Risk factors for reoperation of inflatable penile prosthesis among an ethnically diverse urban population in a high-volume center.

Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) is a surgical treatment for erectile dysfunction refractory to medical therapy or for those who desire permanent treatment. Complications like mechanical failure and infection may necessitate reoperation, and patients with certain risk factors remain predisposed to reoperation. We retrospectively analyzed 530 patients undergoing primary IPP implantation at a large, urban, multiethnic hospital with a high volume of IPP implantations. Primary outcomes were reoperation due to any reason and reoperation due to infection. Patient characteristics and intraoperative factors were compared between those requiring reoperation and those not requiring reoperation. Overall, 12.1% of patients underwent reoperation, primarily due to infection, with a median time to reoperation of 4 months. Analysis revealed an increased likelihood of reoperation with Peyronie's disease (OR = 2.47), hemoglobin A1c over 8 (OR = 2.25), active smoking (OR = 2.75), and estimated blood loss (EBL) ≥ 25cc (OR = 2.45). A decreased likelihood of reoperation was observed when Arista™ powder was used intraoperatively (OR = 0.38). Reoperation specifically due to infection was associated with an infrapubic approach (OR = 2.56) and hypertension (OR = 9.12). Our findings confirm smoking and diabetes as risk factors for reoperation, while also providing insights into factors like estimated blood loss and Arista™ powder use. However, long-term survival rates were limited by loss to follow-up. (Clinical trial registration N/A).

Shifts in patient preference of third-line overactive bladder therapy after introduction of the implantable tibial nerve stimulator.

INTRODUCTION: Third-line therapies for overactive bladder (OAB) that are currently recommended include intravesical Onabotulinumtoxin-A injections (BTX-A), percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS), and sacral neuromodulation (SNM). The implantable tibial nerve stimulator (ITNS) is a novel therapy that is now available to patients with OAB. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to analyze shifts in patient preference of third-line therapies for OAB after introducing ITNS as an option among the previously established therapies for non-neurogenic OAB. METHODS: A survey was designed and distributed via SurveyMonkey to the platform's audience of U.S. adults of age 18 and older. Screening questions were asked to include only subjects who reported symptoms of OAB. Descriptions of current AUA/SUFU guideline-approved third-line therapies (BTX-A, PTNS, and SNM) were provided, and participants were asked to rank these therapies in order of preference (stage A). Subsequently, ITNS was introduced with a description, and participants were then asked to rank their preferences amongst current guideline-approved therapies and ITNS (stage B). Absolute and relative changes in therapy preferences between stage A and stage B were calculated. Associations between ultimate therapy choice in stage B and participant characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 485 participants completed the survey (62.5% female). The mean age was 49.1 ± 36.5 years (SD). The most common OAB symptoms reported were urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) (73.0%) and urinary urgency (68.0%). 29.2% of patients had tried medication for OAB in the past, and 8.0%-10.3% of patients were previously treated with a third-line therapy for OAB. In stage A, participants ranked their first choice of third-line therapy as follows: 28% BTX-A, 27% PTNS, and 13.8% SNM. 26.6% of participants chose no therapy, and 4.5% chose all three equally. In stage B, participants ranked their first choice as follows: 27.6% BTX-A, 19.2% PTNS, 7.8% SNM, and 19.2% ITNS. 21.9% of participants chose no therapy and 4.3% chose all four equally as their first choice. There were both absolute and relative declines in proportions of patients interested in BTX-A, SNM, and PTNS as their first choice of third-line therapy with the introduction of ITNS. Patients originally interested in PTNS in stage A had the greatest absolute change after the introduction of ITNS with 7.8% of participants opting for ITNS in stage B. Those interested in SNM in stage A had the largest relative change in interest, with 43.5% of those originally interested in SNM opting for ITNS in stage B. Finally, with the introduction of ITNS, the number of participants initially not interested in any third-line therapy declined by an absolute change of 4.7% and relative change of 17.6%. Participants experiencing concurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms were more likely to choose a current guideline-approved third-line therapy than ITNS or no therapy at all (p = 0.047). Those who had prior experience with third-line therapies were more likely to choose a third-line therapy other than ITNS as their ultimate choice of therapy in stage B. Of those who had chosen a guideline-approved third-line therapy in stage B (not ITNS), 13.6% had prior experience with BTX-A, 14.7% with PTNS, and 32 (11.2%) with SNM (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.009, respectively). CONCLUSION: From our study, it appears that ITNS may attract a subset of patients who would not have otherwise pursued current guideline-approved third-line therapies for OAB. When patients are provided with descriptions of third-line OAB therapies including ITNS as an option, ITNS appears to compete with SNM and PTNS. It is possible that ITNS will provide patients with a different phenotype of neuromodulation therapy that can appeal to a niche OAB population. Given that ITNS devices have been introduced relatively recently to the market, their application will largely depend on cost and payer coverage, provider bias, and patient comorbidities. Further study is needed to understand how these factors interact with and influence patient preference of advanced OAB therapy to understand which patients will most benefit from this treatment modality.

