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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Although renal infarction has been well studied and clearly defined, it remains greatly underdiagnosed, resulting in significant morbidity. Acute segmental renal infarction is a diagnosis even more problematic, as the problem can appear insidiously and masquerade as other entities including stone, infection, and even tumor. The clinical manifestations and evaluation of partial renal infarction in our patients were reviewed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven patients presenting to the emergency department who were subsequently found to have partial renal infarction were identified from the 5-year records of a single institution. Patients were evaluated for presenting complaints, physical findings, temperature, and blood pressure. Laboratory analysis consisted of a complete blood count (CBC); measurements of creatinine, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase (AST/ALT), and alkaline phosphatase; and urinalysis. The sequence of the work-up was recorded, as well as time to diagnosis. The etiology of infarction was identified for all patients. RESULTS: All seven patients were eventually discovered to have partial renal infarction as a result of dysrhythmia (N = 4), mural thrombus (N = 2), or septic emboli (N = 1). The average time to diagnosis was 65.2 hours with a range of 9.5 to 168 hours. The chief complaint was flank pain (N = 3), nonspecific abdominal pain (N = 2), left lower-quadrant pain (N = 1), and mental status change (N = 1). The presenting signs and symptoms included abdominal tenderness (N = 4), nausea and vomiting (N = 4), temperature >100.5 degrees F (N = 3), and hypertension (N = 3). Laboratory studies revealed a white cell count >11,000/microL in six, microhematuria in four, proteinuria in four, elevated LDH in all patients, elevated AST/ALT in two, and elevated alkaline phosphatase in one. The work-up varied by presentation, but definitive diagnosis was made by CT in all five patients scanned and by angiography in two. Angiography confirmed the CT findings in four of the five patients. CONCLUSION: In evaluating partial renal infarction, a strong clinical suspicion is necessary. We found a history of dysrhythmia or other cardiac disease, the presence of abdominal or flank pain, fever with an elevated white cell count, and an elevated LDH to be clinically significant, and their presence should alert the clinician to the possibility of renal infarction. Once a degree of suspicion exists, early evaluation with CT should speed the diagnosis and effect decreased morbidity.

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Renal angiomyolipomas (AML) are vascular tumors associated with a risk of spontaneous bleeding. Renal trauma may also initiate such hemorrhage. We present a case in which we initially avoided direct puncture and the possible risk of bleeding through extensive renal AMLs and then subsequently performed a direct puncture through the tumors. A 21-year-old obese male patient with tuberous sclerosis and mental retardation presented to our institution with left renal colic and was found to have a staghorn calculus. A CT scan revealed extensive bilateral renal AMLs. The patient had previously undergone renal angioinfarction for an enlarging right-sided AML, and nuclear renography demonstrated 70% function from the left side. The patient had a nephrostomy access created on the morning of a scheduled percutaneous nephrolithotomy under three-dimensional CT guidance. There was no clinically significant bleeding. Intraoperatively, a second access site was required in order to render the patient stone free. This was done using standard biplanar fluoroscopic technique and traversed an AML. Both tracts were balloon dilated prior to placement of a 34F Amplatz sheath. Postoperatively, the patient had an uneventful recovery. A CT scan performed 1 day postoperatively revealed no retroperitoneal collection. This case demonstrates that renal access can be achieved with remarkable accuracy using 3D CT imaging. Furthermore, although this approach seems most prudent in the case of extensive renal AMLs, fluoroscopically guided renal access and dilation to 34F was not associated with bleeding in this patient.

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PURPOSE: Simple nephrectomy is technically demanding in patients with recurrent inflammation or bleeding. It is also unwise to subject patients in poor health to the rigors of an extensive operative procedure. We report our experience with complete renal embolization as a safe and reliable alternative to surgical nephrectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients underwent complete renal embolization as an alternative to nephrectomy. Patients were given antibiotics intravenously before and after embolization. Six patients with indwelling nephrostomy tubes received post-embolization instillation of 80 mg. gentamicin before tube removal. Narcotic analgesics were also given as needed for pain control. Post-embolization hospital course was noted. RESULTS: The indications for embolization included hydronephrotic, poorly functioning kidneys with pain in 5 cases, and recurrent bleeding from angiomyolipoma, bleeding after percutaneous resection of renal pelvic transitional cell carcinoma with metastases and spontaneous renal bleeding after hemodialysis in 1 each. Embolization was successful in 4 men and 4 women with a mean age of 58.8 years. In 6 patients severe flank pain required narcotic analgesics. One patient complained of nausea, 6 had fever and 6 had leukocytosis. In 1 case thrombosis of a limb of an aortobifemoral bypass graft required thrombectomy. Median hospital stay was 2.5 days. At a mean followup of 30.6 months presenting symptoms had resolved in all cases without hypertension, renal failure or abscess. CONCLUSIONS: Complete renal embolization is a viable alternative to nephrectomy in patients with poorly functioning kidneys who present with pain or bleeding and in those who are poor operative candidates. This procedure is safe, reliable and minimally invasive with few long-term sequelae, and it is well tolerated.

