Endoscopic Urethroplasty Using Buccal Graft for Male Membranous Urethral Stricture.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate a new minimally invasive endoscopic approach to urethroplasty. METHODS: The procedure was performed in a male patient with prior history of prostate cancer managed by radiation who subsequently developed an 8 mm flow-limiting membranous urethral stricture. After stricture dilation a 1 cm wide strip of superficial mucosa was resected from the bladder neck past the area of stricture, creating a bed for the graft to lay. Buccal mucosa graft was harvested in standard fashion. With the graft outside the urethra and using the RD 180 endoscopic suturing device, a suture is placed in the proximal end of the graft, then through the bladder neck, and back through the graft. As the suture is pulled, the pulley phenomenon advances the graft into place on the bladder neck. The graft is then anchored to the posterior urethra with secure straps. A catheter is placed to hold the graft flat during the healing process. RESULTS: The procedure lasted 2.5 hours without any complications. Estimated blood loss was 50cc, and the patient was discharged after the procedure. Catheter was removed at 4weeks. Cystoscopy at 10weeks post-op showed good graft viability, with peak flow improving to 20 mL/s compared to 4 mL/s preoperatively. At 6months, he continues to do well without evidence of recurrent urethral stricture. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic urethroplasty using buccal graft appears to offer a safe and effective repair option for management of ureteral strictures.

Novel Peyronie's algorithm at the time of penile implant.

INTRODUCTION: Peyronie's disease (PD) is a fibrous transformation of the tunica albuginea within the corpora cavernosa causing curvature of the penis while erect. This cannot only be painful but can also cause narrowing, shortening, an hourglass deformity and problems with penetrative intercourse. There are many means of management of Peyronie's disease at the time of penile implant. Modeling is a commonly used approach but leaves the penis without increased length. Multi-incisional techniques enhance length restoration, but risk significant vascular and neurologic compromise. Herein, we present our experience with a novel algorithm to approach Peyronie's disease with an effort to enhance and restore length without elevation of the neurovascular bundle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of an institutional review board approved database. Patients treated for Peyronie's disease and erectile dysfunction with penile implant from 8/16/18 to 8/20/2020 were evaluated. RESULTS: In our cohort of 33 patients there is an average of 1.9 cm average stretch difference in stretch penile length before and after management. There was a 2.15 cm difference in the cohort subset that utilized the Brock technique. We had no loss of sensation or glans ischemia. There was one patient with autoinflation. All patients had less than 10 degrees of residual curvature. CONCLUSION: With the proposed algorithm, we are able to safely maximize length restoration without elevation of the neurovascular bundle. More patients with longer follow up is needed to ensure the safety and validity of this algorithm.

Transurethral dorsal buccal graft urethroplasty for proximal female urethral strictures.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We present a novel outpatient transurethral dorsal buccal graft urethroplasty for managing proximal female urethral strictures. METHODS: A 69-year-old female presented with a 2.5-year history of slowing urinary stream. After discussing treatment options, she opted for transurethral dorsal buccal graft urethroplasty. The procedure begins with buccal graft harvest, and care is taken to avoid Stetson's duct. A nasal speculum is placed transurethrally, distal to the stricture. The full length of the dorsal urethra is incised superficially. A suture-passing device is used to place three sutures at the bladder neck and then through the buccal graft. The sutures are tied transurethrally using a laparoscopic knot pusher, parachuting the graft into place. The distal aspect of the buccal graft is secured to the urethral meatus with interrupted suture and surgical glue used to secure the midportion of the graft. RESULTS: Following the outpatient procedure, she had an uneventful recovery, including catheter removal at 3 weeks. At 3 months she had significant improvement in her urinary stream and no stress incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: The transurethral approach to dorsal buccal graft urethroplasty is technically feasible and, in the short term, effective. Longer follow-up and larger series are needed to validate this procedure.

