In some cases it may be possible to remove only the cancerous tissue and part of the kidney, particularly if the tumor is small and confined to the very top or bottom of the kidney. A partial nephrectomy also may be the procedure of choice for patients with RCC in both kidneys and those who have only one functioning kidney.
Pelvic muscle rehabilitation involves implementation of a comprehensive group of progressive exercises aimed at strengthening the levator muscle. These exercises have been used to treat several types of urinary incontinence but are most frequently employed in patients diagnosed with stress incontinence. The use of biofeedback during exercise allows patients to observe the duration and strength of contractions. It has been estimated that pelvic muscle rehabilitation produces complete resolution of symptoms in 20% of patients and that improvements in incontinence are observed in 50% to 75% in most of those treated.
Like pregnancy and childbirth, pelvic surgery can weaken and damage the pelvic floor muscles. As a result, the pelvic floor muscles may no longer be able to provide the necessary support to the bladder neck and urethra, and these structures may drop freely when downward pressure is applied. This condition, which is known as hypermobility, causes incontinence during physical activity, when the urethra cannot close tightly enough to resist increased abdominal pressure on the bladder. Urinary incontinence can result from common forms of pelvic surgery, including abdominal resection for colorectal (intestinal) cancer, gynecologic (female genital tract) surgery such as radical hysterectomy (complete removal of the uterus) or hysterectomy for benign (non cancerous) disease, and failed prolapse (restabilization) surgery for stress urinary incontinence. Most patients with postoperative incontinence have either detrusor instability (DI or unstable bladder: an involuntary, downward-pushing contraction of the bladder) or urethral/bladder neck incontinence (abnormal function) due to nerve damage. Successful management of DI incontinence usually can be achieved by drug therapy and urinary catheterization (passage of a tube through the urethra into the bladder to drain urine into a bag outside the body); patients with bladder neck incontinence may require additional surgical measures.
Implantation of a penile prosthesis is one of several options available for the treatment of impotence. The penis consists of three hollow tubes running along the length of the shaft. One of these, the urethra, runs along the bottom of the penis and brings urine from the bladder out through the end of the penis. The other two matched tubes running side-by-side on the top of the penis are constructed much like an automobile tire with an outer tube and an inner tube. The erection is created by the two inner tubes filling and pushing against the outer tubes, much like a tire that is inflated with air.
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Penile Implant |
Reduces bladder discomfort and pain in some people with IC. Doctors don't know exactly how the drug works, but they believe it may repair leaks in the bladder lining. Elmiron is the first oral drug developed for IC and was approved by FDA in the Fall of 1996.
The stone in the kidney is reached with a scope through a small wound in the skin and through the tissues of the kidney. The exact location of the stone is monitored with the ultrasound device. Like in the transurethral lithotripsy the stone is then disintegrated with an oscillating device. This technique is used in cases of large stones, when a treatment with the external lithotryptor would take too much time and too many sessions and/or in cases of obstruction of the outlet of the kidney in which the kidney could be damaged if it takes too long to treat the stone. General anesthesia is necessary, although patient and kidney generally very well tolerate the treatment.
Percutaneous means "though the skin." In PCN, the surgeon or urologist makes a 1-centimeter incision under local anesthesia in the patient's back, through which an instrument called a nephroscope is passed directly into the kidney and, if necessary, the ureter. Smaller stones may be manually extracted. Large ones may need to be broken up with ultrasonic, electrohydraulic or laser- tipped probes before they can be extracted. A tube may be inserted into the kidney for drainage.
The pubovaginal sling involves the creation of an autologous sling -- that is, a sling made out of a strip of tissue from the patient's own abdominal fascia (fibrous tissue). Occasionally, surgeons use a synthetic (artificial) sling for this procedure, although urethral erosion (breakdown) appears to be more common when synthetic slings are used. During the pubovaginal sling procedure, a strip of fascia is obtained via an incision above the pubic bone. This strip of fascia becomes the sling. Another incision is made in the front of the vaginal wall, through which the surgeon can grasp the sling and adjust its tension around the bladder neck. The sling itself has sutures attached to it. The sling is secured in place when the two sutures are loosely tied to each other above the incision in the pubic fascia, providing a hammock for the bladder neck to rest on. The pubovaginal sling procedure generally results in high success rates, with bladder control lasting more than 10 years. Some of the possible complications of pubovaginal sling procedures are accidental bladder injury, wound infections and prolonged urinary retention. Vesica® sling procedure, a minimally invasive (reduced operative risk and a shorter recovery phase) surgery, involves the placement of a sling to support the bladder neck, urethra and sphincter. Through the opening created by the incision(s), your surgeon will place two small anchors into the pubic bone in order to provide stable fixation for the bladder neck. He/she will then take one end of the suture and guide it through the tissue on one side of the bladder neck then the other side. Depending on your diagnosis your physician may elect to use a sling made of either a biocompatible synthetic material or of your own tissue. This sling (like a hammock) is secured to the anchor placed in the bone and serves as additional support for the urethra, bladder neck and sphincter. To help with the healing process, a catheter may be placed into your bladder. The catheter will be connected to a drainage bag, which will collect your urine. Routine physical activity may be restricted for a short time after the procedure and strenuous activity for 8-12 weeks. Your doctor or nurse will provide you with specific guidelines.
