Does climate impact inflatable penile prosthesis infection (IPP) risk? Assessment of temperature and dew point on IPP infections.

BACKGROUND: Variations in climate have been associated with a greater risk of surgical site infections, urinary tract infections, and changes in the skin microbiome; however, limited data exist on the impact of climate on inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) infections. AIM: We sought to evaluate the impact of climate on the risk of IPP infections in a large international, multicenter cohort. METHODS: We performed a multi-institutional, retrospective study of patients undergoing IPP surgery. We then evaluated whether the month or season, during which surgery was performed, affected device infections. Implant infections were defined as infections requiring device explantation. A univariate logistic regression analysis was undertaken. OUTCOMES: Our primary outcome was implant infection. RESULTS: A total of 5289 patients with a mean age of 62.2 ± 10.8 years received IPP placement. There was a fairly even distribution of implants performed in each season. A total of 103 (1.9%) infections were recorded. There were 32 (31.1%) IPP infections in patients who underwent surgery in the summer, followed by 28 (27.2%) in the winter, 26 (25.2%) in the spring, and 17 (16.5%) in the fall. No statistically significant differences were recorded in terms of season (P = .19) and month (P = .29). The mean daily temperature (P = .43), dew point (P = .43), and humidity (P = .92) at the time of IPP placement was not associated with infection. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: These findings provide reassurance to prosthetic urologists that infection reduction strategies do not need to be tailored to local climate. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Climate data were not directly recorded for each hospital, but rather based on the monthly averages in the city where the surgery was performed. CONCLUSION: The climate at time of IPP placement and time of year of surgery is not associated with IPP infection risk.

A Low or High Physical Activity Level Does Not Modulate Prostate Tumor Tissue Protein Synthesis Rates.

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity level has been identified as an important factor in the development and progression of various types of cancer. In this study, we determined the impact of a low versus high physical activity level on skeletal muscle, healthy prostate, and prostate tumor protein synthesis rates in vivo in prostate cancer patients. METHODS: Thirty prostate cancer patients (age, 66 ± 5 yr; body mass index, 27.4 ± 2.9 kg·m -2 ) were randomized to a low (<4000 steps per day, n = 15) or high (>14,000 steps per day, n = 15) physical activity level for 7 d before their scheduled radical prostatectomy. Daily deuterium oxide administration was combined with the collection of plasma, skeletal muscle, nontumorous prostate, and prostate tumor tissue during the surgical procedure to determine tissue protein synthesis rates throughout the intervention period. RESULTS: Daily step counts averaged 3610 ± 878 and 17,589 ± 4680 steps in patients subjected to the low and high physical activity levels, respectively ( P < 0.001). No differences were observed between tissue protein synthesis rates of skeletal muscle, healthy prostate, or prostate tumor between the low (1.47% ± 0.21%, 2.74% ± 0.70%, and 4.76% ± 1.23% per day, respectively) and high (1.42% ± 0.16%, 2.64% ± 0.58%, and 4.72% ± 0.80% per day, respectively) physical activity group (all P > 0.4). Tissue protein synthesis rates were nearly twofold higher in prostate tumor compared with nontumorous prostate tissue. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term high or low physical activity level does not modulate prostate or prostate tumor protein synthesis rates in vivo in prostate cancer patients. More studies on the impact of physical activity level on tumor protein synthesis rates and tumor progression are warranted to understand the potential impact of lifestyle interventions in the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Long-term assessment of the safety and effectivity of the mini-jupette sling: 5-year follow-up of the original series.

