Incidence, risk factors, and outcome of Clostridioides difficile infection following urological surgeries.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes associated with (Clostridioides difficile infection) CDI following urological surgery, which is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea and a growing public health burden. METHODS: We queried the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) to identify patients undergoing urological surgery in 2015-2016. We evaluated the 30-day incidence and factors associated with postoperative CDI and 30-day hospital readmission and length of stay as secondary outcomes. Among the subset of patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urinary diversion (surgery with highest CDI incidence) we used multivariable logistic regression analysis to evaluate independent clinical and demographic factors associated with postoperative CDI. RESULTS: We identified 98,463 patients during the study period. The overall 30-day incidence of CDI was 0.31%, but varied considerably across surgery type. The risk of CDI was greatest following radical cystectomy with urinary diversion (2.72%) compared to all other urologic procedures (0.19%) and was associated with increased risk of hospital readmission (p < 0.0001), re-operation (p < 0.0001), and longer mean length of stay (p < 0.0001) in this cohort. Among patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urinary diversion, multivariable logistic regression revealed that preoperative renal failure (OR: 5.30, 95% CI 1.13-24.9, p = 0.035) and blood loss requiring transfusion (OR: 1.67, 95% CI 1.15-2.44, p = 0.0075) were independently associated with CDI. CONCLUSIONS: In a nationally representative cohort, the incidence of CDI was low but varied substantially across surgery types. CDI was most common following radical cystectomy and associated with potentially modifiable factors such as blood transfusion and significantly longer length of stay.

Outcomes for urologic oncology procedures: are there differences between academic and community hospitals?

OBJECTIVE: To compare the rate of hospital-based outcomes including costs, 30-day readmission, mortality, and length of stay in patients who underwent major urologic oncologic procedures in academic and community hospitals. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the Vizient Database (Irving, Texas) from September 2014 to December 2017. Vizient includes ~ 97% of academic hospitals (AH) and more than 60 community hospitals (CH). Patients aged ≥ 18 with urologic malignancies who underwent surgical treatment were included. Chi square and Student t tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively. RESULTS: We identified a total of 37,628 cases. There were 33,290 (88%) procedures performed in AH and 4330 (12%) in CH. These included prostatectomy (18,540), radical nephrectomy (rNx) 8059, partial nephrectomy (pNx) (5287), radical cystectomy (4421), radical nephroureterectomy (rNu) (1006), and partial cystectomy (321). There were no significant differences in 30-day readmission rates or mortality for any procedure between academic and community hospitals (Table 1), p > 0.05 for all. Length of stay was significantly lower for radical cystectomy and prostatectomy in AH (p < 0.01 for both) and lower for rNx in CH (p = 0.03). The mean direct cost for index admission was significantly higher in AH for rNx, pNx, rNu, and prostatectomy. Case mix index was similar between the community and academic hospitals. CONCLUSION: Despite academic and community hospitals having similar case complexity, direct costs were lower in community hospitals without an associated increase in readmission rates or deaths. Length of stay was shorter for cystectomy in academic centers.

Redefining the Role of Surgical Management of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The treatment landscape for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) continues to evolve with ongoing advancements in systemic therapy, raising further questions about the optimal role of surgery in the management of mRCC. Herein, we provide a context and review of the recent evidence concerning the role of surgical therapy for patients with mRCC including cytoreductive nephrectomy and distant metastatectomy. RECENT FINDINGS: One randomized trial has been published in the targeted therapy era suggesting that initial systemic therapy is non-inferior to cytoreductive nephrectomy among patients with intermediate and poor-risk mRCC. Delaying cytoreductive nephrectomy until after systemic therapy may be a viable treatment approach, although a high level of evidence is lacking. Additional questions remain regarding the sequence of surgery with systemic therapy, utility of distant metastatectomy, as well as the application of these findings to the current generation of immunotherapy. Recent evidence challenges the need of upfront cytoreductive nephrectomy for unselected patients with mRCC. However, surgical therapy continues to play an important role in the management of the disease.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic versus open salvage radical prostatectomy following radiotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: To describe immediate perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic salvage radical prostatectomy for recurrent cancer following radiation therapy, and compare outcomes to a contemporary open surgical cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 39 patients underwent salvage radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy (20 robotic, 19 open) for local recurrence following radiation therapy at a single institution between 2007 and 2011. Intraoperative parameters, postoperative complications, and oncological outcomes, were recorded. Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Fisher's exact test were used for comparison of continuous and categorical variables respectively. Mean values of numeric variables are reported with standard deviation. RESULTS: The cohorts were similar with respect to age, ethnicity, and American Society of Anesthesiologists Score classification. Estimated blood loss was lower in the robotic group versus the open group (381.3 mL versus 865.0 mL, p = 0.001). There was no difference in the rate of intraoperative complications, postoperative Clavien = 3 complications (30% versus 15.7%), anastomotic leak (40% versus 42.1%), or wound infection (0% versus 15.7%) in the robotic and open groups. Mean node yield (10.4 versus 11.8), positive surgical margins (15.0% versus 15.7%), and undetectable prostate-specific antigen rate (78% versus 60%) were also similar between the robotic and open groups. CONCLUSIONS: Robotic salvage prostatectomy appears to have no significant difference to the open approach with respect to safety and surgical quality as measured by complications, node yield and surgical margins in this retrospective single-institution series.

