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 ....

Prostatitis

Overview

Prostatitis is a term used to describe inflammatory conditions of the prostate gland. It is thought that most cases of prostatitis result from bacterial infection, but evidence of infection is not always found. An infected or inflamed prostate can cause painful urination and ejaculation, and if left untreated, serious complications.

Incidence and Prevalence

Prostatitis can affect men of any age and it is estimated that 50% of men experience the disorder during their lifetime. Prostatitis is the most common urological disorder in men over the age of 50 and the third most common disorder in men younger than 50.

According to the National Institutes of Health, prostatitis accounts for 25% of all office visits involving the genitourinary system by young and middle-aged men.

Nonbacterial prostatitis and prostatodynia, which is also called chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), are the most common diagnoses. Bacterial prostatitis (acute and chronic) accounts for less than 5–10% of cases. Acute bacterial prostatitis occurs most often in men under age 35, and chronic bacterial prostatitis primarily affects men between the ages of 40 and 70.

Anatomy

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located below the bladder and in front of the rectum. It secretes seminal fluid, a milky substance that combines with sperm to form semen. During sexual climax, muscles in the prostate propel the semen through the urethra and out through the penis.

Types
There are four types of prostatitis: acute bacterial prostatitis, chronic bacterial prostatitis, nonbacterial prostatitis, and prostatodynia.

Acute bacterial prostatitis (ABP) is inflammation of the prostate gland caused by bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella. Severe complications may develop if not promptly treated. ABP can be fatal if the bacterial infection is untreated and travels to the bloodstream (sepsis).

Chronic bacterial prostatitis (CBP) is a recurrent infection and inflammation of the prostate and urinary tract. Symptoms are less severe than those associated with acute bacterial prostatitis.

Nonbacterial prostatitis is an inflamed prostate without bacterial infection.

Prostatodynia, sometimes called chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), is the occurrence of prostatitis symptoms, without inflammation or bacterial infection.

Risk Factors

Risk factors include bladder outlet obstruction (e.g., stone, tumor, BPH), diabetes mellitus, a suppressed immune system, and urethral catheterization (small tube inserted into the bladder through the urethra to drain urine). Some sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) (e.g., nongonnococcal urethritis, gonorrhea increase the risk for developing bacterial prostatatis). Unprotected anal and vaginal intercourse can allow bacteria to enter the urethra and travel to the prostate.

Causes

Bacterial prostatitis is caused by the growth of bacteria that are normally found in prostatic fluid, such as Escherichia coli and Klebsiella. Urine reflux (urine that flows back into the urethra) that enters the prostate can also cause the condition. There is no known cause for nonbacterial prostatitis or prostatodynia, but atypical organisms (viruses, chlamydial organisms) have recently been suggested.