Multi-institutional review of non-hypospadiac penile urethral stricture management and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: Penile urethral stricture disease not associated with hypospadias is rare, and there is a wide range of commonly used surgical repair techniques for this disease. We sought to compile a multi-institutional database of patients who had surgical correction of strictures in the penile urethra not limited to the meatus, and who had no history of hypospadias, for analysis using the Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons length, urethral segment and etiology classification system. METHODS: A retrospective database from 13 institutions was compiled of patients who had undergone surgical correction of Trauma and Urologic Reconstructive Network of Surgeons length, urethral segment and etiology urethral stricture segments S2b/S2c and excluding E5, with a minimum follow-up time of 4 months. Failure was defined as cystoscopically confirmed recurrence of a stricture measuring less than 16-Fr. RESULTS: We analyzed 222 patients with a median age of 57 years and a follow-up of 49 months. The overall surgical success rate was 80.2%. On multivariate analysis, the two variables identified that were predictive of surgical success were stricture length ≤2 cm as well as use of a buccal mucosa graft as compared to use of a fasciocutaneous flap, which had success rates of 83% and 52%, respectively (P = 0.0004). No statistically significant differences were found based on incisional approach or surgical technique, nor were outcomes different based on etiology or preoperative patient demographics. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical repair of penile urethral strictures of non-hypospadiac origin have a favorable overall success rate, at 80.2%. Regardless of incisional approach or surgical technique, all operations appear to have similar outcomes other than repairs using fasciocutaneous flap, which were statistically less successful than those using buccal mucosa graft.

Complications Based on Prostate Size After Plasmakinetic Enucleation of the Prostate.

Purpose: Lower urinary tract symptoms among adult men can significantly impact quality of life. We evaluated complications based on prostate size following plasmakinetic enucleation of the prostate. Materials and Methods: Patients were grouped into the small prostate group (SPG, <75 g) and large prostate group (LPG, >75 g) based on preoperative imaging. Patient data on demographics, comorbidities, preoperative international prostate symptom score (IPSS), bother index (BI), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) if indicated, postvoid residual volume (PVR), indwelling catheter or self-catheterization status, and any prior surgical intervention were evaluated. Postoperative IPSS, BI, and PVR values were assessed at 6 weeks, 4 months, and yearly. Postoperative urge urinary incontinence (UUI), stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and pad use were assessed. Results: Between September 2015 and December 2020, 296 patients who underwent bipolar enucleation with minimum follow-up of 4 months were evaluated. Postoperative IPSS, BI, PVR, and PSA values at all time points were significantly decreased compared with preoperative values (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the complications between groups. Univariable and multivariable analysis found that size <75 g was predictive of stricture formation and bladder neck contracture (BNC). UUI was more common at 6 weeks in the SPG, and SUI was more common at 6 weeks in the LPG, but no difference was noted at the 4-month and 1-year time points. Pad use was equal between the two groups at all time points. Conclusions: Plasmakinetic enucleation of the prostate provides an effective treatment option for prostates of all sizes; however, prostates <75 g have a higher rate of BNC and urethral strictures compared with those >75 g.

Predictors of Storage Symptom Improvement After Plasma Kinetic Enucleation of the Prostate.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which preoperative findings portend poor improvement in storage symptoms in patients undergoing plasma kinetic enucleation of prostate (PKEP). METHODS: A single surgeon series of patients who had undergone PKEP with minimum 1 year follow up were evaluated. Patients were grouped into those with less than 33% improvement in storage symptoms (LIS) according to the international prostate symptom score (IPSS) and those with greater than 33% improvement in storage symptoms (GIS). Pre and postoperative factors were evaluated, along with IPSS, storage symptoms percentage (the total from frequency, urgency and nocturia divided by the total IPSS), bother index, and post void residual (PVR) at 6 weeks, 4 months, and yearly. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-eight patients had a minimum 1 year of follow up and had completed the IPSS. IPSS and bother index improved significantly from preoperatively to all time points post operatively in both groups, but the difference was greater in the GIS group. Patients in the GIS group had significantly larger prostates, more prostatic ingrowth, higher preoperative PVR, and a higher overall IPSS compared to the LIS group. Those in the LIS group had a higher incidence of prior prostate surgery, and a higher BMI. However, storage symptom percentages were equal between the GIS and LIS groups at all time points. CONCLUSION: Greater prostatic ingrowth, larger prostate volume, higher preoperative PVR volume, and a higher overall IPSS was associated with greater improvement in storage symptoms. Prior prostate surgery and higher BMI portend less improvement in storage symptoms.

