Research Interests:
Background: The process of ingrowth of new blood vessels is stimulated by the action of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), while it may be simultaneously related to the degree of tissue hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha... more
Background: The process of ingrowth of new blood vessels is stimulated by the action of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), while it may be simultaneously related to the degree of tissue hypoxia. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (HIF-1alpha) is a protein of cellular response to hypoxia. The relationship between hypoxia and angiogenesis in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and prostate cancer (PCa) was examined. Materials and methods: One hundred and seventy (170) prostatic tissue samples were immunohistochemically evaluated. The microvessel density (MVD) was calculated by CD34 immunostaining; the angiogenetic profile was further assessed using a monoclonal antibody against VEGF. HIF-1alpha immunoreaction was recognized through nuclear staining of positive cells. Results: CD34, VEGF and HIF-1alpha staining reactions were significantly higher in the PCa group than in the BPH group. In both groups, an interrelationship between the immunoexpression of CD34 and HIF-1alpha, VEGF and HIF-1alpha, as well as VEGF and CD34 was detected. Conclusion: MVD, VEGF cytoplasmic immunoreactivity and HIF-1alpha immunoreaction were more prominent in PCa than in BPH and were also significantly associated with high-grade carcinomas.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common in women, but it is under-reported and under-treated. We review here the management of SUI in women. Pelvic floor muscle training treats SUI in the majority of female patients, whereas anti-SUI... more
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is common in women, but it is under-reported and under-treated. We review here the management of SUI in women. Pelvic floor muscle training treats SUI in the majority of female patients, whereas anti-SUI devices are not widely accepted. Duloxetine has been approved for treating SUI. Suburethral slings have revolutionized the surgical management of SUI with durable efficacy, in contrast with injectable bulking agents.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
e15040 Background: The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in mRCC has improved prognosis but the individual outcome remains largely unpredictable. The MSKCC model, used to identify risk groups, was developed in cytokine-treated... more
e15040 Background: The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in mRCC has improved prognosis but the individual outcome remains largely unpredictable. The MSKCC model, used to identify risk groups, was developed in cytokine-treated patients and has not been externally validated in the TKI era. It contains 3 laboratory factors (total 5), making its application to retrospective series somewhat problematic. Subsequently, a more complicated model, using 4 laboratory factors (total 6) has been described. The Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group recently described a simpler model with only 3 clinical factors. We are describing the application and external validation of this model. Methods: 128 Greek patients with mRCC treated with 1st line sunitinib were included. All had had nephrectomy. Previous interferon was allowed. Cox regression was used to develop a predictive model for overall survival (OS). Our model was compared to that of MSKCC and Heng’s using ROC curves and Harrell’s Concordance Index. Risk groups were defined by the calculated prognostic index and by clinical factors. External validation was done using a sample of 226 French patients. The Royston and Sauerbrei D statistic was used as a measure of discrimination of the survival model. Results: Time from diagnosis of RCC to start of sunitinib (<12), PS (>1) and number of metastatic sites (>1) were independent adverse prognostic factors in the Greek dataset. The co-efficients for each factor were: 0.51, 0.97, 0.61, respectively. The 3 risk groups were defined by the 25th and 75th percentiles of the prognostic index values (Table 1). The model was of equal prognostic value to the MSKCC (p=.272) and Heng’s (p=.075). French had better survival than Greek patients especially in the high risk group (for all models). Validation of our model in the French data showed that it was applicable (R2 D: 0.14, SE: 0.09), especially for the low/medium risk groups. Conclusions: Our model is the only one externally validated in TKI-treated patients. It may be considered as a simpler alternative to those currently applied. [Table: see text]
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
4558 Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy is used in stage I testicular seminoma. We have reported a risk-adapted strategy of 2 cycles of cisplatin/etoposide (EP) in 64 patients with age < 34 and/or tumor diameter > 4cm) (Bamias et al,... more
4558 Background: Adjuvant chemotherapy is used in stage I testicular seminoma. We have reported a risk-adapted strategy of 2 cycles of cisplatin/etoposide (EP) in 64 patients with age < 34 and/or tumor diameter > 4cm) (Bamias et al, Urology 2007), resulting in no relapses over a median follow up of 5 years. Following the establishment of adjuvant carboplatin as a standard, we adopted this treatment for all patients with stage I seminoma. We report our 8-year experience and compare these results with our previous EP strategy. Methods: Patients with stage I seminoma, treated with 2 cycles of carboplatin AUC 6 and a minimum follow up of 1 year after chemotherapy were selected. All patients consented for the use of their medical information and the analysis was approved by the centers involved. Survival functions were presented using Kaplan-Meier curves. The log-rank test was used to test for survival differences across different categories. Results: 137 patients (Median age: 34; ...