Preoperative predictors of pathological lymph node metastasis in patients with renal cell carcinoma undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection.

PURPOSE: Patients with locally advanced renal cell carcinoma represent a subset that may benefit from retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. We identified preoperative clinical predictors of positive lymph nodes in patients with renal cell carcinoma without distant metastasis who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data on a consecutive cohort of 1,270 patients with cTany Nany M0 renal cell carcinoma who were treated at a single institution from 1993 to 2012. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine preoperative predictors of pathologically positive lymph nodes in patients who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. A nomogram was developed to predict the probability of lymph node metastasis. Overall, cancer specific and recurrence-free survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier Method. RESULTS: We identified 1,270 patients with renal cell carcinoma without distant metastasis who had (564) or did not have (706) retroperitoneal lymph node dissection performed. Of the 564 patients 131 (23%) and 433 (77%) had pN1 and pN0 disease, and 60 (37%) and 29 (7.2%) had cN1pN0 and cN0pN1 disease, respectively. ECOG PS, cN stage, local symptoms and lactate dehydrogenase were associated with nodal metastasis on multivariable analysis. A nomogram was developed with a C-index of 0.89 that demonstrated excellent calibration. Differences in overall, cancer specific and recurrence-free survival among pNx, pN0 and pN1 cases were statistically significant (p <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Local symptoms, ECOG PS, cN stage and lactate dehydrogenase were independent predictors of lymph node metastasis in patients who underwent retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Our predictive nomogram using these factors showed excellent discrimination and calibration.

Mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) of the kidney: a detailed study of radiological, pathological and clinical outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To characterise the clinical, radiological and histological features of mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC), as well as oncological outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a single institution retrospective analysis of all patients with MTSCC from 2002 to 2011. Patients were excluded if MTSCC could not be confirmed on pathology re-review (four patients). Clinical characteristics, pathology, imaging, and outcomes were reviewed for the 19 included patients. RESULTS: The median (range) age at diagnosis was 59 (17-71) years with a female predominance (78.9%). On contrast-enhanced computed tomography, MTSCC enhanced less than the cortex during the corticomedullary phase. The mean (range) tumour attenuation was 36 (24-48), 67 (41-133), 89 (49-152), and 76 (52-106) Hounsfield units in the pre-contrast, corticomedullary, nephrographic and excretory phases, respectively. In all, 16 patients were treated with partial (five patients) or radical nephrectomy (11) for pT1 (62.5%), pT2 (31.3%), and pT3a disease (6.3%). One patient underwent active surveillance. Of three patients (13.0%) managed with energy ablation, there was one recurrence that was treated with salvage surgery. One patient (5.3%) had metastatic disease at diagnosis and died from disease 64.7 months later. A patient with a pT2bN0M0 MTSCC with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation developed bone metastases 9.5 months after diagnosis and was alive at 19.0 months. The remainder were free of recurrence or progression. CONCLUSION: MTSCC is a rare renal cell carcinoma (RCC) variant. In this largest series to date, MTSCC presented at a broad range of ages and displayed a female predilection. Imaging and pathological features of MTSCC display some overlap with papillary RCC. MTSCC is associated with excellent outcomes overall, but is not universally indolent.

Low-volume enrichment method supports high throughput bacteriophage screening and isolation from wastewater.

