The Role of Upper Extremity Motor Function in the Choice of Bladder Management in Those Unable to Volitionally Void due to Neurologic Dysfunction.

It is estimated that 425,000 individuals with neurologic bladder dysfunction (spinal cordinjury, spina bifida and multiple sclerosis) are unable to volitionally void and must rely oncatheter drainage. Upper extremity (UE) motor function is one of the most important factors indetermining the type of bladder management chosen in individuals who cannot volitionally void. Novel bladder management solutions for those with impaired UE motor function and concurrent impairments involitional voiding continue to be an area of need. Those with poor UE motor function more often choose an indwelling catheter, whereas those with normal UE motor function more often choose clean intermittent catheterization.

Perspectives on technology: Single-use catheters - evidence and environmental impact.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the data comparing single- vs multi-use catheters for clean intermittent catheterisation (CIC), consider if the widespread use of single-use catheters is warranted given the cost and environmental impact, and put forth ideas for future consideration. METHODS: A primary literature review was performed in PubMed over the past 50 years. Studies that performed comparative analysis of single- and multi-use catheters were included in our review. All studies that reported on primary data were narratively summarised. RESULTS: A total of 11 studies were identified that reported on primary data comparing single- and multi-use catheters. There was no appreciable evidence suggesting reusable multi-use catheters were inferior to single-use catheters from an infection or usability standpoint. In addition, the environmental and monetary burden of single-use catheters is significant. CONCLUSIONS: The intermittent catheter landscape in the USA has a complex past: defined by policy, shaped by industry, yet characterised by a paucity of data demonstrating superiority of single-use over multi-use catheters. We believe that the aversion to reusable catheters by many patients and healthcare professionals is unwarranted, especially given the cost and environmental impact. Moving forward, better comparative data and more sustainable practices are needed.

Sustainability in Urology: Single-use Versus Reusable Catheters for Intermittent Catheterization.

There is evidence that there is no difference in the incidence of urinary tract infections between multiple-use catheters that are cleaned after use and single-use catheters for intermittent catheterization. Despite the very significant economic and environmental advantages of multiple-use catheters, the single-use option is still promoted. The increasing focus on sustainability in urology may prompt a shift in practice to multiple-use catheters or other novel solutions in this setting. PATIENT SUMMARY: In intermittent catheterization, a patient or their caregiver periodically inserts a catheter to drain the bladder of urine. Single-use catheters are more expensive and have a greater impact on the environment than resuable catheters that are cleaned after use. To improve sustainability in health care, a switch from single-use to multiple-use catheters or other novel soultions for intermittent catheterization should be considered.

Internal and External Barriers to Bladder Management in Persons with Neurologic Disease Performing Intermittent Catheterization.

People living with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) often have to use clean intermittent catheters (CIC) to manage their bladder function. The use of catheters presents multiple unique challenges, based on both the person's inherent characteristics and on the external limitations imposed by public toilets. We review the impact of age, sex, upper limb function, caregiver assistance, time required to perform CIC, and urinary incontinence on CIC in NLUTD, with special reference to their interaction with societal and public health factors. Public toilet limitations, such as lack of availability, adequate space and special accommodation for CIC, cleanliness, and catheter design are also reviewed. These potential barriers play a significant role in the perception and performance of bladder care in people living with NLUTD.

Adoption of Single-Use Clean Intermittent Catheterization Policies Does Not Appear to Affect Genitourinary Outcomes in a Large Spinal Cord Injury Cohort.

PURPOSE: In April 2008, Medicare amended its policy for clean intermittent catheterization, increasing coverage from 4 reused catheters per month to up to 200 single-use catheters. The primary reason for the policy change was an assumed decrease in risk of urinary tract infection with single-use catheters. Given its economic/environmental impact (∼50-fold increase in cost and plastic waste) and a paucity of supporting evidence, we retrospectively evaluate the policy's effect in a prospective spinal cord injury registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We accessed data for the years 1995 to 2020 from the National Spinal Cord Injury Database focusing on 1-year follow-up in those unable to volitionally void after injury. We asked 2 questions: (1) Did hospitalizations for genitourinary reasons decrease after the clean intermittent catheterization policy change?; and (2) Did clean intermittent catheterization adoption and adherence increase after the clean intermittent catheterization policy change? RESULTS: During the study period, 2,657 of the 6,843 (38.8%) participants unable to volitionally void after spinal cord injury were hospitalized during their first follow-up year. Of the cohort performing clean intermittent catheterization, fewer individuals were hospitalized for genitourinary reasons prior to the clean intermittent catheterization policy change compared to after (10.6% vs 14.6%, P < .001), a finding that persisted on multivariate logistic regression (odds radio, 0.67, P < .001). In addition, the number of individuals performing clean intermittent catheterization at 1-year follow-up was less after the policy change compared to prior (57.0% vs 59.1%, P = .044). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the 2008 policy change shifting clean intermittent catheterization coverage from catheter reuse to single-use did not decrease hospitalizations for urinary tract infection or increase clean intermittent catheterization uptake in individuals with spinal cord injury.