Multi-Institutional Study of Dorsal Onlay Urethroplasty of the Membranous Urethra after Endoscopic Prostate Procedures: Operative Results, Continence, Erectile Function and Patient Reported Outcomes.

(1) Background: To critically evaluate dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (DOBMGU) for posterior urethral stenosis repair following transurethral resection and other endoscopic prostate procedures. (2) Methods: A retrospective multi-institutional review of patients with membranous or bulbomembranous urethral stenosis for whom treatment with DOBMGU was conducted after receipt of prostate endoscopic procedures. Baseline data, peri-operative care, post-operative care and patient-reported outcomes were analyzed. The primary outcomes were procedural failure and development of de novo stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The secondary outcomes were changes in voiding, sexual function and patient satisfaction. (3) Results: A total of 107 men with a mean age of 69 ± 9.5 years and stenosis length of 3.5 ± 1.8 cm were included. Prior endoscopic procedures among participants were 47 patients (44%) with monopolar TURP, 33 (30.8%) with bipolar TURP, 16 (15%) with Greenlight laser, 9 (8.4%) with Holmium laser enucleation and 2 (1.9%) with bladder neck incision. At a mean follow-up time of 59.3 ± 45.1 months, stenosis recurred in 10 patients (9.35%). Multivariate analysis confirmed that postoperative complications (OR 12.5; p = 0.009), history of radiation (OR 8.3; p = 0.016) and ≥2 dilatations before urethroplasty (OR 8.3; p = 0.032) were independent predictors of recurrence. Only one patient (0.9%) developed de novo SUI. Patients experienced significant improvement in PVR (128 to 60 cc; p = 0.001), Uroflow (6.2 to 16.8 cc/s; p = 0.001), SHIM (11.5 to 11.7; p = 0.028), IPSS (20 to 7.7; p < 0.001) and QoL (4.4 to 1.7; p < 0.001), and 87 cases (81.3%) reported a GRA of + 2 or better. (4) Conclusions: DOBMGU is an effective and safe option for patients with posterior urethral stenosis following TURP and other prostate endoscopic procedures. This non-transecting approach minimizes external urinary sphincter manipulation, thus limiting postoperative risk of SUI or erectile dysfunction.

Virtue male sling outcomes and application to a contemporary nomogram.

INTRODUCTION To report outcomes of our Virtue male sling series and evaluate predictors of surgical success and failure. We also retrofit the Male Stress Incontinence Grading Scale (MSIGS) refined nomogram, including the standing cough test (SCT), to assess its application to our cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was completed at a single institution over a 4 year period of all Virtue male slings implanted for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Patient demographics including pad usage per day (PPD) and MSIGS were obtained on all patients after their bladders were filled cystoscopically. Failure was defined as > 1 PPD and/or conversion to another anti-incontinence procedure. Incidence, management and outcomes of complications were also evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-six men who underwent Virtue male sling at a median follow up of 15.6 months were analyzed with an objective success rate of 78% and a subjective success rate of 85%. Preoperative predictors of surgical success were ability to stop stream on physical exam, lack of total incontinence and no history of posterior urethral stricture. MSIGS alone was not predictive of sling success or failure. Penile numbness occurred in 11% of patients and reoperation with incision of the sutured together transobturator arms improved sensation in all patients. CONCLUSION: Virtue male sling has high objective and subjective success rates with a manageable side effect profile. Evidence of residual sphincteric function appears to be more predictive of sling success rather than MSIGS.

