Search

Nicholas A Deebel,1 Kyle Scarberry,2 Collette A O’Connor,1 Rahul Dutta,1 Ethan Matz,1 Colleen A Hanlon,3 Ryan P Terlecki1 1Department of Urology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, USA; 2Department of Urology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA; 3Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USACorrespondence: Ryan P Terlecki, Department of Urology, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, 1 Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, Tel +1 336 716 4131, Fax +1 336 716 9042, Email rterlecki@wakehealth.eduPurpose: Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) exhibits μ-receptor agonism and is used as an opioid substitute. While opioids are known to inhibit sexual behavior, less is known regarding kratom. We conducted a pilot study to assess the subjective impact of kratom upon male sexual health including erectile and ejaculatory function.Patients and Methods: Twitter and Reddit (r/Kratom) were accessed to disseminate our survey featuring validated instruments (the International Index of Erectile Function, IIEF, and the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool, PEDT). Sexual health prior to and after 4 weeks of kratom use was assessed.Results: Most males surveyed (n = 165) were 18– 40 years old (84.9%), with 95.8% of respondents using it at least weekly and 82.4% using kratom for ≥ 1 year. Reasons for use included treating pain (39.4%), and mental health conditions (63.6%). Kratom was associated with a positive (37.7%) and negative (20.5%) impact on sexual health. Kratom subjectively increased time to ejaculation in 104 (66.6%) patients, perceived as positive by 62 (59.6%). Seventy-eight patients answered questions about premature ejaculation. The median (with interquartile range, IQR, following;) pre-kratom and kratom use scores were 13.0; 8.0 and 6.5; 5.0, respectively (p < 0.001). Ejaculation before 5 minutes improved after kratom (51.3% vs 12.8%) (p < 0.0001). Following kratom use, patients reported lack of frustration with ejaculation prior to desire (21.8% vs 61.5%) (p < 0.001). The erectile function domain of the IIEF was statistically significantly different however – clinically similar pre-kratom use (29.0; 5.75) versus 27.0; 6.75 during kratom use (p = 0.037).Conclusion: Clinicians treating male sexual health should be aware of kratom and its potential effect on ejaculatory and erectile function.Keywords: kratom, Mitragyna speciosa, premature ejaculation, analgesia, sexual function

Background: Chronic pain, affecting approximately 20% of the global population, is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Transgender individuals are disproportionately exposed to chronic pain risk factors compared with the cisgender population. This study compares the incidence of chronic pain between transgender and cisgender individuals and examines the impact of gender affirming hormone therapy, anxiety, and depression on chronic pain., Methods: The study analysed medical records data of 56,470 transgender men and 41,882 transgender women in the TrinetX database. Six cohorts were created: transgender women either receiving oestrogen or no intervention, transgender men receiving testosterone or no intervention and cohorts of cisgender males and females. Unmatched age-adjusted incidence rates were calculated. Then cohorts were matched on 22 chronic pain-associated covariates and the rate of new chronic pain diagnoses was compared between those receiving hormone therapy and those without., Results: We observed significantly higher rates of chronic pain among transgender individuals compared with cisgender counterparts. Transgender men on testosterone therapy and transgender women on oestrogen therapy exhibited an increased likelihood of chronic pain diagnoses compared with those not receiving hormone therapy. Individuals with anxiety and depression were more likely to be diagnosed with chronic pain., Conclusion: This study demonstrates a significant burden of chronic pain in transgender individuals, with an increased risk among those receiving hormone therapy. Our study, the first to assess chronic pain in a large cohort of transgender patients, provides support for a potential association between hormone therapy and risk of chronic pain diagnosis. Further research is required to understand causal mechanisms and to develop improved screening and management of chronic pain in transgender populations., Significance Statement: Our study, featuring the largest cohort of Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) individuals assembled to date, reveals critical disparities in chronic pain among TGD populations, notably those on hormone therapy, compared with the cisgender population. It highlights the urgent need for specialized screening and treatment for this vulnerable population, and research into hormone therapy's impact on pain. These insights aim to foster more effective, personalized healthcare, enhancing the well-being and quality of life for the TGD community., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation ‐ EFIC ®.)

