Cost-effectiveness analysis of minimally invasive surgical treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia: implications for Japan's public healthcare system.

AIMS: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) represents a significant public health issue in Japan. This study evaluated the lifetime cost-effectiveness of water vapor energy therapy (WAVE) versus prostatic urethral lift (PUL) for men with moderate-to-severe BPH from a public healthcare payer's perspective in Japan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A decision analytic model compared WAVE to PUL among males in Japan. Clinical effectiveness and adverse event (AE) inputs were obtained from a systematic literature review. Resource utilization and cost inputs were derived from the Medical Data Vision database and medical service fee national data in Japan. Experts reviewed and validated model input parameters. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to determine how changes in the values of uncertain parameters affect the model results. RESULTS: Throughout patients' lifetimes, WAVE was associated with higher quality-adjusted life years (0.920 vs. 0.911 year 1; 15.564 vs. 15.388 lifetime) and lower total costs (¥734,134 vs. ¥888,110 year 1; ¥961,595 vs. ¥1,429,458 lifetime) compared to PUL, indicating that WAVE is a more effective and less costly (i.e. dominant) treatment strategy across all time horizons. Lifetime cost-savings for the Japanese healthcare system per patient treated with WAVE instead of PUL were ¥467,863. The 32.7% cost difference between WAVE and PUL was predominantly driven by lower WAVE surgical retreatment rates (4.9% vs. 19.2% for WAVE vs PUL, respectively, at 5 years) and AE rates (hematuria 11.8% vs. 25.7%, dysuria 16.9% vs. 34.3%, pelvic pain 2.9% vs. 17.9%, and urinary incontinence 0.4% vs. 1.3% for WAVE vs PUL, respectively, at 3 months). Model findings were robust to changes in parameter input values. LIMITATIONS: The model represents a simplification of complex factors involved in resource allocation decision-making. CONCLUSIONS: Driven by lower retreatment and AE rates, WAVE was a cost-effective and cost-saving treatment for moderate-to-severe BPH in Japan compared to PUL, providing better outcomes at lower costs to the healthcare system.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an important public health issue in Japan, given its high prevalence and potential morbidity in a rapidly aging population. This study compared the clinical and economic outcomes of two minimally invasive surgical treatments for BPH (water vapor energy therapy [WAVE] vs. prostatic urethral lift [PUL]) for patients in Japan. Clinical effectiveness and adverse event (AE) information from published medical literature, and real-world health services and cost data from Japan, were used to estimate the impact of the two treatments. Compared to PUL, WAVE was found to provide better clinical outcomes and quality-of-life for patients whilst costing less to the Japanese healthcare system. Patients treated with WAVE had higher lifetime quality-adjusted life years vs. patients treated with PUL (15.564 vs. 15.388). Lifetime cost-savings for the Japanese healthcare system per patient treated with WAVE instead of PUL were estimated to be ¥467,863. The 32.7% cost difference between WAVE and PUL was predominantly driven by lower retreatment rates for WAVE (surgical retreatment rate was 4.9% vs. 19.2% for WAVE vs. PUL, respectively, at 5 years) and AE rates (AE rates at 3 months for WAVE vs. PUL, respectively, were: hematuria 11.8% vs. 25.7%, dysuria 16.9% vs. 34.3%, pelvic pain 2.9% vs. 17.9%, and urinary incontinence 0.4% vs. 1.3%). These findings provide evidence-based insights for clinicians, payers, and health policymakers to further define the role of WAVE for BPH in Japan.

Outcomes of Ventral Onlay Buccal Mucosal Graft Urethroplasty in Bulbomembranous Urethral Strictures Post-transurethral Resection of the Prostate.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcomes of ventral onlay buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (VOBMGU) in bulbomembranous urethral strictures after transurethral resection of the prostate. METHODS: After approval of the institutional ethical committee, we retrospectively examined the database of patients diagnosed with post-TURP urethral stricture (PTS) and treated by VOBMGU from January 2020 to January 2022. The patients were evaluated by retrograde urethrogram and voiding cystourethrogram. Follow-up evaluation included assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms, physical examination, uroflowmetry (Q-max and International Prostate Symptom Score) 3, 6, and 12months of follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients underwent VOBMGU for bulbomembranous PTS were included. The median age of the patients was 63.5 (11.25). The median stricture length was 3.5 (1.5) cm. During follow-up, the mean Q-max significantly increased to 21.1 ± 5.5 mL/s (P < .0001), 20.1 ± 5.4 mL/s (P < .001), and 19.1 ± 5.3 mL/s (P < .003) at 3, 6, and 12months, respectively. IPSS significantly decreased to 8.93 ± 6.37 at the 12-month follow-up mark (P < .0001). Three patients developed stricture recurrence and two patients developed postoperative urinary incontinence. CONCLUSION: VOBMGU in cases of bulbomembranous urethral PTS offered excellent functional outcomes with low stricture recurrence and minimal risk of incontinence. Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm the results.

