Termination of the USMLE Step 2 CS: Perspectives of Surgical Residents with Diverse Medical Backgrounds.

As the decision to permanently suspend the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Skills exam resonates across the medical education landscape, it has different implications for the graduates of American allopathic (US-MD), osteopathic (DO) medical schools and international medical graduates (IMGs). Through this perspective, we as authors who represent each of these three diverse cohorts highlight the changes that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic and delve into the multitude of ramifications that could ensue as a result of this decision. Our propositions are geared towards a standardized objective structured clinical examination for evaluating US-MDs and DOs, and a call for novel evaluation strategies to assure the minimum clinical standards of IMGs.

Artificial urinary sphincter erosion and infection: a contemporary review of perioperative considerations and management.

Surgical treatment options have long been a part of the treatment armamentarium in the field of male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and will continue to play an important role moving forward given the dramatic improvement they can have on a patient's quality of life and urinary tract function and control. The artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) is widely considered the gold standard treatment option for male SUI given its breadth of effectiveness in mild, moderate, and severe cases of SUI. As with any surgery, there are potential perioperative risks and complications that all patients must be aware of when weighing the pros and cons of different treatment options. Two of the most dreaded complications of AUS surgery are urethral cuff erosion and device infection, both necessitating a subsequent surgery for device explant. The goal of this clinical practice review article is to examine and discuss the perioperative factors and management of these complications. Effectively treating these complications is of utmost importance, not just to address the acute clinical problem for patient health and safety, but also to provide the patient with the best chance of pursuing AUS replacement surgery in the future, given that the vast majority of these patients will develop recurrent bothersome SUI after the eroded and/or infected device is removed. By reviewing pertinent patient factors, preoperative and postoperative considerations, device-specific characteristics, surgical techniques, and patient counseling, this article serves as a thorough and practical clinical review guide for practicing urologists who perform male incontinence surgery.

Changes and debates in male stress urinary incontinence surgery practice patterns: a contemporary review.

Surgery plays a crucial role in the definitive management of male stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The most utilized and well-studied surgical options include the artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) and the male sling (MS). The AUS has long been considered the "gold standard" and more versatile option in this space, showing effectiveness in mild, moderate, and severe SUI cases, whereas the MS is preferred in cases of mild to moderate SUI. Not surprisingly, and importantly, much of the published literature on male stress incontinence has focused on determining the "ideal" candidate for each procedure and identifying which clinical, device-specific, and patient factors play an important role in the objective and subjective success rates. There are, however, more granular, and sometimes debatable, topics to assess regarding the real-life practice patterns of male SUI surgery. The aim of this clinical practice review is to examine current trends of several of these topics including: AUS vs. MS utilization, the prevalence of outpatient procedures, 3.5 cm AUS cuff use, preoperative urine studies utilization, and intraoperative and postoperative antibiotics. As with many things in surgery, dogma rather than evidence-based medicine can significantly influence everyday clinical decision making. We seek to highlight which practice patterns in male SUI surgery are changing and/or being challenged and debated.

Management of Vesicoureteral Reflux in a Patient With Recurrent Febrile Urinary Tract Infections, Neurogenic Bladder, and Ureteral Triplication.

Ureteral triplication is a rare anomaly with about 100 total cases reported in the literature. In this case presentation, we present a case of ureteral triplication in a young female with a history of neurogenic bladder secondary to L5 lipomeningocele who presented with recurrent febrile urinary tract infections (UTIs) and vesicoureteral reflux despite antibiotic prophylaxis. Given her high grade reflux, she underwent ureteral reimplantation which ultimately led to resolution of her UTIs and reflux. Later in her clinical course, toilet training unmasked additional bladder dysfunction and she was successfully managed with clean intermittent catheterization and anticholinergics. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe ureteral triplication, recurrent febrile UTIs and vesicoureteral reflux in the setting of a concomitant neurogenic bladder with a successful outcome.

Successful treatment of complicated benign prostatic hyperplasia in a diabetic patient with water vapor thermal therapy and urethral stenting.

Water Vapor Thermal Therapy is a novel, office-based procedure which has gained traction as first line therapy in specific therapeutic cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In this study, we present a case of a diabetic patient with complicated benign prostatic hyperplasia who presented with acute urinary retention along with bilateral hydronephrosis and acute kidney injury. He was treated with water vapor thermal therapy and subsequent urethral stenting, which alleviated his acute presentation and clinical symptoms. To the authors' knowledge, there are no reported cases which highlight the use of water vapor thermal therapy in complicated benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Encrusted Ureteral Stent in a Spanish Speaking Female: A Case of a Forgotten Stent Lost in Translation.

Ureteral stents are used to establish patency in a non-draining ureter, as they are commonly placed in etiologies such as ureteral obstruction and urological surgery. One complication that occurs with stent placement is the absence of follow-up to remove the device. This may be due to a myriad of reasons, including non-compliance and lack of patient education. Forgotten stents can pose a dangerous scenario, as a retained stent can lead to urinary tract obstruction, urosepsis, and even kidney failure. In this study, we present a case of a Spanish-speaking patient with a retained ureteral stent who presented with left flank pain due to not understanding the need for stent follow-up.