Objective: To synthesize current literature on penile prosthesis implantation post-gender affirming phalloplasty to correlate implant types and complication rates., Methods: A meta-analysis of penile prosthesis in transmasculine patients was initiated in December 2022. Inclusion criteria encompassed randomized clinical trials, cohort studies, and cross-sectional studies reporting on penile prosthesis complications post-gender-affirming phalloplasty. Exclusion criteria were review articles, meta-analyses, studies that exclusively reported on cisgender patients or surgeries other than penile prosthesis implantation. An initial search of 5 databases yielded a total of 1593 articles. Upon screening, 15 full-text articles were eligible for inclusion. Nine studies were included in the analysis., Results: The overall complication rate for the inflatable prosthesis group was 38% (95% CI: 21, 59) and for the malleable prosthesis group was 37% (95% CI: 18, 62). The most probable complications in the inflatable group were infection (14.5%), dysfunction (12.9%), dislocation (5.7%), and leakage (5.4%). The most probable complications in the malleable group were dislocation (14.9%), infection (11.2%), dysfunction (9.1%), and extrusion (7.6%). There was no significant difference in the probability of any complications between the malleable and inflatable prosthesis groups. The best estimate of explantation rates for any reason for the inflatable group was 19% (95% CI: 9, 38) and for the malleable group 13% (95% CI: 4, 33). There was no significant difference in the probability of any reason for explantation between the malleable and inflatable prosthesis groups., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate plaintiff and defendant characteristics associated with iatrogenic genitourinary (GU) trauma litigation and outcomes of closed claims., Methods: LexisNexis was queried in April 2023 using terms related to GU organs and injury, and manually reviewed for iatrogenic cases. Case details including defendant, organ involvement, and legal outcome were obtained. Multinomial regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with outcome., Results: Four hundred ten cases involving 611 defendants were identified, with the ureter the most commonly affected organ (202/410, 49.3%). Most cases involved adult plaintiffs (380, 92.7%) and resulted in favor of the defense (227, 55.4%). Injuries resulted most frequently from gynecologic surgeries (179, 43.7%). Defendants were most commonly obstetricians/gynecologists (243/611, 39.8%) and urologists (168, 27.5%). Penile (OR 6.3 [95% CI 2.5-16.1]) and urethral (OR 4.8 [2.0-11.7]) injuries were associated with greater odds of a plaintiff verdict relative to ureter injury. A plaintiff verdict was also more likely when defendants were academic hospitals compared to individual practitioners (OR 4.3 [1.9-9.9]). In cases ruling in favor of the plaintiff, indemnity payments were larger when the defendants were comprised of individual practitioners compared to a hospital or medical group (median $549,613 vs $250,000, P <.001)., Conclusion: Urologists may be involved in medical malpractice lawsuits for iatrogenic injury even when they are uninvolved in the index procedure. Most cases that reach litigation result in defense verdicts regardless of the GU organ injured. Defendant characteristics associated with plaintiff verdicts are more nuanced, and providers should be aware of potential downstream effects of litigation., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess efficacy, comfort, and symptoms of a novel ureteral stent (RELIEF) substituting the distal semirigid coil of a traditional double-J for a floating, monofilament tether allowing coaptation of the ureteral orifice. Ureteral instrumentation notoriously cause discomfort, urgency, frequency, dysuria, and hematuria; prolonged morbidity is likely related to stent-associated vesicoureteral reflux (VUR). We hypothesized this design would eliminate VUR, be safe and provide comfort following intervention., Methods: Twenty-eight patients within a single institution were enrolled. Passive cystography was performed pre- and post-stent placement assessing VUR. Patients completed Ureteric Stent Symptoms Questionnaires (USSQ) before placement (baseline), postop day 1, and day of removal., Results: Twenty RELIEF stents were placed (11 female and 9 male). 95% demonstrated no VUR following placement. No unexpected adverse complications occurred; 1 patient opted for early stent removal for significant discomfort. Average total USSQ scores demonstrated statistically significant improvement between first and third surveys (P < .001). Statistically significant improvement in body pain, general health, and work performance scores were noted as well (P < .05)., Conclusion: The RELIEF stent eliminates VUR with similar stent-related morbidity and overall well-tolerance. RELIEF-associated USSQ scores were below published mean symptom scores for standard double-J stents and appear safe in this preliminary clinical trial., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To identify genes that may play a role in urethral stricture and summarize the results of studies that have documented variations in gene expression among individuals with urethral stricture compared to healthy individuals., Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Cochrane, Ovid, Web of Science, and PubMed, limiting the results to articles published between January 1, 2000 and January 