Research Interests:
Aims and background To assess the long-term histological, apoptotic and proliferating alterations of the intestinal mucosa of ileal conduits and orthotopic neobladders. Methods Fifty patients (46 males, 4 females), aged 52–78 years, who... more
Aims and background To assess the long-term histological, apoptotic and proliferating alterations of the intestinal mucosa of ileal conduits and orthotopic neobladders. Methods Fifty patients (46 males, 4 females), aged 52–78 years, who underwent urinary diversion with either ileal orthotopic neobladder (group ON, 20 patients) or conduit (group IC, 30 patients) from 2001 to 2005, were included in this prospective study Ileal samples were collected during surgery (controls) and by random mucosal biopsies 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months later. Histological (villi height, crypt depth, eosinophil cell count), proliferation (Ki67 immunochemistry), and apoptotic (Bcl-2 immunochemistry TUNEL) parameters were assessed. Results During the 4-year follow-up, we recorded progressive villi area, height and crypt depth reduction, mucosa flattening, and inflammatory and eosinophilic infiltration. Villi height: crypt depth ratio showed a statistically significant difference ( P <0.05) between the tw...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Prostatic involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GWP), formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is rare, mostly arising in the context of systemic involvement. Prostatic involvement as the first manifestation of this... more
Prostatic involvement in granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GWP), formerly known as Wegener's granulomatosis, is rare, mostly arising in the context of systemic involvement. Prostatic involvement as the first manifestation of this systemic disease is exceptionally rare. We hereby present the case of a 41-year-old male patient who underwent transurethral prostate resection for what was initially diagnosed as suppurative, focally necrotizing prostatitis. Prolonged postoperative fever that did not respond to various treatments, as well as the subsequent appearance of a left pleural effusion, a left upper pulmonary lobe lesion and cutaneous nodules, led to a reevaluation of histological slides which, along with the determination of serum c-ANCA/anti-PR3 antibody levels, established the diagnosis of GWP. Physicians, and especially urologists and infectious diseases specialists, should be aware of this rare association and consider GWP in the event of nonresolving prostatitis, especial...
Research Interests: Treatment Outcome, Medicine, Biopsy, Humans, Male, and 12 moreProstate, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Prostatitis, Adult, Pleural Effusion, Abscess, Predictive value of tests, Immunosuppressive Agents, Transurethral resection of the prostate, Suppuration, Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, and Diagnostic errors
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This study explores the role of procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting the outcome of sepsis. In a prospective multicentre observational investigation, blood was sampled within 24 h of onset of sepsis in 1156 hospitalised patients; 234 were in... more
This study explores the role of procalcitonin (PCT) in predicting the outcome of sepsis. In a prospective multicentre observational investigation, blood was sampled within 24 h of onset of sepsis in 1156 hospitalised patients; 234 were in the intensive care unit (ICU) at the point of presentation of sepsis while 922 were not. PCT was estimated in serum by the ultrasensitive Kryptor assay in a double-blinded fashion. Among patients outside the ICU, mortality was 8% in those with PCT ≤0.12 ng/mL but 19.9% in those with PCT &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0.12 ng/mL [P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.0001, odds ratio (OR) for death: 2.606; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.553-4.371]. Among patients whose sepsis presented in ICU, mortality was 25.6% in those with PCT ≤0.85 ng/mL but 45.3% in those with PCT &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;0.85 ng/mL (P=0.002; OR for death: 2.404; 95% CI: 1.385-4.171). It is concluded that PCT cut-off concentrations can contribute to predicting the outcome of sepsis and might be of particular value in identifying patients who would benefit from ICU admission.
