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Biomedical subjects

T P Bukowski

Publications and source records attributed to T P Bukowski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Is human chorionic gonadotropin useful for identifying and treating nonpalpable testis?

PURPOSE: We evaluated the efficacy of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) for identifying and treating nonpalpable testis. We then compared the cost-effectiveness of this approach to that of laparoscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed patient charts during a 15-month period and identified 51 boys (64 testes) who underwent surgery to correct cryptorchidism. There were nonpalpable testes in 17 cases and bilateral cryptorchidism in 2 for a total of 19 impalpable testes. All patients were offered a full course of HCG. Those electing hormonal treatment received intramuscular injection of 2,000 IU/m.2 HCG (maximum 1,500 IU/injection) 3 times weekly for 3 weeks. RESULTS: A full course of HCG was given in 8 patients (10 testes). Of the 10 testes 8 became palpable after HCG treatment, including 1 atrophic nubbin located in the inguinal canal. Of the 2 testes that remained impalpable 1 discovered at the level of the renal vessels had complete epididymal nonunion and 1 was located closer to the inguinal ring. All 9 untreated patients underwent laparoscopy, which identified 3 intra-abdominal, 3 vanished and 2 peeping testes, and 1 atrophic testis in the inguinal canal. CONCLUSIONS: HCG therapy is valuable for identifying and treating nonpalpable testis. Using this agent enabled the testicle to be detected while avoiding the risks and cost associated with the laparoscopic procedure.

Child, Preschool↗

Urethral atresia in a neonate with alveolar capillary dysplasia and pulmonary venous misalignment.

Urethral atresia and alveolar capillary dysplasia (ACD) are rare congenital malformations. Urethral atresia is associated with severe pulmonary hypoplasia secondary to oligohydramnios. ACD is associated with pulmonary venous misalignment, results in severe pulmonary hypertension, and is uniformly fatal. We present a case of urethral atresia with successful, early placement of vesicoamniotic shunting, with resolution of the oligohydramnios, in which the neonate rapidly progressed to respiratory failure and death. Postmortem examination confirmed urethral atresia and diagnosed ACD. Given the surprisingly high mortality rate after vesicoamniotic shunting in patients with urethral atresia, we question whether there might be a possible link to ACD.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Importance of identifying the inconspicuous penis: prevention of circumcision complications.

OBJECTIVES: To report the incidence of inconspicuous penis in those referred to a pediatric urologist for circumcision or revision of circumcision. METHODS: We performed a chart review of 129 boys referred to one pediatric urologist during a 3-year period for circumcision. RESULTS: Of 129 patients, 30 (23%) had evidence of an inconspicuous penis on the physical examination. Eight (9%) of 94 patients referred for the initial circumcision and 22 (63%) of 35 patients referred for a circumcision revision had evidence of an inconspicuous penis on physical examination. CONCLUSIONS: Inconspicuous penis is an umbrella term used to categorize several anatomic anomalies that occur in newborn boys. The incidence of inconspicuous penis at physical examination in children referred for circumcision revision is remarkable. Circumcision is best delayed in these newborn patients until a later time.

Adolescent↗

Monfort abdominoplasty with neoumbilical modification.

PURPOSE: In patients who undergo the Monfort abdominoplasty the umbilicus is placed high on the abdominal wall. We describe a technique for abdominal wall reconstruction in patients with the prune-belly syndrome with the modification of neoumbilicus creation at an anatomically normal position. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five patients underwent modified Monfort abdominal wall reconstruction with the neoumbilicus created from an island flap of skin based on the fascial plate at the level of the iliac crest. RESULTS: All patients and parents were satisfied with the outcome. In addition to abdominoplasty, orchiopexy and ureteral reconstruction were also safely and easily performed. CONCLUSIONS: Neoumbilicus construction during Monfort abdominoplasty is an excellent approach to a more normal anatomical outcome.

Abdominal Muscles↗

Multi-institutional study of testicular microlithiasis in childhood: a benign or premalignant condition?