Background: In 2017, a prospective multicenter, multinational, investigational pilot study was conducted examining outcomes using a novel surgical technique, the Mini-Jupette sling, for the management of erectile dysfunction (ED) patients with climacturia and/or minimal stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after prostate procedures. Climacturia has been reported in up to 64% of patients following radical prostatectomy (RP). We sought to report the 5-year outcomes from this original cohort to assess long-term safety and effectivity of the mini-jupette sling in the treatment of ED and concomitant mild SUI and/or climacturia. Methods: This is a single-arm, multicenter, retrospective, observational study. We identified patients who were enrolled in the previous multicenter study with post-RP ED and climacturia and/or mild SUI- 2 PADS PER DAY (PPD) and underwent inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) insertion with simultaneous placement of a mini-jupette sling. Data were collected including current PPD, subjective improvement in climacturia/SUI, complications, need for revision of IPP or additional urinary incontinence surgery, and date of most recent follow-up. SPSS was used for statistical analysis. Results: Of the original 38 patients, 5 have since died and 10 were lost to follow-up with 23/38 (61%) patients available for evaluation of long-term outcomes. The average follow-up time was 59 months (SD =8.8) with a mean age of 69 years (SD =6.8). Most patients (n=21, 91%) had subjective improvement of SUI and climacturia. One patient with persistent bothersome incontinence underwent artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) placement in 2018 with no complications, while the other is still considering a repeat procedure due to minor but persistent SUI. The mean PPD decreased from 1.4 preoperatively to 0.4 at a mean of 5 years of follow-up. Most patients reported satisfaction in their urinary symptoms with 91% and 73% reporting improvement in SUI and climacturia respectively, compared to 86% and 93% respectively in the original series. One (4.3%) patient had an IPP revision for pump malfunction. There were no device infections reported. Conclusions: The mini-jupette sling appears to be a safe and effective procedure with durable improvements in SUI and climacturia at 5 years of follow-up.

Simultaneous implant of inflatable penile prosthesis and artificial urinary sphincter: a single high-volume center experience.

Erectile dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence are both an important sequel after local therapy for prostate cancer, such as radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy. The implant of an inflatable penile prosthesis or an artificial urinary sphincter is an option if other treatments fail in both cases. There is a lack of literature regarding a simultaneous dual implantation. The aim of this study is to describe per- and postoperative morbidity and functional results. We included 25 patients operated between January 2018 and August 2022. Data were collected retrospectively. Standardized questionnaires for evaluating satisfaction were administered. There was a median operative time of 45 min (IQR 41.25-58). No intra-operative complications were seen. Four patients needed revision surgery, all of them regarding the sphincter prosthesis. One of these patients had additional revision surgery due to leakage of the penile implant reservoir. There were no infectious complications. There was a median follow-up time of 29 months (IQR 9.5-43). There was a satisfaction rate of 88% with patients and 92% with partners. Postoperative pads per day were reduced to zero or one in 96% of patients. We conclude that the dual implantation of an inflatable penile prosthesis and an artificial urinary sphincter was a safe and effective treatment in our series for patients with conservative treatment-refractory stress urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

AUA-recommended Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Primary Penile Implantation Results in a Higher, Not Lower, Risk for Postoperative Infection: A Multicenter Analysis.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to determine if the AUA-recommended prophylaxis (vancomycin + gentamicin alone) for primary inflatable penile prosthesis surgery is associated with a higher infection risk than nonstandard regimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective study of patients undergoing primary inflatable penile prosthesis surgery. Patients were divided into those receiving vancomycin + gentamicin alone and those receiving any other regimen. A Cox proportional-hazards model was constructed adjusted for major predictors. A subgroup analysis to identify the appropriate dosage of gentamicin was also performed. RESULTS: A total of 4,161 patients underwent primary inflatable penile prosthesis placement (2,411 received vancomycin + gentamicin alone and 1,750 received other regimens). The infection rate was similar between groups, 1% vs 1.2% for standard vs nonstandard prophylaxis. In the multivariable analysis, vancomycin + gentamicin (HR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.4 to 5.4, P = .004) and diabetes (HR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.03 to 3.4, P = .04) were significantly associated with a higher risk of infection. Antifungals (HR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.19, P < .001) were associated with lower risk of infection. There was no statistically significant difference in infection rate between weight-based gentamicin compared to 80 mg gentamicin (HR: 2.9, 95% CI: 0.83 to 10, P = .1). CONCLUSIONS: Vancomycin + gentamicin alone for antibiotic prophylaxis for primary inflatable penile prosthesis surgery is associated with a higher infection risk than nonstandard antibiotic regimens while antifungal use is associated with lower infection risk. A critical review of the recommended antimicrobial prophylactic regimens is needed. Prospective research is needed to further elucidate best practices in inflatable penile prosthesis antimicrobial prophylaxis.