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OBJECTIVES: We investigated the in vitro nonthermal effects of microwaves delivered from Prostatron 2.0 on Escherichia coli and Enterobacter cloacae. METHODS: The fingers of powder-free, sterile gloves were ligated, and bacterial solutions were transferred into the remaining area of the glove. The gloves were then sealed using silk ligatures. One set of gloves was subjected to the microwave treatment while another set was placed in a temperature-matched waterbath to act as control samples. The gloves containing the treatment group were taped around the probe, at the site where microwave energy exits the probe. During the treatment period, the temperatures from the urethral probe and the rectal probe were carefully monitored. RESULTS: The mean (+/-SD) energy delivered was 46.6 +/- 9.5 kJ (range 30.0 to 59.5) for the 10 trials on E. coli and colony counts in the experimental microwaved gloves decreased significantly compared with control samples (5.26 +/- 4.5 x 10(5) versus 10.16 +/- 9.3 x 10(5) CFU/mL, P = 0.02). For the experiments on E. cloacae the mean (+/-SD) energy applied was 38.5 +/- 12.5 kJ, and a significant decrease in colony counts of microwaved samples was also observed compared with controls (11.04 +/- 4.8 x 10(5) versus 20.08 +/- 10.1 x 10(5) CFU/mL, P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Microwave energy, delivered from Prostatron 2.0, independent of heat production has an in vitro bactericidal effect on laboratory-cultured E. coli and E. cloacae.

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The Glidewire (Microvasive, Natick, MA) or Terumo wire (Terumo, Japan) is constructed with a hydrophilic polymer surface that enables easier passage through narrowed lumens in the urinary tract. This study examined the effects of gas sterilization on Glidewire surface structure, slipperiness, and ability to support bacterial growth. Light microscopy at 100x and 400x and scanning electron microscopy at 100 to 1300x were used to compare the surface tips of five new 0.038-inch Glidewires with those resterilized one or three times. The tips were immersed in water prior to standard gas sterilization for operating room equipment. Subjective evaluation of slipperiness involved asking 10 blinded urologists to assess the nature of new and resterilized wires by feel. Support of bacterial growth was assessed by comparing cultures performed on new wires (control) with those of wires incubated with Bacillus stearothermophilus. Microscopy, reviewed by a pathologist, revealed no perceivable surface differences after one and three gas sterilizations. Eight of the urologists noted similar or improved slipperiness of resterilized wires compared with new wires. Bacterial cultures of intentionally infected wire segments showed no growth after standard gas sterilization in all cases. In this study, gas sterilization did not adversely affect the lubricious nature or the surface coating of the hydrophilic coating of Glidewires. Also, gas resterilization was bactericidal to new and used wires that had been infected with a heat-tolerant organism.

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Percutaneous renal surgery involves instrumentation of the renal collecting system (renal pelvis and calyces) via direct percutaneous access to diagnose and treat a multitude of urological conditions. This chapter will outline the indications, techniques, complications and results of this relatively new and effective operative approach.

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Significant hemorrhage from the access site is an infrequent complication of percutaneous renal surgery. We developed a novel nephrostomy tube that combines the benefits of the re-entry Malecot design with those of the Kaye tamponade catheter. The new nephrostomy tube was successful in preventing significant bleeding in high-risk patients who had this tube placed after percutaneous nephrostolithomy. All of the patients tolerated the tube without complications. Preliminary results show that this tube is easy to insert, well tolerated by patients, and effective in preventing and stopping bleeding from a percutaneous access site and that it maintains ureteral access.

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Ureteral obstruction is a common cause of urologic morbidity requiring quick and effective treatment, as prolonged obstruction can cause pain, infection, and eventual loss of renal function. Few would argue that initial drainage or bypassing of the obstruction is favorable initial management; however, urologists are often-times faced with technically difficult cases not responsive to the standard operative maneuvers. Recognizing the diversity of pathology and the potentially complicating issues, urologists should have in their armamentarium a systematic approach or algorithm for dealing with these common dilemmas, as well as an understanding of various tricks of the trade. This knowledge will prevent heightened anxiety at the time of surgery and will ensure the availability of the proper operative equipment. This article outlines an approach and discusses the obstacles and options in stenting the obstructed ureter.

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Capacitation of spermatozoa is essential for fertilization, and can be induced by various agents or biological fluids. Previous reports have shown that foetal cord serum (FCS) and the superoxide anion trigger human sperm hyperactivation and capacitation, and that superoxide dismutase (SOD) prevents these processes. We investigated: (1) the capacity of seminal plasma (SP) and follicular fluid (FF) (whole, or fractionated into high and low molecular weight components), in the presence or absence of SOD, to induce the spontaneous acrosome reaction (no stimulant needed, AR) and capacitation (as measured by the lysophosphatidyl-choline-induced AR, LPC-AR); (2) a possible relationship between the levels of AR and capacitation obtained with these biological fluids and the superoxide scavenging capacity of the same fluids. The highest levels of LPC-AR were obtained with FF ultrafiltrate (48 +/- 6%), followed by SP ultrafiltrate (31.9 +/- 0.8%), FF (30 +/- 5%), dialysed FF (27 +/- 4%), and finally, by FCS ultrafiltrate (23 +/- 1%), SP (21 +/- 1%) and dialysed SP (18.9 +/- 0.8%). A similar order of potency for the fluids existed when sperm AR was studied, the levels of AR observed ranging from 16 +/- 2% to 5.3 +/- 0.8% after incubation with FF ultrafiltrate and SP respectively. None of these treatments had detrimental effects on sperm motility. In the presence of SOD, there was always an important reduction (52-86%) of the AR and LPC-AR observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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