PURPOSE: Testicular microlithiasis, a rare ultrasonographic diagnosis in children, has been shown to coexist in benign and malignant conditions. The natural history of incidentally discovered testicular microlithiasis has not been well defined in the pediatric population. The concern that testicular microlithiasis may be a premalignant condition has been raised. Reports indicate as much as a 45% association of germ cell tumors with testicular microlithiasis at the time of tumor diagnosis and there have been 4 cases of interval testicular tumor development associated with preexisting testicular microlithiasis. To address this issue we performed a multi-institutional study to evaluate children with incidentally diagnosed testicular microlithiasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 26 patients with a mean age of 12.3 years at presentation with incidentally discovered testicular microlithiasis were collected from 7 institutions. Presenting scrotal conditions were reviewed. Two children with a previous testicular malignancy were excluded from study. RESULTS: Followup ranged from 1 month to 7 years (mean 27.6 months). Testicular biopsy and tumor marker (alpha-fetoprotein and beta-human chorionic gonadotropin) determinations were performed in 9 and 15 patients, respectively. To date no testicular tumor has developed during clinical followup. CONCLUSIONS: Our multi-institutional study has not yet shown a trend toward the malignant degeneration of incidentally diagnosed testicular microlithiasis in children. However, we still advocate close surveillance of patients with testicular microlithiasis, such as yearly testicular ultrasound, physical examination, and judicious tumor marker determinations. We propose that a registry be started to follow prospectively patients with testicular microlithiasis to define its significance better.

Adolescent↗

Urinary tract infections and pregnancy in women who underwent antireflux surgery in childhood.

PURPOSE: For several decades ureteroneocystostomy has been performed in children to correct primary vesicoureteral reflux. A purported indication for antireflux surgery is to prevent significant upper urinary tract infection during pregnancy. We performed a long-term followup of women who underwent antireflux surgery during childhood to determine outcome in regard to urinary tract infection history and pregnancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 227 women of childbearing age who underwent ureteral reimplantation for primary vesicoureteral reflux from 1964 through 1981. Of the 122 women contacted 41 had been pregnant (77 total pregnancies). Cystitis or asymptomatic bacteriuria and pyelonephritis developed during 18 and 5 pregnancies, respectively. The 77 pregnancies resulted in 57 term births, 7 voluntary pregnancy interruptions and 13 spontaneous abortions. RESULTS: Patients who previously underwent successful antireflux surgery continued to have a significant number of urinary tract infections through the intervening years. Despite a higher than expected incidence of pyelonephritis, they had relatively little hypertension and renal insufficiency. During pregnancy the incidence of pyelonephritis was only slightly higher than that of the general population. However, severe complications of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, premature birth and acute renal failure, occurred more frequently in women with a history of renal scarring or hypertension (7 of 12) than in those with a history of recurrent infection alone (3 of 10). CONCLUSIONS: When renal scarring is present, reflux should be corrected before pregnancy to minimize maternal and fetal morbidity. When scarring is not present, the literature suggests that women with a history of reflux are at increased risk for pyelonephritis during pregnancy whether or not ureterocystostomy was performed. Pregnant women with a history of reflux may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics and women with reflux nephropathy should be followed throughout life.

Child↗

The infected urachal cyst: primary excision versus a staged approach.

PURPOSE: We compared outcomes following single or 2-stage repair of infected urachal cysts in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 17 patients 1 day to 14 years old (median age 22 months) with a urachal cyst. Immediate cyst excision was performed in 6 patients without infection, while those with an abscess underwent single or 2-stage repair. RESULTS: Median postoperative hospital stay for the urachal abscess group was 14 and 11.5 days for single and 2-stage procedures, respectively. After immediate excision postoperative complications developed in each case, although none occurred with a 2-stage approach. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of infection, urachal cyst excision affords the most benign postoperative course. However, when infection is present, perioperative drainage with subsequent total excision, including a cuff of bladder, may offer the most effective surgical option.

Abscess↗

Prophylactic adrenalectomy of a three-year-old girl with congenital adrenal hyperplasia: pre- and postoperative studies.