Penile prosthesis in the medically complex patient: a narrative review.

Background and Objective: Penile prosthesis surgery is considered a safe and effective treatment for patients with erectile dysfunction. Implantation in the medically complex patient can be a challenge. The benefits of treatment must outweigh the possible risks or complications. A description of possible problems and how to cope with them is given in this narrative review. Methods: Literature search was performed in January 2023 using different search prompts in PubMed. These articles, excluding non-English and non-full text articles, were listed by the two authors and afterwards, the most relevant ones were included. Key Content and Findings: This article is divided into five important topics. We evaluated different comorbidities such as spinal cord injury, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, in which preoperative work-up and counseling is of significant importance. A detailed description of these comorbidities and how to handle these can be found in each section. In addition to the preoperative aspect in organ transplant patients, problems during surgery can arise, e.g., with the reservoir placement. Similarly, in patients with previous pelvic surgery, an ectopic reservoir placement can prevent possible complications. Conclusions: Preoperative diagnostics are crucial and prosthetic surgery should be done by an experienced high-volume surgeon with a diverse range of surgical techniques at his disposal.

Current practices regarding corporotomy localization during penoscrotal inflatable penile implant surgery: a multicenter cohort study.

Literature concerning corporotomy location in multicomponent inflatable penile prosthetic surgery via a penoscrotal approach is scarce if not nonexistent. Aim of our study was to report practices in low-, moderate-, and high-volume penile implant centers regarding corporotomy location and evaluate its potential impact on intraoperative and short-term postoperative complications. Data from 18 (13 European and 5 American) implant centers were collected retrospectively between September 1st, 2018 and August 31st, 2019. Variables included: intraoperative proximal and distal corpus cavernosum length measurement, total corporal length measurement, total penile implant cylinder length, and length of rear tip extenders. Eight hundred and nine virgin penile implant cases were included in the analysis. Mean age of participants was 61.5 ± 9.6 years old. In total, 299 AMS 700™ (Boston Scientific, USA) and 510 Coloplast Titan® (Minneapolis, MN USA) devices were implanted. The mean proximal/distal corporal measurement ratio during corporotomy was 0.93 ± 0.29 while no statistical difference was found among low-, moderate-, and high-volume penile implant centers. A statistically significant correlation between lower proximal/distal measurement ratio and higher age (p = 0.0013), lower BMI (p < 0.0001), lower use of rear tip extenders (RTE) (p = 0.04), lower RTE length (p < 0.0001), and absence of diabetes (p = 0.0004) was reported. In a 3-month follow up period, 49 complications and 37 revision procedures were reported. This is the first study reporting the current practices regarding corporotomy location during IPP placement in a multicenter cohort, particularly when including such a high number of patients. Nevertheless, the retrospective design and the short follow up period limits the study outcomes. Corporotomy location during penoscrotal IPP implantation does not correlate with intraoperative or short-term postoperative complication rates. Future studies with longer follow up are needed in order to evaluate the association of corporotomy location with long-term complications.