Barriers to Healthcare: Non-English Speaking and Elderly Patients More Likely to Have Retained Ureteral Stents.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors for retained ureteral stents in our institution of patients receiving de novo ureteral stents. Ureteral stent placement, a commonly performed urologic procedure, is a temporary measure and requires timely removal. Retained ureteral stents may result in significant morbidities and need for additional procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We queried for all de novo ureteral stents indicated for calculi at our institution between July 2019-June 2021. Retained ureteral stents were defined as stents that remained indwelling for a period greater than 90days. Patients with metallic stents, stents on strings, pediatric patients, and planned therapy outside 90days were excluded. Patient demographic information including gender, race, age, insurance status, non-English speaking status as well as clinical data including location of presentation and indication were collected. Characteristics of patients with retained stents were compared to those without. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-seven de novo stent patients meeting study criteria were identified, of which 61 (13%) patients had retained stents. The median duration of retention was 24days +/- 32days (IQR). Patients with retained stents were older than those with stents removed within 90days (62.1 vs 57.2years, P = .03). Retained stents were more common among non-English-speaking patients (13% vs 5%, P = .012). CONCLUSION: Stent retention was found to be associated with non-English speaking status and older age. Healthcare barriers in language and age may lead to increased morbidity due to stent retention.

Risk of Retention After OnabotulinumtoxinA Injection for Overactive Bladder in a Diverse Urban Population With High BMI and Comorbidity Rates.

IMPORTANCE: OnabotulinumtoxinA (BTX-A) injection is a third-line therapy for overactive bladder (OAB). Patients undergoing treatment have a 6.5% chance of requiring clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) due to postoperative urinary retention (POUR). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors for retention after BTX-A injections for OAB to decrease treatment hesitancy and enhance shared decision-making. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective review of patients who underwent BTX-A injection for OAB at an urban university hospital between November 2015 and January 2021. Patients with neurogenic OAB, incomplete follow-up, or concomitant vaginal surgery were excluded. The primary outcome was POUR requiring CIC or postvoid residual volume (PVR) >200 mL at follow-up visit. Secondary outcomes included number of BTX-A injections, interval to reinjection, and whether patients reported symptom improvement. RESULTS: Our sample (N = 185) was 84% female with high prevalence of obesity (50%) and diabetes (32%). Twenty-one (11.4%) met the criteria for POUR with 17 (9.2%) requiring CIC. The retention and nonretention groups were similar in age, sex, smoking history, body mass index (BMI), hemogloblin A1c, and birth history, but significantly differed in preoperative PVR. Logistic regression revealed that patients with preoperative PVR 100+ mL had nearly 4-fold higher odds of POUR compared with patients with PVR less than 50 mL (odds ratio, 3.77; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-16.19). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reassure patients with high BMI, as well as their physicians, that retention after BTX-A injection is not associated with BMI. However, patients presenting with high baseline PVR (100 + mL) should be counseled regarding a potentially higher risk of retention after BTX-A injection.

Combination and Novel Pharmacologic Agents for OAB.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To evaluate recent literature on combination and novel pharmacologic therapies for overactive bladder (OAB). RECENT FINDINGS: Combination therapies demonstrating greater efficacy than monotherapy include combination anticholinergics, anticholinergic plus ß-3 agonist, and anticholinergic with behavioral modification, percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation, or sacral neuromodulation. Promising novel therapies include new bladder selective anticholinergics, new ß-3 agonists, and gabapentin. OAB is a symptom complex caused by dysfunction in the interconnected neural, muscular, and urothelial systems that control micturition. Although several therapeutic targets and treatment options exist, complete resolution is not always achieved, discontinuation rate for medical therapy is high, and few patients subsequently progress to third-line treatment options. Recent literature suggests combination therapy diversifying therapeutic targets is more effective than targeting a single pathway and novel treatments targeting additional pathways have promising results.