Intravenous paracetamol for relief of pain during transrectal-ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate: a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Transrectal-ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-PBx) is the standard procedure for diagnosing prostate cancer. The procedure does cause some pain and discomfort; therefore, an adequate analgesia is necessary to ensure patient comfort, which can also facilitate good-quality results. This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study aimed to determine if intravenous (IV) paracetamol can reduce the severity of pain associated with TRUS-PBx. The study included 104 patients, scheduled to undergo TRUS-PBx with a suspicion of prostate cancer, that were prospectively randomized to receive either IV paracetamol (paracetamol group) or placebo (placebo group) 30 minutes prior to TRUS-PBx. All patients had 12 standardized biopsy samples taken. Pain was measured using a 10-point visual analog pain scale during probe insertion, during the biopsy procedure, and 1 hour postbiopsy. All biopsies were performed by the same urologist, whereas a different urologist administered the visual analog pain scale. There were not any significant differences in age, prostatespecific antigen level, or prostate volume between the two groups. The pain scores were significantly lower during probe insertion, biopsy procedure, and 1 hour postbiopsy in the paracetamol group than in the placebo group. In conclusion, the IV administration of paracetamol significantly reduced the severity of pain associated with TRUS- PBx. Copyright (C) 2015, Kaohsiung Medical University. Published by Elsevier Taiwan LLC. All rights reserved

Circumcaval Ureter with Vesico Ureteral Reflux: The First Association in Literature

A circumcaval ureter is a rare congenital anomaly in which the ureter passes behind, and is compressed by, the inferior vena cava. Its etiology is assumed to be abnormal embryologic development of the inferior vena cava as a result of atrophy failure of the right subcardinal vein in the lumbar portion. A circumcaval ureter is also termed a retrocaval ureter. The right supracardinal system fails to develop, whereas the right posterior cardinal vein persists. With one reported exception, the anomaly always occurs on the right side. Patients with this anomaly may develop partial right ureteral obstruction or recurrent urinary tract infections. Therapeutic options include surgical relocation of the ureter anterior to the cava. A 14-year-old female patient came with complaints of fever, intermittent colic and dysuria 4 years ago. A right ureteric fourth-grade VUR and circumcaval ureter were established. An anomaly in which both of these are together could not be found in literature. If after the VUR treatment he has progressive abdomen pain and advancing hydronephrosis, a circumcaval ureter as an additive anomaly must not be forgotten. For that reason, in a patient having a urinary system anomaly, a likely extra anomaly should be searched. [Arch Clin Exp Surg 2012; 1(3.000): 191-194