ESSM Position Statement on Surgical Treatment of Peyronie's Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with Peyronie's disease may experience significat distress. The choice of treatment depends on a variety of factors, including the stage of the disease, the presence of pain, severity and direction of the curvature, penile length and the quality of erectile function. AIM: To review the evidence associated with surgical treatment of Peyronie`s Disease and provide clinical recommendations on behalf of the European Society for Sexual Medicine. 131 peer-reviewed studies and systematic reviews, which were published from 2009 to 2019 in the English language, were included. METHODS: MEDLINE, Google Scholar and EMBASE were searched for randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, open-label prospective and retrospective studies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The panel provided statements on clinically relevant questions including patient involvement in the decision process, indications for surgery, choice of the approach, and the management of patient expectations. A comparison of the different grafts used in patients who have undergone plaque incision/excision and grafting in order to identify an ideal graft, has been carried out. The prevalence of postoperative complications has been summarized. Levels of evidence were provided according to the Oxford 2011 criteria and Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine recommendations. RESULTS: In order to allow shared decision making, a patient preoperative counselling regarding the pros and cons of each intervention is recommended. In particular, adverse effects of surgical treatments should be discussed to set realistic understanding and expectations of surgical outcomes and ultimately improve postoperative satisfaction rates. Surgical treatment should be only offered in the chronic phase of the condition, when the deformity and/or degree of erectile dysfunction, prevent patients from engaging in satisfying sexual interaction, or if the deformity is the cause of severe bother. CONCLUSIONS: Current European Society for Sexual Medicine recommendations cover several aspects of Peyronie's disease treatment. These recommendations aim both to ensure patients and partners have accurate and realistic expectations of their treatment options, as well as to formulate algorithms to guide clinician management pathways. Osmonov D, Ragheb A, Ward S et al, ESSM Position Statement on Surgical Treatment of Peyronie's Disease. Sex Med 2022;10:100459.

Synchronous surgery for the combined treatment of post-radical prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence: a lucrative evolution or an unnecessary complexity?

Aim of this review is to summarize and evaluate the current literature addressing the synchronous combined surgical treatment approach for co-existent post-radical prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence. Severity of stress urinary incontinence is the basic element that defines which option of combined surgery will be offered to a patient. So, for cases of severe erectile dysfunction and severe stress urinary incontinence (>4 pads/day) the only available option is synchronous inflatable penile prosthesis plus artificial urinary sphincter dual implantation. When severe erectile dysfunction coexist with mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence synchronous inflatable penile prosthesis plus male sling or ProAct (Uromedica, Plymouth, MN, USA) device are the current available treatment options. Finally, when severe erectile dysfunction along with mild stress urinary incontinence and with or without climacturia are present, a new surgical technique of simultaneous inflatable penile prosthesis plus urethral mini-sling, named "Andrianne mini-jupette", implantation has been recently proposed. Synchronous combined surgery for post-radical prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence seems to offer similar efficacy and safety results compared with two-stage implantation but in a more cost- and time effective approach. Thus, synchronous surgery, in the hands of experienced prosthetic surgeons, could be potentially a valuable alternative for the management of co-existent post-radical prostatectomy erectile dysfunction and stress urinary incontinence. Nevertheless, in order to acquire robust scientific data further prospective comparative studies on larger numbers of patients are surely needed.

Climacturia: a comprehensive review assessing pathophysiology, prevalence, impact, and treatment options regarding the "leak of pleasure".

Aim of this review is to summarize and evaluate the current literature on the pathophysiology, prevalence, sociosexual impact, and potential treatment options of climacturia. Climacturia, defined as orgasm-associated urinary incontinence and characterized by great prevalence variability, ranging between 15.7 and 93% was, so far, a relatively neglected post-radical prostatectomy functional side-effect. Recent studies have shown that it can significantly impact the quality of life of couples after prostate cancer treatment. A knowledge gap characterizes the pathophysiologic pathways while treatment is based on empirically chosen treatment options (condom use, presexual intercourse urination) or on therapeutic modalities proposed by low-quality studies (pelvic floor muscle training, penile applied devices). Evidence regarding efficacy of surgical techniques (artificial urinary sphincter, male sling, or dual implantation of penile prosthesis with a sling) for climacturia treatment are limited but with an increasing trend of relevant published data in the last 5 years. The mini-jupette sling plus inflatable penile prosthesis placement is a promising surgical technique that has been studied in a multi-institutional cohort with encouraging results regarding climacturia, erectile dysfunction, and mild-incontinence control. However, future studies with longer follow-up and larger sample sizes are certainly needed to confirm the long-term safety and benefits of this intervention.