Research Interests:
A case of rupture of the upper ureter following creation of a continent orthotopic neobladder, treated conservatively with percutaneous nephrostomy and drainage of a paranephric collection, is reported.
Research Interests:
Several morphological lesions have been proposed that may act as potential precursor lesions of prostate cancer. These are the morphologically distinct entities of focal atrophy or post-atrophic hyperplasia (PAH), atypical adenomatous... more
Several morphological lesions have been proposed that may act as potential precursor lesions of prostate cancer. These are the morphologically distinct entities of focal atrophy or post-atrophic hyperplasia (PAH), atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) or adenosis, and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN). The diagnostic criteria of low-and high-grade PIN (LGPIN and HGPIN, respectively) and of lesions suspicious for cancer (LSC) have been established. In the present review, we present the current knowledge about the precursor lesions of prostate cancer. We focus on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical markers, and differential diagnosis of PIN. The similarities between HGPIN and prostate cancer are also discussed. Furthermore, potential markers and management strategies (that is, repeat biopsy, chemoprevention, radical prostatectomy, radiotherapy) are outlined along with updated recommendations.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
To investigate the safety and efficacy of electrokinetic lithotripsy (EKL), a ballistic lithotripter which uses high-energy magnetic fields to propel an impactor to fragment calculi. The records and radiographs of 121 patients who... more
To investigate the safety and efficacy of electrokinetic lithotripsy (EKL), a ballistic lithotripter which uses high-energy magnetic fields to propel an impactor to fragment calculi. The records and radiographs of 121 patients who underwent ureteroscopy using the EKL for stones in the upper (26), mid (28) or lower (67) ureter were reviewed retrospectively. Ureteroscopy was performed with an 8.5 F semi-rigid ureteroscope, through which a 3 F EKL probe was passed. A total of 148 stones (mean stone size 11.5 mm, range 6-40) in 121 patients were treated using the EKL. One patient was lost to follow-up. Of 148 stones, 147 (99.3%) were fragmented, including five that had resisted fragmentation with either pulsed-dye laser or electrohydraulic lithotripsy. Despite this, only 45 of 56 patients (80%) with a single stone in the lower ureter were rendered stone-free after a single ureteroscopic procedure. Seven patients in this group (12%) required shock-wave lithotripsy for fragments that had been propelled into the kidney, while four patients (7%) required repeat ureteroscopy for retained ureteric fragments. Complications were limited to minor ureteric perforations in two patients, both of which were treated with a stent. EKL is an inexpensive and reliable endoscopic method which fragments nearly all urinary calculi. Its limitations include the propulsion of fragments and the need to use an offset, semi-rigid ureteroscope. We recommend the use of a basket or graspers to remove fragments of &gt;/=4 mm after EKL.
Research Interests:
limb and pulmonary embolia, this case proves that it is possible to have other localizations for thrombosis, for example, the superior mesenteric vein. Another conclusion is that women older than 35, using birth control pills, especially... more
limb and pulmonary embolia, this case proves that it is possible to have other localizations for thrombosis, for example, the superior mesenteric vein. Another conclusion is that women older than 35, using birth control pills, especially if they are smokers, presenting in the emergency room with an alteration of the general state throughhypovolemic shock and severe abdominal pain, should be suspected also for venous enteromesenteric infarction.