A Perineal incision is utilized. The advantages are: less blood loss, easier visualization of the bladder / urethral anastomosis and decreased recovery time because the incision does not involve muscle or any other vital tissue
A surgical procedure in which injected implants are used to "bulk up" the area around the neck of the bladder allowing it to resist increases in abdominal pressure which can push down on the bladder and cause leakage.
Peyronie's disease, a condition of uncertain cause, is characterized by a plaque, or hard lump, that forms on the penis. The plaque develops on the upper or lower side of the penis in layers containing erectile tissue. It begins as a localized inflammation and can develop into a hardened scar.
The process usually starts with a thorough physical examination to assess the patient's overall health and gather as much information as possible about his or her symptoms. A medical history check also will be performed to determine if any known risk factors associated with RCC are present.
The natural course of renal cell cancer is more unpredictable than that of most tumors. It is the second most common tumor to undergo spontaneous regression following removal of the primary lesion; this occurs about 0.5% of the time.
Post-prostatectomy incontinence may take the form of stress and/or urge incontinence. Factors such as sphincter muscle injury, bladder instability and bladder outlet obstruction may be involved in the mechanisms of post-prostatectomy incontinence.
Preoperative Radiation Therapy is another strategy that has been used for bladder cancer treatment. The theory is that radiation exposure will "sterilize" tumor outgrowths, regional lymph node metastases, and any tumor cells that are spread during the process of cystectomy (bladder removal). Radiation therapy also is used to shrink the tumor before surgery. Preoperative radiation sometimes is given in a short-course schedule of 2,000 CGy over a 1-week period. But survival results from clinical studies have been conflicting. In addition, preoperative radiation may cause a significant delay in the performance of cystectomy. Therefore, there is a tendency for American physicians to omit radiotherapy prior to cystectomy in patients with invasive bladder cancer. Exceptions to this include patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or bilharzial bladder cancer.
Pressure-flow is one of the most important and difficult urodynamic studies to perform and interpret. Yet pressure-flow measurement is essential for the proper understanding of altered mechanisms in urinary incontinence. In particular, pressure-flow study can help to define problems such as bladder outlet obstruction (blockage), which is a major factor in the treatment of men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (noncancerous overgrowth of the prostate) and in the pre-operative assessment of women who are considering surgery for incontinence. To conduct the test, the patient is catherized with a pressure sensor and the bladder is
filled. When the patient feels a strong desire to urinate, he or she is asked to void around the catheter into the uroflowmeter (combining a uroflow with a cystometrogram). Soon afterward, technicians measure the amount of urine remaining in the patient's bladder. The patient may undergo placement of a rectal catheter (a tube-like instrument positioned in the anus, the opening of the large intestine). The pressure-flow recording is made when the patient feels the urge to urinate. As previously noted, the analysis of a patient's pressure flow results can help to diagnose bladder outlet obstruction. Pressure flow study plays an important role in the evaluation of male patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).
Pressure flow study in women is not as clear-cut as in men, because women tend to void in a different manner and at different pressures. Moreover, women may respond to obstruction by reducing their urine flow, rather than by raising detrusor (bladder muscle) pressure. Therefore, some experts recommend pressure flow studies in female LUTS patients only after prior incontinence therapy or surgical repair of the urinary tract.
Although bladder spasm is not an FDA-approved indication for this drug, propantheline has been widely prescribed over the years for the treatment of urge incontinence (typical dosage: 7.5-30 to be taken without food 3 to 5 times/day). It is a classic anticholinergic medication that stops muscle contractions in the normal bladder. Some of the unwanted side effects of propantheline include dry mouth, visual blurring, nausea, constipation, tachycardia (fast heartbeat), drowsiness and confusion. Propantheline is specifically contraindicated (improper) for patients with obstructive urinary tract disorders and for those with narrow-angle glaucoma (eye disease characterized by high pressure within the eye).
Prostadynia, also known as prostatodynia or PD, technically is not a true form of prostatitis. It is included among these disorders of the prostate because its symptoms and their treatment are similar to those of nonbacterial prostatitis (NBP).
Any of various oxygenated unsaturated cyclic fatty acids of animals that have a variety of hormone like actions (as in controlling blood pressure or smooth muscle contraction).
