Ten years of live surgical broadcast at Charité-MAYO conferences (2010-2019): a systematic evaluation of the surgical outcome.

OBJECTIVE: The international Charité-MAYO Conference aims to promote international dialog on diagnostics, management, scientific breakthroughs, and state-of-the-art surgical procedures in gynecology and gynecologic oncology and senology. Live surgeries are a fundamental tool of interdisciplinary and international exchange of experts in their respective fields. Currently, there is a controversial and emotional debate about the true value, risks, and safety of live surgical broadcasts. The aim of the current study is to analyze peri-operative risks in patients who were operated live during the Charité-MAYO Conferences. METHODS: Live surgeries were performed by the core Charité team consisting of gynecologic oncologic surgeons, breast and plastic surgeons, partly in collaboration with visiting gynecologic oncologic surgeons. We performed a retrospective analysis of live surgeries performed during seven Charité-MAYO Conferences from 2010 to 2019 held in Berlin, Germany. Patients' files and tumor databases were analyzed as required and patients were contacted to update their long-term follow-up. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients who were operated live were included. The types of surgery were as follows: urogynecologic procedures (n=13), breast surgery (n=21), and gynecologic oncology surgery for ovarian, uterine, vulvar or cervical cancer (n=35). Peri-operative complications were assessed according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Despite a high rate of complete resection and the high frequency of multivisceral procedures, the rate of peri-operative complications was within the range published in the literature. Time of surgery and length of intensive unit care and hospital stay did not differ from data acquired at the home institution. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our analysis, live surgeries appear to be safe when performed within a multidisciplinary setting without an increase in surgical morbidity and mortality compared with historical controls and without compromise of patients' outcome. This is the first analysis of its kind to set the basis for patient information and consent for this type of surgeries.

Transurethral suturing of bladder following transurethral excision of female vesico-urachal diverticula: a novel technique with long-term follow-up results.

BACKGROUNDS: This study aims to describe and evaluate outcomes of transurethral surgery-natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (TUS-Notes) technique in patients treated with transurethral excision of vesico-urachal diverticula (VD). METHODS: Patients who underwent TUS-Notes following transurethral VD excision due to recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI) since 2013 were included in this prospective non-randomized cohort study. Under cystoscopic guidance VD and surrounding bladder wall was resected until the fatty tissue using monopolar resectoscope. The specimen was removed with a grasper through the cystoscope. TUS-Notes technique was performed with Minimal Suturing Device (MSD-Ney®). The needle of the suture was shaped according to suturing position and loaded into MSD-Ney. They were inserted into the bladder under cystoscopic guidance transurethrally. Once the defect was sutured properly, an extracorporeal knot was prepared and tied. The length of the operation (LOO), and perioperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo grading system were noted. The integrity of the bladder was checked with cystography to assess objective cure. Subjective cure was evaluated with Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) scale. RESULTS: The follow-up period of 65 participants varied from three months to eight years. The median LOO was 37 min. A Clavien grade-3 complication was observed in one patient. Peroperative failure was not noted. The median duration of hospital stays, and catheterization time was three days. Objective cure rate and subjective cure rates were 100%. UTI was not noted after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Transurethral complete excision of VD is an acceptable technique to prevent rUTI. The TUS-Notes technique provides a successful minimal invasive treatment option for the treatment of bladder defects. CONCISE: Transurethral suturing of urinary bladder.

Native tissue repair for central compartment prolapse: a narrative review.

