Purpose: The authors assess the morbidity, functional results and oncologic follow-up of a series of laparoscopic radical prostatectomies performed in over a 10-year period. Material and Methods: The data on 780 laparoscopic radical prostatectomies performed between September 1997 and December 2007 were stored in a personal database. The following parameters are described and critically analyzed: operative time, blood transfusions, conversions, length of hospital stay, complications, functional results of sexual potency and urinary continence, surgical margins and oncologic follow-up. Results: Operative time averaged 125 minutes, with a mean bleeding volume of 335 mL and mean hospital stay of 4.3 days. The rate of conversion to open surgery was 1.36% and the overall complication rate was 14.24%. The pathology analysis showed pT2 tumors in 82.60% and pT3 tumors in 17.39% of cases. The overall positive margin rate was 19.58%, with a biochemical recurrence of 10.27% at a mean follow-up of 62.5 months. Urinary continence and sexual potency yielded rates of 88% and 61%, respectively, 12 months after surgery. Conclusions: Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is a technically well-defined procedure that provides good oncologic and functional results after proper training.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, we have gathered the second largest series yet published on laparoscopic radical cystectomy in order to evaluate the incidence and cause of intra and postoperative complication, conversion to open surgery, and patient mortality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1997 to 2005, 59 laparoscopic radical cystectomies were performed for the management of bladder cancer at 3 institutions in South America. Twenty nine patients received continent urinary diversion, including 25 orthotopic ileal neobladders and 4 Indiana pouches. Only one case of continent urinary diversion was performed completely intracorporeally. RESULTS: Mean operative time was 337 minutes (150-600). Estimated intraoperative blood loss was 488 mL (50-1500) and 12 patients (20%) required blood transfusion. All 7 (12%) intraoperative complications were vascular in nature, that is, 1 epigastric vessel injury, 2 injuries to the iliac vessels (1 artery and 1 vein), and 4 bleedings that occurred during the bladder pedicles control. Eighteen (30%) postoperative complications (not counting mortalities) occurred, including 3 urinary tract infections, 1 pneumonia, 1 wound infection, 5 ileus, 2 persistent chylous drainage, 3 urinary fistulas, and 3 (5%) postoperative complications that required surgical intervention (2 hernias - one in the port site and one in the extraction incision, and 1 bowel obstruction). One case (1.7%) was electively converted to open surgery due to a larger tumor that precluded proper posterior dissection. Two mortalities (3.3%) occurred in this series, one early mortality due to uncontrolled upper gastrointestinal bleeding and one late mortality following massive pulmonary embolism. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radical cystectomy is a safe operation with morbidity and mortality rates comparable to the open surgery.

PROPOSAL: The authors present their initial experience with a selected group of patients who underwent laparoscopic partial cystectomy for treating bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the period from June 1997 to April 2000, 6 patients, aged between 38 and 76 years, having transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, were identified as candidates to partial cystectomy. The procedure employed consisted in laparoscopic partial cystectomy and lymphadenectomy with exclusive intracorporeal suture technique. RESULTS: The proposed procedure was completed in all cases. Mean surgical time was 205 minutes and mean blood loss was 200 mL. There were no significant complications during both intra- and post-operative period. Two patients (33%) presented urinary extravasation of less than 50 mL, with spontaneous resolution. Mean hospitalization period was 4 days (2 to 6). The histological analysis of the resected specimens revealed transitional cell carcinoma, stage pT1G3 in case 1, pT2aG2 in cases 2 to 4, pT2bG2 in case 5 and pT3aG3 in case 6. The resection margins, as well as lymph nodes, were free of neoplasia. One patient developed local and metastatic disease, and was treated with salvage chemotherapy. No other case of local or systemic recurrence was observed with a mean follow-up of 30 months. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic partial cystectomy can be an alternative surgical method for treating selected cases of patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

INTRODUCTION: We present the case of a patient with urethral metastasis of a lung carcinoma with germinative cell features. CASE REPORT: A White, 57-year old man underwent urologic assessment due to gross hematuria. Patient was being treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy during the past 3 months due to primary carcinoma of the lung with brain metastasis. Urethrocistoscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging revealed a stenosing mass invading the bulbomembranous urethra. No other tumor was found. Biopsy specimens, obtained from the lung, brain and urethra tumors, revealed the same neoplasia, with definitive diagnosis being undifferentiated giant cell carcinoma of the lung with germinative features. Considering his clinical condition and poor prognosis, a decision was made to treat the patient only clinically. Clinical conditions deteriorated and the patient evolved to death within 3 months. COMMENTS: As far as we were able to access, urethral metastasis from lung carcinoma had never been described in the indexed literature. Due to the extremely limited experience with these tumors, there is not a defined treatment and the prognosis remains quite poor.