Long term follow-up studies of children with congenital adrenal hyperplasia have documented less than desirable outcomes, including reduction in final adult height, obesity, virilism, and decreased fertility. We have proposed that children with the most severe forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia would be better off if their adrenals were removed at an early age. We report here on our experience with prophylactic bilateral adrenalectomy in a 3-yr-old girl with a double null mutation of the CYP21 gene. The results of sodium balance studies, performed preoperatively on our patient and her unaffected fraternal twin sister, and hormonal data are presented as well. In contrast to her twin, who markedly increased her sodium retention in response to ACTH, our patient showed increased natriuresis, suggesting a deleterious effect of her adrenals on sodium homeostasis. Adrenalectomy was carried out at the time of necessary genital repair. No surgical or postsurgical complications were encountered.

17-alpha-Hydroxyprogesterone↗

Doppler contrast sonography for detecting reduced perfusion in experimental ischemia of prepubertal rabbit testes.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: We examined whether the intravenous (IV) Doppler ultrasound contrast agent SHU 508 would improve the detection of reduced perfusion of rabbit testes when normal flow was otherwise difficult to detect. METHODS: Seventeen anesthetized prepubertal rabbits underwent random unilateral spermatic cord ligation and a contralateral sham operation. Immediate, blinded, and systematic color Doppler examination of each pair of testes was recorded before and after IV administration of 1 ml (300 mg) SHU 508, a gas-containing microparticle. Recorded examinations were reviewed by two pediatric radiologists who were unaware of experimental conditions and who graded intratesticular flow. RESULTS: For 34 pairs of observations (17 animals x 2 observers), intratesticular flow was absent in the sham-operated testes in 18 precontrast and two postcontrast images. The false-positive rate in this group decreased from 53% to 6%. This improvement in the detection of normal blood flow was statistically significant. The absence of flow in the ischemic testis was not significantly different before or after contrast agent administration. CONCLUSION: IV SHU 508 enhances color Doppler ultrasound detection of flow not otherwise evident in prepubertal rabbit testes. Doppler ultrasound contrast agents may be used in a setting of suspected torsion when routine Doppler sonography is indeterminate.

Age Factors↗

Fetal therapy for obstructive uropathy: diagnosis specific outcomes [corrected].

PURPOSE: Attempts to evaluate prenatal vesico-amniotic shunt therapy have been hampered by inconsistencies in patient selection, treatment and termination criteria, and outcomes measurement. Outcomes have generally been measured against those of patients with postnatally detected posterior urethral valves. The purpose of this report was to evaluate the influence of the underlying diagnosis on the clinical outcomes of fetuses undergoing evaluation for prenatal intervention for suspected obstructive uropathy. Furthermore, specific outcomes diagnosis was compared to the published natural history of these disorders to begin to establish a basis for measuring the efficacy of prenatal intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 55 consecutive patients undergoing prenatal evaluation using structured outcome measures stratified by specific diagnoses to provide a comparison to the reported natural history for each underlying disorder. RESULTS: All fetuses had early onset of oligohydramnios/anhydramnios representing the worst end of the spectrum. Compared to postnatally diagnosed patients, prenatally diagnosed patients with posterior urethral valves had lower survival (60 versus 93%) but similar postnatal renal failure rates (31 versus 33%). Cases of prenatally detected but untreated posterior urethral valves had a 44% renal failure rate. In fetuses with the prune-belly syndrome survival (86 versus 72%) and renal function rates (17 versus 27% renal failure) compared favorably with the postnatal experience, although 55% of the cases had significant urethral obstruction. All patients with urethral atresia died. CONCLUSIONS: The underlying etiology of obstruction appears to have a marked influence on clinical outcome independently of treatment. When evaluated by specific diagnosis, intervention appears to provide outcomes in these high risk fetuses that are comparable to those for disease detected postnatally. Interpretation of series that do not distinguish cases by onset, severity and specific pathological process is problematic. Greater standardization of patient selection, treatment and outcome measurement, including the use of specific diagnoses, is necessary to allow an accurate assessment of the efficacy and proper role of fetal therapy.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

