetry, and transrectal and transabdominal ultrasonography to determine prostate size and post-void residual urine volume, respectively. The results and the patients' satisfaction were assessed at regular intervals for 2 years. RESULTS: The new procedure was learned quickly and was easy to perform. Symptom scores decreased from a mean of 23 before treatment to 5 after 12 months and 7 after 2 years. There was an initial improvement in flow rates but they then declined. The size of the prostate and the post-void residual volume were both decreased after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The treatment is safe, easy to implement and was effective in substantially reducing symptom scores in these few patients. However, we would not encourage its use as an alternative to other well established treatment modalities until it has been assessed fully in a randomized trial.

Aged↗

Phytotherapeutic agents in the management of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Phytotherapeutic agents constitute a large part of the market for the pharmacological treatment of symptomatic BPH. At present, these agents are being used on an empirical basis with some success in relieving symptoms. They have not been shown to have any effect on objective indices. Several agents are presently undergoing randomized trials.

Humans↗

Repeat testing for haematuria and underlying urological pathology.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence of urological pathology in a group of patients referred for the investigation of haematuria and whose symptoms had resolved at the time of investigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results from examination of 395 patients attending for investigation of haematuria were analysed. The group comprised 198 men and 197 women with a mean age of 51 years (range 19-73). RESULTS: In 220 patients (56%) no evidence of haematuria was detected despite its diagnosis in all patients at the time of referral. One-hundred and thirteen patients (51%) without detectable haematuria had urological pathology and 16 of these (14%) had an underlying malignancy in the urinary tract. CONCLUSION: Repeat urine analysis to determine whether haematuria persists has been considered as a way to define a high risk group which requires urgent investigation. Our results clearly indicate that the finding of haematuria, even in one urine specimen, warrants full urological assessment.

Adult↗

Rapid diagnostic service for patients with haematuria.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of a clinic for the investigation of haematuria, with open access to general practitioners. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 395 patients (198 men and 197 women), with mean age 51 years (range 19-73), were referred from 13 general practitioner clinics. All investigations were performed at the patient's first visit at which time either a provisional or a definitive diagnosis was made. RESULTS: Urinary tract infection was the most common diagnosis. Of all the patients, 43 (11%) had a malignancy of whom nine presented with microscopic haematuria. Fifty-nine per cent of patients were discharged after their first visit and 26% were placed on the waiting list for in-patient procedures. CONCLUSION: An open access clinic such as this is efficient and easily run. The high incidence of pathological abnormalities makes it a worthwhile facility.

Adult↗

Local control of T2/3 transitional cell carcinoma of bladder is correlated to differences in DNA supercoiling: evidence for two discrete tumor populations.

Single cell tumor suspensions were prepared from biopsy and urine samples from 48 patients with muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Prior to therapy, samples were irradiated in vitro with the condensation of DNA supercoils measured by the light scattered within a flow cytometer. Six months after completing a course of radiotherapy, the in vitro data were correlated with the presence or absence of local disease. After 12-Gy irradiation, nucleoid extraction and staining with 50 micrograms/ml ethidium bromide, 2 predominant forms of supercoiling behavior were seen. Nucleoids scattered either approximately 10% (Type I) or 35% (Type II) more light than unirradiated controls. Those patients with residual disease showed more Type I behavior (21 of 25; 84%) than those patients clear of disease (9 of 23; 39%) (P = 0.02). It is proposed that the ability of these tumor samples to adopt positive supercoiling after irradiation is related to a stronger association between individual DNA loops and their attachment to the nuclear matrix. This difference in nucleoid response within these tumor samples may be related both to intrinsic cellular radiosensitivity and, subsequently, to clinical radiocurability.

Adult↗

Treatment preferences of urologists in Great Britain and Ireland in the management of prostate cancer.

A questionnaire was sent to all full-time British and Irish urologists (n = 278) on the management of prostate cancer and was answered by 229 (82%). The questions included 3 specific clinical situations, namely the management of incidental disease, the timing of treatment for metastatic disease and the mode of hormonal manipulation used for advanced disease. It was found that 79% of urologists preferred a deferred treatment policy for incidental disease in the over-75 age group. Radical prostatectomy was advocated by 10% of those questioned for patients in the under-60 age group. Radiotherapy was the mainstay of treatment for incidental disease in the poorer prognosis groups of incidental disease, namely younger patients with more aggressive tumours. Most urologists treated patients with asymptomatic metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, with 18% entering patients into the Medical Research Council trial comparing immediate with deferred therapy. Orchiectomy was advocated by 57% of urologists as their first-line treatment for patients where hormonal manipulation was indicated. Consequently orchiectomy should remain the "gold standard" in comparative phase III trials in advanced prostate cancer.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

Paravesical suture granuloma: a problem following herniorrhaphy.

