Congenital renal arteriovenous malformations are very rare benign lesions. They are more common in women and rarely manifest in elderly people. In some cases, they present with massive hematuria. Contemporary treatment consists of transcatheter selective arterial embolization which leads to resolution of the hematuria while preserving renal parenchyma. Despite the emergence of the minimally invasive procedures, open surgery in the form of partial nephrectomy or nephrectomy remain viable options. This paper aimed to report a rare case of congenital renal arteriovenous malformation, its clinical manifestations and the surgical treatment chosen.

Human ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Arteriovenous Malformations- General Surgery, treatment, management ; Vascular Malformations ; Cardiovascular Abnormalities ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Nephrectomy ; Urologic Surgical Procedures ; Surgical Procedures, Operative ; congenital ; Hematuria ; Recurrence

Objectives: Possible sources of drugs need to undergo stringent testing before any clinical trials are undertaken. Vital to this is the testing of these drugs on animals. The need for a homogeneous animal xenotype to humans is not only necessary to understand biologic genetic factors that influence the phenotypic characteristics of the disease process but also serves as a basis for developing rational interventional strategies. This research aims to explore the BLCA-4 gene sequence of MNU induced urinary bladder cancer in rats and urinary bladder cancer in humans. Materials and Methods: Transitional cell carcinoma was induced in 3 male, age matched Wistar rats through intravesical instillation of 0.2 ml of N-Methyl-N-nitrosourea and were sacrificed after 21 days. The urinary bladders of the rats were collected. Portions were sent for histopathologic studies by a veterinarian pathologist and the mucosa was scraped from the remaining tissues for further testing. Samples of 1.0 cm x 1.0 cm of human bladder tissue were also collected during the process of transurethral resection of bladder tumor with its mucosa scraped off for further testing. The genomic DNA from the colected urinary bladder mucosa were isolated using the WizardÃ
Bladder Carcinoma ; Gene Sequence

Pheochromocytomas are tumors arising from chromaffin cells that synthesize, store, metabolize and usually secrete catecholamines. Majority arise from the adrenal glands but there are cases of extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma that develop in the paraganglionic chromaffin tissue of the sympathetic nervous system anywhere from the base of the brain to the urinary bladder. they are usually benign but 10 percent of cases may be malignant. Tumor exension to the renal vein or inferior vena cava is rare. We report a case of a pediatric patient with three years history of dizziness with associated headache, weakness, tremors, palpitations and hypertension with CT scan and MRI findings of a renal mass t/c renal cell carcinoma with renal vein and inferior vena cava thrombus. Final histopathologic examination revealed pheochromocytoma.

Pheochromocytoma ; Renal Cell Carcinoma ; Tumor Thrombus

OBJECTIVE: To determine the potassium and citrate content of the local citrus fruits: calamansi, dalandan and pomelo in comparison with potassium citrate tablets (Acalka*).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: One kg by weight of each fruit was sent to the University of Santo Tomas Herbarium for authentication. Samples were sent to the Industrial Technology Development Institute of D.O.S.T. for quantitative studies of potassium using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and citrate using high performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTS: Citric acid content percent weight by weight: calamansi 5.97; dalandan 1.63; pomelo 0.41. Potassium (K) content in mg/kg: calamansi 178; dalandan 509; pomelo 296. Each 1080 mg of Acalka* contains 390 mg of potassium and 690 mg of citrate.

CONCLUSION: The potassium and citrate content of potassium citrate tablets (Acalka*) are superior in comparison with the fruits analyzed. Fruits cannot be used as monotherapy but can be used as adjuncts with commercially prepared potassium citrate tablets in the medical management of stones.

Potassium Citrate ; Citrus Microcarpa Bunge ; Citrus Auratium ; Citrus Grandis Osbeck ; Urinary Stone

OBJECTIVE: To establish that the percentage of positive core biopsy for prostate cancer is correlated with transrectal ultrasound prostate volume, pathological stage and grade.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: We presented our experience with 47 patients (mean age 65.74 years) with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy. All patients underwent transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy of the prostate. Multiple cores ranging between 6 - 20 with a mean of 12 were taken and sent for histopathologic studies. Percentage of cores positive for prostate cancer was computed and correlated with the transrectal ultrasound volume of the prostate, pathologic tumor stage and Gleason score.

RESULTS: Correlation of prostate volume with the percentage of positive core biopsy using Pearson's correlation was insignificant having a p-value of 0.197 with the level of significance set at 0.05. Tumor stage and Gleason score were positively correlated with the percentage of positive biopsy core using the Spearman's correlation having p-values of 0.003 and 0.042, respectively, with the level of significance set at 0.05.

CONCLUSION: As the percentage of positive core biopsy increases, tumor stage and Gleason score also increase. Prostatic volume showed no correlation with the percentage of positive biopsy core.

Prostatectomy ; Biopsy ; Prostatic Neoplasms