INTRODUCTION: Transrectal biopsy in suspected adenocarcinoma of the prostate (ACP) may cause significant morbidity and even mortality. A strong association between serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and tumour burden exists. If biopsy can be avoided in advanced disease, much morbidity and cost may be saved. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability of using PSA and clinical features to establish a non-histological diagnosis of ACP. METHODS: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was used in 825 (56.2%) of 1 467 men with ACP. The diagnosis of ACP was made histologically in 607 patients (73.6%) and clinically alone in 218 (26.4%), based on a serum PSA level of >60 ng/ml, and/or clinical evidence of a T3 - T4 tumour on digital rectal examination, and/or imaging evidence of metastases. We compared two randomly selected groups treated with bilateral orchidectomy (BO) based on a clinical-only (n=90) v. histological (n=96) diagnosis of ACP. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to mean follow-up (26.1 v. 26.8 months), documented PSA relapse (70% v. 67.7%), and patients alive at last follow-up (91.1% v. 95.8%). ZAR1 068 200 (US$1 = ZAR8) was saved by treating men with advanced ACP on the basis of a clinical (non-histological) diagnosis only, and a total of ZAR24 321 000 was saved by using BO instead of luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonists as ADT. CONCLUSION: A reliable clinical (non-histological) diagnosis of advanced ACP can be made based on serum PSA and clinical features. This avoids the discomfort and potentially serious complications of biopsy and saves cost.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of prostatitis on histopathological evaluation of prostatic tissue in men without urinary retention. DESIGN, SETTING AND SUBJECTS: The clinical data and histopathology reports of men seen from January 1999 through March 2009 at our institution were analysed using Student's t-test, the Mann-Whitney test and Fisher's exact test where appropriate. Values were expressed as means, medians and ranges (p<0.05 accepted as statistically significant). OUTCOME MEASURES: Data collected included patient age, duration of lower urinary tract symptoms and hospitalisation, findings on digital rectal examination, prostate volume, haemoglobin concentration, serum creatinine and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and histological findings. RESULTS: Prostatic tissue of 385 men without urinary retention at presentation was obtained via biopsy (48.3% of cases), transurethral prostatectomy (62.9%), retropubic prostatectomy (6.8%) or radical prostatectomy (28.3%). On histological examination, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) was found to be present in 213 patients (55.3%) and adenocarcinoma of the prostate (ACP) in 172 (44.7%). Histological prostatitis was present in 130 patients (61.0%) with BPH and 51 (29.7%) with ACP (p<0.001). A previous study of 405 men presenting with urinary retention at our institution showed histological prostatitis in 98/204 (48.0%) with BPH and in 51/201 (25.4%) with ACP. The group of men with BPH alone had a significantly lower mean serum PSA at presentation (4.5 ng/ml, range 0.3 - 20.8 ng/ml) compared with the group with BPH and prostatitis (11.2 ng/ml, range 0.2 - 145 ng/ml, p=0.011). The mean PSA level at presentation did not differ significantly between the group with ACP only (40.9 ng/ml, range 0 - 255 ng/ml) and the group with ACP plus prostatitis (1 672 ng/ml, range 0.3 - 38 169 ng/ml, p=0.076). CONCLUSIONS: Among men presenting without urinary retention, histological prostatitis was significantly more prevalent in those with BPH than in those with ACP (61% v. 30%), similar to the previous study of men presenting with retention at our institution, in which histological prostatitis was significantly more prevalent in BPH than in ACP (48% v. 25%). This finding suggests that histological prostatitis is not significantly associated with the causation of ACP or urinary retention. Serum PSA at presentation was significantly higher in the group with BPH plus prostatitis compared with BPH alone, but not in the group with ACP plus prostatitis compared with ACP alone.

PURPOSE: To design a simple, cost-effective system for gaining rapid and accurate calyceal access during percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The design consists of a low-cost, light-weight, portable mechanical gantry with a needle guiding device. Using C-arm fluoroscopy, two images of the contrast-filled renal collecting system are obtained: at 0-degrees (perpendicular to the kidney) and 20-degrees. These images are relayed to a laptop computer containing the software and graphic user interface for selecting the targeted calyx. The software provides numerical settings for the 3 axes of the gantry, which are used to position the needle guiding device. The needle is advanced through the guide to the depth calculated by the software, thus puncturing the targeted calyx. Testing of the system was performed on 2 target types: 1) radiolucent plastic tubes the approximate size of a renal calyx (5 or 10 mm in diameter, 30 mm in length); and 2) foam-occluded, contrast-filled porcine kidneys. RESULTS: Tests using target type 1 with 10 mm diameter (n = 14) and 5 mm diameter (n = 7) tubes resulted in a 100% targeting success rate, with a mean procedure duration of 10 minutes. Tests using target type 2 (n = 2) were both successful, with accurate puncturing of the selected renal calyx, and a mean procedure duration of 15 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanical gantry system described in this paper is low-cost, portable, light-weight, and simple to set up and operate. C-arm fluoroscopy is limited to two images, thus reducing radiation exposure significantly. Testing of the system showed an extremely high degree of accuracy in gaining precise access to a targeted renal calyx.