Central descent due to a level 1 defect is a main component in pelvic organ prolapse (POP) reconstructive surgery, whether for symptomatic apical prolapse or for the prolapse repair of other compartments. A recent growth in the rate of native tissue repair procedures for POP, following the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warnings regarding the safety and efficacy of synthetic meshes, requires a re-evaluation of these procedures. The safety, efficacy, and determination of the optimal surgical approach should be the center of attention. Functional outcome measures and patient-centered results have lately gained importance and received focus. A comprehensive literature review was performed to evaluate objective and subjective outcomes of apical prolapse native tissue repair, with a special focus on studies reporting impact on patients' functional outcomes, quality of life, and satisfaction. We performed a MEDLINE search for articles in the English language by using the following key words: apical prolapse, sacrospinous ligament fixation, uterosacral ligament suspension, sacral colpopexy, McCall culdoplasty, iliococcygeus vaginal fixation, and functional outcomes. We reviewed references as well. Despite a prominent shortage of studies reporting standardized prospective outcomes for native tissue repair interventions, we noted a high rate of safety and efficacy, with a low complication rate for most procedures and low recurrence or re-treatment rates. The objective and subjective results of different procedures are reviewed. Functional outcomes of native tissue repair procedures have not been studied sufficiently, though existing data present those procedures as favorable and not categorically inferior to sacrocolpopexy. Apical compartment prolapse repair using native tissue is not a compromise. Functional outcomes of native tissue repair procedures are favorable, have a high rate of success, improve women's quality of life (QoL), and result in high rates of patient satisfaction. This subject requires further long-term, standardized prospective studies following the International Continence Society/International Urogynecologists Association guidelines for surgical outcomes report, with the focus on patient-centered functional outcomes.

Prenatal decision-making in the second and third trimester in trisomy 21-affected pregnancies.

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosome abnormality among live-born infants and the most frequent genetic cause of intellectual disability. The majority of pregnancies affected by DS are terminated. The decision concerning whether or not to continue a pregnancy following the prenatal diagnosis of DS is complex and amongst others, motivated by attitudes towards termination, socioeconomic factors, and ultrasound findings. In Germany, termination of pregnancy (TOP) is a legal option, even during the later stages of gestation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pregnancy outcomes as well as possible factors that influence the decisions made by women with trisomy 21-affected pregnancies. In our study 112 pregnancies affected by trisomy 21 were included. Our data confirm that most patients are more likely to terminate a trisomy 21-affected pregnancy [76 (67.9%) vs. 36 (32.1%) continued pregnancies]. Beyond that we found that women who continued their pregnancy tended to be at an advanced stage in their pregnancy at the time of karyotyping. With regards to factors from their medical history as well as sonographic findings there was no identifiable single factor that could distinguish between women that opted to continue or terminate their pregnancy.

Safety and short term outcomes of a new truly minimallyinvasive mesh-less and dissection-less anchoring system for pelvic organ prolapse apical repair.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and short term outcomes of a new, truly minimallyinvasive, mesh-less and dissection-less anchoring system for pelvic floor apical repair. METHODS: A prospective study was conducted using the NeuGuide™ device system for pelvic floor apical repair. The primary effectiveness outcome was centro-apical pelvic floor prolapse by POP-Q after six months. The primary safety outcome was intra-operative, immediate (first 48 h) post-operative complications and adverse effects after six months. A standardized questionnaire (UDI-6) to assess quality of life at entry and during follow-up visits was used. Patients' six months-follow-up and evaluation are reported. RESULTS: The mean age of the study population (n=10) was 63.8±12.0 years. All patients had a previous prolapse surgery. Five had a previous hysterectomy and two had stress urinary incontinence symptoms. During surgery six patients had a concurrent colporrhaphy. There was no injury to the bladder, rectum, pudendal nerves, or major pelvic vessels and no febrile morbidity was recorded. At six months, no cases of centro-apical recurrence were noted. Patients were satisfied with the procedure and had favorable quality of life scores. Using the UDI-6 questionnaire an improvement, in all domains was seen. Moreover, although the sample size was small, the improvement in urge and overflow incontinence related domains were demonstrated to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This new NeuGuide™ device allows rapid and safe introduction of a suspending suture through the sacrospinous ligament and makes sacrospinous ligament fixation easy to perform, while avoiding dissection and mesh complications.