Endoscopic stone management in an ectopic ureter inserting into the prostatic urethra.

We report a case of successful endoscopic stone management in a patient with ectopic ureteric insertion. The patient had a complete duplex collecting system, with the upper moiety ureter inserting ectopically into his prostatic urethra, and an obstructing ureteric stone in the distal portion of the ectopic ureter. This made both characterisation of the patient's anatomy and initial emergency stone management challenging.The case offers several learning points for clinicians who may encounter similar situations. By describing the challenges of managing this patient's presentation, we highlight considerations in imaging interpretation and operative approach that may help the reader manage a similar presentation to their practice. Additionally, we remind the urologist to consider the implications of an ectopic duplex ureter on future procedures, such as transurethral resection of the prostate or radical prostatectomy.

Vesicourethral Anastomotic Stenosis Following Radical Prostatectomy: Risk Factors, Natural History, and Treatment Outcomes.

PURPOSE: Vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis after radical prostatectomy is a complication with significant adverse quality-of-life implications. Herein, we identify groups at risk for vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis and further characterize the natural history and treatment patterns. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Years 1987-2013 of a prospectively maintained radical prostatectomy registry were queried for patients with the diagnosis of vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis, defined as symptomatic and inability to pass a 17F cystoscope. Patients with follow-up less than 1 year, preoperative anterior urethral stricture, transurethral resection of prostate, prior pelvic radiotherapy, and metastatic disease were excluded. Logistic regression was performed to identify predictors of vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis. Functional outcomes were characterized. RESULTS: Out of 17,904 men, 851 (4.8%) developed vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis at a median of 3.4 months. Multivariable logistic regression identified associations with vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis including adjuvant radiation, BMI, prostate volume, urine leak, blood transfusion, and nonnerve-sparing techniques. Robotic approach (OR 0.39, P < .01) and complete nerve sparing (OR 0.63, P < .01) were associated with reduced vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis formation. Vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis was independently associated with 1 or more incontinence pads/d at 1 year (OR 1.76, P < .001). Of the patients treated for vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis, 82% underwent endoscopic dilation. The 1- and 5-year vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis retreatment rates were 34% and 42%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-related factors, surgical technique, and perioperative morbidity influence the risk of vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis after radical prostatectomy. Ultimately, vesicourethral anastomotic stenosis is independently associated with increased risk of urinary incontinence. Endoscopic management is temporizing for most men, with a high rate of retreatment by 5 years.

Single institution experience of cloacal malformation.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to report on the outcomes of patients born with cloacal malformation, managed at a single institution more than the last 28 years. The focus of this study is the long term renal and colorectal outcomes. METHODS: Patients were identified from the departmental database from 1994 to 2021. The medical records and operative notes were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Eleven long common channel (LCC) and ten short common channel (SCC) cloacae patients were identified. Median age at the time of primary reconstruction was 11 months in both groups. In the LCC group, seven (63.6%) patients underwent a Total Urogenital Mobilisation (TUM), and 4 (36.4%) required a vaginal replacement. 6/11 (54.5%) of patients required drainage of a hydrocolpos. In the SCC group, four patients required a TUM, two patients underwent mobilisation of the rectum and vagina alone, and three underwent rectal mobilisation alone. Two patients have required renal transplant for congenital renal dysplasia, and two have developed chronic renal failure associated with the sequalae of vesicoureteric reflux. Eleven (52.3%) of the patients manage their bowels with an antegrade continent enema (ACE), and two of the LCC cloaca are defunctioned with a colostomy. Clean intermittent catheterisation is performed by 12 (57%) of the patients, either per urethra or via a Mitrofanoff channel. CONCLUSION: The urinary and faecal continence are the main challenges in the management of cloaca patients. Many require surgical intervention to achieve social continence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Prostatic Urethral Lift for Obstructive Median Lobes: Consistent Results Across Controlled Trial and Real-World Settings.

