Predictors of elaborated perineal or a combined abdominoperineal approach during repair for pelvic fracture urethral injury.

PURPOSE: A step-based anastomotic urethroplasty is a standard technique for repairing the posterior urethra in patients with pelvic fracture urethral injury (PFUI). We aim to identify pre-operative factors, including results of conventional radiological imaging, for prediction of elaborated perineal or a combined abdominoperineal procedure. METHODS: Retrospective observational study on 114 consecutive patients undergoing urethroplasty for PFUI between January 2020 and December 2022 was conducted. Surgical procedures were categorized according to the Webster classification into two groups: steps 1-2 (group 1) and steps 3-4 or a combined abdominoperineal repair (group 2). Pre-operative pattern results of RGU/VCUG were categorized regarding the relation between the proximal urethral stump with the pubic symphysis: posterior urethral stump below (pattern 1) or above (pattern 2) the lower margin of the pubic symphysis. Patient demographics were assessed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were utilized. RESULTS: Overall, 102 patients were enrolled in the study for data analysis. On the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the presence of erectile dysfunction (OR 4.5; p = 0.014), prior combined treatment (endoscopic and urethroplasty) (OR 6.4; p = 0.018) and RGU/VCUG pattern 2 (OR 66; p < 0.001) significantly increased the likelihood of the need of step 3 or higher. CONCLUSIONS: The need of step 3 or higher during urethroplasty for PFUI can be predicted pre-operatively with conventional imaging (RGU/VCUG). Patients with proximal urethral stump above the lower margin of pubic symphysis were about 66 times more likely to need step 3 or higher during urethroplasty.

Detrusor underactivity after radical prostatectomy: A prospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of radical prostatectomy (RP) on bladder function with special interest in detrusor underactivity (DU) and to appraise clinical significance of DU in postprostatectomy patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective, observational study conducted on male patients subjected to laparoscopic RP (LPR). Urodynamic studies were performed at the day before surgery (visit 1), 3-6 months postoperatively (visit 2) and more than 12 months after surgery (visit 3). Incidence of DU that occurred after LPR (de novo DU), incidence of persisting de novo DU after 12 months, clinical relevance of DU after LPR and predictive factors of de novo DU were assessed. RESULTS: 99 of 100 patients underwent preoperative urodynamic study (visit 1) and those were included in further analysis. 84 and 76 patients were available for follow-up at second and third visit respectively. De novo DU occurred after LPR in 25 (29.7%) patients at visit 2 (p < 0.001). Sixteen from 24 patients (66,7%) who developed de novo DU after RP (visit 2) continued to have DU 1 year after surgery (visit 3) (p = 0.04). On the multivariate analysis, urinary incontinence requiring more than 1 pad per day (odds ratio [OR] 5.11; confidence interval [CI] 1.69-17.19; p = 0.005) and preoperative IPSS storage sub-score (OR 1.25; CI 1.03-1.63; p = 0.030) were significantly associated with de novo DU. Postprostatectomy patients with DU had significantly lower Urinary Assessment of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) total score (819 vs. 911, p = 0.02), EPIC Function domain score (300 vs. 357, p = 0.002) and EPIC Urinary incontinence domain (137 vs. 224, p = 0.002) when compared to their counterparts without DU. CONCLUSIONS: RP substantially influences bladder function, causing de novo DU, which persists in substantial number of patients 1 year postoperatively. Furthermore, significant correlation between DU and postprostatectomy urinary incontinence may play a role when anti-incontinence surgery is considered.

Outcomes of transecting versus non-transecting urethroplasty for bulbar urethral stricture: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess outcomes of transecting vs non-transecting urethroplasty for bulbar urethral stricture in terms of stricture recurrence rate, sexual dysfunction, and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) related to lower urinary tract (LUT) function. METHODS: Electronic literature searches were conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and Embase databases. The studied population was limited to men with bulbar urethral stricture included in studies that compared outcomes after transecting and non-transecting urethroplasty. The main outcome appraised was the stricture recurrence rate. Additionally, the incidence of sexual dysfunction appraised in three domains (erectile function, penile complications, and ejaculatory function) and PROMs related to LUT function after transecting vs non-transecting urethroplasty were assessed. The pooled risk ratio (RR) respectively for stricture recurrence, erectile dysfunction and penile complications was calculated using a fixed-effect model with inverse variance method. RESULTS: In all, 694 studies were screened with 72 identified as relevant. Finally, 19 studies were suitable for analysis. The pooled difference between the transecting and non-transecting groups relating to stricture recurrence was not significant. Overall, the RR was 1.06 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82-1.36) and the 95% CI crossed the line of no effect (line RR = 1). Overall, the RR for erectile dysfunction was 0.73 (95% CI 0.49-1.08) and the 95% CI crossed the line of no effect (line RR = 1). Overall, the RR for penile complications was 0.47 (95% CI 0.28-0.76) and the 95% CI did not cross the line of no effect (line RR = 1). Hence, the risk of penile complications was significantly lower in the non-transecting group. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis of available evidence indicates that both transecting and non-transecting urethroplasties, are equal in terms of the recurrence rate. On the other hand, non-transecting techniques are better in terms of sexual function, causing less penile complications.

De Novo Detrusor Underactivity and Other Urodynamic Findings after Radical Prostatectomy: A Systematic Review.