Long-term intravesical oxybutynin chloride therapy in children with myelodysplasia.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the clinical use of long-term intravesical oxybutynin chloride in the treatment of neurogenic bladder dysfunction in children with myelodysplasia who could not tolerate oral anticholinergics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of all patients recommended for intravesical oxybutynin chloride therapy. A total of 12 girls and 18 boys 1 to 17 years old was recruited for study. Oxybutynin chloride (5 mg.) was instilled 2 times daily and pretreatment cystograms were compared to followup urodynamic studies. Duration of therapy was 2 to 26 months (mean 13, median 12). RESULTS: Mean total capacity plus or minus standard deviation increased from 209 +/- 103 to 282 +/- 148 ml. (p < 0.01), mean safe capacity increased from 157 +/- 105 to 234 +/- 147 ml. (p < 0.01) and mean age adjusted safe capacity increased from 76 +/- 36 to 115 +/- 62%. Of the 29 patients who were incontinent 3 (10%) achieved continence and 19 (65%) reported a decreased use of sanitary pads. None of the patients had systemic side effects related to intravesical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that intravesical oxybutynin chloride is a viable treatment option for patients with myelodysplasia in whom oral therapy fails.

Administration, Intravesical↗

Testicular autotransplantation for the intra-abdominal testis.

Oftentimes patients with intra-abdominal testes require more than the standard procedure to accomplish orchiopexy. Division of the spermatic vessels has been one mainstay of operative approaches for the intra-abdominal testis since Fowler and Stephens (Congenital Malformations of Rectum, Anus, and Genitouriary Tracts, chapter 19, pp 306-320, 1963) provided an anatomically rational basis for this procedure. Silber and Kelly (J Urol, 115:452-454, 1976) first described using a microvascular anastomosis to bring extra blood supply to the testicle after mobilization of a high intra-abdominal testicle into the scrotum; however, this approach has not been adopted by many for a number of reasons. The microvascular skill and instrumentation required for a successful anastomosis are not universally available and there is a misconception that the procedure is a lengthy one (Bianchi, Br J Urol 56:521-524, 1984; Bogaert et al., Urology 42:182-188, 1993). We present our series for testicular autotransplantation used over a 17 year period with a greater than 95% success.

Abdomen↗

Evaluation of acute scrotum in the emergency department.

A 2-year retrospective review of 238 cases of acute scrotal pain encountered in a children's hospital emergency department is presented. The incidences of testicular torsion, torsion of a testicular appendage, and epididymitis were 16%, 46%, and 35%, respectively. Testicular salvage was critically dependent on the interval between onset of pain and surgical intervention. No testis likely to have been viable at the time of presentation was "lost." The diagnostic error rate on first encounter was 7%, resulting in 10 negative scrotal explorations. With the exception of cases of far-advanced necrotic testes, both color Doppler ultrasound and radioisotope imaging were highly specific diagnostic modalities. Thirty-nine percent of the children with epididymitis who underwent investigation were found to have either structural or functional urinary tract abnormalities. Noninvasive urodynamic studies appear to be useful screening modalities in older children with epididymitis.

Acute Disease↗

Testicular autotransplantation: a 17-year review of an effective approach to the management of the intra-abdominal testis.

PURPOSE: Patients with intra-abdominal testes represent a small but challenging group who require innovative therapy. We report our 17-year experience with testicular autotransplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Testicular autotransplantation was performed in 23 patients with 27 intra-abdominal testes. RESULTS: The success rate was 96% and average operative time was 4.25 hours with 40 to 90 minutes for vascular anastomoses. A contralateral Fowler-Stephens procedure had previously failed in 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Since the variability of collateral blood supply in patients with high undescended testes may potentially compromise the Fowler-Stephens procedure, we believe that testicular autotransplantation should be strongly considered in such patients, particularly those with bilateral undescended testicles.

Adolescent↗

Epididymitis in older boys: dysfunctional voiding as an etiology.

Although male infants and young boys with epididymitis have a high incidence of anatomical pathology, dysfunctional voiding is not a well established cause of epididymitis. In our series 36 boys with epididymitis underwent noninvasive urodynamic studies to determine whether a physiological defect could be assigned as an etiology. The 2 mechanisms proposed are similar to that in children with vesicoureteral reflux associated with dyssynergia or bladder instability and to a cause of recurrent urinary tract infection in children (the infrequent voider syndrome). Urinalysis and urine culture are recommended in all children with epididymitis and urethral swabs are obtained from those who are sexually active. We recommend renal/bladder ultrasound and voiding cystourethrography in all infants and young children with epididymitis. In the older child we advocate detailed questioning regarding voiding symptoms and the performance of noninvasive urodynamic studies.

Adolescent↗