Does Severity of Chronic Urinary Retention as Estimated by Preoperative Residual Urine Estimation Negatively Impact the Outcome of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influence of preoperative post-void residual (PVR) volume on the outcomes of Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP). Long-term bladder obstruction can impair bladder contractility, which has been linked to failure to improve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after bladder outlet procedures. Elevated PVR constitutes a proxy for chronic retention and detrusor underactivity that can be non-invasively determined in office. METHODS: We evaluated men undergoing "en-bloc" HoLEP from July 2017 to August 2022 from our prospectively maintained database. PVR, prostate-specific antigen, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and uroflowmetry were assessed before surgery, at 3 months, 6 months and 1 year post- operatively. Patients' clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared according to preoperative PVR measurement by Group 1 (<100 mL), Group 2 (101-300 mL), Group 3 (301-600 mL), and Group 4 (>600 mL). RESULTS: We included 318 men and found no significant differences between groups regarding clinical or perioperative characteristics including operative time, resected volume, catheter time, and complications. Post-operative improvement in voiding parameters was found to be similar in all 4 groups up to 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Severity of chronic urinary retention did not impact the outcomes of HoLEP, which provided great improvement in voiding parameters to men with LUTS secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia, with no significant differences in outcomes between patient with preoperative PVR <100 mL or >600 mL. These findings should assist in reassuring patients with large bladder capacity that HoLEP can provide them with excellent functional voiding outcomes.

A systematic review and network meta-analysis comparing Rezum with transurethral needle ablation and microwave thermotherapy for the management of enlarged prostate.

Objectives: We aim to compare efficacy and safety of water vapour therapy (Rezum), transurethral needle ablation (TUNA) and transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT) for treating men with moderate to severe benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) symptoms. Materials: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to 30 July 2023, followed by reference searching and dual-independent study selection. We analysed only randomized clinical trials. RoB-2, NIH-quality assessment tool and GRADE guidelines were used for quality-of-evidence (QoE) assessment. Relevant prospective studies without a critical risk-of-bias were included. Results: At 12 months, Rezum showed similar efficacy to TUNA and TUMT for improvement in International Prostate Symptoms Score - Rezum versus TUMT: 1.33 points (95% CI: -1.66 to 4.35) favouring TUMT (QoE: Moderate) and Rezum versus TUNA: 0.07 points (95% CI: -3.64 to 3.88) favouring TUNA (QoE: Low). Rezum had similar outcomes to TUNA and TUMT for Maximum Peak-Flow Rate (Qmax): Rezum versus TUMT: 1.05 mL/s (95% CI: -4.88 to 2.82) favouring Rezum (QoE: Low) and Rezum versus TUNA: 0.37 mL/s (95% CI: -4.61 to 4.21) favouring TUNA (QoE: Low). Furthermore, post-void residual volume (PVR) comparisons demonstrated that Rezum was similar, or inferior to other techniques at 12 months - Rezum versus TUMT: 11.20 mL (95% CI: -32.40 to 10.30) favouring TUMT (QoE: Low) and Rezum versus TUNA: 24.10 mL (95% CI: 2.81 to 45.10) favouring TUNA (QoE: Low). Rezum also had a similar surgical retreatment rate with TUMT and TUNA up to 3-years - TUMT versus Rezum RR: 1.21 (95% CI: 0.20 to 15.90) (QoE: Low) and TUNA versus Rezum showed RR: 1.81 (95% CI: 0.2 to 24.60) (QoE: Low). In the first 12 months after treatment, Rezum had a higher rate of serious adverse events (Clavien-Dindo ≥ Grade 3) than TUMT and TUNA. TUMT versus Rezum with RR = 0.53 (95% CI: 0.13 to 3.14) (QoE: Low) and TUNA versus Rezum with RR = 0.38 (95% CI: 0.04 to 3.49) (QoE: Low). Conclusions: Moderate to weak evidence suggests that Rezum is not superior to TUNA and TUMT in all domains studied.