Differences in the incidence of urinary tract infections between neurogenic and non-neurogenic bladder dysfunction individuals performing intermittent catheterization.

PURPOSE: To measure the incidence and severity of urinary tract infections (UTI) in intermittent catheter (IC) users with neurogenic and non-neurogenic diagnoses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Administrative health insurance claims data from the IBM MarketScan® Database between January 1, 2015 and  December 31, 2019, were analyzed. New IC-users with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD); IC-users without NLUTD (non-NLUTD); and age-and-sex-matched general population without IC use (GEN) were compared. Individuals were followed for one year after initial IC utilization or random index date for GEN. The primary outcome was a patient seeing a physician or attending a hospital for a UTI (measured with a primary or secondary diagnosis code related to a UTI). UTI incidence, hospitalizations, and length of hospital stay were compared. RESULT: We identified 6944 NLUTD, 5102 non-NLUTD, and 120 426 GEN individuals. The annualized UTI incidence was higher in IC-users (54.9% NLUTD IC-users and 38.9% non-NLUTD IC-users) compared to GEN individuals (9.8%) (p < 0.001 between groups). Hospitalization for UTI was more common in NLUTD and non-LUTD (11.3% and 4.0%, respectively) compared with GEN individuals (1.0%) (p < 0.001 between groups). NLUTD individuals had a greater average length of hospital stay than non-NLUTD (2.2 ± 3.6 vs. 1.6 ± 2.1 days, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: IC users had a significantly higher incidence of UTIs than the general population. NLUTD IC-users had a higher incidence of UTIs that required hospitalization compared to non-NLUTD individuals. Strategies to decrease the patient and healthcare burden of UTIs in those that catheterize should be prioritized.

The Effect of Early Infection on the Rate of Volitional Voiding after Spinal Cord Injury: A Potential Modifiable Risk Factor for Bladder Outcomes.

PURPOSE: Recently, it has been observed that early infections after spinal cord injury (SCI) are associated with decreased long-term motor and sensory recovery. We investigate the effects of early infection after SCI on long-term bladder function. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed data for the years 1995 to 2006 using the National Spinal Cord Injury Database. Postoperative wound infections and pneumonia were used to classify infections during the acute inpatient and rehabilitation periods. The effect of early infections on volitional voiding status at 1-year followup was assessed. Age, gender and neurological status at rehabilitation discharge (level of injury, American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale [AIS] and bilateral lower extremity motor scores) were included in multivariate logistic regression modeling to control for confounding. RESULTS: Of the 3,561 persons studied, 1,233 (34.6%) had an early infection. Those with an infection during early recovery were less likely to void than their noninfected counterparts if in the AIS A (0.3% vs 1.9%, p=0.010), AIS B (3.8% vs 10.5%, p=0.018) and AIS C (29.1% vs 37.3%, p=0.071) classification, while those with less complete injuries (AIS D) did not appear to be affected (62.6% vs 65.4%, p=0.456). Similar findings were found when stratifying by lower extremity motor scores and persisted on multivariate analysis, where early infection decreased the odds of volitional voiding at 1-year followup (OR=0.79, p=0.042). CONCLUSIONS: Infections during the early recovery period may modify volitional voiding at 1-year followup by 20% or more. Future investigations to confirm our findings and potentially evaluate mitigation strategies are warranted.

Risk of Postpartum Urinary Stone Disease in Women with History of Urinary Stone Disease During Pregnancy.