Introduction: The evidence for prostatic urethral lift (PUL), in treating lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men with obstructive median lobes (OMLs), has grown. In this study, we present the first detailed comparison of outcomes between OML patients treated with PUL in controlled and real-world settings to relevant comparators (subjects treated with transurethral resection of the prostate [TURP] and sham in randomized controlled trials [RCTs]) to demonstrate similar symptom, safety, and patient experience outcomes. Materials and Methods: Symptom and safety outcomes and patient satisfaction were compared through 12 months among controlled PUL studies: BPH6 RCT (35 men randomized to TURP); L.I.F.T. pivotal RCT in subjects with lateral lobe obstruction (66 subjects randomized to sham) and MedLift, an U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) extension of the L.I.F.T. trial (45 men with OML). Symptom improvement, catheterization, and adverse event rates were compared between MedLift subjects and OML patients (n = 187) from the large real-world retrospective (RWR) study of PUL filtered on baseline characteristics to approximate the MedLift population. Results: Posttreatment, International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) improvement for MedLift subjects was 170% greater compared with sham at 3 months with significantly better quality of life (QoL), Qmax, and benign prostatic hyperplasia impact index (BPHII). Compared with TURP, MedLift IPSS and QoL improved significantly better at 1 and 3 months and with superior ejaculatory function scores at all time points after PUL. IPSS, QoL, postvoid residual (PVR), and Qmax outcomes were equivalent between MedLift and RWR OML groups at 3, 6, and 12 months. RWR OML patients did not experience higher rates of overall adverse events compared with MedLift. Conclusion: Controlled and real-world outcomes confirm PUL is a safe and effective treatment for BPH patients with and without OML.

[Research progress on mechanism and preventive measures of retrograde ejaculation after benign prostatic hyperplasia surgery].

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in middle-aged and elderly men. It's first-line therapy is drugs. But with the progression of the disease or side effects of drugs, surgical treatment will become a better choice. However, either transurethral resection of the prostate, the standard procedure, or enucleation or resection of the prostate based on various laser platforms or plasma technologies cause a high incidence of retrograde ejaculation in their postoperative follow-up. In the past, retrograde ejaculation was usually regarded as the cost of benign prostatic hyperplasia surgery. In recent years, with the continuous improvement of surgical skills and the emergence of new techniques, retrograde ejaculation has aroused the attention of clinicians. This article mainly introduces the mechanism of retrograde ejaculation after benign prostatic hyperplasia surgery and the methods to reduce the incidence of retrograde ejaculation after surgery. These methods mainly include various modified surgery, as well as novel minimally invasive techniques such as prostate embolization and prostatic urethral lift.

Prolapsus muqueux de l'urêtre de la petite fille: diagnostic et traitement / Girl mucosal urethral prolapse: diagnosis and treatment

Defi ned as circumferential eversion of the epithelium of the distal urethra, mucosal prolapse of the urethra occurs in the girl child. The diagnosis is clinical but may be overlooked or confused with other conditions. Treatment remains controversial. The aim was to describe the anatomical and therapeutic aspects. Methods. This was a retrospective and descriptive study over 5 years. Age, time of admission and circumstances of occurrence were analysed. Clinical aspects were based on the length of the prolapse (small less than 1 cm, medium: between 1 and 2 cm, large more than 2 cm), the colour of the prolapse and the presence or absence of bleeding. The treatment was medical (hormonal) and surgical in case of failure of hormonal treatment. The evaluation of the results was based on the occurrence of recurrence and urinary incontinence. The average follow-up was 18 months. Results. Twenty-one patients were included in the study with a mean age of 6.5 years. The mean time to onset was 12.4 days. Vulvar bleeding was the reason for consultation in n=9 patients. The prolapse was large in 12 patients, medium in 9 patients and small in 3 patients. The prolapse was violaceous in 15 patients. Medical

Transperineal bulbovesical anastomosis for extensive posterior urethral stenoses after treatment of prostatic disease.