Prospective analysis of cultures from the Furlow insertion tool: a possible etiology for penile prosthesis infections.

The most dreaded complication of penile prosthesis (PP) implantation is device infection. We sought to assess whether inadequate cleaning and sterilization of the reusable Furlow inserter may represent one of the last etiologies of infection in PP patients. We performed a prospective analysis of cultures of the Furlow inserter used for PP surgeries from seven centers between May 1st and June 30th, 2019. Once the Furlow was received for surgery, the surgical team inspected the device for assembly status (disassembled or not) and the presence of visible stains, pieces of tissue or discoloration on either the interior of the barrel or the plunger. Swab aerobic and anaerobic bacterial and fungal cultures were then obtained from the internal component, after removal from the external component if assembled, and after introduction and immediate removal from the external component if disassembled. A total of 83 Furlow devices were cultured. Median age of surgical instrument was 4 years (2-10 years). Methods of sterilization included autoclave, wet autoclave, steam, and Sterad. Median time from sterilization was 3 days (1-22). On initial presentation, 79 devices were disassembled (95.1%) and 4 devices were still assembled (4.9%). Three external components were discolored (3.6%), while internal components demonstrated two stains (2.4%) indicative of improper cleaning which were thought to be residual blood products. Overall, 2/83 (2.4%) devices revealed positive swab cultures for Staphylococcus epidermidis. Swab cultures were negative for fungi and anaerobic bacteria. This patient cohort will continue to be followed to see if device infection occurs but it is unlikely to be meaningful since contaminated Furlows were discarded. Improper cleaning and/or sterilization of the Furlow Insertion Instrument may represent a source of infection for patients undergoing PP implantation.

The Future of Penile Prosthetic Surgical Training Is Here: Design of a Hydrogel Model for Inflatable Penile Prosthetic Placement Using Modern Education Theory.

BACKGROUND: There is a significant need for a non-biohazardous, educational platform to equip and maintain the surgical skills required by urology trainees and low-volume implanters for inflatable penile prosthetic (IPP) placement. AIM: To design and develop an anatomic, hydrogel-based simulation platform for training and evaluate IPP placement using modern education theory. METHODS: The backward design concept was used as a framework in the design and development of an IPP simulation platform. Steps included delineating requirements from a physicians' perspective, translating requirements into engineering tasks (deliverables), developing a prototype, and pilot validation. Using a combination of 3-dimensional printing and hydrogel casting, a genitourinary tract model was constructed to replicate the appropriate steps of IPP placement guided by expert feedback. Full-immersion IPP simulations were performed through both infrapubic and penoscrotal approaches by 4 expert surgeons under operative conditions. Questionnaires evaluating the simulation's realism, value as a training tool, and further recommendations were completed. OUTCOMES: Using backward design educational pedagogy, a high-fidelity, full-procedural IPP simulation was fabricated and verified as an adequate educational tool for training and assessment. RESULTS: An expert consensus on the anatomic landmarks, steps and substeps, instruments, and errors to be included in the model was reached using a hierarchical task analysis and was successfully translated into a prototype hydrogel model. Experts performed all appropriate steps of IPP surgery and rated the simulation highly in terms of its realism and value as a training tool. On average, experts agreed that the model could function as a training tool, assessment tool, prerequisite for IPP accreditation, and requirement before live surgery. Experts stated they would have their trainees ideally complete an average of 1.75 models before live surgical training. All experts believed an operative checklist would be an ideal assessment tool. Witthaus MW, Saba P, Melnyk R, et al. The Future of Penile Prosthetic Surgical Training Is Here: Design of a Hydrogel Model for Inflatable Penile Prosthetic Placement Using Modern Education Theory. J Sex Med 2020;17:2299-2306.