Objective: To determine the risk of postpartum urinary stone disease in women with a history of stone disease during pregnancy. Methods: Using the Optum® de-identified Clinformatics® Datamart we identified pregnant women with urinary stone disease in the United States between January 2003 to December 2017 by standardized International Classification of Diseases Ninth and Tenth Editions (ICD-9 and ICD-10), and Current Procedural Terminology code criteria. We limited the cohort to include women without evidence of urinary stone disease before pregnancy. We abstracted patient demographic characteristics, clinical risk factors for stone disease, and data for urinary stone disease encounters and related procedures after pregnancy. Encounters occurring within 1 year of pregnancy were excluded. Cox proportional hazard models were used to analyze for significance. Results: We identified a total of 1,395,783 pregnant women with a median postpartum follow-up of 4.0 years, including 5971 (0.4%) women with a urinary stone during pregnancy. Of these, 736 (12.3%) had an additional urinary stone diagnosis claim after pregnancy, compared with 13,275 (0.95%) women without a history of stone disease during pregnancy (p < 0.0001). In multivariable proportional hazards models urinary stone disease during pregnancy (hazards ratio 12.8, 95% confidence interval [11.8-13.8]) was independently associated with a higher hazard of urinary stone disease after pregnancy. Conclusion: Women with urinary stone disease during pregnancy were more likely to present with recurrent urinary stone disease after pregnancy. Given the one in eight chance of needing further care, women with history of stone disease during pregnancy may benefit from risk counseling, surveillance, or secondary prevention efforts in the postpartum period.

Do improvements in upper extremity motor function affect changes in bladder management after cervical spinal cord injury?

INTRODUCTION: One of the most important predictors of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) adoption after spinal cord injury (SCI) is upper extremity (UE) motor function at discharge from rehabilitation. It is not clear however if post-discharge improvements in UE motor function affect future bladder management decisions. METHODS: We assessed persons with cervical SCI in the National Spinal Cord Injury Dataset for the years 2000-2016 who underwent motor examination at discharge from rehabilitation and again at 1-year follow-up. Individuals were stratified based on a previously described algorithm which categorizes the ability to independently perform CIC based upon UE motor scores. Improvements in the predicted ability to self-catheterize over the first year after rehabilitation discharge were evaluated in relation to bladder management. RESULTS: Despite 15% of our SCI cohort improving from "less than able to independently catheterize" to "able to independently catheterize", more patients in the overall cohort dropped out of CIC (175/643 = 27.2%) than adopted CIC (68/548 = 12.4%) (P < .001). We found that in those initially categorized as "less than able to independently catheterize" at the time of rehabilitation discharge, CIC adoption was not significantly different at 1-year follow-up whether or not there was motor improvement to "able to independently catheterize" (12.7% vs 9.2% respectively, P = 0.665). Between these two groups, CIC dropout was also equivalent (34.3% vs 30.0% respectively, P = 0.559). CONCLUSIONS: In the first year after rehabilitation, more overall SCI patients transition away from CIC than convert to CIC. Significant improvements in UE motor function during the first year after rehabilitation discharge do not appear to affect bladder management decisions.

Racial Disparities in Outcomes of Women Undergoing Myomectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of racial and socioeconomic factors with outcomes of abdominal myomectomies. METHODS: All women undergoing abdominal myomectomy in California from 2005 to 2012 were identified from the OSHPD (Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development) using appropriate International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Demographics, comorbidities, surgical approaches, and complications occurring within 30 days of the procedure were identified. Multivariate associations were assessed with mixed effects logistic regression models. RESULTS: The cohort of 35,151 women was racially and ethnically diverse (White, 38.8%; Black, 19.9%; Hispanic, 20.3%; and Asian, 15.3%). Among all procedures, 33,906 were performed through an open abdominal approach, and 1,245 were performed using a minimally invasive approach. Proportionally, Black patients were more likely than White patients to have open procedures, and open approaches were associated with higher complication rates. Overall, 2,622 (7.5%) women suffered at least one complication. Although severe complications did not vary by race or ethnicity, Black (9.0%), Hispanic (7.9%), and Asian (7.5%) patients were more likely to suffer complications of any severity compared with White patients (6.7%, P<.001). As compared with patients with private insurance (6.4%), those with indigent payer status (Medicaid [12.1%] and self-pay [11.1%]) had higher complication rates (P<.001). Controlling for all factors, Black and Asian patients were more likely to suffer complications compared with White patients. CONCLUSION: The overall complication rate after abdominal myomectomy was 7.5%. Comorbidities, an open approach, and indigent payer status were associated with increased complication risk. Controlling for all factors, Black and Asian patients still had increased risks of complications.

Using conjoint analysis to measure the importance of psychosocial traits in the choices of bladder management after spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a conjoint analysis experiment to better understand the psychosocial priorities related to bladder management in individuals after spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: We developed a conjoint analysis survey that included 11 psychosocial attributes phrased in the context of bladder management (including attributes for urinary infections, and incontinence). We then performed a multi-center prospective cross-sectional study of adults with existing SCI which consisted of a baseline interview, followed by the online conjoint analysis survey (delivered through Sawtooth software). Hierarchical Bayes random effects regression analysis was used to determine the relative importance of the attributes. RESULTS: A total of 345 people complete the study. There was good representation of both men and women, and individuals with cervical and thoracic or lower lesions. The most important attribute was the frequency of urinary infections. Age, sex, and level of SCI were generally not related to the attributes measured in the study. In the subgroup of 256 patients who used a catheter for bladder management, significantly more importance was placed on urinary tract infections, time, fluid intake, and social life among indwelling catheter users compared to intermittent catheter users. CONCLUSIONS: Most bladder-related psychosocial priorities are not impacted by a patient's age, sex or level of SCI. Differences in psychosocial priorities between indwelling and intermittent catheter users may represent factors that should be focused on to optimize bladder management after SCI.