OBJECTIVES: We report our surgical experience of transperineal bulbovesical anastomosis (BVA) for extensive posterior urethral stenosis (PUS). METHODS: Six male patients who had extensive PUS extending from the bulbomembranous urethra to the bladder neck due to prostatic disease treatment and underwent transperineal BVA between 2014 and 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. BVA was performed according to the elaborate perineal approach for pelvic fracture urethral repair with minor modifications. After confirming the absence of recurrent stenosis 6 months postoperatively, the patients were offered artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) placement for subsequent urinary incontinence (UI). RESULTS: Median patient age was 68, and the etiology of PUS was radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer in four patients, brachytherapy for prostate cancer in one, and transurethral resection of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia in one. All patients had been previously treated with multiple transurethral procedures such as urethrotomy and dilation. Median operative time and blood loss were 211 min and 154 ml, respectively. Five cases (83.3%) had no recurrent stenosis with a median follow-up of 45 months, but a single direct vision internal urethrotomy was performed in one (16.7%) due to restenosis. Four (66.7%) patients underwent AUS placement via transcorporal approach for subsequent UI, but two had it removed due to urethral erosion. CONCLUSION: Transperineal BVA could effectively manage extensive PUS after prostatic disease treatment. Staged AUS placement could be a viable option for subsequent UI, but the risk of urethral erosion seemed high.

Efficacy of urethral reconstruction for urethral stricture associated with hypospadias surgery in adults.

OBJECTIVES: We report our experience with urethral reconstruction for hypospadias surgery-related urethral stricture in terms of surgical and patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: Twenty-nine adult males who underwent urethral reconstruction for hypospadias surgery-related urethral stricture between August 2008 and January 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Uroflowmetry and patient-reported outcomes were evaluated at 3, 6, and 12 months, and annually thereafter. Surgical success was defined as the absence of additional procedures. Patients were asked to rate their satisfaction with urethral reconstruction as "very satisfied", "satisfied", "unsatisfied", or "very unsatisfied". RESULTS: The median patient age at referral was 43 years. The median number of previously performed hypospadias surgeries was three, and 18 patients (62.8%) had been treated with repeated transurethral procedures. The median stricture length was 54 mm (interquartile range 36-81). Performed urethral reconstruction included staged urethroplasty in 22 (75.9%), one-stage onlay augmentation in 3 (10.2%), and perineal urethrostomy in 4 (13.8%) cases. Urethral reconstruction was successful in 26 patients (89.7%) over a median postoperative period of 31 months. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed in 25 (86.2%) patients. The mean maximum flow rate, international prostate symptom score total score, international prostate symptom score quality of life score, and EuroQol-5 dimensions index significantly improved postoperatively. Twenty-three patients (92%) were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the outcome of their urethral reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: Urethral reconstruction is a highly successful and patient-satisfying treatment for hypospadias surgery-related urethral stricture in adult patients. Perineal urethrostomy is a reasonable alternative for elderly patients and for patients with complicated hypospadias surgery-related urethral strictures.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostatic urethra after brachytherapy for prostatic adenocarcinoma: a case series.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the urethra is extremely rare, even more so in a setting of postradiation therapy, with only 3 cases reported up to date including the first case published by our group in 2011. In the present study, we included the long-term follow-up on our previously reported case and report 3 additional cases. This is the first case series to date of this rare disease entity. The aim of this study is to review the clinicopathologic features of mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostatic urethra in patients after receiving brachytherapy for prostatic adenocarcinoma. We identified 4 patients with a mean age of 72 years, and a mean interval of 14.8 years from brachytherapy for prostate carcinoma (grade group 1). Patients presented with hematuria or urinary retention. A colonoscopy was performed in three-fourth of patients and was within normal limits. Three patients underwent cystoprostatectomy and 1 had a transurethral resection of the prostate. On gross examination, only tumor formed a 3.5 cm tan-gray, ulcerated, friable, and necrotic mass and 2 displayed either irregular red granular or thickened areas within the prostatic urethra. Abundant extracellular mucin pools dissecting the prostatic stroma were present in all tumors, with clusters of tumor cells floating in the mucin. The mucin pools were lined by pleomorphic pseudostratified columnar mucinous epithelium. Tumors were diffusely positive for CK20, CDX2 (4/4), and AMACR (2/2); they focally expressed CK7 (2/4), and lacked nuclear ß-catenin expression (3/3). PSA, PSAP, NKX3.1, p63, and GATA3 were negative in the tumors tested. Among the 3 patients who underwent radical surgery, 2 had stage 2 tumors (confined to the prostatic urethra and prostate), and 1 had a stage 3 tumor, with seminal vesicle involvement. All 4 patients were alive without disease with a mean follow-up of 4.9 years. In conclusion, brachytherapy-associated mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostatic urethra displays intestinal-type features as its non-radiation-related counterpart. It appears to lack a villous adenoma component, displays a different immunohistochemical profile with diffuse CK20 and CDX2 positivity, and is associated with lower stage and less aggressive behavior.