Once the physician has diagnosed a likely cancerous prostate condition by means of a digital rectal exam or a PSA test, he or she may want to perform other tests to determine the type of cancer, its location, and stage of development. Prostate biopsies is done with a needle similar in size to those used to draw blood or administer injections. A sample of tissue from the suspected cancer site is extracted and analyzed by a pathologist (a physician who is a specialist in diseases) to confirm the presence of cancer and to determine its type. A patient undergoing a prostate biopsy is advised to abstain from alcohol, aspirin, or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs for one week before the procedure. He also is required to have a Fleet enema and to take an oral antibiotic (usually ciprofloxacin) for 1 day before and 2 days after the biopsy. The biopsy is performed with the patient lying on his side. A biopsy needle may be inserted through the perineum into the tumor, or a probe, guided by a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) device, may be inserted into the rectum, and a needle projected into the tumor through a port in the tip of the probe. A cell sample is then extracted into a syringe and taken for analysis by the pathologist. Samples may be taken from several parts of the tumor. While the biopsy is a valuable conventional procedure, it also carries risks. It may produce bleeding that is difficult to control, or it may cause infection from rectal bacteria. Additionally, doctors and researchers have noted that biopsy of a cancerous tumor can cause spreading or "seeding" of cancer cells along the path or track made by the biopsy needle. This could cause cancer that had been confined solely to the prostate capsule to spread into surrounding tissues, making a serious health concern even more problematical. While cancer seeding from biopsy is uncommon, patients and physicians should be aware of these potential risks, have a clear understanding of what information they want to obtain from a biopsy, and what action will be taken based upon that information.
If the physician suspects the presence of a tumor on the prostate, he or she will likely perform an additional blood screening test called the prostate specific antigen, or PSA test. This procedure can provide information about how much cancer is present and whether it has spread. Prostate specific antigen is a substance produced only by the cells of the prostate capsule (membrane covering the prostate) and periurethral glands. The test measures the amount of PSA present in the blood. An elevated or rising PSA level can indicate the existence of prostate cancer. PSA is measured in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) of blood. A PSA of 4 ng/ml or lower is normal and
a PSA above 10 ng/ml suggests the presence of cancer; the range 4-10 ng/ml is a gray area, and readings in this range are considered inconclusive. Additionally, PSA levels are also related in part to the size of the prostate, and patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or a prostate inflamed by prostatitis also produce elevated levels of PSA. For these reasons, scientists have modified the PSA testing process by developing several new PSA-based refinements: Free/Total PSA (also known as PSA II) -- PSA in the blood may be bound molecularly to a variety of serum proteins, or it may exist in a free or unbound state. Total PSA is the sum of all existing forms; Free PSA constitutes the unbound PSA only. Studies suggest
that malignant prostate cells produce less Free PSA. Therefore, a low proportion of Free PSA in relation to Total PSA might indicate a cancerous prostate, and a high proportion of Free PSA might suggest a normal prostate or a condition reflecting BPH or prostatitis. Age-specific PSA -- Evidence suggests PSA levels increase with age. Researchers have defined typical age-associated values for PSA norms. A PSA of up to 2.5 ng/ml for men age 40-49 would be considered normal, as would those up to 3.5 ng/ml for men 50-59, 4.5 ng/ml for men 60-60, and 6.5 for men 70 and older. Lower PSA levels in older men might indicate the presence of cancer that does not need to be treated aggressively, whereas higher levels in younger men
might warrant aggressive treatment. PSA Velocity (PSAV) -- Researchers have studied the rate of change in PSA over time in men whose medical outcomes were known. This rate of change in PSA is known as PSA velocity (PSAV). A rate of change in PSA velocity of 0.75 ng/ml/yr or higher has been conclusively linked to clinically significant prostate cancer. Therefore, a man with a PSA in the gray area of 4-10 ng/ml, and who is found to have a PSAV of 0.75 ng/ml/yr, may have a cancerous prostate condition.
A muscular, walnut-sized gland that surrounds part of the urethra. It secretes seminal fluid, a milky substance that combines with sperm (produced in the testicles) to form semen.
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(National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse) 
(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player
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Adenocarcinoma of the prostate is the clinical term for
cancer that begins as a tumor on the outside of the prostate gland. As it grows, it may
spread to the inner part of the prostate. If identified early enough in its development
and treated before the malignancy spreads too far into the gland or out into surrounding
tissues, lymph nodes or bones, it can be treated successfully with a variety of medical
procedures. If not, the cancer cells will spread through the bloodstream, infecting other
parts of the body, and the disease will claim the person as one of its estimated 40,000
annual victims.
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Biothermy For Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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Living Longer With Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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Soy For Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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Keep Away Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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Predicting Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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Prostate Problem Vaporized http://www.healthscout.com |
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Alternative To Vasectomy http://www.healthscout.com |
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New Male Contraception http://www.healthscout.com |
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Prostate Cancer Prevention http://www.healthscout.com |
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Better Prostate Cancer Test http://www.healthscout.com |
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Prostate Cancer Protection http://www.healthscout.com |
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Fertility Test For Men http://www.healthscout.com |
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Prostate Cancer Vaccine http://www.healthscout.com |
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Vitamin D For Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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Ultrasound For Prostate Cancer http://www.healthscout.com |
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