Patient Capability, Confidence, and Interest in Telemedicine at a Public Safety Net Hospital Urology Clinic.

INTRODUCTION: We preliminarily assessed challenges to developing a telemedicine program at a specialty clinic in a public safety-net hospital serving a diverse population. METHODS: Patients visiting a urology clinic were surveyed regarding potential follow-up telemedicine visits. A follow-up survey was performed during the COVID-19 pandemic to evaluate changing interest. RESULTS: Our pre-COVID study population consisted of 498 patients, speaking 17 primary languages; primarily, the population had MediCal or no insurance coverage (56.8%). Most had the capability to take part in telemedicine video calls (73.1%), though significantly fewer had the confidence (45.9%) or interest (51%). There was a distinct drop in capability, confidence, and interest with increasing age but not with preferred language. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we noted increased interest in non-traditional visits (n=100), with 79% stating they would repeat a non-in-person visit. CONCLUSION: Increasing interest in non-traditional visits during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests patient interest and confidence may be malleable.

The Time Burden of Specialty Clinic Visits in Persons With Neurologic Disease: A Case for Universal Telemedicine Coverage.

Objective: Those with chronic neurologic disorders are often burdened not only by the condition itself but also an increased need for subspecialty medical care. This may require long distance travel, while even small distances can be a hardship secondary to impaired mobility and transportation. We sought to examine the burden of time associated with clinical visits for those with chronic neurologic disorders and their family/caregivers. These topics are discussed as an argument to support universal coverage for telemedicine in this population. Design: Cohort Study. Setting: Specialty clinic at community hospital. Participants: 208 unique patients with chronic neurologic disability at physical medicine and rehabilitation or neurourology clinic over a 3-month period. Main Outcome Measures: Patient survey on commute distance, time, difficulties, and need for caregiver assistance to attend visits. Results: Approximately 40% of patients were covered by Medicare. Many patients (42%) perceived it difficult to attend their clinic visit with transportation difficulties, commute time, and changes to their daily schedule being the most commonly cited reasons. Most patients (75%) lived within 25 miles of our clinics and experienced an average commute time of 79.4 min, though 10% required 3 h or more. Additional family/caregiver assistance was required for 76% of patients, which resulted in an inclusive average commute time of 138.2 min per patient. Conclusion: Chronically neurologically-disabled patients and their caregivers may be burdened by the commute to outpatient appointments. To minimize this burden, increased emphasis on telemedicine coverage for those with chronic neurologic disability should be considered by all payors.

Evaluation of Patient Treatment Preferences for 15 to 20 mm Kidney Stones: A Conjoint Analysis.

Introduction and Objective: Ureteroscopy (URS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) are standard treatments for intermediate-size (15-20 mm) kidney stones but differ in their postoperative recovery, stone-free rates, and complication risks. We aimed to evaluate what affects patient treatment preferences. Methods: Patients with urinary stone disease completed a choice-based conjoint analysis exercise assessing four treatment attributes associated with URS and PCNL. A sensitivity analysis using a market simulator was performed, and the relative importance of each attribute was calculated. Differences in treatment preferences by demographic subgroup were assessed. Results: A total of 58 patients completed the conjoint analysis exercise. Stone-free rate was the most important treatment attribute, while the length of hospital stay and cosmesis were less important. Overall, sensitivity analysis based on market simulation scenarios predicted an almost equal preference for URS (52.4%) compared with PCNL (47.6%) for treatment of an intermediate-size stone. Older patients (>65 years old) expressed their stronger preferences for lower infection rates and shorter hospital stays, and were more likely to prefer URS (67.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 52% to 82.5%) compared with younger patients (20-34 years old) (20.3%, 95% CI: 0% to 41.5%) who preferred higher procedure success rates and fewer repeat procedures. Conclusion: Conjoint analysis predicts nearly equal patient preference for URS or PCNL for the treatment of intermediate-size kidney stones. Older patients prefer the lower urinary tract infection risk and shorter hospital stay associated with URS, while younger patients prefer higher stone-free rates associated with PCNL. These results can help guide urologists in counseling patients and improve the shared decision-making process.

