Long-term Renal Preservation and Complication Profile With Ileal Ureter Creation.

OBJECTIVE: To examine long-term ileal ureter replacement results at over 32 years at our institution. Long segment or proximal ureteral strictures pose a challenging reconstructive problem. Ureteroureterostomy, psoas hitch, Boari flap, buccal ureteroplasty, and autotransplantation are common reconstructive techniques. We show that ileal ureter remains a lasting option. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients undergoing open ileal ureter creation from 1989-2021. Patient demographics, operative history, and complications were examined. All patients were followed for changes in renal function. Demographic data were analyzed and Cox proportional hazard models were performed. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-eight patients were identified with median follow-up time of 40 months. Eighty-one percent had a unilateral ileal ureter creation. Fifty percent were female, median age was 53.3. Twenty-seven percent of patients had radiation-induced strictures. Preoperatively, 56.3% of patients were chronic kidney disease stage 1-2 and 43.7% were stage 3-5. Post-operatively, 54% were stage 1-2 and 46% were stage 3-5. Cox proportional hazard models demonstrated no significant correlation between worsening renal function and stricture cause, bilateral repair, complications, or sex (biologically male or female). Seventy-seven percent had no 30-day complications. Clavien complications included grade 1 (18), grade 2 (4), grade 3 (9), and grade 4 (5). Long-term complications included worsening renal function (3%), incisional hernia (8.2%), and small bowel obstruction (6.9%). Five (3.1%) patients ultimately required dialysis and 5 (3.1%) patients developed metabolic acidosis. CONCLUSION: Ileal ureteral reconstruction is often a last resort for patients with complex ureteral injuries. Clinicians can be reassured by our long-term data that ileal ureteral creation is a safe treatment with good preservation of renal function and low risk of hemodialysis and metabolic acidosis.

Understanding Current Demographics, Practice Patterns, and Concerns of Women in Urology: Analysis From the 2022 Society of Women in Urology Census Task Force.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the current demographics, needs, and challenges of women in Urology throughout the United States, including active Urologists as well as urologic trainees. METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed via email and social media sites to all members of the Society of Women in Urology, including residents, fellows, and female urologists practicing in the US and its territories, between February 2022 and May 2022. The survey collected information on demographics, practice type, workplace, personal, family issues, barriers, and career plans from all respondents. RESULTS: Of the estimated 1375 women urologists and trainees based on AUA census data, 379 responses (27.6% response rate) were received. Almost all respondents (98%) are members of the AUA. The average age was 42.9years (SD 18.6). In terms of ethnicity, most self-reported as White 71.0%, followed by 16.4% Asian or Asian American, and 6.3% African American. The majority reported practicing in urban locations (63.5%) at an academic setting (55.7%), followed by similar distribution between private practice and hospital-employed settings (17.0% and 16.7%, respectively). The vast majority, 89.6%, reported working full-time, while only 10.4% worked part-time. The average hours of work per week were 56.7 (SD 14.5). In terms of personal demographics, 81.9% were married, 17.3% were single and 1% did not answer. 68.8% of responders had children, with the majority of these children being born during or after training. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, although female urologists have increased in numbers, certain ethnicities are under-represented. Additional surveys and engagement of current trainees and practitioners are needed to identify further areas of intervention for specific needs.

Ileal Ureter Utilization in Patients With Previous Urinary Diversions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a subset of patients who develop strictures requiring Ileal Ureter (IU) in the setting of prior urinary diversion or augmentation (ileal conduits, neobladders, continent urinary diversions). To our knowledge, there are no prior studies on patients with IU substitution into established lower urinary tract reconstructions. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients (18 years) undergoing IU creation from 1989 to 2021 was performed. A total of 160 patients were identified. In total, 19 (12%) patients had IUs into diversions. We examined demographics, stricture cause, diversion type, renal function, and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were identified. Sixteen were male. Mean age was 57.7(SD 17.0) years. Diversions included continent urinary reservoirs (4), neobladders (5), ileal conduits (7), and bladder augmentations with Monti channels (3). Fifteen had unilateral surgery, and 4 had bilateral "reverse 7" IU creation. Average length of stay was 7.6 days (SD 2.9). Average follow-up was 32.9 months (SD 27). Mean preoperative creatinine was 1.5 (SD 0.4); mean postoperative creatinine at most recent follow-up was 1.6 (SD 0.7). There was no significant difference between pre- and postoperative creatinine (P = .18). One patient had a ventriculoperitoneal Shunt infection resulting ventriculoperitoneal shunt externalization, 1 had Clostridium difficile infection potentially causing an entero-neobladder fistula, 2 with ileus, 1 urine leak, and 1 wound infection. None required renal replacement therapy. CONCLUSION: Patients with urinary diversions and prior bowel reconstructive surgeries with subsequent ureteral strictures are a challenging cohort of patients. In properly selected patients, ureteral reconstruction with ileum is feasible and preserves renal function with minimal long-term complications.