Efficacy and safety of skeletonized mesh implants for advanced pelvic organ prolapse: 12-month follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of skeletonized mesh implants for advanced pelvic organ prolapse (POP). METHODS: Women with advances POP underwent repair of stage III or greater anterior or posterior and apical compartment prolapse using skeletonized mesh implants (Seratom PA MR MN(®) system-SERAG-WIESSNER, Naila, Germany). Anatomical outcomes were assessed using pelvic organ prolapse quantification staging and functional outcomes were self-reported by the patients at 6 weeks, 6 and 12 months. Anatomical and functional cure rates, post-operative pain and dyspareunia as well as intra and post-operative complications were reported. Success was defined as a composite of no bulge symptoms and no prolapse beyond the hymenal ring. RESULTS: At 12 months, data were available for 103 of the 105 patients originally recruited. Intra-operative complications included 2 (2 %) cases of cystotomy that were corrected vaginally. The immediate post-operative complications included 1 patient (1 %) with UTI, 4 (3.9 %) cases of self-resolved hematomas, and 6 (5.8 %) cases of bladder outlet obstruction. At 12 months, a high success rate and low complication rate was noted. Recurrence of prolapse was reported by 7 (6.6 %) patients. However, only 4 (3.8 %) underwent a repeat procedure. Two patient developed de novo SUI, and 6 (5.7 %) developed dyspareunia. No cases of mesh erosion/extrusion were noted. CONCLUSION: The present study showed excellent anatomical and quality of life results in patients with advanced POP treated with a skeletonized and reduced mesh system. No mesh exposure was recorded within the first year after surgery.

Laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) varicocelectomy with reusable components: comparison with the conventional laparoscopic technique.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare laparoendoscopic single-site varicocelectomy (LESSV) with multiport laparoscopic varicocelectomy (MLV) in terms of intraoperative parameters and postoperative outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study investigated 10 male adolescents and 89 adults who underwent either LESSV or MLV at the authors' center. The reusable X-Cone single port was inserted transumbilically. A 5-mm 30° telescope was used together with a straight and a prebent laparoscopic instrument. The MLV procedure was performed using two 5-mm ports and one 10-mm port. RESULTS: Between January 2009 and November 2012, 20 patients underwent LESSV and 79 patients underwent MLV. The demographic data were comparable between the two groups. The mean operating time was 59.1 ± 15.5 min for LESSV and 51.2 ± 14.4 min for MLV (P = 0.04). In the LESSV group, no conversion to MLV was necessary. The hospital stay was 1.6 ± 0.7 days in the LESSV group versus 1.8 ± 0.5 days in the MLV group (P = 0.17). The postoperative pain scores did differ between the two groups. By day 2, significantly more patients in the LESSV group than in the MLV group fully recovered their normal physical activity (P = 0.02). Comparison of pre- and postoperative values showed relief of testicular pain and improvement of semen parameters for the majority of the patients. The overall incidence of complications was distributed equally between the two groups as follows: paresthesia of the upper thigh (8 %), wound infection (5 %), epididymitis (3 %) and hydrocele (4 %). All the patients in the LESSV group were fully satisfied with their cosmetic results compared with only 76 % of the patients in the MLV group (P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The LESSV procedure performed with the reusable X-Cone is as safe and efficient as MLV. After LESSV, the parameters measuring postoperative patient satisfaction are significantly improved. Given its reusable components, including prebent laparoscopic instruments, the X-Cone platform is a cost-effective alternative to disposable or homemade single ports.

Use of the Allium Round Posterior Stent for the Treatment of Recurrent Vesicourethral Anastomosis Stricture.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes of monopolar incision and Allium Round Posterior Stent (RPS) insertion for the treatment of recurrent vesicourethral anastomosis stricture. METHODS: Having a suprapubic catheter and an obstructed pattern with a peak flow rate (PFR) ≤12 mL/s on uroflowmetry were the indications for the surgery. Once the fibrotic vesicourethral anastomosis was incised, RPS was inserted at the level of vesicourethral anastomosis under fluoroscopic guidance. All the stents were removed at postoperative first year. Patients were evaluated 3months after stent removal. Objective cure was defined as no need to further treatments and PFR ≥12 mL/s while subjective cure was defined as having points <4 on Patient Global Impression of Improvements scale. RESULTS: Of the 30 patients with a median age 66 (52-74) enrolled in the study, 18 had a suprapubic catheter, remaining 12 had median PFR 5.2 (2-10) mL/s. Stent migration was noted in two patients, these stents were replaced by new ones. Stone formation was diagnosed in one patient, a pneumatic-lithotripsy was performed. The median follow-up time was 28 (4-60) months following stent removal. Six cases needed further treatment after removal. The median PFR of remaining 24 patients was 20 (16-30) mL/s (P = .001). The objective cure rate was 24/30(80%), the Patient Global Impression of Improvements scores varied from 1 to 2, meaning subjective cure rate was 24/30(80%). For the six failed cases, according to patient preferences a lifetime RPS insertion was planned. CONCLUSION: With its minimally invasive nature, reversibility, and acceptable success and complication rates, incision of anastomosis and insertion of the RPS for a 1-year duration is a promising option for the treatment of recurrent vesicourethral anastomosis stricture.

