PurposeObstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal anomaly (OHVIRA) syndrome is a rare syndrome characterized by Müllerian duct and renal anomalies. It is usually regarded as a disease of adolescence; however, due to a number of possible problems, the management of patients before puberty should not be overlooked. We assessed the clinical course of prepubertal patients to propose appropriate management.Materials and MethodsWe retrospectively assessed 43 prepubertal OHVIRA syndrome patients who were diagnosed and followed up at our institution from July 2004 to June 2015. We reviewed medical records, focusing on presentation, radiologic findings, surgical management, and the overall clinical course.ResultsMedian age at diagnosis was 1.3 months and median follow-up period was 25.5 months. The most common accompanying ipsilateral urologic anomalies were ectopic ureter and ureterocele, while the most common contralateral anomaly was vesicoureteral reflux. During the follow-up period, six patients (14.0%) required surgery at a median age of 31.2 months due to recurrent urinary tract infection, uncontrolled vaginal distention compressing adjacent organs, urinary incontinence, or intractable abdominal pain.ConclusionsWhile OHVIRA syndrome is known as a postpubertal disease, about 13% of prepubertal patients in our study required surgery. When ectopic ureter insertion into the vagina is present, further treatment may be needed to address the complications caused by continuous urine production. Patients should be monitored for complications arising from either obstructed hemivagina or renal anomalies with regular follow-up, especially before the age of five years.
Gene silencing via RNA interference inadvertently represses hundreds of off-target transcripts. Because small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can function as microRNAs, avoiding miRNA-like off-target repression is a major challenge. Functional miRNA–target interactions are known to pre-require transitional nucleation, base pairs from position 2 to the pivot (position 6). Here, by substituting nucleotide in pivot with abasic spacers, which prevent base pairing and alleviate steric hindrance, we eliminate miRNA-like off-target repression while preserving on-target activity at ∼80–100%. Specifically, miR-124 containing dSpacer pivot substitution (6pi) loses seed-mediated transcriptome-wide target interactions, repression activity and biological function, whereas other conventional modifications are ineffective. Application of 6pi allows PCSK9 siRNA to efficiently lower plasma cholesterol concentration in vivo, and abolish potentially deleterious off-target phenotypes. The smallest spacer, C3, also shows the same improvement in target specificity. Abasic pivot substitution serves as a general means to harness the specificity of siRNA experiments and therapeutic applications.
The bladder is involved in less than 4% of inguinal hernias. Inguinoscrotal bladder hernias are difficult to diagnose, and less than 7% are diagnosed preoperatively. Inguinoscrotal bladder hernias are usually asymptomatic. However, they can result in significant complications, such as bladder necrosis or acute renal failure. Accurate diagnosis is crucial to avoid bladder injury during surgery and other complications. Here we report the case of a 64-year-old man who presented with a scrotal mass. Ultrasonography of the scrotal mass showed a nonspecific cystic mass. During surgery, the mass was revealed to be a herniated bladder.
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved dextranomer/hyaluronic acid copolymer (Deflux) for the treatment of vesicoureteral reflux, endoscopic injection therapy using Deflux has become a popular alternative to open surgery and continuous antibiotic prophylaxis. Endoscopic correction with Deflux is minimally invasive, well tolerated, and provides cure rates approaching those of open surgery (i.e., approximately 80% in several studies). However, in recent years a less stringent approach to evaluating urinary tract infections (UTIs) and concerns about long-term efficacy and complications associated with endoscopic injection have limited the use of this therapy. In addition, there is little evidence supporting the efficacy of endoscopic injection therapy in preventing UTIs and vesicoureteral reflux-related renal scarring. In this report, we reviewed the current literature regarding endoscopic injection therapy and provided an updated overview of this topic.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.