Bacteriophage therapy is a rapidly growing field of study. Narrow host ranges, bacterial resistance, and limited antibiotic availability make lytic phages a feasible therapeutic potential. Phage discovery, a critical step in developing phage therapy, is a pathway to accessible treatment. This has always been a laborious, time-consuming and resource-intensive process. In this paper, we describe a 96-well plate low-volume bacteriophage enrichment method with concentrated environmental sources to rapidly discover and isolate phages targeting multiple organisms simultaneously. Samples from natural water sources, wastewater influent, and activated sludge were tested in large volume enrichment cultures and low-volume 96-well plate format. Each plate has the capacity to run as many as 48 different combinations with multiple bacterial hosts. The time to identify the presence of phage in a sample was 5 to 10 hours in the low-volume format versus a minimum of 2 days in the traditional enrichment method. The labor and expense involved also favor the 96-well plate format. There was some loss of discovered phages using this technique, primarily targeting bacterial species less prevalent in the environment. This is an easily modifiable method that is amenable to automation and a variety of potential phage sources.

A "fishy" situation, rare pathogen and presentation in prosthetic valve infective endocarditis.

Lactococcus garviae (L. garviae) is a gram-positive coccus belonging to the Streptococcaceae family. While primarily a pathogen in fish farms causing hemorrhagic sepsis, it can act as a rare opportunistic pathogen in humans. A 2021 case report by Bravo et al. documented less than 30 cases of infective endocarditis caused by L. garviae worldwide at that time [1]. This case report describes the 27th documented case globally and 7th documented case in the USA of L. garviae causing infective endocarditis of a prosthetic valve [1]. L. garviae is found in unpasteurized dairy products, raw fish, and meat (pork, beef, and poultry), but the route of human transmission remains unclear [3]. It seems to have a predilection for individuals with prosthetic valves, immunocompromised states, prior gastrointestinal surgery, gastrointestinal disorders (colon polyps and diverticulosis), and the use of acid-reducing medications [1-3]. Infective endocarditis is the most common systemic disease caused by L. garviae [1-4]. This report details the case of a 75-year-old male, with multiple comorbidities and risk factors for L. garviae infection who was admitted for "symptomatic anemia". High clinical suspicion, coupled with an inadequate hemoglobin response to transfusion, a normal anemia workup, and blood cultures positive for L. garviae, promoted a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE). However, the results were negative. Consequently, an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan (18FDG PET/CT) was performed. The scan revealed increased uptake in the aortic valve replacement consistent with prosthetic valve endocarditis in the setting of Lactococcus garviae bacteremia.

Implementation of a health system intervention to reduce time from presentation to surgical intervention for pediatric testicular torsion.

PURPOSE: Testicular salvage rates for torsion are time-dependent1. Door to detorsion time has been identified as an independent testicular survival factor2. We describe an initiative to reduce door to incision (DTI) time for pediatric testicular torsion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An institutional multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative with a primary outcome of reducing DTI time for pediatric testicular torsion was developed with multidisciplinary stakeholders. Several process and balancing measures were used as secondary outcomes to help interpret and verify the observed change in DTI time. Interventions were implemented in cycles. Initial interventions standardized assessment of suspected torsion by Emergency Medicine utilizing a validated scoring system. A threshold Testicular Workup for Ischemia and Suspected Torsion (TWIST) score led to parallel notification of essential services for rapid assessment and case prioritization3. Subsequently, bedside ultrasound in the Emergency Department was implemented. Progress was tracked in a live dashboard and analyzed with X-mR process control charts and Nelson rules. These tools are used in quality improvement and process control to demonstrate the significance of changes as they are being implemented, prior to when traditional hypothesis testing would be able to do so. We aimed to increase the proportion of cases with DTI times under 4 h from 64% to >90% within one year. RESULTS: We observed 22 torsion cases prior to and 62 following initial implementation. The percentage of cases with DTI times under 4 h improved from 64% to 95%. At week 29, a shift identified a significant change on the X chart, with reduction in mean DTI time from 221 to 147 min. At the same time, a shift on the mR chart identified reduction in patient-to-patient variation. Mean time from arrival to Urology evaluation decreased from 140 to 56 min, mean time from arrival to scrotal ultrasound decreased from 70 to 36 min, and mean time from scrotal ultrasound to surgical incision decreased from 128 to 80 min. These improvements highlight the two key successes of our project: application of the TWIST score and bedside ultrasound for rapid assessment of suspected testicular torsions, and parallel processing of the evaluation and management. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a protocol for pediatric testicular torsion increased the proportion of cases with DTI time <4 h to 95%, decreased mean DTI time, and decreased variation. Our protocol provides a model to improve timeliness of care in treating pediatric testicular torsion.