30, 2023. Only studies comparing the difference in gene expression between individuals with urethral stricture and healthy individuals utilizing molecular techniques to measure gene expression in blood, urine, or tissue samples were included in this systematic review. Gene network and pathway analyses were performed using Cytoscape software, with input data obtained from our systematic review of differentially expressed genes in urethral stricture., Results: Four studies met our criteria for inclusion. The studies used molecular biology methods to quantify gene expression data from specimens. The analysis revealed gene expressions of CXCR3 and NOS2 were downregulated in urethral tissue samples, while TGFB1, UPK3A, and CTGF were upregulated in plasma, urine and urethral tissue samples, respectively, in patients with urethral stricture compared to healthy controls. The analysis demonstrated that the most significant pathways were associated with phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3 kinase) and transforming growth factor beta 1/suppressor of mothers against decapentaplegic (TGF-β1/SMAD) signaling pathways., Conclusion: This systematic review identified gene expression variations in several candidate genes and identified underlying biological pathways associated with urethral stricture. These findings could inform further research and potentially shift treatment and prevention strategies for urethral stricture., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the feasibility and safety of delayed primary closure (DPC) in Fournier's gangrene (FG) patients with large genital defects., Methods: A single institution retrospective review was performed from October 2020 to December 2022 of adult males that underwent DPC for FG. All patients underwent standard medical management and were assessed for DPC eligibility by the urology service. Clinical data on patient factors and outcomes were collected, and descriptive statistics were assessed., Results: Of 16 patients that underwent DPC, the average age was 61.1years and body mass index was 34.6 kg/m 2 . Median Charlson Comorbidity Index was 3.5 (IQR 2-5.3) and Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index was 6.5 (IQR 4.8-8). Median number of debridements was 2.5 (IQR 2-3), with a time to closure of 6.5days (IQR 3-11) and length of stay of 13days (IQR 9-16.3). Mean genital defect size was 119 cm 2 (range 44-346 cm 2 ). Eight patients (50%) were closed using scrotal flaps alone while other patients had advancement flaps using the inner thigh, lower abdomen, and perineum. The majority of patients were discharged home directly (63%). There were four Clavien-Dindo III complications: two partial flap necrosis, one wound dehiscence, and one instance of bleeding. Of patients with follow-up, 6/15 (40.0%) had no known complications., Conclusion: DPC is safe and effective for a range of patients presenting with FG. Patients with large defects may benefit from less complex wound management and direct discharge home., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflict of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objective: Perioperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is crucial for prevention of prosthesis and patient morbidity after artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) placement. While antibiotic guidelines exist for many urologic procedures, adoption patterns for AUS surgery are unclear. We aimed to assess trends in antibiotic prophylaxis for AUS and outcomes relative to American Urological Association (AUA) Best Practice guidelines., Methods: The Premier Healthcare Database was queried from 2000 to 2020. Encounters involving AUS insertion, revision/removal, and associated complications were identified via ICD and CPT codes. Premier charge codes were used to identify antibiotics used during the insertion encounter. AUS-related complication events were found using patient hospital identifiers. Univariable analysis between hospital/patient characteristics and use of guideline-adherent antibiotics was done via chi-squared and Kruskal-Wallis tests. A multivariable logistic mixed effects model was used to assess factors related to the odds of complication, specifically the use of guideline-adherent versus nonadherent regimens., Results: Of 9775 patients with primary AUS surgery, 4310 (44.1%) received guideline-adherent antibiotics. The odds of guideline-adherent regimen use increased 7.7% per year with 53.0% (830/1565) receiving guideline-adherent antibiotics by the end of the study period. Patients with guideline-adherent regimens had a decreased risk of any complication (odds ratio [OR]: 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.74-0.93) and surgical revision (OR: 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74-0.96) within 3 months; however, no significant difference in infection within was noted (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.68-1.17) within 3 months., Conclusions: Adherence to AUA antimicrobial guidelines for AUS surgery appears to have increased over the last two decades. While guideline-adherent regimens were associated with decreased risk of any complication and surgical intervention, no significant association was found with risk of infection. Surgeons appear to be increasingly following AUA recommendations for antimicrobial prophylaxis for AUS surgery, however, further level 1 evidence should be obtained to demonstrate conclusive benefit of these regimens., (© 2023 