Penoscrotal Incision for the Primary Implantation of an Artificial Urinary Sphincter.

BACKGROUND: The artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) has become the gold standard to treat severe stress urinary incontinence in men. The traditional placement of an AUS requires 2 incisions. The cuff is placed through a perineal incision and the reservoir and pump are placed via an inguinal incision. The implantation of an AUS is also possible via a single penoscrotal approach. OBJECTIVES: The objective is to demonstrate that the penoscrotal approach is not inferior to the perineal approach. METHODS: Retrospective review of a single surgeon database from 2014 to 2019 was performed. A total of 40 patients have undergone implantation of an AUS via a penoscrotal incision. The outcome of patients was followed for an average of 31.3 months for adverse outcomes. RESULTS: A primary American Medical Systems 800 sphincter was placed in 40 patients via a penoscrotal incision. The average age was 72 years. The average operating time was 35 minutes. The average cuff size was 4 cm. There were no infections of the prothesis so far. Three patients required a revision, 2 other patients needed an explant of the AUS, 1 patient underwent a cystectomy because of persistent radiocystitis. After activation of the sphincter, 33 patients (82.5%) were completely dry or using 1 pad per day for accidents. The remainder were all improved. CONCLUSIONS: AUS implantation via a single penoscrotal approach is not inferior to the perineal approach and has several advantages. The operating time is shorter and the procedure requires only 1 incision which both reduce the risk of infections, while the continence results are similar for both approaches.

Penile implant surgery for conservative therapy resistant erectile dysfunction in a 19y-old.

A 19y-old male with a history of ß-thalassemia presented with lifelong Erectile Dysfunction (ED), refractory to different PDE-5i's and both intra-urethral and intra cavernosal prostaglandins. Pelvic arteriography showed a severe hypogenesis of the left cavernous artery. Psychological and other organic causes were excluded. After informing the patient and his family thoroughly during several visits, he agreed on performing penile implant surgery. An AMS Cx 21cm +2cm rear tip extenders was implanted via penoscrotal incision. The procedure was uncomplicated and with 1 year of post-operative follow-up, the patient is very satisfied.

Clinical Outcome: Patient and Partner Satisfaction after Penile Implant Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common disorder, which affects at least 50% of males aged 50-70 years. According to EAU Guidelines on male sexual dysfunction, implantation of an inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) is a valid, third-line therapeutic option for treatment of ED. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a retrospective single centre study to analyze mechanical reliability, complication rate, patient satisfaction and quality of life after penile prosthesis implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 126 electronic patient files after primary implantation of an IPP during a 5-year period were investigated. A structured telephone interview concerning patient and partner satisfaction was conducted at least 1 year after implant surgery. RESULTS: We found that 15 patients (11.9%) had revision surgery for various reasons. Mechanical failure occurred in 7.14% of the patients and was the main reason for revision surgery. Other major complications and complaints were loss of penile length (18.53%), postoperative pain (11.9%) and altered sensation (8.73%). No patients required explantation for infection, and 1 patient (0.79%) underwent revision surgery for an imminent erosion. One year or more after surgery, the patient and partner satisfaction rates, were 83.2 and 85.4%, respectively. We observed very high patient and partner satisfaction rates for the implantation of an IPP, with improvement of the general quality of life. These rates are negatively influenced by the occurrence of postoperative complications and complaints such as postoperative penile length shortening, pain and floppy glans syndrome. Most patients regain sexual function 6 weeks after surgery with no or minimal effect on the orgasm. CONCLUSION: The implantation of a 3-piece IPP has proven an effective, third-line treatment for patients with ED.