Combined holmium laser enucleation of the prostate with high-intensity focused ultrasound in treating patients with localized prostate cancer in a prostate with volume > 60 g: Oncological and functional outcomes from single-institution study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of combined High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) and Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) in treating patients with both localized prostate cancer (PCa) and prostate > 60 g. METHODS: All patients who underwent HIFU for treatment of localized PCa were prospectively enrolled in our study. We reviewed records of patients undergoing procedures from January 2016 to January 2023. For patients with prostate sizes > 60 g, HoLEP was offered before HIFU to prevent worsened urinary symptoms post-treatment. Oncological outcomes-prostatic-specific (PSA) kinetics, recurrence rates, treatment failure - and functional results-Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM), International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), and urinary complications were compared between patients undergoing combined HoLEP and HIFU with those underwent HIFU-monotherapy. RESULTS: Among 100 patients, 74 underwent HIFU-monotherapy and 26 underwent the combined HoLEP and HIFU. The majority had intermediate-risk PCa (67%). Pathologic assessment of HoLEP specimens showed no tumor evidence in 57% of cases. In comparison to the HIFU-only group, the combined group exhibited significantly lower PSA metrics across various intervals, however, no differences were found regarding overall and infield recurrences and treatment failure rates. While the combined treatment initially resulted in higher incontinence rates and shorter catheterization durations (P < 0.001), no significant difference in IPSS was observed during subsequent follow-ups. CONCLUSION: HoLEP and HIFU can be safely combined for the treatment of PCa in patients with >60 g prostate volume without compromising early oncological outcomes thereby expanding the therapeutic scope of HIFU in treating patients with localized PCa and large adenomas.

Antegrade ejaculation preservation in surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia: quest for balance between voiding and sexual function.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) carries a significant risk of ejaculation dysfunction. Preservation of antegrade ejaculation while providing effective, well tolerated, and durable treatment of BPH is a paramount component of physical and sexual well being for significant number of men. We reviewed available literature with an aim of providing status on antegrade ejaculation preserving BPH surgical therapies. RECENT FINDINGS: Minimally invasive surgical therapies for BPH have been developed over the last decade, with significant marketing emphasis on their potential for preservation of antegrade ejaculation. However, the question about durability of relief of bladder outlet obstruction remains. Parallel to this technological development, the understanding of anatomical structures involved in ejaculation have resulted in technical modifications of well established surgical treatments modalities like transurethral resection of prostate, endoscopic enucleation of prostate and simple prostatectomy, thereby providing safe and durable relief of bladder outlet obstruction secondary to BPH with a satisfactory preservation of antegrade ejaculation. SUMMARY: Preservation of antegrade ejaculation is an important goal for significant number of men needing BPH surgery. Novel minimally invasive surgical technologies have been developed for this purpose; but understanding of the anatomical structures essential for antegrade ejaculation have allowed technical modification of existing surgical techniques with excellent preservation of antegrade ejaculation.

Application of Natural Language Processing in Electronic Health Record Data Extraction for Navigating Prostate Cancer Care: A Narrative Review.

Introduction: Natural language processing (NLP)-based data extraction from electronic health records (EHRs) holds significant potential to simplify clinical management and aid research. This review aims to evaluate the current landscape of NLP-based data extraction in prostate cancer (PCa) management. Materials and Methods: We conducted a literature search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases using the keywords: "Natural Language Processing," "Prostate Cancer," "data extraction," and "EHR" with variations of each. No language or time limits were imposed. All results were collected in a standardized manner, including country of origin, sample size, algorithm, objective of outcome, and model performance. The precision, recall, and the F1 score of studies were collected as a metric of model performance. Results: Of the 14 studies included in the review, 2 articles focused on documenting digital rectal examinations, 1 on identifying and quantifying pain secondary to PCa, 8 on extracting staging/grading information from clinical reports, with an emphasis on TNM-classification, risk stratification, and identifying metastasis, 2 articles focused on patient-centered post-treatment outcomes such as incontinence, erectile, and bowel dysfunction, and 1 on loneliness/social isolation following PCa diagnosis. All models showed moderate to high data annotation/extraction accuracy compared with the gold standard method of manual data extraction by chart review. Despite their potential, NLPs face challenges in handling ambiguous, institution-specific language and context nuances, leading to occasional inaccuracies in clinical data interpretation. Conclusion: NLP-based data extraction has effectively extracted various outcomes from PCa patients' EHRs. It holds the potential for automating outcome monitoring and data collection, resulting in time and labor savings.