The Authors. Neurourology and Urodynamics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: To determine the safety and efficacy of hourly, high dose phenylephrine (>1000 μg) for acute ischemic priapism (AIP) through monitoring adverse hemodynamic events amongst risk profiles., Methods: An IRB-approved retrospective review of patients with AIP from 2010 to 2020. Patients were stratified to a low or high dose phenylephrine group based on cumulative, hourly dose of ≤1000 μg and > 1000 μg respectively and examined for successful resolution of their AIP. The safety profile of phenylephrine for patients at risk for adverse hemodynamic events was examined., Results: A total of 123 patients were identified with a median age of 40 (range: 7-76) years with median time from AIP onset to presentation of 11 (2-168) hours. A total of 97 men received phenylephrine (78.9%) and detumescence was achieved nonoperatively in 62 of these men (63.9%) with a mean priapism duration of 8.7 hours. Those resolving with phenylephrine administration had a mean duration of 8.8 ± 5.6 vs 57.3 ± 37.1 hours without resolution P < .001. Among low and high dose phenylephrine groups (500 and 2000 μg respectively), the median duration of AIP was 10 and 12 hours respectively without a difference in AIP resolution (P > .05). Twenty-one patients (17.1%) were deemed at risk for phenylephrine complication of which 4 (4.1%) had phenylephrine discontinued due to hemodynamic changes., Conclusion: Nonoperative resolution of AIP with phenylephrine does not appear to be dose-dependent and hemodynamic changes secondary to phenylephrine administration may be underreported. Future work should utilize standardized risk assessment and periprocedural monitoring for hemodynamic change., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: COVID-19 has forever impacted health care in the U.S. Changes to health and hospital policies led to disruptions to both patient care and medical training. There is limited understanding of the impact on urology resident training across the U.S. Our aim was to examine trends in urological procedures, as captured by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education resident case logs, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: Retrospective review of publicly available urology resident case logs between July 2015 and June 2021 was performed. Average case numbers were analyzed via linear regression with different models specifying different assumptions regarding the impact of COVID-19 on procedure in 2020 and onward. Statistical calculations utilized R (version 4.0.2)., Results: Analysis favored models which assumed the impact of COVID-related disruptions were specific to 2019-2020. Analysis of procedures performed indicate an average upward trend of urology cases nationally. An average annual increase of 26 procedures between 2016 and 2021 was noted, except for 2020 which saw an average drop of approximately 67 cases. However, in 2021 case volume dramatically increased to the same rate as projected had there not been a disruption in 2020. Stratifying by category of urology procedure revealed evidence for variability between categories in the magnitude of the 2020 decrease., Conclusions: Despite widespread pandemic-related disruptions in surgical care, urological volume has rebounded and increased, likely having minimal detriment to urological training over time. Urological care is essential and in high demand as evidenced by the uptick in volume across the U.S.

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the biochemical recurrence among Black and White American men with grade group 2-5 prostate cancer managed primarily by radical prostatectomy (RP)., Methods: This was a single-institution, retrospective study evaluating biochemical recurrence by self-identified race. 163 patients who underwent RP at the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center between 2015-2021 were analyzed for racial differences in age at diagnosis, clinical stage, and preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Patients were followed for PSA recurrence (PSA ≥ 0.2 ng/ml). Multivariate analysis was used to determine clinical and pathologic variables that were significant in predicting biochemical recurrence after RP and to determine whether race was an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence-free survival (BCRFS)., Results: Of 163 patients, 82 (50.3%) were Black Americans and 81 (49.7%) were White Americans with a median age of 62.7 ranging between 38.7 to 76.3 years. The grade-specific distribution of cancer 3+4 was 54.9% versus 65.4%; 4+3 was 25.6% versus 30.9%; 4+4 was 7.3% versus 2.5%; 4+5 was 12.2% versus 1.2% in Black American and White American men. Univariate analysis of BCRFS using Kaplan-Meier method demonstrated a significant difference among levels of Gleason score between Black Americans and White Americans (P = 0.041). Multivariable analysis after controlling the effects of age, Gleason score exhibited no significant difference of BCRFS comparing Black and White American men (P = 0.145). Specifically, the hazard of biochemical recurrence among Black Americans was 1.6 times (95% CI: 0.85-3.02) compared to White Americans (P = 0.145)., Conclusion: Our study demonstrated a significant difference in BCRFS between Black and White American patients. Additional studies with larger sample size underlying this clinical disparity are warranted., Competing Interests: None., (AJCEU Copyright © 2022.)