UroLift for Treating Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A NICE Medical Technology Guidance Update.

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) commonly occur as a consequence of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as prostate enlargement. Treatments for this can involve electrosurgical removal of a section of the prostate via transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), or prostatic urethral lift using the UroLift system. The UroLift system implants to pull excess prostatic tissue away so that it does not narrow or block the urethra. In this way, the device is designed to relieve symptoms of urinary outflow obstruction without cutting or removing tissue. National guidance recommending the use of UroLift in the UK NHS was first issued in 2015 by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE MTG26). We now report on the process to update the economic evaluation of UroLift, leading to updated NICE guidance published in May 2021 (NICE MTG58). The conclusions of the available clinical evidence were mixed and suggested that whilst UroLift improves symptoms over time, this improvement is smaller than that of TURP for symptom severity (IPSS) and urological outcomes. However, UroLift appears to be superior to Rezum for symptom severity and measures of erectile dysfunction and ejaculatory dysfunction. The updated economic model estimated that using UroLift as a day-case procedure for people with prostate of volume 30-80 mL creates a saving of £981 per person compared with bipolar TURP, £1242 compared with monopolar TURP, and £1230 compared with HoLEP.

Real-world data comparing minimally invasive surgeries for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the differences in surgical outcomes between the prostatic urethral lift (PUL) and previous thermal energy procedures for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). METHODS: We present an observational population-based study of 2694 men with BPH in New York State and California who received PUL, transurethral needle ablation (TUNA), or transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT) in outpatient and ambulatory surgery settings from 2005 to 2018. For these surgical procedures, short-term outcomes were reported and compared using a Chi-square test and mixed-effect logistic regressions. Long-term outcomes were described using Kaplan-Meier failure curves and compared using a Log-rank test and Cox regressions. RESULTS: A significant portion of PUL patients had a comorbidity count ≥ 2 (n = 838, 37.0%). PUL exhibited the lowest 30 day and 90-day inpatient or ER readmission rates among all surgical techniques except for 90-day ER readmission (p < 0.05). No differences were observed for 1- and 3-year risks of reoperation between PUL [5.5% (95% CI 4.4-6.8%) and 14.9% (95% CI 10.9-20.1%)], TUNA [7.4% (95% CI 5.0-10.9%) and 11.3% (95% CI 8.3-15.4%)] and TUMT [8.5% (95% CI 4.7-15.2%) and 15.3% (95% CI 9.5-24.0%)]. 1- and 3-year risks of stricture development for PUL were 0.2% (95% CI 0.0-0.7%) and 0.2% (95% CI 0.0-0.07%), respectively. CONCLUSION: In a patient population with chronic conditions, patients treated with PUL exhibited similar 30- and 90-day inpatient or ER readmission rates when compared to previous reports. However, 1- and 3-year reoperation risks for PUL closely resembled previous thermal energy surgical procedures.

Concomitant Detrusor and External Urethral Sphincter Botulinum Toxin-A Injections in Male Spinal Cord Injury Patients with Detrusor Overactivity and Detrusor Sphincter Dyssynergia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of concomitant injections of botulinum toxin-A (BoNT-A) into the detrusor and external urethral sphincter muscles in suprasacral spinal cord injured patients with detrusor overactivity and detrusor sphincter dyssynergia. DESIGN: An open treatment trial with pre- and posttreatment evaluations. SUBJECTS: Male suprasacral spinal cord injury patients (n = 20) with neurogenic detrusor overactivity and detrusor sphincter dyssynergia who emptied their bladder by reflex voiding and were unwilling to increase the frequency of intermittent catheterization. METHODS: Cystoscopic guidance of 200 U BoNT-A injections into the detrusor muscle and 100 U into external urethral sphincter muscles were applied. The urodynamic parameters, voiding diaries and quality of life scores using Urinary Distress Inventory, Short Form (UDI-6) and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire, Short Form (IIQ-7) were compared. RESULTS: All participants experienced a significant mean reduction in maximal detrusor pressure and maximal urethral pressure profile, and a mean significant increase in maximal cystometric bladder capacity 12 weeks after concomitant injections. Bladder diaries demonstrated persistently increased spontaneous voided volume, but no increase in post-void residual ratio, daily clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) frequency and diaper pad use from baseline to 24 weeks. UDI-6 scores were significantly improved at 4 and 12 weeks and IIQ-7 scores improved only at 12 weeks. CONCLUSION: Concomitant detrusor and external urethral sphincter BoNT-A injections may decrease detrusor and urethral pressure without increasing postvoid residual ratio and diaper pad use. For spinal cord injury patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity and detrusor sphincter dyssynergia who are unwilling, or for whom it is inconvenient, to increase CIC frequency and who want to preserve spontaneous voiding, this treatment may provide an optional alternative.