Preoperative pulmonary embolism does not predict poor postoperative outcomes in patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous thrombus.

PURPOSE: Patients with renal cell carcinoma who present with pulmonary embolism and venous thrombus may not be offered surgery because of presumed poor postoperative outcomes. In this multicenter study we evaluated perioperative mortality, recurrence and cancer specific survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous thrombus diagnosed with preoperative pulmonary embolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed consecutive patient records from our 3 tertiary hospitals to identify patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous thrombus treated with surgery from 2000 to 2011. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to evaluate whether preoperative pulmonary embolism or other clinical variables were associated with postoperative disease recurrence or cancer specific survival. RESULTS: Pulmonary embolism was identified preoperatively in 35 of 782 patients (4.4%) with renal cell carcinoma. Those with pulmonary embolism preoperatively were more likely to have higher level thrombus and higher T stage (p <0.01). No differences were found in other clinical or pathological features between the groups. There was no difference in 90-day mortality in patients diagnosed with pulmonary embolism preoperatively. Of 395 patients without metastasis preoperatively 147 (37.2%) showed metastatic renal cell carcinoma at a median followup of 22 months. There was no difference in the recurrence rate of renal cell carcinoma in patients with pulmonary embolism (p = 0.36). Recurrence in the lung was not more common in patients with vs without pulmonary embolism preoperatively (p = 0.71). Also, preoperative pulmonary embolism was not predictive of worse cancer specific survival (p = 0.58). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative pulmonary embolism is not associated with worse early mortality, recurrence or cancer specific survival in patients with renal cell carcinoma and tumor thrombus.

Decreased Clinical Severity of Pediatric Acute COVID-19 and MIS-C and Increase of Incidental Cases during the Omicron Wave in Comparison to the Delta Wave.

This study describes differences in clinical presentation in hospitalized children with acute COVID-19 and MIS-C between the Delta and Omicron (BA.1.1) waves in a tertiary children's hospital. This retrospective cohort study with case adjudication of hospitalized children with SARS-CoV-2-positive testing or MIS-C diagnosis occurred during the Delta and Omicron waves, from August 2021 until February 2022. There were no differences noted by race, but both waves disproportionally affected black children (24% and 25%). Assigned by a three-person expert panel, incidental diagnoses were higher in the Omicron wave (34% versus 19%). Hospitalization rates of non-incidental cases were higher during Omicron (3.8 versus 5.9 per 1000 PCR-positive community cases). Respiratory-related admissions were prominent during Delta, while Omicron clinical presentations varied, including a high number of cases of croup and seizures. Length of stay and ICU use during Omicron was significantly less than Delta for MIS-C and acute cases. Estimation of vaccination efficacy for preventing hospital admissions was 85.1-91.7% in the early Omicron period. Our estimates suggest that a protective role for vaccination continues into the Omicron wave. The high rate of incidental cases during the Omicron wave should be considered when reviewing more cursory summative data sets. This study emphasizes the need for continued clinical suspicion of COVID-19 even when lower respiratory symptoms are not dominant.

Clinical Trials and Climate Change: Doing Our Part While Pursuing Progress.

The escalating global climate crisis necessitates a critical examination of the environmental impact of various sectors, including health care. Ongoing efforts to establish standard methods for estimating emissions and tracking progress are needed to promote sustainable clinical research.

An immunoregulator nanomedicine approach for the treatment of tuberculosis.