Research Interests:
Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic lesions of the urinary bladder are relatively rare entities of an uncertain pathogenesis and benign indolent nature. We present an extremely rare case of an ALK-1-positive pseudosarcomatous... more
Pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic lesions of the urinary bladder are relatively rare entities of an uncertain pathogenesis and benign indolent nature. We present an extremely rare case of an ALK-1-positive pseudosarcomatous myofibroblastic lesion of the urinary bladder, which was initially misinterpreted as a low-grade leiomyosarcoma of myxoid subtype on histologic examination owing to prominent atypia, high mitotic activity, abnormal mitotic figures and infiltration of the bladder wall. Although the histologic features were suggestive of a sarcoma, the correct diagnosis was finally established and radical surgical treatment was subsequently avoided. The patient is currently free of disease without any evidence of tumor recurrence or metastasis at 3 years post-operatively. The key differentiating point rests in distinguishing the aforementioned mass forming lesion from the myxoid subtype of low-grade leiomyosarcoma in order to avoid unnecessary radical therapy.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Bioinformatics, Life Sciences, Risk assessment, Medicine, Critical Care, and 15 moreGreece, Prospective studies, Humans, Internal Medicine, Biomedical Research, Female, Male, Regression Analysis, ROC Curve, Apache, Middle Aged, Biological markers, Risk Assessment, Intensive Care Units, and Medical and Health Sciences
Pseudomembranous trigonitis is the term used to describe squamous metaplastic changes of the bladder trigone, which affect nearly 40% of adult females. We present the characteristics of this underrecognized clinical entity and encourage... more
Pseudomembranous trigonitis is the term used to describe squamous metaplastic changes of the bladder trigone, which affect nearly 40% of adult females. We present the characteristics of this underrecognized clinical entity and encourage further relevant research.
Research Interests:
e15619 Background: Τransurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), radiotherapy, chemotherapy or combinations can be used in patients with MIBC not undergoing cystectomy, but the optimal treatment is yet unknown. Cisplatin-based... more
e15619 Background: Τransurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), radiotherapy, chemotherapy or combinations can be used in patients with MIBC not undergoing cystectomy, but the optimal treatment is yet unknown. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard if systemic therapy is to be used. Nevertheless, unfitness for cystectomy is frequently associated with unfitness-for-cisplatin. We report the outcome of patients with MIBC who did not undergo cystectomy and did not receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Methods: Selection criteria: non-metastatic MIBC, no cystectomy, no cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy should have been used apart from TURBT. Unfitness for Cisplatin was determined by: creatinine clearance < 50 ml/min, PS > 2, hearing loss, co-morbidities precluding adequate hydration. Carboplatin/gemcitabine was used in patients receiving chemotherapy. Tumor extent was evaluated by TURBT and CT. Patients consented to the use of their data. Res...
Research Interests:
e15040 Background: The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in mRCC has improved prognosis but the individual outcome remains largely unpredictable. The MSKCC model, used to identify risk groups, was developed in cytokine-treated... more
e15040 Background: The use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in mRCC has improved prognosis but the individual outcome remains largely unpredictable. The MSKCC model, used to identify risk groups, was developed in cytokine-treated patients and has not been externally validated in the TKI era. It contains 3 laboratory factors (total 5), making its application to retrospective series somewhat problematic. Subsequently, a more complicated model, using 4 laboratory factors (total 6) has been described. The Hellenic Cooperative Oncology Group recently described a simpler model with only 3 clinical factors. We are describing the application and external validation of this model. Methods: 128 Greek patients with mRCC treated with 1st line sunitinib were included. All had had nephrectomy. Previous interferon was allowed. Cox regression was used to develop a predictive model for overall survival (OS). Our model was compared to that of MSKCC and Heng’s using ROC curves and Harrell’s Concor...
Research Interests:
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects more than 30 million men; endothelial dysfunction plays a significant role in EDs pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to administer mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from adipose tissue and... more
Erectile dysfunction (ED) affects more than 30 million men; endothelial dysfunction plays a significant role in EDs pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to administer mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) derived from adipose tissue and platelet lysate (PL) into patients with erectile dysfunction. This pilot study enrolled eight patients with diagnosed ED. Patients enrolled were suffering from organic ED due to diabetes melitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia, and Peyronie disease. The patients were distributed in 2 groups. Patients in group A received adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSC) resuspended in PL while patients in group B received only PL. ADMSCs were isolated from patients’ adipose tissue and expanded. In addition, blood sampling was obtained from the patients in order to isolate platelet lysate. After the application of the above treatments, patients were evaluated with an International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire, penile triplex, and repor...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Data from animal, clinical and prevention studies support the role of androgens in prostate cancer growth, proliferation and progression. Results of serum based epidemiologic studies in humans, however, have been inconclusive. The present... more
Data from animal, clinical and prevention studies support the role of androgens in prostate cancer growth, proliferation and progression. Results of serum based epidemiologic studies in humans, however, have been inconclusive. The present study aims to define whether serum testosterone can be used as a predictor of a posi¬tive second biopsy in males considered for re-biopsy. The study included 320 men who underwent a prostatic biopsy in our department from October 2011 until June 2012. Total testosterone, free testos¬terone, bioavailable testosterone and prostate pathology were evaluated in all cases. Patients undergoing a second biopsy were identified and biopsy results were statistically analyzed. Forty men (12.5%) were assessed with a second biopsy. The diagnosis of the second biopsy was High Grade Intraepithelial Neoplasia in 14 patients (35%) and Prostate Cancer in 12 patients (30%). The comparison of prostatic volume, total testosterone, sex hormone binding globulin, free test...