Review of the Economics of Surgical Treatment Options for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this paper is to review the literature detailing US-based analyses for cost and cost-effectiveness of surgical treatment options for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and associated LUTS. RECENT FINDINGS: TURP offers the greatest degree of symptom improvement with its associated costs dependent upon operating room time, equipment, and length of hospital stay. Other studied surgical treatment modalities, including transurethral laser ablative, thermal ablative, and convective water vapor modalities as well as prostatic urethral lift and transabdominal procedures, generally carry higher costs and lower cost-effectiveness in both inpatient and outpatient settings, with specific exceptions. Compared to TURP, HoLEP and Greenlight PVP have demonstrated superior cost-effectiveness for mild, moderate, and severe BPH. Convective water vapor ablation, as with transurethral microwave/thermoablative therapies, has been observed to be less expensive per procedure than TURP on average. However, it conferred lower degrees of IPSS symptom improvement. Moreover, compared to TURP, prostatic artery embolization has demonstrated lower average costs coupled with inferior objective improvement in maximal flow rate, prostate volume reduction, PSA decline and minimal improvement in IPSS subjective outcome measures. For this review, selection bias, asymmetric patient groups, issues with study aggregation, and understudied cost contributors (including retreatment costs, long-term durability of symptom relief, recovery time, and work productivity limitations) were identified as key limitations. Nevertheless, this overview takes important steps to understand the costs of surgical treatment options for BPH, allowing for more informed clinical and policy decisions.

Superficial peroneal neuromodulation of nonobstructive urinary retention induced by prolonged pudendal afferent activity in cats.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether superficial peroneal nerve stimulation (SPNS) can improve nonobstructive urinary retention (NOUR) induced by prolonged pudendal nerve stimulation (PNS). In this exploratory acute study using eight cats under anesthesia, PNS and SPNS were applied by nerve cuff electrodes. Skin surface electrodes were also used for SPNS. A double lumen catheter was inserted via the bladder dome for bladder infusion and pressure measurement and to allow voiding without a physical urethral outlet obstruction. The voided and postvoid residual (PVR) volumes were also recorded. NOUR induced by repetitive (4-13 times) application of 30-min PNS significantly (P < 0.05) reduced voiding efficiency by 49.5 ± 16.8% of control (78.3 ± 7.9%), with a large PVR volume at 208.2 ± 82.6% of control bladder capacity. SPNS (1 Hz, 0.2 ms) at 1.5-2 times threshold intensity (T) for inducing posterior thigh muscle contractions was applied either continuously (SPNSc) or intermittently (SPNSi) during cystometrograms to improve the PNS-induced NOUR. SPNSc and SPNSi applied by nerve cuff electrodes significantly (P < 0.05) increased voiding efficiency to 74.5 ± 18.9% and 67.0 ± 15.3%, respectively, and reduced PVR volume to 54.5 ± 39.0% and 88.3 ± 56.0%, respectively. SPNSc and SPNSi applied noninvasively by skin surface electrodes also improved NOUR similar to the stimulation applied by a cuff electrode. This study indicates that abnormal pudendal afferent activity could be a pathophysiological cause for the NOUR occurring in Fowler's syndrome and a noninvasive superficial peroneal neuromodulation therapy might be developed to treat NOUR in patients with Fowler's syndrome.

What is the role of single-stage oral mucosa graft urethroplasty in the surgical management of lichen sclerosus-related stricture disease in men? A systematic review.

