Background: In this study, we report 1-year follow-up clinical results of prostate artery embolization (PAE) in patients with glandular hematuria or acute urinary retention caused by a large prostate (over 100 mL). Methods: Twenty-one consecutive patients undergoing PAE from March 2018 to July 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Clinical follow-up was conducted for all patients 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. The outcome measures included the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), peak urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual (PVR), prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen, and complications. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Twenty-one patients with severe benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with acute urinary retention or prostatic hematuria were enrolled in this study. Technical success rate was 90.5% (19/21), and unilateral PAE was done in 2/21 (9.5%) patients by pelvic vascular obliteration. In all patients, the mean IPSS, QoL score, Qmax, and PVR were significantly improved at 12 months post-PAE. The mean IPSS decreased from 26.1 to 12.1 points (p<0.05), mean QoL score decreased from 4.6 to 2.9 points (p<0.05), mean Qmax increased from 2.1 to 9.4 mL/s (p<0.05), and mean PVR decreased from 300.0 to 70.7 mL (p<0.05). The catheter was successfully removed from 19/21 patients and clinical success rate was 90.5%. Conclusions PAE was an effective and safe treatment option for patients with BPH and very large prostates (>100 mL) and urinary retention or gross hematuria associated with BPH in men unfit for surgery.

Background: The principle of treatment for a vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) tract is complete removal of the fistula tract and surrounding scar tissue, followed by anastomosis without tension from surrounding healthy tissue. We present our novel two-step procedure for VVF repair. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 12 women, aged 14 to 67 years, who were treated between 2011 and December 2018. Conservative treatments failed, as these patients had complex VVFs. This technique consisted of two steps: first, transurethral resection of the fistula tract and surrounding scar tissue; second, transvaginal repair of the bladder mucosa, bladder muscle, and vaginal mucosa with tensionless anastomosis. If an interposition flap was needed, we used a Martius flap. Results: The mean operation time was 186.3 minutes (range, 145–320 minutes), and the mean urethral catheter indwelling time was 10 days. Ten patients successfully underwent surgery through a transvaginal approach with no intraoperative or postoperative complications. However, one patient developed peritoneal perforation during transurethral resection of the fistula due to severe granulation tissue formation around the fistula, which prompted conversion to an abdominal approach. In two cases, we used a Martius flap because of the poor tissue condition due to previous radiation therapy and an inflammatory reaction. At a mean follow-up of 37 months (range, 16–51 months), no recurrence of VVF was observed in any patients. Conclusions This novel technique for transurethral VVF tract resection followed by transvaginal fistula repair was very safe and effective technique, and this straightforward technique is expected to reduce surgeons’ burden.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify an adequate chest compression site with measurement of the sternal length of young Korean adults. METHODS: We measured the distance from the suprasternal notch to the lower end of the sternum by palpation and width of heel above the carpal bone end 1 cm (H1), 2 cm (H2) in young Korean adults. We also measured weight, height, and BMI of participants. We then compared correlation of each collected variant to sternal length and heel length. RESULTS: A total of 200 young adults (100 men, 100 women) were enrolled. In measurement of the mean sternal length (SL), no difference was observed between men (19.9 cm) and women (19.6 cm) (p<0.05). However, height, weight, and BMI showed positive correlation with SL (R2 value, BMI=6.7, height=9.2, weight=10.4). After participants were divided into four groups based on gender and mean height, we calculated mean H2 and SL/2 of each group. The mean H2 and SL/2 of the group composed of men above mean height was 8.5 cm and 10.2 cm. The same value for the group of men below mean height was 8.5 cm and 9.7 cm. The mean H2 and SL/2 of the group composed of women above mean height was 7.5 cm and 10.1 cm. The same values for the group of women below mean height were 7.3 cm and 9.6 cm. The mean SL/2 was always higher than the mean H2 in different height groups. CONCLUSION: Compression just above the lower end of the sternum by heel on the hand is appropriate in men. In contrast, when performing chest compression in women, chest compression at the level of the sternum away from the width of the index finger of the sternal end is recommended.
Adult* ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Carpal Bones ; Female ; Fingers ; Hand ; Heel ; Humans ; Male ; Palpation ; Sternum ; Thorax* ; Young Adult

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the short-term outcomes and safety profiles of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT)+abiraterone/prednisone with those of ADT+docetaxel in patients with de novo metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Materials and Methods: A web-based database system was established to collect prospective cohort data for patients with mHSPC in Korea. From May 2019 to November 2022, 928 patients with mHSPC from 15 institutions were enrolled. Among these patients, data from 122 patients who received ADT+abiraterone/prednisone or ADT+docetaxel as the primary systemic treatment for mHSPC were collected. The patients were divided into two groups: ADT+abiraterone/prednisone group (n=102) and ADT+docetaxel group (n=20). We compared the demographic characteristics, medical histories, baseline cancer status, initial laboratory tests, metastatic burden, oncological outcomes for mHSPC, progression after mHSPC treatment, adverse effects, follow-up, and survival data between the two groups. Results: No significant differences in the demographic characteristics, medical histories, metastatic burden, and baseline cancer status were observed between the two groups. The ADT+abiraterone/prednisone group had a lower prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression rate (7.8% vs. 30.0%; p=0.011) and lower systemic treatment discontinuation rate (22.5% vs. 45.0%; p=0.037). No significant differences in adverse effects, oncological outcomes, and total follow-up period were observed between the two groups. Conclusions ADT+abiraterone/prednisone had lower PSA progression and systemic treatment discontinuation rates than ADT+docetaxel. In conclusion, further studies involving larger, double-blinded randomized trials with extended follow-up periods are necessary.