Introduction: A nanoparticle composed of a poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) core and a chitosan (CS) shell with surface-adsorbed 1,3 ß-glucan (ß-glucan) was synthesized. The exposure response of CS-PLGA nanoparticles (0.1 mg/mL) with surface-bound ß-glucan at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 ng or free ß-glucan at 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 ng/mL in macrophage in vitro and in vivo was investigated. Results: In vitro studies demonstrate that gene expression for IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNFα increased at 10 and 15 ng surface-bound ß-glucan on CS-PLGA nanoparticles (0.1 mg/mL) and at 20 and 25 ng/mL of free ß-glucan both at 24 h and 48 h. Secretion of TNFα protein and ROS production increased at 5, 10, 15, and 20 ng surface-bound ß-glucan on CS-PLGA nanoparticles and at 20 and 25 ng/mL of free ß-glucan at 24 h. Laminarin, a Dectin-1 antagonist, prevented the increase in cytokine gene expression induced by CS-PLGA nanoparticles with surface-bound ß-glucan at 10 and 15 ng, indicating a Dectin-1 receptor mechanism. Efficacy studies showed a significant reduction in intracellular accumulation of mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) incubated with on CS-PLGA (0.1 mg/ml) nanoparticles with 5, 10, and 15 ng surface-bound ß-glucan or with 10 and 15 ng/mL of free ß-glucan. ß-glucan-CS-PLGA nanoparticles inhibited intracellular Mtb growth more than free ß-glucan alone supporting the role of ß-glucan-CS-PLGA nanoparticles as stronger adjuvants than free ß-glucan. In vivo studies demonstrate that oropharyngeal aspiration (OPA) of CS-PLGA nanoparticles with nanogram concentrations of surface-bound ß-glucan or free ß-glucan increased TNFα gene expression in alveolar macrophages and TNFα protein secretion in bronchoalveolar lavage supernatants. Discussion: Data also demonstrate no damage to the alveolar epithelium or changes in the murine sepsis score following exposure to ß-glucan-CS-PLGA nanoparticles only, indicating safety and feasibility of this nanoparticle adjuvant platform to mice by OPA.

Unidirectional barbed suture versus standard monofilament for urethrovesical anastomosis during robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: V-Loc™180 (Covidien Healthcare, Mansfield, MA) is a new unidirectional barbed suture that may reduce loss of tension during a running closure. We evaluated the use of the barbed suture for urethrovesical anastomosis (UVA) during robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Time to completion of UVA, post-operative anastomotic leak rate, and urinary incontinence were compared in patients undergoing UVA with 3-0 unidirectional-barbed suture vs. 3-0 Monocryl™ (Ethicon, Somerville, NJ). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were prospectively collected for 70 consecutive patients undergoing RALP for prostate cancer between November 2009 and October 2010. In the first 35 patients, the UVA was performed using a modified running van Velthoven anastomosis technique using two separate 3-0 monofilament sutures. In the subsequent 35 patients, the UVA was performed using two running novel unidirectional barbed sutures. At 7-12 days postoperatively, all patients were evaluated with a cystogram to determine anastomotic integrity. Urinary incontinence was assessed at two months and five months by total daily pad usage. Clinical symptoms suggestive of bladder neck contracture were elicited. RESULTS: Age, PSA, Gleason score, prostate size, estimated blood loss, body mass index, and clinical and pathologic stage between the 2 groups were similar. Comparing the monofilament group and V-Loc™180 cohorts, average time to complete the anastomosis was similar (27.4 vs. 26.4 minutes, p = 0.73) as was the rate of urinary extravasation on cystogram (5.7 % vs. 8.6%, p = 0.65). There were no symptomatic bladder neck contractures noted at 5 months of follow-up. At 2 months, the percentage of patients using 2 or more pads per day was lower in the V-Loc™180 cohort (24% vs. 44%, p < 0.02). At 5 months, this difference was no longer evident. CONCLUSIONS: Time to complete the UVA was similar in the intervention and control groups. Rates of urine leak were also comparable. While the V-Loc™180 was associated with improved early continence, this difference was transient.

Vesical clear cell adenocarcinoma of Müllerian origin treated conservatively with partial cystectomy.

A 71-year-old woman presented with an intravesical bladder mass found to be a clear cell adenocarcinoma of Müllerian origin with positive PAX-8 staining after transurethral resection. Partial cystectomy along with total hysterectomy were performed, and final pathology revealed no residual tumour and extensive endometriosis. She declined adjuvant therapy and was dispositioned to surveillance.

Association Between Private Equity Acquisition of Urology Practices and Physician Medicare Payments.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether private equity (PE) acquisitions of urology practices were associated with changes in Medicare payments and patient volume. METHODS: We identified PE acquisitions of urology practices through financial databases, industry news outlets, practice websites, and Google search. Using the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service's Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data: Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File (2012-2019), we conducted descriptive statistics and trends analysis to examine whether PE acquisition was associated with changes in Medicare payments and patient volume in comparison to non-PE affiliated urologists within the same states. RESULTS: We identified PE acquisitions of 10 independent urology practices across 6 states during the study period. In the preacquisition period, urologists later joining private-equity groups received greater mean inflation-adjusted Medicare payments ($246,977 vs $160,038; P <.001) and had greater patient volume (839.7 vs 674.2 patients; P = .001) than urologists who did not. In the postacquisition period, PE affiliated urologists had an 11.0% (95% CI: -0.2% to 22.3%) increase in inflation-adjusted Medicare payments (P = .054) and a 12.5% (95% CI: 6.5%-18.6%) increase in patient volume (P <.001). Non-PE affiliated urologists exhibited a 6% decline in Medicare payments (P <.001) and a 2.7% increase in patient volume (P <.001). CONCLUSION: PE affiliated urologists exhibited increases in Medicare payments even prior to acquisition, in contrast to declines for geographically similar, non-PE urologists. These findings may highlight characteristics of practices targeted by PE firms and local practice trends that may further diverge following acquisition.