PURPOSE: The benefits and harms of the available types of surgical management for lichen sclerosus-related (LS) strictures remain unclear and, thus, clear and robust clinical practice recommendations cannot be given. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To assess the role of single-stage OMGU in the management of LS strictures and explore how its benefits and harms compare with the alternative management options. Medline, Embase and Cochrane controlled trial databases (CENTRAL, CDSR) were systematically searched. Randomized (RCTs) and nonrandomized studies (NRCSs) comparing single-stage OMGU with other surgical management options for LS strictures and single-arm studies on single-stage OMGU were included. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed. RESULTS: Of the 1912 abstracts identified, 15 studies (1 NRCS and 14 single-arm studies) were included, recruiting in total 649 patients. All studies were at high RoB. In the only NRCS available, stricture-free rate (SFR) for single-stage and staged OMGU was 88% vs 60%, respectively (p = 0.05), at a mean follow-up of 66.5 months. SFR range for single-stage OMGU in single-arm studies was 65-100% (mean/median follow-up, 12-59 months). Single-stage OMGU had low complication rates and beneficial impact on LUTS and QoL. CONCLUSIONS: The present SR highlights the methodological limitations of the available literature. In the absence of adverse local tissue conditions, and taking into consideration benefit-harm balance and surgeon's skills and expertise, single-stage OMGU can be justified in patients with LS strictures.

Utility and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a rescue treatment in complicated cases of hypospadias: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to define the current evidence and systematically summarize the relevant data regarding the utility and safety of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an adjunctive treatment in complicated re-operative cases of hypospadias. METHOD: The authors systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Scopus databases on August 5, 2021. Patients were divided into two groups, i.e. HBOT and non-HBOT. The main outcomes were graft failure rate and the incidence of complications following urethroplasty. The proportion of patients developing adverse events due to HBOT was the secondary outcome. The pooled risk ratio and heterogeneity were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel method and the I2 statistics respectively. The quality assessment of the included studies was performed using the Downs and Black scale. RESULT: Four studies constituting 176 patients (101 in the HBOT group) were included (Figure). Variations were observed among these studies in terms of the age of participants, the number and types of previous operations performed, and the protocol of administration of HBOT. The graft failure rate (RR 0.19; 95% CI 0.05-0.73, p = 0.02) and the incidence of complications (RR 0.40, 95% CI 0.20-0.77, p = 0.007) were significantly low in the HBOT versus the non-HBOT group. Apart from myringotomy insertion (n = 10; 9.9%) and claustrophobia (n = 1), no other adverse events were associated with HBOT. All studies had a moderate risk of bias. An almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.956, p < 0.0001) was observed between the two investigators assessing the risk of bias. CONCLUSION: The present systematic review and meta-analysis significantly favor the administration of HBOT versus no HBOT in terms of graft failure rate and incidence of complications following urethroplasty. The available data also highlights the safety of HBOT in complicated cases of hypospadias. However, well-designed randomized controlled trials need to be conducted for an optimal comparison between the two treatment groups.

[Prostatic Urethral Lift under local anesthesia: Single-centre retrospective observational study]. / La pose d'implant UroLift ® sous anesthésie locale : étude observationnelle rétrospective monocentrique.

INTRODUCTION: Urolift implant placement may be preferred to conventional endoscopic surgery for patients who wish to preserve their sexuality or for those who prefer a rapid post-operative recovery. The absence of general anaesthesia is an important element that reinforces the minimally invasive aspect of the procedure and improves the speed of recovery. The aim of this work was to report our preliminary experience of Urolift treatment under local anaesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted including all patients treated with Urolift between 2017 and 2021 in our centre. Local anaesthesia was based on the instillation of 2 Xylocaine gels at 4°C into the urethra 15minutes before the procedure. The primary endpoint was the successful completion of the procedure without interruption due to pain or the need for any other form of anaesthesia or analgesia. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were included with a median age of 65 years and a prostate volume of 46mL. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was 23. The first 3 patients were operated on under general anaesthesia. Local anaesthesia was introduced from the fourth patient onwards. There was no recourse to other modalities of analgesia or anaesthesia or interruption of the procedure. The operating time was 10minutes and pain was assessed at 1 on a visual analogue scale. At 3 months, the IPSS score was 9 (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: This preliminary experience confirms the feasibility of placing the Urolift implant under local anaesthesia without any failure of the proposed management. The improvement in IPSS score was consistent with previously published clinical trials. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.