Acquired Urethral Diverticulum After Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate: A Case Report.

Acquired urethral diverticula (UD) in males is an uncommon entity, and it is rarely reported after an open simple prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate. Here, we report a unique case of a UD presenting after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) in a 69-year-old male with a prostate of 372 g who had five episodes of urine retention over one year despite combined medical treatment with tamsulosin 0.8 mg and finasteride 5 mg. The patient also has elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) with five negative prostate biopsies over the last few years. The procedure lasted six hours with difficult morcellation due to beach balls that took 3.5 hours. There were no intraoperative complications. However, he continued to have mixed urine incontinence and recurrent (six) episodes of urinary tract infection (UTI) in the first postoperative year. On evaluation, his urodynamic study did not reproduce stress urinary incontinence (SUI); however, cystoscopy and retrograde urethrogram diagnosed a 6-cm UD in the bulbar penile urethra with penoscrotal mass. The patient underwent urethral diverticulectomy and urethroplasty with a buccal mucosa graft to correct the defect. Six months after his urethral reconstruction, he continued to have mixed urine incontinence needing two pads/day. Although male UD is a rare condition, our case report seeks to heighten awareness of such a potential rare complication in men with recurrent UTIs and refractory urinary incontinence after prolonged HoLEP for extremely large prostates.

Incidental prostate cancer after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate: Critical analysis of independent risk factors and impact on surgical outcomes.

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to evaluate the impact of incidental prostate cancer (iPCa) and its different grade group (GG) on the surgical outcomes of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) and, furthermore, to assess the independent risk factors associated with the detection of iPCa. Patients or materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted at a single institution for HoLEP cases that were performed between 2017 and 2022. Patients with a preoperative diagnosis of prostate cancer and those without baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels within 1 year were excluded. Four hundred seventeen patients were divided into three groups: benign prostatic hyperplasia-377; clinically insignificant (GG 1)-29; and clinically significant prostate cancer (GG 2-5)-11. The preoperative parameters analysed included age, body mass index, race/ethnicity, use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, PSA, prostate size, PSA density, and history of negative prostate biopsy. To evaluate the association between clinical and demographic variables, a multivariable-adjusted logistic regression analysis was performed. We also assessed intraoperative and post-operative outcomes among these three groups. Results: A total of 417 patients were analysed; 40 (9.6%) patients had iPCa, of which 29 (72.5%) and 11 (27.5%) were clinically nonsignificant and significant prostate cancer, respectively. Of all the demographic and preoperative variables analysed, hypertension was significantly associated with overall prostate cancer diagnosis (p < 0.05), and no other variable including patient age, preoperative PSA, PSA density, prostate size, or prior prostate biopsy were associated with increased risk of overall prostate cancer or clinically significant prostate cancer diagnosis. Most cases of iPCa were GG1, and 34 (85%) were managed with active surveillance. Conclusion: The rate of iPCa after HoLEP was 9.6%, with most cases being GG 1 (72.5%) and managed through active surveillance. Age, prostate size, baseline PSA, and prior negative prostate biopsies were not associated with increased risk of iPCa.

Correction: Exploring the Legal Implications of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Surgeries in the United States: A Comprehensive Analysis of Two Decades of Lawsuits.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.39335.].

One-year outcomes after prostate artery embolization versus laser enucleation: A network meta-analysis.