[Female urology: review of the development in the past 5 decades]. / Urologie der Frau ­ Rückblick auf die Entwicklung in den letzten 5 Jahrzehnten.

Urogynaecology is a highly specialised interdisciplinary medical field. It aims to investigate and treat functional, static, endocrine and sexual disorders of the genitourinary system and pelvic area in a sustainable and holistic manner.The "Urological Functional Diagnostics and Female Urology" working group of the German Urologist Academy was founded in 1977. It focuses on developing and updating diagnostics and clinical therapy, contributing to urogynaecological guidelines as well as establishing programmes for further education.Urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders are increasing for demographic reasons. Rising socio-cultural expectations of women require more effective treatments using methods that guarantee success and a low level of complications.Milestones in urogynaecology include the introduction and further development of minimally-invasive surgical procedures such as tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) systems, laparoscopic and robot-assisted techniques, the development of a modern complication management, more targeted drug therapies, and the possibilities of modern functional diagnostics including pelvic floor sonography and MRI examinations.Classic surgical techniques such as colposuspension or colposacropexy and vaginal native tissue repair continue to be very important. In special cases, e. g. recurrent pelvic organ prolapse, mesh-based repair has proven to be superior to conventional procedures because of good long-term success and low recurrence rates. However, this method requires an anatomically correct surgical technique, critical selection of textile implants, and adequate patient education. Suturing devices and robot-assisted surgery may be helpful due to the narrow access and limited surgical spaces. For apical direct fixations, the elevation angle of the vagina is the therapeutically relevant outcome. Tried-and-tested anatomical fixation points should be preferred.Education and training in the field of urogynaecology and harmonisation with European standards (European Board & College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology) should be implemented. Skills for highly specialised mesh-based surgery and effective techniques for managing complications should be taught in the same interdisciplinary manner as diagnostic procedures such as pelvic floor sonography, which are easy to learn and use.Only an interdisciplinary urogynecological sub-specialisation can guarantee the development of required professional competences. Interdisciplinary education should be organised by the participating societies (urology, surgery and gynaecology) together.

Complications, functional and quality of life outcomes following primary and secondary implantation of penile prosthesis at a tertiary referral center.

The implantation of a penile prosthesis (PP) may be recommended in patients with severe erectile dysfunction (ED) who do not respond to conservative treatments. The aim of this study was to evaluate complications, as well as functional and quality of life outcomes following primary and secondary implantation of PP at a tertiary referral center. In this retrospective study, a total of 51 patients (41 patients with primary (PPP) and 10 with secondary PP (SPP)) were included. Patients and operative characteristics were recorded and complications were analyzed using the Clavien-Dindo classification. To evaluate satisfaction of patients and their partners, as well as PP long-term function, follow-up data were collected by using questionnaires (Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) and QLQC30). Fifty-one patients with a median age of 61 years (IQR 52-68) received PP implantation (44 AMS 700, 7 Coloplast Titan). Main causes of ED were after radical prostatectomy (27.5%), diabetes (21,6%), and other unknown reasons (43.1%). Median time of intervention was 94.5 min (IQR 80.8-110.3) with no significant difference between PPP and SPP. Only one patient undergoing PPP surgery had grade 3 complication. Follow-up data from a total of 43 patients (84.3%) with a median follow-up of 26 months (IQR 17-41 mo) was recorded. At the time of follow-up, 88.4% of the PPs were still functional (PPP n = 34 (94.4%), SPP n = 4 (57.1%), p = 0.024). Overall estimated mean PP survival was 63.0 mo ((95% CI) 56.2-70.8 mo) with no significant difference between PPP and SPP. Overall satisfaction (EDITS und QLQC30) was high in both groups with no significant difference. PP implantation shows to be a safe treatment option in the management of severe ED.

Long-term functional outcomes following mesh-augmented posterior vaginal prolapse repair.