Competing Interests: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

Introduction: Efforts to understand and unlock the body's potential for regeneration have increased dramatically in recent years. So-called "biohacking" hopes to improve functionality and reverse disease processes., Objectives: This review will seek to summarize the available data for the use of platelet-rich plasma, cellular therapies, and other novel therapeutics within sexual medicine., Methods: The PubMed database search was performed using the keywords "Stem cell therapy in Erectile dysfunction (ED)", "Gene therapy in ED", "Novel therapeutics for ED", and "Biohacking". Popular news articles for regulation of stem cell therapy were reviewed., Results: Research efforts have managed to produce an array of novel therapeutics, including stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma. Although the use of these items has been largely focused within specialties other than urology, applications involving sexual medicine have been documented and appear to be increasing., Conclusion: Despite evidence of these technologies being adopted within clinical practices as revenue-generators, quality data to support efficacy are quite limited. Matz EL, Scarberry K, Terlecki R. Platelet-Rich Plasma and Cellular Therapies for Sexual Medicine and Beyond. Sex Med Rev 2022;10:174-179., (Copyright © 2020 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the response to a virtual educational curriculum in reconstructive urology presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. To assess learner satisfaction with the format and content of the curriculum, including relevance to learners' education and practice., Materials and Methods: A webinar curriculum of fundamental reconstructive urology topics was developed through the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons and partnering institutions. Expert-led sessions were broadcasted. Registered participants were asked to complete a survey regarding the curriculum. Responses were used to assess the quality of the curriculum format and content, as well as participants' practice demographics., Results: Our survey yielded a response rate of 34%. Survey responses showed >50% of practices offer reconstructive urologic services, with 37% offered by providers without formal fellowship training. A difference in self-reported baseline knowledge was seen amongst junior residents and attendings (P < .05). Regardless of level of training, all participants rated the topics presented as relevant to their education/practice (median response = 5/5). Responders also indicated that the curriculum supplemented their knowledge in reconstructive urology (median response = 5/5). The webinar format and overall satisfaction with the curriculum was highly rated (median response = 5/5). Participants also stated they were likely to recommend the series to others., Conclusion: We demonstrate success of an online curriculum in reconstructive urology. Given >50% of practices surveyed offer reconstruction, we believe the curriculum's educational benefits (increasing access and collaboration while minimizing the risk of in-person contact) will continue beyond the COVID-19 pandemic and that this will remain a relevant educational platform for urologists moving forward., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Reports of adult orchidopexy for bilateral undescended testicles (bUDT) are sparse, and fertility outcomes are not well established. Our aim was to determine prognosis for restoration of spermatogenesis among adult men (≥18 years) undergoing orchidopexy for bUDT., Methods: A systematic literature review, conforming to the PRISMA statement, was conducted using the PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE databases through March 2020 using search terms "adult" AND "bilateral orchidopexy" OR "bilateral cryptorchidism." Relevant referenced articles from non-indexed journal were identified by Google Scholar search and additionally included., Results: Fifty-seven publications including adult men with uncorrected bilateral UDTs were identified. Baseline semen analysis was reported in 157 men, all of whom demonstrated azoospermia. Testosterone values were reported in 82 cases and were normal in 89%. Germ cells could not be identified in 72.6% of histologic specimens from 62 testicles. Abdominal testicles more frequently lacked germ cells (90%, p = 0.038) on univariate analysis. Eleven cases identified ejaculated spermatozoa following adult bilateral orchidopexy (8 publications). Sperm extraction (TESE) during orchidopexy or orchiectomy was reported in 13 men without success. Delayed TESE (median 10 months) was performed in 22 persistently azoospermic men with success in 10 (45.5%), none of whom had abdominal testicles prior to orchidopexy. Six men experienced successful paternity via natural conception (3) or assisted reproduction (3)., Conclusion: Fertility is possible in adult men with inguinal bUDT following orchidopexy. Subsequent sperm retrieval may involve ejaculated specimens or delayed TESE. TESE performed prior to or at time of orchidopexy is unlikely to be of benefit., (© 2020 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.)

Objective: To evaluate the findings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the ipsilateral hip(s) as part of the workup of men with chronic orchialgia (CO)., Methods: Following IRB approval, a retrospective chart review was performed from a single surgeon database of all men with a diagnosis of CO from June 2018 to October 2019 who underwent subsequent hip MRI evaluation., Results: Ten men were identified. Median age was 51 years and median duration of pain was 10 months. MRI was obtained after testis pathology was ruled out. Pain was noted in the groin (100%) and hip (50%). Hip MRI identified overt labral tears in 8 men (10/12 hips evaluated, 83%) and labral fraying in the remaining 2 (16.7%). Standard plain film radiography was performed in 6 men prior to MRI, all of which were negative. Following MRI, 5 men underwent hip injection with steroid and local analgesic with lasting resolution (2 men) or significant improvement in pain (2 men; 80%, follow-up 3-15 months). Two men had complete resolution of pain with 8 weeks of physical therapy., Conclusion: Hip MRI has a high rate of diagnosis of labral tear in appropriately selected men referred