Background: Although holmium laser enucleation (HoLEP) is considered a size-independent procedure for treatment of an enlarged prostate, prostate artery embolization (PAE) is emerging as an alternative modality to treat moderate and large benign prostatic hyperplasia. This study aims to compare the early post-operative and short-term efficacy of PAE and HoLEP. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Library and EMBASE databases were searched. Network meta-analysis was performed following PRISMA-N-guidelines. Post-operative parameters analysed include international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QOL), post-void residual urine (PVR), maximal uroflow rate (Qmax) and serious adverse events (SAE). Random effects model calculated weighted mean differences (WMD). If 95%CI crossed the line of no effect (WMD = 0), evidence indicated no statistically significant difference between treatments compared. Results: Qualitative and quantitative syntheses included 20 and 18 studies with 1991 and 1606 patients, respectively. At 3 months, there was no statistically significant difference between PAE and HoLEP in IPSS score improvement [WMD: -2.21: 95%CI: (-10.20, 5.78), favouring PAE], QoL score improvement [WMD: -0.22:95%CI: (-1.75, 1.32), favouring PAE] and PVR improvement [WMD: 26.97: 95%CI: (-59.53, 113.48), favouring HoLEP]. However, PAE was found inferior to HoLEP for Qmax improvement [WMD: 8.47, 95%CI: (2.89, 14.05), favouring HoLEP]. At 1-year follow-up, there was no statistically significant was found between PAE and HoLEP for IPSS score improvement [WMD:6.03, 95%CI: (-1.30, 13.35)], QoL score improvement [WMD: 0.03, 95%CI: (-1.19, 1.25)], PVR improvement [WMD:4.11, 95%CI: (-32.31, 40.53)] and Qmax improvement [WMD:2.60, 95%CI: (-2.20, 7.41)] with all differences favouring HoLEP. PAE was superior to HoLEP for SAE [PAE vs. HoLEP-OR: 0.68, 95%CI: (0.25, 1.37)]. Conclusion: HoLEP was superior to PAE at 3 months for Qmax improvement. There was no significant difference in IPSS, QoL, PVR and Qmax improvement at 1 year between PAE and HoLEP. PAE was also associated with lesser SAE compared to HoLEP. Studies on the long-term outcome of PAE are needed to establish the durability of early outcomes after PAE.

Minimally invasive techniques in quest of Holy Grail of surgical management of enlarged prostates: a narrative review.

PURPOSE: Past decade has seen a renewed interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques (MISTs) for management of enlarged prostate. This narrative review aims to explore newer MIST for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) which are not yet integrated into established societal guidelines. METHODS: We conducted a literature search across PubMed, Google Scholar, and FDA ClinicalTrials.gov databases on June 1st, 2023, to identify studies published within the past decade exploring various MISTs for BPH. Additionally, we gathered insights from abstracts presented in meetings of professional associations and corporate websites. We broadly classified these procedures into three distinct categories: energy-based, balloon dilation, and implant/stent treatments. We collected detail information about the device, procedure details, its inclusion and exclusion criteria, and outcome. RESULTS: Our review reveals that newer energy-based MISTs include Transperineal Laser Ablation, Transurethral Ultrasound Ablation, and High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound. In the sphere of balloon dilation, Transurethral Columnar Balloon Dilation and the Optilume BPH Catheter System were gaining momentum. The noteworthy implants/stents that are on horizon include Butterfly Prostatic Retraction Device, Urocross Expander System, Zenflow Spring System, and ProVee Urethral Expander System. CONCLUSION: The exploration of various MISTs reflects ongoing efforts to enhance patient care and address limitations of existing treatments. This review provides a bird-eye view and valuable insights for urologists and researchers seeking to navigate the dynamic landscape of MISTs in the quest for effective and minimally invasive solutions for enlarged prostates.

The Influence of the Microbiome on Urological Malignancies: A Systematic Review.

The microbiome, once considered peripheral, is emerging as a relevant player in the intricate web of factors contributing to cancer development and progression. These often overlooked microorganisms, in the context of urological malignancies, have been investigated primarily focusing on the gut microbiome, while exploration of urogenital microorganisms remains limited. Considering this, our systematic review delves into the complex role of these understudied actors in various neoplastic conditions, including prostate, bladder, kidney, penile, and testicular cancers. Our analysis found a total of 37 studies (prostate cancer 12, bladder cancer 20, kidney cancer 4, penile/testicular cancer 1), revealing distinct associations specific to each condition and hinting at potential therapeutic avenues and future biomarker discoveries. It becomes evident that further research is imperative to unravel the complexities of this domain and provide a more comprehensive understanding.