OBJECTIVE: To assess long-term patient-centered functional outcomes following posterior vaginal wall repair using mesh implants. METHOD: The present prospective telephone interview study enrolled a cohort of women who had undergone posterior vaginal wall repair with mesh between January 1, 2006 and February 28, 2009, at a single center in Israel. Patients were asked to report long-term outcomes, and demographic, clinical, intraoperative, and postoperative follow-up data were retrieved from patients' medical files. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to asses associations between baseline characteristics and long-term outcomes. RESULTS: In total, 102 patients were contacted, with 80 (78.4%) at 61-83months after surgery agreeing to participate. A recurrence of prolapse symptoms was reported by 14 patients (18%) (12 required a corrective procedure), mesh had been removed from two patients owing to erosion/extrusion, and two others had undergone removal of granulation tissue. Long-term, bothersome symptoms were reported by 13 (16%) patients. Parity and previous hysterectomy were associated with lower odds of long-term adverse outcomes, and the location of the apical (C/D) pelvic organ prolapse quantification point and a change in its position following surgery were associated with increased odds of adverse outcomes. CONCLUSION: The long-term adverse-outcome rate was low for patients who underwent posterior vaginal mesh augmentation. These results highlight the importance of apical support for good long-term functional outcomes.

Safety and short term outcomes of a new truly minimally-invasive mesh-less and dissection-less anchoring system for pelvic organ prolapse apical repair

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the safety and short term outcomes of a new, truly minimally-invasive, mesh-less and dissection-less anchoring system for pelvic floor apical repair. Methods A prospective study was conducted using the NeuGuide™ device system for pelvic floor apical repair. The primary effectiveness outcome was centro-apical pelvic floor prolapse by POP-Q after six months. The primary safety outcome was intra-operative, immediate (first 48 h) post-operative complications and adverse effects after six months. A standardized questionnaire (UDI-6) to assess quality of life at entry and during follow-up visits was used. Patients’ six months-follow-up and evaluation are reported. Results The mean age of the study population (n=10) was 63.8±12.0 years. All patients had a previous prolapse surgery. Five had a previous hysterectomy and two had stress urinary incontinence symptoms. During surgery six patients had a concurrent colporrhaphy. There was no injury to the bladder, rectum, pudendal nerves, or major pelvic vessels and no febrile morbidity was recorded. At six months, no cases of centro-apical recurrence were noted. Patients were satisfied with the procedure and had favorable quality of life scores. Using the UDI-6 questionnaire an improvement, in all domains was seen. Moreover, although the sample size was small, the improvement in urge and overflow incontinence related domains were demonstrated to be statistically significant. Conclusions This new NeuGuide™ device allows rapid and safe introduction of a suspending suture through the sacrospinous ligament and makes sacrospinous ligament fixation easy to perform, while avoiding dissection and mesh complications.

Adjustable suburethral sling (male remeex system) in the treatment of male stress urinary incontinence: a multicentric European study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a readjustable sling for the treatment of male stress urinary incontinence (SUI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 2002 and August 2005, 51 male patients with mild to severe SUI were prospectively operated with the use of a readjustable sling (MRS) at seven different European hospitals: Spain (2), Italy (2), Greece (1), Germany (1), and Portugal (1). The origin of incontinence was radical prostatectomy in 43 cases, TUR in 4, and open prostatectomy in another 4. Duration of incontinence ranged from 1 to 10 yr with an average of 3.5 yr. RESULTS: All patients but 5 were regulated during the early postoperative period; 44 patients (including all 5 not regulated during the early period) required a second regulation under local anaesthesia between 1 to 4 mo after surgery, and 17 other patients required more than one delayed regulation. After that, 33 patients (64.7%) were considered cured (25 of them wore no pads at all, and 8 used small pads or sanitary napkins for security but normally remained dry); another 10 cases showed important improvement (19.6%); and only 8 patients remain unchanged (15.7%). The average follow-up time was 32 mo (range: 16-50). The mesh was removed in 1 case owing to urethral erosion and the varitensor in 2 cases owing to infection. There were five (9.8%) uneventful intraoperative bladder perforations at the postoperative period, and there were three mild perineal haematomas (5.9%). Most patients felt perineal discomfort or pain, which was easily treated with oral medications. CONCLUSIONS: The MRS((R)) allowed postoperative readjustment of the suburethral sling pressure at the immediate or midterm postoperative period, which allowed the achievement of good midterm results in almost 85% of patients without significant postoperative complications.