Impact of close interpersonal contact on COVID-19 incidence: Evidence from 1 year of mobile device data.

Close contact between people is the primary route for transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We quantified interpersonal contact at the population level using mobile device geolocation data. We computed the frequency of contact (within 6 feet) between people in Connecticut during February 2020 to January 2021 and aggregated counts of contact events by area of residence. When incorporated into a SEIR-type model of COVID-19 transmission, the contact rate accurately predicted COVID-19 cases in Connecticut towns. Contact in Connecticut explains the initial wave of infections during March to April, the drop in cases during June to August, local outbreaks during August to September, broad statewide resurgence during September to December, and decline in January 2021. The transmission model fits COVID-19 transmission dynamics better using the contact rate than other mobility metrics. Contact rate data can help guide social distancing and testing resource allocation.

Urology Practice Acquisitions by Private Equity Firms from 2011-2021.

INTRODUCTION: Private equity firms have recently acquired several large urology practices in the United States. As little is known about these acquisitions, we sought to characterize trends in urology practice consolidation. METHODS: We compiled urology practice acquisition data via financial databases, news outlets, practice websites, and Internet keyword search for the time period January 1, 2011 through March 15, 2021. For each acquisition, we determined the acquiring group, number of employed urologists, practice locations, and status of ancillary services (pathology, radiology, or surgery centers). We estimated workforce effects based on the 2019 American Urological Association workforce census. RESULTS: We identified 69 independent practice acquisitions in the study period, including 19 (28.4%) by hospital systems, 7 (10.4%) by multispecialty physician groups, 23 (34.3%) by urology practices, and 20 (29.9%) by private equity-backed platforms. Private equity firms initially targeted large urology practices (mean of 60.8±32.6 urologists) with ownership of ancillary services and consolidated local market share through acquisitions of smaller practices (mean of 15.9±14.5 urologists). As of March 2021, we estimate that 7.2% of private practice urologists in the U.S. were employed by one of 5 private equity-backed platforms; over 25% of all urologists practicing in New Jersey and Maryland are employed by a private equity-backed platform. CONCLUSIONS: Private equity acquisitions have accelerated to become a dominant form of urology practice consolidation in recent years and have achieved significant market influence in certain regions. Future research should assess the impact of private equity investment on practice patterns, health outcomes, and expenditures.

Hydrogen peroxide vapor decontamination of N95 respirators for reuse.

OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to global shortages of N95 respirators. Reprocessing of used N95 respirators may provide a higher filtration crisis alternative, but whether effective sterilization can be achieved for a virus without impairing respirator function remains unknown. We evaluated the viricidal efficacy of Bioquell vaporized hydrogen peroxide (VHP) on contaminated N95 respirators and tested the particulate particle penetration and inhalation and exhalation resistance of respirators after multiple cycles of VHP. METHODS: For this study, 3M 1870 N95 respirators were contaminated with 3 aerosolized bacteriophages: T1, T7, and Pseudomonas phage phi-6 followed by 1 cycle of VHP decontamination using a BQ-50 system. Additionally, new and unused respirators were sent to an independent laboratory for particulate filter penetration testing and inhalation and exhalation resistance after 3 and 5 cycles of VHP. RESULTS: A single VHP cycle resulted in complete eradication of bacteriophage from respirators (limit of detection 10 PFU). Respirators showed acceptable limits for inhalation/exhalation resistance after 3 and 5 cycles of VHP. Respirators demonstrated a filtration efficiency >99 % after 3 cycles, but filtration efficiency fell below 95% after 5 cycles of HPV. CONCLUSION: Bioquell VHP demonstrated high viricidal activity for N95 respirators inoculated with aerosolized bacteriophages. Bioquell technology can be scaled for simultaneous decontamination of a large number of used but otherwise intact respirators. Reprocessing should be limited to 3 cycles due to concerns both about impact of clinical wear and tear on fit, and to decrement in filtration after 3 cycles.