Evaluation of the learning curve for Thulium fiber laser enucleation of prostate (ThuFLEP): retrospective study of a single-surgeon experience in real-world settings.

PURPOSE: To assess the learning curve of Thulium Fiber Laser Enucleation of prostate (ThuFLEP) of a single surgeon inexperienced in laser endoscopic enucleation of prostate (EEP). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all patients with benign prostate hyperplasia undergoing ThuFLEP at our center between January 2022 and August 2023 by one surgeon. Inclusion criteria were International Prostate Symptom Score > 7, prostate volume < 200 g, and maximal urinary flow rate < 15 mL/s. The surgeon was inexperienced in laser EEP and trained by watching educational videos of ThuFLEP before starting to perform the procedure under mentoring during the first 4 cases. Procedural data (enucleation and morcellation efficiency, complications) and functional results up to 3 months were evaluated. Patients were divided into 4 cohorts of 20 consecutive cases to evaluate outcomes evolution throughout time. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 69.9 years (SD 7.8) and mean prostate volume was 89.9 g (SD 25.8). Preoperative functional parameters were comparable between the groups. Mean enucleation efficiency (EE) ratio and morcellation efficiency (ME) ratio reached respectively 0.78 g/min (SD 0.55) and 2.49 g/min (SD 1.03) and both variables significantly increased from group 1 to group 3 (p < 0,001). Perioperative complications remained low throughout the caseload with similar significant 3-month functional improvements between all groups. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to evaluate ThuFLEP learning curve for a single surgeon inexperienced in laser EEP with limited mentoring. Under these real-world conditions, nearly 60 cases were needed to complete the learning curve with a complications rate remaining low throughout the training process.

Predicting the risk of failed trial without catheter following Rezum™ therapy.

PURPOSE: Convective water vapor thermal therapy or "Rezum™" treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms in men with benign prostate hypertrophy require postoperative catheterization to avoid acute urinary retention. Unsuccessful catheter removal is still unpredictable. We, therefore, aimed to identify the risk factors of failed initial trial without catheter (TWOC) after Rezum™ therapy inside a large cohort of patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on patients who underwent Rezum™ therapy by three referent urologists across two academic hospitals between January 2022 and January 2023. A Foley catheter was systematically placed after therapy for 7 days in all patients before TWOC. Patients characteristics [age, imagery, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax), postvoid residual (PVR)], and treatment outcomes (International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), adverse events) were analyzed at baseline and 3 months from procedure. Failed initial TWOC was defined as the incapacity to pass urine or measured PVR > 300 mL. After univariate selection, the risk factors for TWOC failure were identified using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: 216 patients qualified for analysis with 23 (10.6%) failing the first TWOC after 7 days of catheterization. After multivariate logistic regression, only preoperative PVR predicted TWOC failure (OR 1.01; p = 0.007). The cut-off of preoperative PVR increasing this risk was 120 mL (p = 0, 02). CONCLUSION: Over 10% of men undergoing Rezum™ therapy for LUTS/BPH will experience TWOC failure and AUR after 7 days of catheterization. Preoperative PVR seems to be the only independent risk factor of unsuccessful catheter removal.

Prognostic role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in urological tumors: an umbrella review of evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been studied as a biomarker for cancer prognosis, predicting survival in many tumors. The aim of this umbrella review was to combine the results from all systematic reviews and meta-analyses related to the prognostic role of the NLR in patients with urological tumors. METHODS: A PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane search was undergone from inception through September 2020 for systematic reviews and meta-analyses investigating the prognostic value of NLR in urological tumors, subdivided into prostate cancer, renal cell carcinoma, urothelial bladder and upper tract carcinomas PROSPERO (CRD42020216310). RESULTS: The results have shown, with a high level of evidence, that an elevated NLR predicts worse overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) in prostate cancer, worse OS, PFS and RFS in renal cell carcinoma, worse OS, PFS, RFS and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in muscle invasive bladder cancer, worse PFS and RFS in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and worse OS, PFS, RFS and CSS in urothelial upper tract carcinoma. CONCLUSION: NLR has a significant prognostic value in urological tumors and should be included in prognostic scores of these cancers.

Occult renal artery pseudoaneurysm causing persistent hematuria after flexible Thulium fibered laser lithotripsy: A case report and literature review of rare but potentially fatal complication.

Renal artery pseudoaneurysm may develop after laser flexible ureteroscopy stone lithotripsy (FURSL). Typical symptoms include flank pain, persistent hematuria, delayed refractory anemia, or hemorrhagic shock in case of pseudoaneurysm rupture. This complication of laser FURSL is very rare with only five cases reported in the literature as of April 2023, of which one involved Thulium laser. We report the case of a 65-year-old man with recurrent renal lithiasis who underwent FURSL using Thulium fibered laser (TFL) for 8 mm stone of left kidney upper pole. Persistent hematuria developed postoperatively, secondary to a pseudoaneurysm from a segmental branch of the left renal artery. It was diagnosed on arteriography performed for sudden hemorrhagic shock 27 days after surgery. Selective embolization with metallic micro-coils resolved hematuria. Although laser FURSL is often uncomplicated and TFL is regarded as safe, this complication should be suspected when refractory hematuria or hemodynamic instability follows the procedure. We report this case to add support to the current literature and outline procedural risk factors and useful precautions during the procedure.

Advanced Female Primary Urethral Carcinoma with Nodal Extension Managed with Exclusive Use of Chemoradiotherapy: Report of a Case and Review of the Relevant Current Literature.

Primary urethral carcinoma (PUC) is a rare disease with frequent nodal metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Few risk factors have been established and overall prognosis remains poor. As of now, no clear therapeutic guidelines are established and management of advanced PUC often involves surgery which can have negative functional and psychological outcomes for the patient. Few authors have already reported the use of chemoradiotherapy alone to avoid surgery with some good short-term results. We report the case of a 48-year-old woman with advanced high-grade urothelial carcinoma of distal urethra associated to bilateral inguinal nodal metastasis. She was similarly and successfully treated using chemoradiotherapy exclusively without significant adverse effects. This experience reinforces benefits of a surgery-sparing management, when possible, as recommended in current guidelines.