Abbreviations & Acronyms BCR = biochemical recurrences BMI = body mass index IH = inguinal hernia LRP = laparoscopic radical prostatectomy MRI = magnetic resonance imaging NS = not significant PPV = patent processus vaginalis PSA = prostate-specific antigen PV = prostate volume RALP = robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy RP = radical prostatectomy RRP = retropubic radical prostatectomy Objective: To evaluate the risk for postoperative inguinal hernia according to the presence of patent processus vaginalis in an adult population. Methods: Medical records of 205 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from May 2007 to November 2011 were reviewed. Age, prostate-specific antigen, prostate volume, body mass index, operative time and history of previous abdominal surgery were evaluated. The existence of patent processus vaginalis was also evaluated for the development of postoperative inguinal hernia. Results: Postoperative inguinal hernia occurred in 20 out of 410 (4.9%) groins (17/205 patients; 8.3%), and patent processus vaginalis was observed in 49 out of 410 (11.9%) groins. In the normal groin group, inguinal hernia occurred in seven out of 361 (1.9%) groins. However, in the patent processus vaginalis group, it occurred in 13 out of 49 (26.5%) groins. On univariate analysis using Cox proportional hazards model, age, body mass index, history of previous abdominal surgery and patent processus vaginalis were significant risk factors. Among them, patent processus vaginalis significantly increased the risk of postoperative inguinal hernia in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio 22.37). In the patent processus vaginalis group, inguinal hernia developed at 12.9 Ϯ 9.2 months after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy and 15 Ϯ 7.4 months in the normal groin group. Inguinal hernia-free ratios were significantly lower in the patent processus vaginalis group than the normal groin group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The existence of patent processus vaginalis represents an important risk factor for postoperative inguinal hernia in adults. Urologists should consider the possibility of postoperative inguinal hernia when patent processus vaginalis is observed during surgery.

PurposeWe analyzed changes to the trends of prostate cancer management and patient characteristics at a single institute during 5 years due to the significant increase of the prostate cancer incidence and the robotic equipment in Korea.Materials and MethodsProstate cancer patient data from a single institute recorded from 2006 to 2010 were analyzed. Cancer stage, initial treatment modalities, and the pattern of outpatient clinical management were reviewed.ResultsBetween 2006 and 2010, 386 prostate cancers were newly diagnosed at the institute. The proportion of localized and locally advanced cancer cases increased from 67% in 2006 to 79% in 2010 respectively. Among the treatment choices during follow-up in the out-patients clinic, the proportion of radical prostatectomies increased from 43% in 2006 to 62% in 2010. In contrast, the proportion of hormone therapies decreased from 58% to 37%. For initial treatment choice, radical prostatectomy was chosen for 59% of the patients who were newly diagnosed with cancer during the study period. However, hormone therapy alone was administrated as a primary therapy to 26%. Analysis of the radical prostatectomy subgroup showed that a robot-assisted technique was used in 83% of the patients, and the remaining 17% underwent an open radical prostatectomy.ConclusionAs the prostate cancer incidence increased in Korea, the proportion of localized and locally advanced cancer also increased. In addition, the main treatment modality changed from non-surgical treatment to radical prostatectomy.

Purpose To examine an association between the overactive bladder symptom score (OABSS) and neuropsychological parameters. Moreover, we investigate the factors that affect each item in the questionnaire.Materials and Methods A total of 376 patients (males: 184; females: 192) with probable Alzheimer’s disease (AD) were recruited. Cognitive testing was conducted using the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, Global Deterioration Scale (GDS), and Barthel Activities of Daily Living (ADL). Lower urinary tract symptom (LUTS) was assessed using OABSS and voiding diary.Results The prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) (defined as OABSS ≥3 with an urgency score of ≥2) in patients with AD was 72.6%. Among the OAB subjects, the most common severity of symptom was moderate (72.6%), followed by mild (21.2%), and severe (5.8%). It was found that OABSS had a very high correlation with aging (r=0.75; p<0.001). When compared with neuropsychological parameters, it was found that OABSS was highly correlated with the CDR scores (r=0.446; p<0.001). However, no significant correlation was found between the changes in OABSS scores and those in other neuropsychological parameters. Based on the individual symptom scores, urgency incontinence was highly correlated with the CDR scores (r=0.43; p<0.001).Conclusions OABSS is a useful tool in assessing AD patients with LUTS. There was a consistent positive association between OABSS severity, including urgency incontinence, and CDR scores.

