Urology Clinic of Lake Charles, LA

Dr. Reed Fontenot, Jr.
Dr. Stacy McBroom
Dr. John Upshaw

News

July 18, 2008
Computerized Tomography Findings In Pediatric Renal Trauma - Indications For Early Intervention?
UroToday.com - The study out of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh evaluated CT scans for blunt renal trauma to see if they correlated with the need for operative intervention when urinary extravasation was present.

A total of 17 patients with grade IV blunt renal trauma and urinary extravasation were identified between 2000 and 2007. Each CT scan was reviewed to determine location, size and number of sites of extravasation, as well as the presence of contrast material in the ipsilateral ureter. These were then compared to the findings at the time of surgery - whether surgey included stent placement, percutaneous urinoma drainage, angiographic embolization and nephrectomy. Read entire article here.

July 15, 2008
Increased Risk Of Kidney Stone Disease Due To Global Warming, Predicts UT Southwestern Researchers
Global warming is likely to increase the proportion of the population affected by kidney stones by expanding the higher-risk region known as the "kidney-stone belt" into neighboring states, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and UT Dallas have found.

Dehydration is one of the risk factors linked to kidney-stone disease, and the paper suggests global warming will exacerbate this effect. The researchers predict that by 2050, higher temperatures will cause an additional 1.6 million to 2.2 million kidney-stone cases, representing up to a 30 percent growth in some areas. Read entire article here.

Information
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among men. In 2002 it is estimated that 30,200 men will die from prostate cancer and 189,000 men will be diagnosed (American Cancer Society Facts & Figures 2002). The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age with 75% of all prostate cancers being diagnosed in men over the age of 65.

Prostate Cancer Management
The critical focus for the treatment of prostate cancer is to treat those cancers where it is necessary, and not to treat those that do not need it.

Decisions about the best management of prostate cancer can be complex and depend upon the:

Pathology of the cancer (unlike other cancers, prostate cancer often progresses very slowly)
Stage of the disease (non-metastatic (localized or locally advanced), metastatic or hormone refractory)
Age and general health of the patients at diagnosis
The impact that treatment can have on quality of life, including sexual activity.
Patient's preference for treatment
PSA at diagnosis

Please visit the National Prostate Cancer Coalition for more information.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month
Vaccine-preventable disease levels are at or near record lows. However, we cannot take high immunization coverage levels for granted. To continue to protect America's children and adults, we must obtain maximum immunization coverage in all populations, establish effective partnerships, conduct reliable scientific research, implement immunization systems, and ensure vaccine safety.
Read more ....

Interstitial Cystitis

Overview

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder that causes frequent, urgent, and painful urination and pelvic discomfort. The natural lining of the bladder (epithelium) is protected from toxins in the urine by a layer of protein called glycoaminoglycan (GAG). In IC this protective layer has broken down, allowing toxins to irritate the bladder wall. The bladder then becomes inflamed and tender and does not store urine well.

Unlike common cystitis (inflammation of the bladder caused by bacterial infection), which is associated with urinary tract infections (UTI) and usually treated with antibiotics, no infectious agent has been found in IC. Though not curable, IC is treatable and most patients find some relief with treatment and lifestyle changes.

Incidence and Prevalence

According to the National Institutes of Health, IC affects about 700,000 people in the United States, 90% of which are women. The average age of onset is 40 years. Although only 25% of cases involve people under age 30, the number of children affected by IC may be greater than commonly believed. IC is often misdiagnosed, and sufferers may see several doctors over the course of years before a diagnosis is made. Increasing awareness of the disease is helping to speed diagnosis and treatment.

Causes and Risk Factors

IC is a poorly understood disease with unknown causes. Although no bacteria or viruses (pathogens) have been found in the urine of IC sufferers, an unidentified infectious agent may be the cause. Others believe that IC occurs with ischemia (tissue death) or a deficiency of GAG in the epithelium. It may be an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks healthy cells, perhaps following a bladder infection. Spasms of the pelvic floor muscles may also contribute to the IC symptoms. It is likely that several factors cause the condition.

Other conditions associated with IC include the following:

Asthma
Endometriosis
Food allergies
Hay fever (pollen allergy)
Incontinence
Irritable bowel syndrome
Lupus
Migraine
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sinusitis

The connection between IC and these conditions is not understood.

IC may occur following gynecological surgery. Some evidence suggests an increased risk for IC in Jewish people, and studies of mothers, daughters, and twins who suffer from it suggest a hereditary risk factor.