to the urologist for CO. Identification of orthopedic pathology may avoid unnecessary antibiotics, opiates, or urological surgery. Referrals to orthopedics and/or physical therapy for intervention may lead to resolution of pain., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Penile plication is highly successful in appropriately selected patients with Peyronie's disease; however, a minority of patients experience residual curvature or delayed recurrence of curvature. Revision surgery outcomes are seldomly reported., Aim: To determine the efficacy of salvage penile plication for the correction of residual and recurrent curvature., Methods: Our institutional review board-approved prospective single-surgeon database of patients with Peyronie's disease was reviewed for cases performed from 2011 to 2019. Patients requiring salvage procedures were analyzed. A successful salvage was defined by residual curvature <20° with patient-reported satisfaction. Potential etiologies for initial plication failure were examined., Main Outcome Measure: The outcomes of this study are subjective and patient-reported success of salvage plication., Results: Data analysis identified 134 men treated surgically for Peyronie's disease. Management involved plication in 105 (78.4%), incision and grafting in 14 (10.4%), excision and grafting with inflatable penile prosthesis in 7 (5.2%), plication with inflatable penile prosthesis in 6 (4.5%), or grafting, plication, and inflatable penile prosthesis in 2 (1.5%). Mean preoperative degree of curvature before initial surgery was 55° (30°-90°). Of this cohort, 5.2% (n=7) required salvage plication for a median residual or recurrent curvature of 45° (35°-90°). Initially, 3 men (43%) received an 8-dot plication, 3 (43%) underwent 16-dot plication, and 1 (14%) received plaque incision and grafting. Among salvage patients, 4 (57%) had initially satisfying results followed by recurrence of curvature and 3 (43%) desired correction of residual curvature. Salvage plication entailed an 8-dot plication in 3 (42.9%) and a 16-dot plication procedure in 4 (57.1%). The median time to salvage surgery was 9 (3-15) months, with all patients showing intraoperative resolution of curvature. At a median follow-up of 12 (1-20) months, 6 (85.7%) patients reported satisfaction with residual curvature <20°., Conclusion: Patients with residual or delayed recurrence of curvature after plication for Peyronie's disease can be effectively managed with salvage plication. Deebel NA, Scarberry K, Dutta R, et al. Salvage Penile Plication Is an Effective Modality for Resolving Residual Curvature After Surgery for Peyronie's Disease. Sex Med 2020;8:686-690., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: We sought to prospectively evaluate the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary tumour board (MTB) on altering treatment plans for genitourinary (GU) cancer patients., Methods: All GU cancer patients seen at our tertiary care hospital are discussed at MTB. We prospectively collected data on adult patients discussed over a continuous, 20-month period. Physicians completed a survey prior to MTB to document their opinion on the likelihood of change in their patient's treatment plan. Logistic regression was used to asses for factors associated with a change by the MTB, including patient age or sex, malignancy type, the predicted treatment plan, and the provider's years of experience or fellowship training., Results: A total of 321 cancer patients were included. Patients were primarily male (84.4%) with a median age of 67 (range 20-92) years old. Prostate (38.9%), bladder (31.8%), and kidney cancer (19.6%) were the most common malignancies discussed. A change in management plan following MTB was observed in 57 (17.8%) patients. The physician predicted a likely change in six (10.5%) of these patients. Multivariate logistic regression did not determine physician prediction to be associated with treatment plan change, and the only significant variable identified was a plan to discuss multiple treatment options with a patient (odds ratio 2.46; 95% confidence interval 1.09-9.54)., Conclusions: Routine discussion of all urologic oncology cases at MTB led to a change in treatment plan in 17.8% of patients. Physicians cannot reliably predict which patients have their treatment plan altered. Selectively choosing patients to be presented likely undervalues the impact of a multidisciplinary approach to care.

Given its complex anatomy, injury to the posterior urethra may result in a number of reconstructive challenges. With the appropriate operative planning and experience, surgical repair can be very successful. This review discusses the applicable techniques for the perineal approach to posterior urethral stenosis, including bulbomembranous anastomosis for pelvic fracture urethral injury and repair of vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis (VUAS) following prostate surgery. The advanced techniques reviewed include an adaptation allowing a bulbar artery sparing approach to posterior urethroplasty and an intrasphincteric urethroplasty procedure which may allow continence preservation in patients with membranous urethral stenosis., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Objective: To compare outcomes with early vs delayed reconstruction following pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI) to determine if a traditional 3-month delay is necessary. This delay has been advocated to allow resolution of traumatic inflammation and hematoma but has never been validated. We proceed to reconstruction at 3-6 weeks if the associated injuries are stable, the perineum is soft on rectal palpation, and the fracture is stable for lithotomy positioning., Methods: PFUI patients treated with a suprapubic tube and delayed urethroplasty from October 1991 to August 2016 were included. Patients with initial catheter realignment were excluded. We compared reconstruction failure, incontinence, and erectile dysfunction rates in patients reconstructed within 6 weeks after injury with those reconstructed after the traditional ≥12 weeks., Results: Thirty-nine patients were identified with a median age of 32 years (17 to 69). Overall, the median urethral gap was 2 cm (1-4.5) and median follow-up was 64 months (12-277). Stricture failure occurrence was 5.1%, incontinence rate was 7.7%, and erectile dysfunction