Surgical Science, 2011, 2, 193-194
doi:10.4236/ss.2011.24042 Published Online June 2011 (http://www.SciRP.org/journal/ss)
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. SS
Comment on the Paper “Condom-Assisted
Tr ansurethral Resection: A New Surgical
Technique for Urethral Tumor”, Surgical Science,
Vol. 1, 2010, pp. 46-48*
Guven Aslan
Dokuz Eylul University, School of Medic i ne Department of Urology, Iz mir, Turkey
E-mail: aslang@deu.edu.tr
Received December 21, 2010; revised April 11, 2011; accepted April 15, 20 1 1.
Abstract
The authors introduce a new technical modification which facilitates endoscopic resection of urethra tumors
located at navicular fossa by using a tipcut condom that covers the resectoscope and the penis. This tech-
nique can be used in the diagnosis and management of all kind male anterior urethral lesions at this location.
Keywords: Urethral Tumor, Transurethral Resection, Surgical Technique
I read with interest the article entitled “Condom-Assisted
Transurethral Resection: A New Surgical Technique for
Urethral Tumor” [1]. The authors introduce a new tech-
nical modification which facilitates endoscopic resection
of urethra tumors located at navicular fossa. The case
report will be of interest to surgeons experienced urethral
lesions in their surgical practice.
Transitional cell carcinoma usually presents in the
posterior urethra, mainly in the prostatic portion where
the epithelium is made up of transitional cells and in
continuity with the bladder epithelium [2]. Most carci-
nomas of the anterior urethra are squamous cell carci-
noma [2]. Transitional cell carcinoma within the squamous
lined navicular fossa is extremely rare. Numerous proc-
esses including foci of ectopic transitional epithelium,
metaplasia and HPV infection have been proposed, and
as yet, no evidence points to any one of these hypotheses
[3,4]. Because limited number of cases have been re-
ported and the scarcity of reports, treatment is not stan-
dard. Unlike squamous cell carcinoma of the anterior
urethra, which usually requires surgical excision or par-
tial penectomy, transitional cell carcinoma of this loca-
tion can be managed with endoscopic local resection and
fulguration thus preservation of the penis for noninvasive
lesions.
Many urologist find difficult endoscopic management
of urethral tumors, especially tumors located at fossa
navicularis. Because the location of urethral lesion placed
is very close to urethral meatus, irrigant solution is usu-
ally spilled out making visualization poor. The authors
devised a new practical surgical technique to facilitate
TUR of urothelial tumors in fossa navicularis by using a
tipcut condom that covers the resectoscope and the penis.
The method described herein by the authors is not lim-
ited to the management of tumor recurrence after urothe-
lial cancer surgery. This technique can be used in the
diagnosis and management of all kind male anterior ure-
thral lesions at this location.
I congratulate the authors for managing such a rare
disease successfully and sharing their experience with us
which could obviously be a significant contribution to
the learning of the surgical fraternity.
References
[1] K. Sato, M. Suzuki, M. Nagata, H. Nishimatsu, A. Ishi-
kawa, Y. Igawa, H. Kume and Y. Homma, “Con-
dom-Assisted Transurethral Resection: A New Surgical
Technique for Urethral Tumor”, Surgical Science, Vol. 1,
2010, pp. 46-48. doi:10.4236/ss.2010.12009
[2] R. L. Levine, “Urethral Cancer”, Cancer, Vol. 45, No. 7,
1980; pp. 1965-72.
*K. Sato, M. Suzuk i, M. Nagata, H . Nishimatsu, A. Ish ikawa, Y. Igawa
H. Kume, Y. Homma, “Condom-Assisted Transurethral Resection: A
N
ew Surgical Technique for Urethral Tumor”, Surgical Science, Vol. 1
2010, pp. 46-48. [3] G. S Steele, J. R. Fielding, A. Renshaw, K. R. Loughlin,
“Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Fossa Navicularis”,
194 G. ASLAN
Urology, Vol. 50, 1997, pp. 792-795
doi:10.1016/S0090-4295(97)00318-X
[4] M. J. Resnick, A.J Wein, “Transitional Cell Carcinoma of
the Fossa Navicularis in a Man with Preexisting Adeno-
carcinoma of the Prostate”, Urologia Internationalis, Vol.
76, 2006, pp. 186-188. doi:10.1159/000090887
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. SS