Transurethral Incision with Transverse Mucosal Realignment for the Management of Bladder Neck Contracture and Vesicourethral Anastomotic Stenosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess efficacy and safety of a novel cystoscopic technique for definitive repair of bladder neck contracture (BNC) and vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis (VUAS). METHODS: A retrospective review of patients who underwent a transurethral incision with transverse mucosal realignment between July 2019 and December 2020 by a single surgeon was completed. This is novel procedure of incising a scar cystoscopically and using a laparoscopic suturing device transurethrally to bring healthy bladder mucosa across the defect, like a YV plasty. Patients were only included if they had ≥4 months follow-up. Surgical success was defined as ability to pass a 17 French flexible cystoscope through the previously stenotic segment at 4 month follow up. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with a median follow-up of 6 months were included in this analysis. Etiology of posterior urethral stenosis was 53% from VUAS and 47% from BNC, with 32% of patients having prior pelvic radiation. Success was achieved in 89% of patients after 1 procedure and 100% of patients achieved success after a second procedure. There was no de novo incontinence or major complications. CONCLUSION: Transurethral incision with transverse mucosal realignment  for VUAS and BNC has a high success rate after only 1 procedure. This is the first reported series of an endoscopic Y-V plasty type repair for BNC and VUAS. Longer term follow up to ensure durability and reporting from other institutions will be needed to establish reproducibility.

Simplified posterior urethroplasty utilizing laparoscopic instrumentation.

BACKGROUND: Posterior urethral stricture disease presents challenges for even the most skilled reconstructive urologists. Regardless of the surgical technique used, these are complex operations that occur in hard-to-access locations. We describe the use of a novel combination of laparoscopic instrumentation to simplify posterior urethral reconstruction. METHODS: We retrospectively identified patients undergoing a posterior urethral stricture repair utilizing a combination of the RD-180® suture device and the Securestrap®. These procedures were performed by a single surgeon at our institution. Patients with greater than or equal to 4 months of follow up were included in the analysis. RESULTS: From October 2016 to October 2020, 20 patients underwent posterior urethral stricture repair using these laparoscopic instruments. Median age was 70 years (28-90 years). Median follow up was 12 months (5-50 months). Mean stricture length was 3 cm (1.5-16 cm). Median operative time was 150 minutes (120-180 minutes). No peripheral neuropathies or positional injuries were noted. With failure defined as inability to pass a 16-Fr scope, success rate was 95% (19/20 patients). CONCLUSIONS: The combination of the RD-180® and the Securestrap® has become essential to our posterior urethral stricture repair armamentarium. Further data and longer follow up is needed to confirm these reliable outcomes.

Microbial Assemblage Dynamics Within the American Alligator Nesting Ecosystem: a Comparative Approach Across Ecological Scales.

Understanding the ecological processes that shape species assemblage patterns is central to community ecology. The effects of ecological processes on assemblage patterns are scale-dependent. We used metabarcoding and shotgun sequencing to determine bacterial taxonomic and functional assemblage patterns among varying defined focal scales (micro-, meso-, and macroscale) within the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) nesting microbiome. We correlate bacterial assemblage patterns among eight nesting compartments within and proximal to alligator nests (micro-), across 18 nests (meso-), and between 4 geographic sampling sites (macro-), to determine which ecological processes may drive bacterial assemblage patterns within the nesting environment. Among all focal scales, bacterial taxonomic and functional richness (α-diversity) did not statistically differ. In contrast, bacterial assemblage structure (ß-diversity) was unique across all focal scales, whereas functional pathways were redundant within nests and across geographic sites. Considering these observed scale-based patterns, taxonomic bacterial composition may be governed by unique environmental filters and dispersal limitations relative to microbial functional attributes within the alligator nesting environment. These results advance pattern-process dynamics within the field of microbial community ecology and describe processes influencing the American alligator nest microbiome.

Continent cutaneous ileocecal cystoplasty in the treatment of refractory bladder neck contracture and urinary incontinence after prostate cancer treatment.

INTRODUCTION: To assess the use, complications, and outcomes of continent cutaneous ileocecal cystoplasty (CCIC) for the management of refractory bladder neck contractures and/or urinary incontinence after prostate cancer therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional review board approved database was reviewed for patients who underwent CCIC from January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2018. Preoperative, perioperative and postoperative factors were assessed, including complications and outcomes. RESULTS: Thirteen patients were identified. Indications for CCIC included refractory bladder neck contracture (n = 3), urinary incontinence (n = 5), or both (n = 5). Median age was 69. Median follow up was 78.1 months. Seventy-seven percent of patients (10/13) had a history of radiation. The median number of procedures between initial prostate treatment and augmentation was 3. Sixty-nine percent (9/13) of patients had a bladder neck closure along with augmentation (5 transabdominal and 4 transperineal). Median operative time was 375 minutes. Median blood loss was 175 mL. The overall complication rate was 69% (9/13), with 38% (5/13) occurring within 30 days. One patient (8%) required stomal revision. Thirty-three percent (3/9) of patients with bladder neck closure required revision due to perineal fistula. All had a history of radiation therapy. At last follow up all patients were satisfied with their urinary control. Eighty-five percent of patients (11/13) were fully continent via both urethra and stoma. One patient had urethral leakage with bladder spasms controlled with medication and one had mild stomal incontinence. CONCLUSIONS: CCIC is an effective means of treating refractory bladder neck contractures and/or urinary incontinence. While morbidity rates are high, subjective patient satisfaction is high.