rate was 56.4%. The 22 patients with urethroplasty ≤6 weeks post-injury were no more likely to experience erectile dysfunction (13 vs 9, P = .70), urinary incontinence (1 vs 2, P = .40) or reconstruction failure (2 vs 0, P = .20) than the 17 patients delayed ≥12 weeks., Conclusion: We report similar outcomes following urethral reconstruction for PFUI patients repaired ≤6 weeks after injury compared with those delayed ≥12 weeks. This suggests that in selected cases reconstruction at 3-6 weeks is feasible, minimizing the morbidity of a suprapubic tube., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Positive surgical margins (PSM) and lymph node yield (LNY) following radical cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder affect survival. Variations in PSM or LNY at different care facilities are poorly described. We evaluated the relationship between hospital surgical volume and academic hospital status with these surgical outcomes and overall survival (OS)., Methods and Materials: Patients with nonmetastatic urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who underwent RC were identified from the National Cancer Database (2004-2013). Treatment centers were categorized as academic (ACC) and community cancer centers (CCC). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PSM status and LNY, and a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine factors associated with OS., Results: In our cohort, 39,274 patients underwent RC. A lower proportion of PSMs (10% vs.12%; P<0.001) and higher median LNY (14 vs. 8, P<0.001) was observed at ACCs compared to CCCs. On logistic regression, there were lower odds of PSM (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81-0.97) and higher odds of LNY ≥ 10 nodes (OR = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.74-1.96) among patients at ACCs compared to CCCs. Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated benefit to OS at high-volume centers (HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.87-0.95) but not based on ACC designation. The OS advantage at high-volume centers is attenuated (HR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.91-0.99) by PSM status and LNY., Conclusions: ACCs demonstrate improved surgical outcomes following RC, and a survival advantage attributable to high surgical volume is identified. Centralization of care may lead to improved outcomes in this lethal malignancy., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Men with pathologic evidence of seminal vesicle invasion (SVI) at radical prostatectomy (RP) have higher rates of biochemical recurrence (BCR) and mortality. Adjuvant radiotherapy (XRT) has been shown to increase freedom from BCR, but its impact on overall survival is controversial and it may represent overtreatment for some. The present study, therefore, sought to identify men with SVI at higher risk for BCR after RP in the absence of adjuvant XRT., Methods: We identified 180 patients in our institutional database who underwent RP from 1990 to 2011 who had pT3bN0-1 disease. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate freedom from BCR for the overall cohort and substratified by Gleason score, PSA, surgical margin status, and lymph node positivity. Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to determine demographic and histopathological factors predictive of BCR. Time-dependent ROC curve analysis was conducted to assess the ability of the UCSF-CAPRA score to predict BCR., Results: Median age was 64 years, and 52.8% of patients were preoperative D'Amico high risk. At RP, 41.4% had a positive surgical margin (PSM), and 12.2% had positive lymph nodes (LN). The most common sites of PSM were the peripheral zone (56.8%) and the apex (32.4%). Positive bladder neck margin (HR = 7.01, P = 0.035) and PSA 10-20 versus ≤10 (HR = 1.63, P = 0.047) predicted higher BCR in multivariable analyses. Median follow-up was 26 months, and 2-, 3-, and 5-year BCR-free rates were 56.1%, 49.0%, and 39.5%. Log rank tests showed that freedom from BCR was significantly less for Gleason 9-10, PSA >20, PSM, and N1 patients. The area under curve (AUC) for CAPRA in predicting BCR was 0.713 at 2 years, 0.692 at 3 years, and 0.641 at 5 years. Increasing CAPRA score was associated with an increased risk of BCR (HR = 1.33, P < 0.001)., Conclusions: pT3b prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease commonly associated with several high-risk features. Stratifying men with SVI by prognostic features (i.e., Gleason, PSA, node status, surgical margin status) and using these features to augment the CAPRA score will improve identification of those at higher risk for BCR that should be strongly considered for adjuvant XRT., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Aim: Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (PC) has traditionally been treated with partial penectomy with a 2-cm margin. More conservative resection margins have been reported to have no effect on oncologic control, but there is no consensus in the literature regarding functional outcomes after organ-preserving surgery for PC., Methods: Six patients meeting inclusion criteria were retrospectively identified to have received organ-sparing surgery for PC at the Cleveland Clinic from 2003 to 2012. Patient's sexual and urinary quality of life was assessed retrospectively using the International Index of Erectile Function and the patient-reported outcome measure for urethral stricture surgery., Results: Three patients (50%) report normal erections but describe intercourse as not very enjoyable and report being dissatisfied with their sex life. The remaining 50% consistently report no sexual activity and denied feeling sexual desire. All report only mild urinary symptoms, including decreased stream (18%) and feelings of incomplete voiding (67%). Eighty-three percent of patients report their sexual symptoms do not interfere with their daily lives. One hundred percent report being satisfied with their procedure., Conclusion: Our study is the first to use standardized, validated questionnaires to evaluate sexual and urinary function in a North American penile cancer patient population. We report excellent overall urinary function and quality of life following penile-sparing surgery for PC, and our results depict more realistic sexual outcomes than those reported in studies using non-blinded and non-validated methods.

