Ureteral hernia is uncommon and usually misdiagnosed. From an anatomic point of view, we can distinguish between two uretero-inguinal hernias: intraperitoneal and extraperitoneal. Ureter inguinal hernias are nearly always indirect. This kind of hernia can include the ureter alone or, frequently, other abdominal sliding organs within the hernia sac (bladder, bowel tracts, etc.). Kidneys and urinary tracts present normal anatomic conformation, although renal ptosis may be found. As of July 2004, 139 cases of ureteral hernia had been described in the literature. Here we report a case of inguino-scrotal herniation of double district ureter and review the current literature to analyze the main clinical characteristics of this pathology and to establish pitfalls.

The aim in managing stage pT1 bladder cancer is to anticipate tumour progression when cystectomy is still curative. The concern over major life-style alterations attributed to a radical operation has largely been eliminated by the development of a “nerve-sparing” technique and bladder replacement or continent diversion. Impotence after cystectomy derives from injury to the pelvic nerve plexus that provides autonomic innervation to the corpora cavernosa. The dangerous moments of “nerve-sparing” cystectomy can be avoided by leaving both the seminal vesicles and the prostatic capsule in place. We present our series of 24 “seminal-sparing” cystectomies performed between April 1990 and April 1996 in highly selected patients with recurrent T1 bladder cancer. All the patients could achieve erections that were adequate for sexual intercourse and neither local recurrences nor distant metastases have been observed at a mean follow-up of 38 months.

In this paper, the lab-on-chip section for a protein assay is designed and optimized. To avoid severe reliability problems related to activated surface stability, a dynamic assay approach is adopted: protein-to-protein neutralization is performed while proteins diffuse freely in the reaction chamber. The related refraction index change is detected via an integrated interferometer. The structure is also design to provide a functional test of the reference protein solution, which is generally required for qualification for medical uses.

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