Use of fosfomycin as targeted antibiotic prophylaxis before prostate biopsy: A prospective randomized study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether switching ciprofloxacin to fosfomycin in the case of fluoroquinolone-resistant rectal bacteria influences the incidence of infectious complications after transrectal prostate biopsy. METHODS: From December 2015 until December 2017, patients undergoing prostate biopsy were randomly assigned to a control group or an intervention group in a prospective, open-label fashion at three different centers. The presence of fluoroquinolone-resistant organisms was detected by rectal swabs. Patients in the control group received ciprofloxacin. Patients in the intervention group received fosfomycin instead of ciprofloxacin in the case of fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria on rectal swab culture. The primary end-point was the difference in occurrence of major (febrile) and minor (afebrile) infections between both groups. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients were randomized to the control group, and 102 patients to the intervention group. In the control group, nine complications occurred, of which five were major febrile complications. In the intervention group, six complications occurred, of which four were major febrile complications. The total number of complications (major and minor) did not differ between both groups (P = 0.59). A subgroup analysis of patients with fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria on rectal swab showed five complications in the control group and one complication in the intervention group (P = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: This represents the first prospective randomized study using rectal cultures for targeted antibiotic prophylaxis. Study findings show promising results for use of fosfomycin in patients with fluoroquinolone resistance.

Galanin Administration Partially Restores Erectile Function After Cavernous Nerve Injury and Mediates Endogenous Nitrergic Nerve Outgrowth In Vitro.

BACKGROUND: Previously, we found that the neuropeptide galanin was strongly upregulated soon after bilateral cavernous nerve injury (BCNI) and that galanin and its receptors were expressed in nitrergic erectile innervation. Galanin has been observed to exert neuroregenerative effects in dorsal root ganglion neurons, but evidence for these effects in the major pelvic ganglion (MPG) after BCNI is lacking. AIM: To evaluate the neurotropic effects of galanin receptor agonists and antagonists in vitro in nitrergic neurons and MPG and in vivo in rats after BCNI. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent BCNI and sham surgery. Organ culture and single-cell neuron culture of the MPG were performed. Osmotic pump treatment with the galanin agonist in vivo and measurement of erectile response to electrostimulation after BCNI, immunohistochemical localization of galanin and receptors in the human neurovascular bundle, and myographic analysis of rat corpus cavernosum smooth muscle relaxation to galanin receptor agonists were investigated. OUTCOMES: Neurite outgrowth in vitro and erectile response to electrostimulation after BCNI in vivo, immunohistochemical localization of galanin and receptors, and penile muscle relaxation in vitro. RESULTS: Galanin showed neurotrophic action in vitro and inhibition of endogenous galanin significantly impaired neurite outgrowth in nitrergic but not in sympathetic MPG neurons. In vivo administration of a selective galanin receptor-2 agonist, M1145, resulted in partial recovery of erectile function (EF) after BCNI. Galanin did not act as a direct vasodilator on corpus cavernosum muscle strips. CLINICAL TRANSLATION: Endogenous neurotrophins such as galanin could be used as a strategy to improve EF for patients after BCNI from radical prostatectomy. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: We evaluated the effect of galanin on nerve regeneration and EF recovery in vivo and in vitro. Limitations include the lack of washout period for the in vivo experiment and absence of differences in the expression of neuronal markers between treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: We identified galanin as a potential endogenous mechanism for nerve regeneration after BCNI, which could play a physiologic role in EF recovery after radical prostatectomy. In vivo treatment with exogenous galanin was beneficial in enhancing EF recovery after BCNI, but further research is necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms. Weyne E, Hannan JL, Gevaert T, et al. Galanin Administration Partially Restores Erectile Function After Cavernous Nerve Injury and Mediates Endogenous Nitrergic Nerve Outgrowth In Vitro. J Sex Med 2018;15:480-491.