Real-time indocyanine green angiography with the SPY fluorescence imaging platform decreases benign ureteroenteric strictures in urinary diversions performed during radical cystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Ischemia is thought to contribute to benign ureteroenteric stricture (UES) after radical cystectomy with urinary diversion (RCUD). Our institution adopted the use of ureteral perfusion assessment during all RCUDs using real-time indocyanine green angiography using the SPY fluorescence imaging platform (Stryker Corp., Kalamazoo, MI, USA). This guides the location of ureteral transection prior to ureteroenteric anastomosis. We sought to compare UES rates before and after adoption of SPY. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was undertaken for the first 47 consecutive cases of RCUD using SPY as well as the previous 47 consecutive cases, which were performed without SPY. Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used to compare benign UES rates and the length of ureter excised during anastomosis. A p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: Median follow up was 12.0 months for SPY cases and 24.3 months for non-SPY cases. The UES rate for SPY RCUDs was 0% (0/93 ureters) compared with 7.5% (7/93 ureters) for non-SPY RCUDs (p = 0.01). Amongst SPY RCUDs, 86 ureters had no hydronephrosis and 7 had mild hydronephrosis with reflux on loopogram. A total of 34.4% of ureters (32/93) had poor distal perfusion, requiring a more proximal anastomosis. The median length excised for ureters with poor distal perfusion was 3.8 cm, compared with 2.2 cm for ureters with good distal perfusion (p < 0.0001). No complications attributable to the use of SPY were noted. CONCLUSION: Use of SPY to assess ureteral perfusion was associated with a decrease in the UES rate after RCUD. A total of 34.4% of ureters demonstrated poor distal perfusion, requiring a significantly more proximal ureteroenteric anastomosis.

There's a frog in my salad! A review of online media coverage for wild vertebrates found in prepackaged produce in the United States.

Prepackaged leafy green vegetables represent one of the fastest growing segments of the fresh-produce industry in the United States. Several steps in the production process have been mechanized to meet the downstream demand for prebagged lettuces. The growth in this market, however, has come with drawbacks, and chief among them are consumers finding wild animals in prepackaged crops. These incidents may signal an overburdened produce supply chain, but we currently lack the information needed to determine if this is a food-safety problem or food-quality concern. Here, we address this gap by reviewing online media coverage of wild vertebrates found in prepackaged produce items by customers in the United States. We discovered 40 independent incidents since 2003 with 95% having occurred during 2008-2018, suggesting that the frequency of incidents may have increased during the last decade. The minority of incidents included wild animals found in organic produce (27.5%), whereas the majority involved conventionally grown crops (72.5%). Most incidents involved amphibians (52.5%) and reptiles (22.5%), while fewer contained mammals (17.5%) and birds (7.5%). Frogs and toads made up all of the amphibian-related incidents, with more than 60% comprising small-bodied treefrogs found in various types of fresh leafy greens. At least seven incidents involved Pacific Treefrogs (Hyliola regilla) and three comprised Green Anoles (Anolis carolinensis). One lizard and nine frogs were found alive, and at least two frogs were released into non-native areas. This is the first review quantifying incidents of vertebrates found by customers in prepackaged produce, yet it remains unclear whether these occurrences indicate a food-safety crisis or a complaint against food quality. Nevertheless, wild animals can spread diseases to humans via contaminated produce, therefore we contend that industry professionals can reduce the potential health risk to their consumers and negative economic consequences to themselves through increased attention to this matter.