Adherence with bladder irrigation following augmentation.

BACKGROUND: Patients with bladder augmentation (BA) are routinely counseled to irrigate their bladders daily. However, reports of adherence with this regimen are lacking. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate adherence to a bladder irrigation protocol and identify risk factors associated with adherence among adults with spina bifida (SB) and BA. STUDY DESIGN: Adults with SB after BA followed in a multidisciplinary clinic were identified (2017-2019). All patients or caregivers were taught the importance of and the technique for the bladder irrigation protocol prior to and after BA. Patient demographics (age, gender, ambulatory status, and presence of a caregiver in clinics) and surgical details (type of BA, age at surgery, length of follow-up, presence of a catheterizable channel, position of stoma, bladder neck surgery, presence of Malone antegrade colonic enema or ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, and number of stone surgeries) were obtained from the medical record. Patients reported other variables in a standardized clinic questionnaire. Answers were confirmed by health care providers. The variables included who performs clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), size of catheter, frequency of CIC, use of overnight catheterization, difficulties with CIC, number of UTIs, and continence per urethra and per catheterizable channel. Adherence to bladder irrigation was also assessed in the questionnaire. ?Strict adherence' was defined as bladder irrigation performed ≥6 times/week with ≥120 mL of saline. For statistical analysis, a more lenient definition of ?higher adherence' was used: bladder irrigation ≥2 times/week with at least 60 mL. ?Lower adherence' was defined as ≤1 time/week or with less than 60 mL. Factors associated with ?higher adherence' were assessed with non-parametric tests (Bonferroni-corrected p-value: 0.002). RESULTS: Adherence was assessed in 87 eligible patients (60.9% females; mean age of 28.8 ± 8.2 years). No patient (0.0%) reported ?strict adherence', and 62 and 25 patients (71.3% and 28.7%) reported ?higher' and ?lower' adherence' to bladder irrigation, respectively. Nine patients (10.3%) in the ?lower adherence' group did not irrigate at all. No variables were statistically significant on univariate analysis, including previous bladder stone surgery or having a channel (p ≥ 0.01). On exploratory analysis, higher adherence was only associated with self-catheterizations versus those performed by caregivers (76.7% vs 33.3%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to a bladder irrigation protocol in adults with SB and BA is poor. A history of bladder stones requiring surgery and the presence of a catheterizable channel do not appear to affect adherence. It remains unclear why some patients are more likely than others to irrigate their bladders. Future work will focus on methods to improve adherence.

ACGME core competency training, mentorship, and research in surgical subspecialty fellowship programs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the perceived effectiveness of surgical subspecialty training programs in teaching and assessing the 6 ACGME core competencies including research. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: ACGME approved training programs in pediatric urology and colorectal surgery. PARTICIPANTS: Program Directors and recent trainees (2007-2009). RESULTS: A total of 39 program directors (60%) and 57 trainees (64%) responded. Both program directors and recent trainees reported a higher degree of training and mentorship (75%) in patient care and medical knowledge than the other core competencies (p<0.0001). Practice based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication, and professionalism training were perceived effective to a lesser degree. Specifically, in the areas of teaching residents and medical students and team building, program directors, compared with recent trainees, perceived training to be more effective, (p = 0.004, p = 0.04). Responses to questions assessing training in systems based practice ubiquitously identified a lack of training, particularly in financial matters of running a practice. Although effective training in research was perceived as lacking by recent trainees, 81% reported mentorship in this area. According to program directors and recent trainees, the most effective method of teaching was faculty supervision and feedback. Only 50% or less of the recent trainees reported mentorship in career planning, work-life balance, and job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Not all 6 core competencies and research are effectively being taught in surgery subspecialty training programs and mentorship in areas outside of patient care and research is lacking. Emphasis should be placed on faculty supervision and feedback when designing methods to better incorporate all 6 core competencies, research, and mentorship.