Professor Carlos D’Ancona from School of Medical Science (SMS) at Unicamp University  was invited to present the future in uro-neurology in Maastricht, Netherland, on October 10th. The focus of the presentation was a research done with Professor Athanase Billis and the topic was Marion´s disease. Bladder outlet obstruction is a prevalent condition in male over 40 years, and its incidence increases with age. Benign prostate enlargement is the main etiology of this condition. Bladder neck obstruction without prostatic enlargement is not nearly so generally recognized or understood.  This latter condition is called Marion’s disease.

The International Continence Society define this condition as: During voiding, the bladder neck smooth muscle fails to adequately open. The detrusor pressure increases to try to overcome the resistance of the bladder neck and allow urine to flow. The principle of treatment of this condition is straightforward: relief of the bladder neck obstruction.

Our study aims to present a new concept of the etiopathogenesis of male bladder outlet obstruction, attempting to answer why some young patients with a small prostate do not respond to medication therapy. 

We speculate that in primary bladder neck obstruction there is a persistence of the cranial part of the skeletal urethral sphincter, and it may interfere in the complex process of micturition. The presence of all those prominent skeletal muscle fibers may be explaining the etiopathogenesis of primary bladder obstruction of Marion disease.

In this opportunity Prof. Philip van Kerrebroeck receive the title Emeritus Professor of the University of Maastricht. Many other professors for other universities in Europe were present. 

Left to the right: Rud Boosh – Professor at the University of Utrecht, Jens-Peter Noorgard – Professor at the University of Denmark, David Castro Dias – Professor at the University of Tenerife, Carlos  D’Ancona Professor at UNICAMP, Emanuel Chartier – Kastler Professor at University Sorbonne.