External Urethral Sphincter Botulinum Toxin Injection to Treat Pseudodysynergia in Patients With Cerebral Palsy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate urinary outcomes following cystoscopic external urinary sphincter onabotulinumtoxinA (BTX) injections in patients with cerebral palsy (CP). Adults with CP can suffer from bladder outlet obstruction and urinary retention due to a spastic external urethral sphincter ("pseudodysynergia"). We have used BTX injections into the sphincter to relieve the obstruction and allow patients to maintain spontaneous voiding rather than intermittent catheterization. METHODS: Patients were included in this retrospective cohort study if they had a diagnosis of CP, were at least 18 years of age, and underwent a urethral external sphincter BTX injection between 2016-2023. The procedure included 100 u or 200 u of BTX mixed in 4cc of saline. Primary outcomes were subjective, patient or caregiver reported changes in retention, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), frequency of recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs), and hydronephrosis or bladder stones/debris on ultrasound. RESULTS: Fifty patients were included; the majority were male (60%), lived at home with assistance (58%), and had a Gross Motor Function Classification System level of V (50%; ie, severe CP). The most common indications for BTX were retention (96%), LUTS (48%), hydronephrosis (18%), and recurrent UTIs (22%). Post-BTX improvement was seen in 67% of those with LUTS, 65% with retention, 67% with hydronephrosis, and 73% with recurrent UTIs. Most patients underwent repeat injections (60%). There were no significant complications associated with injections. CONCLUSION: External urethral sphincter BTX is a safe, effective option for treating pseudodysynergia in adults with CP.

Posterior Urethral Reconstruction at the Time of Rectourethral Fistula Repair: Technique and Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of posterior urethral stenosis or defect on outcomes following rectourethral fistula (RUF) repair, we present a cohort of 23 men who underwent posterior urethroplasty concurrent with RUF repair. METHODS: We identified 130 men who underwent RUF repair at our institution between 2003 and 2021. Of these, 23 (18%) underwent simultaneous posterior urethroplasty. Fifteen men received prior radiation for prostate cancer. Of the 8 men who were not radiated, 4 had a history of radical prostatectomy, 2 pelvic trauma, and 3 inflammatory bowel disease. All 23 men underwent fecal diversion prior to surgery (median, 6 months preoperatively), and 20 men suprapubic catheter placement (median, 5.5 months preoperatively). RESULTS: RUF repair was performed via perineal approach in 22 cases (96%) and prone Kraske position in 1 (4%). Intraoperatively, 20 men (87%) had urethral stenosis, and 3 (13%) had significant urethral defects due to cavitation and tissue loss. There was stenosis/stricture involving the prostatomembranous urethra in 18 cases (78%) and vesicourethral anastomosis in 5 (22%). Urethroplasty was performed with anastomotic repair in 18 patients (78%) and using a buccal mucosal graft in 5 (22%). Gracilis flap interposition was performed in 21 cases (91%). At a median follow-up of 55.7 months (interquartile range (IQR), 23-82 months), 20 men (87%) had successful RUF closure, with 3 patients experiencing RUF recurrence requiring further surgery. Fourteen men (61%) reported postoperative urinary incontinence, with 7 (30%) ultimately undergoing artificial urinary sphincter placement. There were no isolated stricture recurrences requiring instrumentation. CONCLUSION: Posterior urethral stenosis associated with RUF complicates an already challenging problem. However, most of these patients can be successfully treated concurrent with RUF repair. This series demonstrates that patients with RUF should not be ruled out for restorative reconstructive surgery based on the presence of posterior urethral stenosis or defect.

Decisional regret and impacts on quality of life following genitourinary reconstruction for neurogenic bladder: A comparison between acquired and congenital spinal cord injury.

INTRODUCTION: Patient expectations and baseline health are important drivers of outcomes following major genitourinary reconstructive surgery for neurogenic bladder (NGB). Differences in expectations and quality of life (QoL) improvements among different populations with NGB remain insufficiently explored in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To compare decisional regret (DR) and urinary-related QoL (UrQoL) in patients undergoing urinary diversion for NGB arising from spinal cord injury of acquired (A-SCI) and congenital (C-SCI) etiologies. We hypothesize that patients with A-SCI have higher expectations of improvement in QoL following surgery when compared with C-SCI, which may lead to higher DR and decreased UrQoL, postoperatively. DESIGN: In this cross-sectional survey study, we compared A-SCI to C-SCI in terms of DR, UrQoL, and postoperative changes in self-reported physical health, mental health, and pain using validated patient-reported outcome measures. SETTING: Participants were enrolled from a quaternary care institution via mail and MyChart. PARTICIPANTS: The A-SCI group consistied of 17 patients with traumatic spinal cord injury the C-SCI group was composed of 20 patients with spina bifida. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Decisional Regret Scale, Short form- Qualiveen (SF-Qualiveen), and Patient-reported outcomes measurement Information system-10 (PROMIS-10) Global Health surveys. RESULTS: The A-SCI group displayed poorer preoperative physical health than the C-SCI cohort, but absolute postoperative changes in this score, along with mental health score and pain level, were not significant after adjusting for baseline scores and follow-up time. SF-Qualiveen scores revealed significantly worse impact of NGB in UrQoL for A-SCI than for C-SCI when adjusted for other factors. No differences in DR were seen between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with A-SCI demonstrate lower self-reported baseline physical health compared with patients with C-SCI, which may have implications in setting patient expectations when undergoing urinary diversion. In this small cohort, we found a milder self-reported postoperative impact of NGB in UrQoL in patients with C-SCI.

Urology Residency Applicant Selection: Program Directors' New Criteria.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the recent changes to the urology residency application process on the criteria utilized by residency program directors (PDs) for interview invitations and their perspectives concerning these changes. METHODS: One hundred thirty-seven urology residency PDs were invited to participate in an anonymous survey to explore interview selection criteria and the impact of the increase in preference signals (PS) per applicant. RESULTS: Fifty-eight PDs (42.8%) completed the survey. The highest-ranked criteria were letters of recommendation (LoR) and successful sub-internship (sub-I) at the PD's institution, without statistically significant differences between these 2. Gender, ethnicity, and medical school prestige were the lowest rated criteria, without significant differences between these 3. Compared to before the increase in the number of PS per applicant, 80.7% of PDs reported that not receiving a PS from an applicant this cycle would more negatively impact the chances of offering an interview to that applicant. Moreover, 12.2% stated they would not interview any applicants who did not send a PS. Finally, 62.1% of PDs believed recent changes worsened the process. CONCLUSION: Recent changes impacted PDs applicant evaluation, with the highest ranked criteria being LoRs and sub-I. Paradoxically, the increase in the number of PS per applicant has increased their importance as applicants are much less likely to receive interview offers from programs they have not signaled. Lastly, most PDs believe changes have worsened the evaluation process.