Research Interests:
Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or combinations can be used in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) not undergoing cystectomy. Nevertheless, unfitness for cystectomy is... more
Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or combinations can be used in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) not undergoing cystectomy. Nevertheless, unfitness for cystectomy is frequently associated with unfitness for other therapeutic modalities. We report the outcome of patients with MIBC who did not undergo cystectomy and did not receive cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Selection criteria for the study were nonmetastatic MIBC, no cystectomy, no cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy should have been used aside from TURBT. Forty-nine patients (median age 79), managed between April 2001 and January 2012, were included in this analysis. Median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 5, while 76% were unfit for cisplatin. Treatment included radiotherapy (n = 7), carboplatin-based chemotherapy (n = 25), carboplatin-based chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (n = 10), and radiochemotherapy (n = 7). Five-year event-free r...
Research Interests:
Based on former studies showing an antagonism between angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and bacterial endotoxins (LPS), we investigated the role of Ang-2 as immunomodulatory treatment. At first, kinetics of circulating LPS in Gram-negative... more
Based on former studies showing an antagonism between angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and bacterial endotoxins (LPS), we investigated the role of Ang-2 as immunomodulatory treatment. At first, kinetics of circulating LPS in Gram-negative pyelonephritis developing after urinary obstruction was studied. Serum LPS, interleukin (IL)-6 and Ang-2 were measured in 25 patients with acute pyelonephritis and sepsis before and after removal of the obstruction performed either with insertion of a pigtail catheter (n=12) or percutaneous drainage (n=13). At a second stage, Ang-2 was given as anti-inflammatory treatment in 40 rabbits one hour after induction of acute pyelonephritis by ligation of the ureter at the level of pelvo-ureteral junction and upstream bacterial inoculation. Survival was recorded; blood mononuclear cells were isolated and stimulated for the production of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα). The decrease in circulating LPS was significantly greater among patients undergoing drainage than pigtail insertion. This was accompanied by reciprocal changes of Ang-2 and IL-6. Treatment with Ang-2 prolonged survival from Escherichia coli pyelonephritis despite high levels of circulating LPS. When Ang-2 was given as treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pyelonephritis, sepsis-induced decrease of TNFα production by circulating mononuclear cells was reversed without an effect on tissue bacterial overgrowth. It is concluded that Ang-2 and LPS follow reverse kinetics in acute pyelonephritis. When given as experimental treatment, Ang-2 prolongs survival through an effect on mononuclear cells.