Background and objectives: The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the impact of radical prostatectomy (RP) on bladder function, with special attention towards detrusor underactivity investigated with the means of urodynamic evaluation. Materials and Methods: The review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA statement and was registered in the PROSPERO (ID#: CRD42020223480). The studied population was limited to men with prostate cancer who underwent urodynamic study prior to and after radical prostatectomy. Eight hundred twenty-seven studies were screened, with twenty-five finally included. A qualitative analysis was performed. Rates of detrusor underactivity (DU) before surgery were reported in eight studies and ranged from 1.6% to 75% (median of 40.8%). DU occurred de novo after RP in 9.1% to 37% of patients (median of 29.1%). On the other hand, preexisting DU resolved in 7% to 35.5% of affected men. Detrusor overactivity (DO) was the most frequently reported outcome, being assessed in 23 studies. The rate of DO preoperatively was from 5% to 76% (median of 25%). De novo was reported in 2.3-54.4% of patients (median of 15%) and resolved after RP in 19.6% to 87.5% (median of 33%) of affected patients. Baseline rates of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) varied between studies from 19% to 59.3%, with a median of 27.8%. The most pronounced change after surgery was the resolution of BOO in 88% to 93.8% (median of 92%) of affected patients. Results: Rates of de novo impaired bladder compliance (IBC) varied from 3.2% to 41.3% (median of 13.3%), whereas the resolution of IBC was reported with rates ranging from 0% to 47% (median of 4.8%). Conclusions: BOO, DO, and DU are frequently diagnosed in men scheduled for RP. BOO is improved after RP in most patients; however, there is still a substantial rate of patients with de novo DU as well as DO which may impair functional outcomes and quality of life.

Bladder Cancer: Current Challenges and Future Directions.

Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most common malignancy of the urinary tract and one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. While the clinical approach to BCa has remained largely unchanged for many years, recent discoveries have paved the way to a new era of diagnosis and management of the disease. BCa-specific mortality started to decrease in the regions with a wide range of activities leading to greater social awareness of the risk factors and the decline in carcinogenic exposure. The urologic community refines the role of transurethral surgery towards more rigorous and high-quality techniques. New agents have been approved for patients with BCG failure who faced radical cystectomy so far. Although radical removal of the bladder is the gold standard for muscle invasive cancer management, the extent and clinical value of lymphadenectomy is currently heavily challenged in randomized trials. Furthermore, alternatives to perioperative chemotherapy have arisen to increase the likelihood of complete treatment delivery and successful oncological outcomes. Finally, improvements in molecular biology and our understanding of tumorigenesis open the era of personalized medicine in bladder cancer. In the present review, the status and future directions in bladder cancer epidemiology, diagnosis and management are thoroughly discussed.

Urobiome in Gender-Related Diversities of Bladder Cancer.

Bladder cancer (BC) remains the most common malignancy of urinary tract. Sex-related differences in BC epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy, and outcomes have been reported. Throughout the recent years, extensive research has been devoted to genetic and molecular alterations in BC. Apart from the molecular background, another related concept which has been speculated to contribute to gender diversities in BC is the role of urinary pathogens in bladder carcinogenesis. Microbiome studies, fueled by the availability of high-throughput DNA-based techniques, have shown that perturbation in the microbiome is associated with various human diseases. The aim of this review is to comprehensively analyze the current literature according to sex-related differences in the microbiome composition in BC.

Review on gender differences in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Differences in the epidemiology, diagnosis and outcomes according to gender in patients diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has been widely reported. In this article we present gender-specific differences in NMIBC in terms of epidemiology, risk factors, first clinical presentation, management and clinical outcomes based on systematically review evidence of existing literature. A literature search of English-language publications that included an analysis of the association of gender differences in patients with NMIBC was performed using PubMed. Sixty-four studies were selected for analysis with consensus of all authors. The incidence and mortality for urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) are higher in men, whereas cancer specific mortality to incidence ratio is significantly lower for men than for women. This phenomenon could be partially explained by differences in exposure to bladder cancer carcinogens. However female gender is associated with higher stage at presentation. Thirteen studies with a total of 11,069 patients diagnosed with NMIBC were included for analysis according to outcomes. In studies that found statistically significant differences in outcomes between sexes, female gender was reported as risk factor for disease recurrence, progression or cancer specific mortality. None of included studies found worse outcomes in men when compared to women with NMIBC. Results of our review suggest that female gender in patients diagnosed with NMIBC is associated-though inconsistently-with higher stage at presentation and poorer outcomes. Numerous factors may influence gender gap in incidence rate, clinical management and reported outcomes. Consensus on comparable data collection in routine practice and prospective trials including clinical outcomes are required to identify gender-specific differences in patients diagnosed with NMIBC.

Extent of lymphadenectomy in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy - a multi-institutional analysis.

Lymph node dissection (LND) performed at radical cystectomy (RC) has therapeutic and staging significance. However, the extent of LND remains controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze surgical patterns and results of LND in a contemporary series of patients with bladder cancer. This is a retrospective analysis of 113 consecutive patients subjected to RC in seven urological centres in the year 2013. The mean age of the cohort was 66.6 years. There were 49 cases of organ confined and 64 cases of locally advanced disease. Study endpoints were: status and extent of LND, number of LNs removed, and number of positive LNs. LND was performed in 102 patients (90.3%). Detailed data on the anatomical extent of LND was available in 82 patients (80.4%). Limited (lLND) and extended LND (eLND) was performed in 68.3% (n = 56) and 31.7% (n = 26) of patients, respectively. Obturator fossa LNs were removed in 84.1%, external iliac in 72.0%, internal iliac in 40.2%, common iliac in 31.7%, and presacral in 15.9% of cases. The median number of LNs removed in the whole study cohort, in patients who underwent lLND, and eLND, was 8.5, 5, and 16.5, respectively. In 28 patients (27.5%), LN metastases were diagnosed, including 6 cases (12.5%) in the organ-confined cohort and 22 cases (34.4%) in the locally advanced disease cohort. LND is an integral part of radical cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer. However, in the majority of patients, the extent of the procedure was suboptimal, potentially negatively affecting the survival and adequacy of pathological staging.