Is Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate Truly Size-Independent? A Critical Evaluation at the Extreme Ends of the Spectrum.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the outcomes of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) at the extremes of the size spectrum, comparing whether the results are consistent for very large and small prostates. METHODS: A retrospective review of 402 patient charts was conducted to compare the outcomes of HoLEP in patients with prostate size ≤40 g (group 1), 41-200 g (group 2), and >200 g (group 3). Various preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative variables were collected. RESULTS: HoLEP showed comparable voiding outcomes among all 3 groups, although patients with small prostates had a higher International Prostate Symptom Score during follow-up (P = .022). We noted a higher rate of perioperative blood transfusion in patients with very large prostates (P = .019) and a higher rate of transient acute urinary retention (AUR) in group 1 when compared to group 3 (P = .048). Patients with smaller prostates had a higher rate of bladder neck stenosis and urethral strictures, but the differences were not found to be statistically significant. The incidence of other complications, length of hospital stay, and catheterization duration did not differ significantly among the groups. CONCLUSION: HoLEP has consistent and safe outcomes across a wide range of prostate sizes. Although, the risk of blood transfusion is higher in patients with very large prostates and the risk of transient AUR is greater in patients with small glands, the overall efficacy and safety of HoLEP are not significantly influenced by prostate size.

The emerging role of the urinary microbiome in benign noninfectious urological conditions: an up-to-date systematic review.

PURPOSE: The goal of this systematic review was to examine the current literature on the urinary microbiome and its associations with noninfectious, nonmalignant, urologic diseases. Secondarily, we aimed to describe the most common bioinformatics used to analyze the urinary microbiome. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of Ovid MEDLINE using the keywords "microbiota" AND "prostatic hyperplasia," "microbiota" AND "urinary bladder, overactive," "microbiota" AND "pelvic pain," and "microbiota" AND "urolithiasis" OR "nephrolithiasis" OR "urinary calculi" AND "calcium oxalate" was performed to identify relevant clinical microbiome studies associated with noninfectious benign urological conditions published from 2010 to 2022. We included human studies that evaluated the urinary, stone, or semen microbiota, or any combination of the above-mentioned locations. RESULTS: A total of 25 human studies met the inclusion criteria: 4 on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 9 on overactive bladder (OAB), 8 on calcium oxalate stones, and 4 on chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). Specific taxonomic profiles in the urine microbiome were associated with each pathology, and evaluation of alpha- and beta-diversity and relative abundance was accounted for most of the studies. Symptom prevalence and severity were also analyzed and showed associations with specific microbes. CONCLUSION: The study of the urogenital microbiome is rapidly expanding in urology. Noninfectious benign urogenital diseases, such as BPH, calcium oxalate stones, CPPS, and OAB were found to be associated with specific microbial taxonomies. Further research with larger study populations is necessary to solidify the knowledge of the urine microbiome in these conditions and to facilitate the creation of microbiome-based diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Histopathological assessment of depth of coagulation necrosis with Holmium, Moses, and Thulium fiber lasers in human prostate tissue.

PURPOSE: To evaluate coagulation necrosis depth (CND) of Holmium (HL), Moses (ML), and Thulium fiber laser (TFL) in ex vivo human prostate tissue at various energy settings. METHODS: After endoscopic HL enucleation, small prostate tissue fragments were removed from the bladder with graspers and used for study. Immediately after surgery, a single incision was made on the surface of the tissue kept under normal saline at room temperature using a hand-held 550-µm laser fiber. Variable energy settings were tested for all three lasers. Two pathologists measured the CND with light microscopy using ocular micrometer. Impact of various laser settings on CND was analyzed. The differences in CND of all three lasers at similar laser power were compared. RESULTS: Mean CND was 0.56 ± 0.53 mm for long-pulse HL, 0.54 ± 0.53 mm for ML, 0.67 ± 0.67 mm for low-pulse TFL, and 0.81 ± 0.78 mm for high-pulse TFL. There was no significant difference between mean CND of HL and ML at various laser settings ranging from 10 to 120 W and CND with long- and short-pulse settings of TFL at settings from 10 to 60 W. There was a trend of increasing CND in HL and ML with increasing laser power; however, it was not statistically significant. TFL had similar tissue effects as HL and ML. CONCLUSION: There is no significant difference in CND of HL, ML, and TFL in ex vivo human prostate tissue. Other factors besides laser type and settings need to be studied to explain clinical differences among various lasers used for prostate enucleation.