Transcorporal Artificial Urinary Sphincter Technique Video.

OBJECTIVE: The artificial urethral sphincter (AUS) is the gold standard treatment for male stress urinary incontinence which commonly results from prostatectomy or pelvic radiation for prostate cancer. Patients with prior pelvic radiation history experience increased risk of developing urethral erosion. Transcorporal AUS (TAUS) placement can be used as an alternative for compromised urethras to incorporate a small portion of the corporal bodies for additional support. The inclusion of an additional tissue barrier has been shown to improve outcomes. Patients who undergo this technique require device explanation and AUS revision less often than those with AUS devices placed in the standard fashion. Additionally, TAUS placement has been shown to improve functional urinary outcomes such as postoperative Internal prostate symptom score (IPSS), and postoperative IPSS Quality of Life (QoL) scores. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 67-year-old male with a past medical history of prostate cancer treated with surgery and radiation underwent a TAUS placement which was filmed to demonstrate placement technique and tips. Informed consent was obtained prior to filming this video. RESULTS: This technique can serve as a successful primary or salvage AUS placement technique as seen in this video. CONCLUSION: This video is used to demonstrate the technique of TAUS placement.

Changes in Urologic Cancer Surgical Volume and Length of Stay During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Pennsylvania.

Importance: Disruptions in cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread deferrals and cancellations, creating a surgical backlog that presents a challenge for health care institutions moving into the recovery phase of the pandemic. Objective: To describe patterns in surgical volume and postoperative length of stay for major urologic cancer surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study identified 24 001 patients 18 years or older from the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council database with kidney cancer, prostate cancer, or bladder cancer who received a radical nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, radical prostatectomy, or radical cystectomy between the first quarter (Q1) of 2016 and Q2 of 2021. Postoperative length of stay and adjusted surgical volumes were compared before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was adjusted surgical volume for radical and partial nephrectomy, radical prostatectomy, and radical cystectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The secondary outcome was postoperative length of stay. Results: A total of 24 001 patients (mean [SD] age, 63.1 [9.4] years; 3522 women [15%], 19 845 White patients [83%], 17 896 living in urban areas [75%]) received major urologic cancer surgery between Q1 of 2016 and Q2 of 2021. Of these, 4896 radical nephrectomy, 3508 partial nephrectomy, 13 327 radical prostatectomy, and 2270 radical cystectomy surgical procedures were performed. There were no statistically significant differences in patient age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance status, urban or rural status, or Elixhauser Comorbidity Index scores between patients who received surgery before and patients who received surgery during the pandemic. For partial nephrectomy, a baseline of 168 surgeries per quarter decreased to 137 surgeries per quarter in Q2 and Q3 of 2020. For radical prostatectomy, a baseline of 644 surgeries per quarter decreased to 527 surgeries per quarter in Q2 and Q3 of 2020. However, the likelihood of receiving radical nephrectomy (odds ratio [OR], 1.00; 95% CI, 0.78-1.28), partial nephrectomy (OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.77-1.27), radical prostatectomy (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.22-3.22), or radical cystectomy (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.31-1.53) was unchanged. Length of stay for partial nephrectomy decreased from baseline by a mean of 0.7 days (95% CI, -1.2 to -0.2 days) during the pandemic. Conclusions and Relevance: This cohort study suggests that partial nephrectomy and radical prostatectomy surgical volume decreased during the peak waves of COVID-19, as did postoperative length of stay for partial nephrectomy.

Variation in Statewide Intravesical Treatment Rates for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer During the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Drug Shortage.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the changes in treatment patterns for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer before and during the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) drug shortage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used a 5% random sample of Medicare beneficiaries and identified 7971 bladder cancer patients (2648 pre-BCG shortage and 5323 during the shortage) ≥66 years of age who received intravesical treatment within 1 year of diagnosis between 2010 and 2017. The BCG shortage period was defined from July 2012 ongoing. Full induction treatment with BCG, mitomycin C, gemcitabine, or other intravesical agents was defined as receiving ≥5 of 6 treatments within 60 days. State-level BCG use before and during the drug shortage was compared in US states reporting at least 50 patients in each period. Independent variables included year of index date, age, sex, race, rurality, and region of residence. RESULTS: BCG utilization rates decreased 5.9% in the shortage period (95% CI (-8.2%)-(-3.7%)). The proportion of patients that completed a full induction course of BCG decreased from 31.0% in the pre-shortage period to 27.6% in the shortage period (P = .002). 84% of reporting states (16 of 19) had decreased BCG utilization ranging between 5% and 36% compared to pre-shortage rates. CONCLUSION: During the BCG drug shortage, eligible bladder cancer patients were less likely to receive gold standard intravesical BCG with a large variation in treatment patterns between US states.