We discuss the diagnosis and management of a paravesical suture granuloma and review 11 such cases reported in the literature. Granulomas are an unusual complication of surgery, which have been noted to occur from several months to 11 years postoperatively. Of the 11 patients reported on 10 had undergone previous inguinal herniorrhaphy and presented with urinary symptoms and a palpable mass, and 1 had undergone femoral herniorrhaphy. In 7 cases the clinical diagnosis was a malignancy. It is important to consider suture granulomas in the differential diagnosis of a suprapubic mass involving the bladder so that unnecessary major surgery can be avoided.

Adult↗

Phase III randomised study of zoladex versus stilboestrol in the treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

An open randomised Phase III trial was conducted of the depot GnRH analogue goserelin (Zoladex) versus stilboestrol (3 mg/day) in patients with advanced or metastatic prostate cancer. The study included 250 patients and the median follow-up was 43 months. In the Zoladex arm the time to first response was achieved earlier and more patients reported an improvement in symptoms. There was no statistically significant difference between the Zoladex and the stilboestrol arms with regard to survival and time to treatment failure. A major reason for treatment failure was the preponderance of adverse events in patients receiving stilboestrol. It is suggested that stilboestrol should no longer be used for prostate cancer when equally effective alternative treatments are available.

Aged↗

Urologists' attitudes to the management of bladder cancer.

All consultant urologists in Great Britain and Ireland were sent 2 questionnaires relating to their management policies in bladder cancer; 82% and 78% respectively of questionnaires were completed and returned. The answers demonstrated a wide variation among urologists about the management of common clinical problems.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

A correlation between nuclear supercoiling and the response of patients with bladder cancer to radiotherapy.

Single cell tumour suspensions were prepared from biopsy and urine samples from 28 patients with muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Nuclear extracts (nucleoids) containing intact chromatin were isolated from these cells and the condensation of DNA supercoils measured by the light scattered from individual nucleoids within a flow cytometer. Exposure of these nucleoids to 10 micrograms ml-1 ethidium bromide produced 78.9% increase in light scatter compared to those treated with 50 micrograms ml-1. This finding is consistent with the known effect of ethidium bromide on DNA supercoiling and confirms that the light scatter signal is responding to changes at this level of DNA organisation. Cell samples were also exposed to 12 Gy of gamma radiation and the effect on nucleoid light scatter recorded. Of the patients studied prior to radiotherapy, those with persistent disease 3 months after treatment generated an increase in nucleoid light scatter of + 9.35 +/- 4.8% after 12 Gy irradiation, of these, 2/14 produced nucleoids that relaxed by more than 10% compared to controls. Those patients with no evidence of disease after radiotherapy gave an increase in nucleoid light scatter after in vitro irradiation of + 19.3 +/- 4.5% of which 10/14 (71%) relaxed by more than 10%. It is proposed that the increased relaxation within the supercoiled DNA from patients whose tumours were undetectable 3 months after therapy, is related to the inherent radiosensitivity of these tumour cells. Such a difference in nucleoid response within tumour cells from patients that responded to radiation may arise due to a decreased affinity of DNA loops for the nuclear matrix. This structural change, at a site associated with the initiation of DNA synthesis, may affect the ability of cells to continue successful cell division after radiation damage.

Biopsy↗

Optical urethrotomy under local urethral anaesthesia.

A series of 46 patients underwent 76 optical urethrotomies under local urethral anaesthesia in the out-patient clinic; in 70% of patients the strictures were controlled by local anaesthetic urethrotomy alone; 61% felt either no pain or mild pain during the procedure; 72% expressed a preference for local anaesthesia should the procedure have to be repeated and 82% were happy with the result of their treatment. Optical urethrotomy under local urethral anaesthesia produces results comparable to those reported by others using general anaesthesia. If large numbers of patients are to be treated, possibly repeatedly, then out-patient urethrotomy may result in more efficient use of resources.

Adult↗