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Lower urinary tract dysfunction-such as urinary incontinence (UI), detrusor overactivity, and benign prostatic hyperplasia-is prevalent in elderly persons. These conditions can interfere with daily life and normal functioning and lead to negative effects on health-related quality of life. UI is one of the most common urologic conditions but is poorly understood elderly persons. The overall prevalence of UI increases with age in both men and women. Elderly persons often neglect UI or dismiss it as part of the normal aging process. However, UI can have significant negative effects on self-esteem and has been associated with increased rates of depression. UI also affects quality of life and activities of daily living. Although UI is more common in elderly than in younger persons, it should not be considered a normal part of aging. UI is abnormal at any age. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the cause, classification, evaluation, and management of geriatric lower urinary tract dysfunction.

PurposeTo access the predictive value of the European Randomized Screening of Prostate Cancer Risk Calculator (ERSPC-RC) and the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial Risk Calculator (PCPT-RC) in the Korean population.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the data of 517 men who underwent transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy between January 2008 and November 2010. Simple and multiple logistic regression analysis were performed to compare the result of prostate biopsy. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC-ROC) and calibration plots were prepared for further analysis to compare the risk calculators and other clinical variables.ResultsProstate cancer was diagnosed in 125 (24.1%) men. For prostate cancer prediction, the area under curve (AUC) of the ERSPC-RC was 77.4%. This result was significantly greater than the AUCs of the PCPT-RC and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (64.5% and 64.1%, respectively, p<0.01), but not significantly different from the AUC of the PSA density (PSAD) (76.1%, p=0.540). When the results of the calibration plots were compared, the ERSPC-RC plot was more constant than that of PSAD.ConclusionThe ERSPC-RC was better than PCPT-RC and PSA in predicting prostate cancer risk in the present study. However, the difference in performance between the ERSPC-RC and PSAD was not significant. Therefore, the Western based prostate cancer risk calculators are not useful for urologists in predicting prostate cancer in the Korean population.

PurposeTo report our technique for and experience with robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystectomy (RARC) with orthotopic neobladder (ON) formation in a cohort of bladder cancer patients.Materials and MethodsBetween December 2007 and December 2011, a total of 35 patients underwent RARC. The patients' mean age was 63.3 years and their mean body mass index was 23.7 kg/m2. Thirty patients had a clinical stage of T2 or higher. Postoperative mean follow-up duration was 25.5 months. In 5 patients, a 4-cm midline infraumbilical skin incision was made for an ileal conduit (IC) and the stoma formation was similar to the open procedure. In 30 patients undergoing the ON procedure, the skin for specimen removal and extracorporeal enterocystoplasty was incised infraumbilically in the early 5 cases with redocking (ON-I) and suprapubically in the latter 25 cases without redocking (ON-S).ResultsThe mean operative times of the IC, ON-I, and ON-S groups were 442.5, 646.0, and 531.3 minutes, respectively (p=0.001). Mean console and lymph node dissection time were not significantly different between the groups. Mean urinary diversion times in each group were 68.8, 125.0, and 118.8 minutes, respectively (p=0.001). In the comparison between the ON-I and ON-S group, only operative time was significant. Four patients required a blood transfusion. We had no cases of intraabdominal organ injury or open conversion. Thiry-three patients (94.2%) had a pathologic stage of T2 or higher. Two patients (5.7%) had lymph node-positive disease. Postoperative complications included ileus (n=4), stricture in the uretero-ileal junction (n=2), and vesicovaginal fistula (n=1).ConclusionsOur robotic neobladder-suprapubic incision without redocking procedure is easier and more rapid than that of infraumbilical incision with redocking.

Our experience suggests that transvaginal ureterectomy after laparoscopic ureteroureterostomy is a minimally invasive modality that may be a technically feasible and effective option for patients who have CDU with refluxing ectopic ureters.