Female Urethral Stricture Management: The Initial Experience of an Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery-Trained Urologist.

OBJECTIVE: Given the rarity of female urethral strictures (the cause of <1% of female lower urinary tract symptoms), most trainees have little experience diagnosing and managing the problem as they begin practice. Presented are the female urethral stricture outcomes of an attending surgeon after the completion of a female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellowship. METHODS: With institutional review board approval, a retrospective review of all cases of suspected female urethral stricture through the first 7 years of practice was completed. RESULTS: Over the study period, 13 women were treated for urethral stricture. One underwent simple meatotomy, 9 underwent vaginal wall flap (Blandy) urethroplasty, and 3 underwent urethral dilation only because they were not reconstructive candidates (1 due to severe radiation damage and 2 with panurethral strictures that included the bladder neck). Women undergoing urethral dilations (n = 3) have all required subsequent dilations, whereas those undergoing reconstructive procedures have not required further intervention (all with max flow rates greater than 17 mL/s at last follow-up [median = 35 months, range = 10-70]). CONCLUSION: Over the course of 7 years, our limited experience suggests that (a) urethral dilation is not usually successful but surgical reconstruction is, (b) preoperative urethral rest before reconstruction may reduce failure rates, (c) staging a stricture in the operating room is the best route to confirm the diagnosis, (d) de novo stress urinary incontinence seems to rarely if ever occur after female urethroplasty, and (e) postoperative follow-up with simple uroflow and postvoid residual testing suffices.

Predictors of Colpocleisis Outcomes in an Older Population Based Cohort.

PURPOSE: Colpocleisis is an obliterative surgical option for women with pelvic organ prolapse that is often performed in a frail population. However, because outcomes remain largely unknown we aimed to assess the durability and perioperative safety of colpocleisis in a large population based cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All women undergoing colpocleisis and other pelvic organ prolapse repairs in California (2005-2011) were identified using the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development data sets. Durability was defined as the absence of future pelvic organ prolapse repair after index repair for the duration of the data sets. Thirty-day morbidity was assessed by identifying readmissions, repeat surgeries and complications. A metric to assess frailty in large administrative databases was applied to assess the impact of frailty on outcomes. Colpocleisis outcomes were compared to other types of pelvic organ prolapse repairs by developing propensity score matched groups. RESULTS: Among the 2,707 women undergoing colpocleisis, reoperation for prolapse occurred in 47 (1.8%). At least 1 complication occurred in 11.1% of the cohort, with serious complications occurring in 2%. Frail patients were more likely to experience any complication (23.3% vs 10.3%, p <0.01) and a serious complication (5.0% vs 1.8%, p=0.02) and was the best predictor of morbidity. Colpocleisis was associated with a more durable repair (overall failure 1.8% vs 3.5%, p <0.01) with no difference in complication rates as compared to the matched cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Colpocleisis provides a more durable outcome than reconstructive pelvic organ prolapse repairs without increased perioperative morbidity. Frailty is a better predictor than age for perioperative complications after colpocleisis.

Treatment of urethral stricture disease in women: A multi-institutional collaborative project from the SUFU research network.

AIM: Female urethral stricture disease is rare and has several surgical approaches including endoscopic dilations (ENDO), urethroplasty with local vaginal tissue flap (ULT) or urethroplasty with free graft (UFG). This study aims to describe the contemporary management of female urethral stricture disease and to evaluate the outcomes of these three surgical approaches. METHODS: This is a multi-institutional, retrospective cohort study evaluating operative treatment for female urethral stricture. Surgeries were grouped into three categories: ENDO, ULT, and UFG. Time from surgery to stricture recurrence by surgery type was analyzed using a Kaplan-Meier time to event analysis. To adjust for confounders, a Cox proportional hazard model was fit for time to stricture recurrence. RESULTS: Two-hundred and ten patients met the inclusion criteria across 23 sites. Overall, 64% (n = 115/180) of women remained recurrence free at median follow-up of 14.6 months (IQR, 3-37). In unadjusted analysis, recurrence-free rates differed between surgery categories with 68% ENDO, 77% UFG and 83% ULT patients being recurrence free at 12 months. In the Cox model, recurrence rates also differed between surgery categories; women undergoing ULT and UFG having had 66% and 49% less risk of recurrence, respectively, compared to those undergoing ENDO. When comparing ULT to UFG directly, there was no significant difference of recurrence. CONCLUSION: This retrospective multi-institutional study of female urethral stricture demonstrates that patients undergoing endoscopic management have a higher risk of recurrence compared to those undergoing either urethroplasty with local flap or free graft.