Research Interests:
To explore the correlation between the expression of α5-integrin, α7-integrin, Ε-cadherin, and N-cadherin in prostate cancer (PCa) and its clinicopathological data including tumor grade and clinical stage. The expression of α5-integrin,... more
To explore the correlation between the expression of α5-integrin, α7-integrin, Ε-cadherin, and N-cadherin in prostate cancer (PCa) and its clinicopathological data including tumor grade and clinical stage. The expression of α5-integrin, α7-integrin, Ε-cadherin, and N-cadherin was examined in 157 cases of PCa and adjacent normal prostatic tissue by immunohistochemical assay, and the correlation with clinicopathological features was analyzed. Expressions of α5-integrin, α7-integrin, and Ε-cadherin in PCa were lower than those in normal prostatic tissues (P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05). N-cadherin expression was higher in cancer prostatic tissue than in normal prostatic tissues (P&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.05). The reduced expression of α5-integrin, α7-integrin, and Ε-cadherin was related to Gleason score, pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, and prostate-specific antigen level, but it was not associated with positive surgical margins and patient age. The increased expression of N-cadherin was related to Gleason score, pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, and prostate-specific antigen level, but not to age and positive surgical margins. The expression of E-cadherin was highly negatively correlated with that of N-cadherin and also positively correlated with that of α5-integrin and α7-integrin. The reduced expression of α5-integrin, α7-integrin, and Ε-cadherin and abnormal expression of N-cadherin play an important role in the occurrence and development of PCa. The results indicate that these have potential values in the diagnosis and are predictable indices in the proliferation of PCa.
Research Interests:
To investigate potential fluctuations in prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA 3) scores in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients treated with docetaxel and investigate the assay as a potential prognostic factor. This was a... more
To investigate potential fluctuations in prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA 3) scores in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients treated with docetaxel and investigate the assay as a potential prognostic factor. This was a prospective observational cohort study. Inclusion criteria included patients on hormonal treatment who were recently diagnosed with CRPC. Exclusion criteria included patients previously having radical treatment (surgery or radiotherapy) and patients who have completed the first cycle of chemotherapy. All urine samples were collected and analyzed using the Progensa® assay. Samples were collected before starting chemotherapy and at 12 months. A prospective database was created including routine blood tests, prostate staging and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels throughout the study period. The effects of chemotherapy were also recorded. Between January 2010 and February 2013, 12 patients were included in the study out of an initial cohort of 23 patient...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT EP.116 The 80th Anniversary of the Greek Urologic Association Rempelakos A, Tsiamis C, Chrisofos M, Alamanis C, Poulakou-Rebelakou E Dept. of Urology, Hippocrateion Hospital, Athens, Greece; Dept. of History of Medicine, Medical... more
ABSTRACT EP.116 The 80th Anniversary of the Greek Urologic Association Rempelakos A, Tsiamis C, Chrisofos M, Alamanis C, Poulakou-Rebelakou E Dept. of Urology, Hippocrateion Hospital, Athens, Greece; Dept. of History of Medicine, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece; 2nd Dept.Of Urology, Attikon Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece; 1st Dept. of Urology, Laikon Hospital, Athens University Medical School, Athens, Greece Introduction and Objective: The presentation of the foundation and historical course of the Greek Urologic Association (1931-2012), as well as its presence in the evolution of Urology and urological studies in Greece. Materials and Methods: The review of the Archives of the Urologic Association, the study of the Athens University Ar- chives and the relative references. Results: During the 19th century the only medical association in Athens was the Medical Association, established in 1835, just after the Greek Independence and two years before the inauguration of the University of Athens. After the war adventures of Greece (1912-1922), the creation of sanitary legislation and new hospitals made easy for the medical community to organize their specialties into associations aiming to the evolution of each scientific branch. The pioneer was the Surgical Association (1927) followed by the Gynecological and the Ophthalmologic ones, while since 1930 a small team of urologists were discussing a Urologic Association. Nobody had officially obtained the specialty of urologist, as this title was initially administered in 1938, so all of them were surgeons who “specialized in urological diseases”. The first meeting took place on March 30, 1931 and the first Professor of Urology in Athens University, Bartholomew Gizis, was elected as the first President of the Association. The activities of the Greek Urologic Association stopped because of the Second World War and the Civil War in Greece and were repeated in 1949, with the second President Spyridon Oeconomos, (who was voted by 32 members), also Professor of Urology at the University. During the 1950s the first Greek and the 10th International urological congress were organized, a medical journal was published (Greek Urological Review) and several urologic departments were established in the new and the already existing hospitals. The Greek Urologic Association continues its social and scientific role having more than 1000 members and celebrates its 80th anniversary. Conclusions: The adventurous course of the Greek Urologic Association reflects the national problems but demonstrates the scientific struggles of the first urologists of the country