ABSTRACT Purpose: Vesicorectal fistula is one of the most devastating postoperative complications after radical prostatectomy. Definitive treatment is difficult due to morbidity and recurrence. Despite many options, there is not an unanimous accepted approach. This article aimed to report a new minimally invasive approach as an option to reconstructive surgery. Materials and Methods: We report on Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS) with miniLap devices for instrumentation in a 65 year old patient presenting with vesicorectal fistula after radical prostatectomy. We used Alexis® device for transanal access and 3, 5 and 11 mm triangulated ports for the procedure. The surgical steps were as follows: cystoscopy and implant of guide wire through fistula; patient at jack-knife position; transanal access; Identification of the fistula; dissection; vesical wall closure; injection of fibrin glue in defect; rectal wall closure. Results: The operative time was 240 minutes, with 120 minutes for reconstruction. No perioperative complications or conversion were observed. Hospital stay was two days and catheters were removed at four weeks. No recurrence was observed. Conclusions: This approach has low morbidity and is feasible. The main difficulties consisted in maintaining luminal dilation, instrumental manipulation and suturing.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a relação entre os hábitos tabágicos e a evolução de pacientes com carcinoma urotelial de bexiga superficial. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo com 99 pacientes (67,0 ± 13,2 anos, variando de 31,4-93,4 anos, 72,7% homens e 27,3% mulheres) tratados de carcinoma urotelial de bexiga não-invasivo entre 1994 e 2000, com seguimento médio de 49,3 meses (4,0-177,9 meses). Os pacientes foram divididos em tabagistas e não-tabagistas, e os tabagistas foram subestratificados entre ex-tabagistas, interruptores precoces, interruptores tardios e tabagistas persistentes. O principal desfecho avaliado foi a progressão para doença invasiva. Resultados: O tabagismo foi mais comum entre os homens (p = 0,03), sendo que 62,6% do total de pacientes avaliados eram tabagistas. O diagnóstico do câncer ocorreu em uma idade mais precoce entre os tabagistas (70,8 versus 64,8 anos, p = 0,03). Observou-se uma progressão significativamente maior para doença invasiva entre os pacientes com carga tabágica acima de 60 maços/ano (52,9 versus 26,2%, p = 0,037). Estes pacientes tiveram um tempo de progressão de 59,3 versus 131,8 meses para aqueles com menor carga tabágica. Conclusões: Há associação direta entre a carga tabágica e progressão do carcinoma urotelial de bexiga para doença músculo-invasiva em um curto intervalo de tempo. Estudos prospectivos e com maior número de pacientes são necessários para entender como a interrupção do tabagismo afeta a progressão do carcinoma superficial de bexiga.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the association between smoking habits and outcome of patients with superficial bladder cancer. Methods: A retrospective study was performed evaluating 99 patients (67.0 ± 13.2 years, ranging from 31.4-93.4 years, 72.7% males and 27.3% females) treated at our institution with non muscle-invasive bladder cancer, between 1994 and 2000, with a mean follow-up of 49.3 months (range 4.0-177.9 months). Patients were divided according to smoking status, and the main measured outcome was progression to invasive disease. Additional cohort analysis was performed dividing patients according to previous tobacco exposure: smokers and non-smokers. Smokers were stratified into former smokers, early-quitters, late quitters and continued smokers. Results: Smoking habit was significantly more common in males (p = 0.03). Cancer also occurred at an earlier age among smokers (70.8 versus 64.8 years, p = 0.030). Tobacco consumption was present in 62.7% of the patients with bladder cancer. There was a significant higher progression rate to muscle-invasive disease in patients that had more than 60 pack-years of exposure (52.9 versus 26.2%, p = 0.037). These patients had a mean progression time of 59.3 months, whereas patients who had smoked less than 60 pack-years progressed after a mean time of 131.8 months. Conclusions: A direct association between the amount of tobacco consumed and disease progression is observed in patients with bladder cancer, as suggested by the present study. Tobacco consumption has a direct association with progression of superficial bladder cancer to invasive disease and also shortens the period of time for muscle invasion. Larger and prospective studies are still necessary to bring further definitive conclusions about reproducibility of our data and to better understand how smoking cessation affects progression of superficial bladder cancer.