Linear relationship between absorbed radiation dose and pulse rate during fluoroscopy.

PURPOSE: To identify the relationship between fluoroscopy pulse rate and absorbed radiation dose. We compared absorbed radiation dose with common proxy measurements such as fluoroscopy time and C-arm reported dose. METHODS: Using a simulated patient model, 60 s fluoroscopy exposures were performed using pulse rates of 30, 8, 4, 2, and 1 pulse(s) per second. Each experiment was performed with both standard and low-dose settings using a GE OEC 9800 plus C-arm. Landauer nanoDot™ OSL dosimeters were used to measure the absorbed radiation dose. RESULTS: Fluoroscopy pulse rate and absorbed radiation dose demonstrated a linear correlation for both standard (R2 = 0.995, p < 0.001) and low-dose (R2 = 0.998, p < 0.001) settings. For any given pulse rate, using the low-dose setting reduced absorbed radiation dose by 58 ± 2.8%. Fluoroscopy time demonstrated a linear relationship with absorbed radiation dose for both standard (R2 = 0.996, p < 0.001) and low-dose (R2 = 0.991, p < 0.001) settings, but did not change with use of the low-dose setting. C-arm reported radiation dose correlated linearly with absorbed dose (R2 = 0.999) but consistently under-estimated measured values by an average of 49 ± 3.5%. Using a combination of 1 pulse-per-second and low-dose fluoroscopy, absorbed dose was reduced by 97.7 ± 0.1% compared to standard dose and 30 pulse-per-second settings. CONCLUSION: Absorbed radiation dose decreases linearly with fluoroscopy pulse rate during equivalent exposure times. Adjusting fluoroscopy pulse rate and utilizing low-dose settings significantly reduces overall absorbed radiation exposure by up to 98%.

Salvage Surgery Rates for Pediatric Testicular Torsion: Comparison of the Pre- and Post-Quality Metric Eras.

PURPOSE: Pediatric testicular torsion is a urological emergency that requires timely intervention. In 2015, quality metrics for testicular torsion were implemented in the U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" rankings. Our study examines and compares testicular salvage surgery rates before and after the institution of national quality metrics from a multi-institutional database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Pediatric Health Information System® was surveyed for all testicular torsion encounters using ICD (International Classification of Diseases), Ninth and Tenth Revisions coding from 52 hospitals between January 2010 and December 2019. Patients <1 year and ≥18 years of age were excluded. Only hospitals that reported outcomes before and after quality scoring were included. Testicular salvage surgery was defined as patients having undergone orchiopexy without concomitant orchiectomy. Age, race, distance from hospital, household income and insurance status were compared. RESULTS: A total of 890 patients (551 pre-metric and 339 post-metric) from 38 hospitals were included. The testicular salvage surgery rate was 12.5% higher in the post-metric cohort (70.9% versus 58.4%). Hospital compliance to testicular torsion quality metrics increased from 62% in 2015 to 98% in 2019. Mean age, race, distance to hospital, household income, insurance status and use of ultrasound were not statistically different between pre- and post-metric cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Since the implementation of quality metrics, salvage surgery rates for testicular torsion increased to 70.9%, an improvement of 12.5% when compared to pre-metric outcomes. Patient factors were similar between the 2 groups. Multi-institutional prospective data are needed to validate this database study and evaluate overall testicular salvage rate.

Conversion of Robot-assisted Partial Nephrectomy to Radical Nephrectomy: A Prospective Multi-institutional Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence and factors affecting conversion from robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) to radical nephrectomy. METHODS: Between November 2014 and February 2017, 501 patients underwent attempted RAPN by 22 surgeons at 14 centers in 9 countries within the Vattikuti Collaborative Quality Initiative database. Patients were permanently logged for RAPN prior to surgery and were analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis. Multivariable logistic regression with backward stepwise selection of variables was done to assess the factors associated with conversion to radical nephrectomy. RESULTS: Overall conversion rate was 25 of 501 (5%). Patients converted to radical nephrectomy were older (median age [interquartile range] 66.0 [61.0-74.0] vs 59.0 [50.0-68.0], P = .012), had higher body mass index (BMI) (median 32.8 [24.9-40.9] vs 27.8 [24.6-31.5] kg/m2, P = .031), higher age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity score (median 6.0 [4.0-7.0] vs 4.0 [3.0-5.0], P <.001), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists score (score ≥3; 13/25 (52.0%) vs 130/476 (27.3%), P = .021), Preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (P = .141), clinical tumor stage (P = .145), tumor location (P = .140), multifocality (P = .483), and RENAL (radius, exophytic/endophytic properties, nearness of tumor to the collecting system or sinus in millimeters, and anterior/posterior location relative to polar lines) nephrometry score (P = .125) were not significantly different between the groups. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors for conversion were BMI (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.070 [1.018-1.124]; P = .007) and Charlson score (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]; 1.459 [1.179-1.806]; P = .001). CONCLUSION: RAPN was associated with a low rate of conversion. Independent predictors of conversion were BMI and Charlson score. Tumor factors such as clinical stage, location, multifocality, or RENAL score were not associated with increased risk of conversion.

Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Repair of Extraperitoneal Ureteral Inguinal Hernia with Mesh Placement.

Background: Ureter involvement within indirect hernias is a rare phenomenon usually identified incidentally during herniorrhaphy. Even more rare are extraperitoneal ureteral inguinal hernias, which represent about 20% of these cases and are characterized by a substantial amount of extraperitoneal fat in the hernia defect, the absence of a peritoneal sac, and associated with hydroureteronephrosis and nephroptosis. To date, repair of ureteral inguinal hernias has been performed exclusively using open surgical techniques. We report the first case of successful robot-assisted laparoscopic repair of this rare presentation. Case Presentation: A morbidly obese 70-year-old male with an unremarkable surgical and urological history presents with a 15-year history of nonpainful, enlarging right scrotal swelling measuring 25 cm in diameter. CT imaging revealed right nephroptosis and a hernia defect containing a dilated right ureter looping into the scrotum surrounded by significant extraperitoneal fat. Retrograde pyelography and ureteral catheter placement confirmed a >100 cm ureter. The patient underwent a robot-assisted laparoscopic repair. The inferior epigastric artery, spermatic cord vessels, vas deferens, and ureter were identified. The defect was reduced using external scrotal pressure and reinforced with ProGrip™ self-fixating laparoscopic mesh. The patient was discharged 2 days later following an uneventful postoperative course. Conclusion: Although rare and usually incidentally discovered, extraperitoneal ureteral inguinal hernias can be identified preoperatively by the astute clinician. Preoperative identification allows for improved surgical planning, including a minimally invasive approach. Robot-assisted laparoscopic repair with mesh placement is a feasible alternative to traditional open techniques.

Phenobarbital Versus Valproate for Generalized Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Adults: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial in China.

OBJECTIVE: Although generalized convulsive status epilepticus (GCSE) is a life-threatening emergency, evidence-based data to guide initial drug treatment choices are lacking in the Chinese population. We conducted this prospective, randomized, controlled trial to evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of intravenous phenobarbital and valproate in patients with GCSE. METHODS: After the failure of first-line diazepam treatment, Chinese adult patients with GCSE were randomized to receive either intravenous phenobarbital (standard doses, low rate) or valproate (standard). Successful treatment was considered when clinical and electroencephalographic seizure activity ceased. Adverse events following treatment, as well as the neurological outcomes at discharge and 3 months later, were also evaluated. RESULTS: Overall, 73 cases were enrolled in the study. Intravenous phenobarbital was successful in 81.1% of patients, and intravenous valproate was successful in 44.4% of patients (p < 0.05). The relapse rate of status epilepticus within 24 h of receiving phenobarbital (6.7%) was significantly lower than that in patients receiving valproate (31.3%), and the total number of adverse events did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). In the phenobarbital group, two patients (5.4%) required ventilation and two patients (5.4%) developed serious hypotension. The neurological outcomes of the phenobarbital group were generally better than those of the valproate group; however, no significant differences were observed between phenobarbital and valproate with respect to mortality (8.1 vs. 16.6%) at discharge, or mortality (16.2 vs. 30.5%) and post-symptomatic epilepsy (26.3 vs. 42.8%) at 3-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous phenobarbital appears to be more effective than intravenous valproate for Chinese adult patients with GCSE. The occurrence of serious respiratory depression and hypotension caused by phenobarbital was reduced by decreasing the intravenous infusion rate; however, even at a lower infusion rate than typically used in other institutions, intravenous phenobarbital resulted in more serious adverse events than intravenous valproate. The better outcomes in the phenobarbital group compared with the valproate group suggest that phenobarbital should be considered for the early successful treatment of GCSE.