Introduction/background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of vitamin D (VitD) deficiency in men undergoing radical prostatectomy and determine whether an association exists between preoperative VitD levels and adverse pathologic features., Patients and Methods: Patients scheduled to undergo radical prostatectomy for clinically localized disease from January to August 2012 were prospectively followed and those with available preoperative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were included. Men with a known diagnosis of VitD deficiency or taking VitD supplementation were excluded. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine whether preoperative VitD level is predictive of adverse pathologic outcomes., Results: One hundred consecutive men were included. Mean age was 62 (range, 42-79) years and mean VitD level was 26 (range, 6-57) ng/mL. Overall, 65 men (65%) had suboptimal levels of VitD (< 30 ng/mL), and 32 (32%) had deficiency (< 20 ng/mL). There was no significant correlation between VitD and age (P = .5). In logistic regression analysis, VitD level was not predictive of pathologic Gleason (P = .11), pathologic stage (P = .7), or positive margin status (P = .8)., Conclusion: The association between VitD and prostate cancer has been controversial and data suggesting an increased risk of aggressive cancer in men with low levels of VitD have been inconsistent. We found that baseline preoperative VitD level was not associated with any adverse pathologic features. However, VitD deficiency is a common finding in this population, although unrelated to patient age. These results represent the first time the correlation between VitD and prostate cancer has been evaluated in a cohort of men undergoing radical prostatectomy., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Finding quality consumer health information online can effectively bring important public health benefits to the general population. It can empower people with timely and current knowledge for managing their health and promoting wellbeing. Despite a popular belief that search engines such as Google can solve all information access problems, recent studies show that using search engines and simple search terms is not sufficient. Our objective is to provide an approach to organizing consumer health information for navigational exploration, complementing keyword-based direct search. Multi-topic assignment to health information, such as online questions, is a fundamental step for navigational exploration., Methods: We introduce a new multi-topic assignment method combining semantic annotation using UMLS concepts (CUIs) and Formal Concept Analysis (FCA). Each question was tagged with CUIs identified by MetaMap. The CUIs were filtered with term-frequency and a new term-strength index to construct a CUI-question context. The CUI-question context and a topic-subject context were used for multi-topic assignment, resulting in a topic-question context. The topic-question context was then directly used for constructing a prototype navigational exploration interface., Results: Experimental evaluation was performed on the task of automatic multi-topic assignment of 99 predefined topics for about 60,000 consumer health questions from NetWellness. Using example-based metrics, suitable for multi-topic assignment problems, our method achieved a precision of 0.849, recall of 0.774, and F₁ measure of 0.782, using a reference standard of 278 questions with manually assigned topics. Compared to NetWellness' original topic assignment, a 36.5% increase in recall is achieved with virtually no sacrifice in precision., Conclusion: Enhancing the recall of multi-topic assignment without sacrificing precision is a prerequisite for achieving the benefits of navigational exploration. Our new multi-topic assignment method, combining term-strength, FCA, and information retrieval techniques, significantly improved recall and performed well according to example-based metrics.

Objective: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is a minimally invasive alternative to open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RP), and is reported to offer equivalent oncologic outcomes while reducing perioperative morbidity. However, the technique of extirpation can differ based on the usage of thermal energy and coagulation during RARP, which may alter the risk of finding a positive surgical margin (PSM) as cautery may destroy residual cancer cells. We sought to evaluate whether the method of surgery (RP vs RARP) affects the rate of biochemical recurrence (BCR) in patients with PSMs., Materials & Methods: The Columbia University Urologic Oncology Database was reviewed to identify patients who underwent RP and RARP from 2000 to 2010 and had a PSM on final pathology. BCR was defined as a postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥0.2 ng/mL. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was utilized to calculate BCR rates based on the method of surgery. Cox regression analysis was performed to determine if the method of surgery was associated with BCR., Results: We identified 3267 patients who underwent prostatectomy, of which 910 (28%) had a PSM. Of those with a PSM, 337 patients had available follow-up data, including 229 who underwent RP (68%) and 108 who underwent RARP (32%). At a mean follow-up time of 37 months for the RP group, 103 (46%) patients demonstrated BCR; at a mean follow-up time of 44 months for the RARP group, 62 (57%) patients had a BCR (p=0.140). Two-year BCR-free rates for RP vs RARP were 65% and 49%, respectively (log-rank p<0.001). However, after controlling for age, PSA, grade, and year of surgery, the surgical method was not significantly associated with increased risk of BCR (HR 1.25; p=0.29)., Conclusion: Our results confirm the noninferiority of RARP to RP with regard to patients with PSMs. As such, all patients with a PSM at RP are at high risk for BCR and should be followed in the same manner regardless of the surgical approach.