Prostate cancer is the most common malignant disease and second in causes of cancer death among men in Western Europe and North America. Despite improved surgical and irradiation techniques tumor relapse after curatively intended therapy is not uncommon. Due to the difficulty in discriminating local and systemic progression, it is often difficult to decide what this means for the patient and what kind of second-line treatment has to be given. Modern imaging techniques (MRI with endorectal coil, Choline-PET-CT, ProstaScint®-Scan) are used for diagnosis of prostate cancer relapse. Nevertheless, early detection of local tumor relapse and likewise the detection of disseminated tumor cells often fails. To differentiate between local and systemic progression, prognostic factors of the primary tumor (grading, surgical margins, infiltration of the seminal vesicles, lymph node metastases) and PSA kinetics are used. The time from initial treatment to biochemical relapse and PSA doubling time are of highest prognostic relevance. Local progression allows second-line local treatment with potentially curative results (local irradiation after radical prostatectomy, salvage-surgery / cryotherapy / HIFU after irradiation), while in the case of systemic progress a palliative systemic therapy (hormonal treatment, chemotherapy, bisphosphonates) is indicated. Before deciding on the most appropriate therapy, prognostic factors and the patient’s individual situation (co-morbidity, life expectancy, individual wishes) should be taken into account.

No abstract

A patient with cystectomy and urinary diversion after spinal cord injury had multiple pouch concretements and a kidney stone formed around a staple that apparently had refluxed from the nipple of the pouch. In such cases, the stone and staple should be removed at the same time, either percutaneously or by ureterorenoscopy.

No abstract

A sufficient analgesic treatment in the early postoperative period is important for the patients comfort level. Moreover, physical therapy for prophylaxis of pneumonia and thrombosis is better tolerated. In a prospective study, we compared two postoperative pain management regimens to establish a sufficient pain management without the need of additional costs or manpower. Of 215 patients undergoing major urologic surgery, 111 patients received on demand medication exclusively (group 1), whereas 104 patients were treated with basic analgesics combined with on demand medication (group 2). Pain intensity, side effects and subjective well being were evaluated with a visual analogue scale and a standardised interview. Pain intensity and side effects were significantly lower in group 2. Thus, with combined analgesic treatment, postoperative pain relieve can be achieved safely and without additional costs.