A cost-effectiveness analysis of bladder management strategies in neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction after spinal cord injury: A publicly funded health care perspective.

STUDY DESIGN: Economic evaluation study. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the long-term cost-effectiveness of clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) compared with suprapubic catheters (SPC) and indwelling urethral catheters (UC) among individuals with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) related to spinal cord injury (SCI) from a public healthcare perspective. SETTING: University affiliated hospital in Montreal, Canada. METHODS: A Markov model with Monte Carlo simulation was developed with a cycle length of 1 year and lifetime horizon to estimate the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Participants were assigned to treatment with either CIC or SPC or UC. Transition probabilities, efficacy data, and utility values were derived from literature and expert opinion. Costs were obtained from provincial health system and hospital data in Canadian Dollars. The primary outcome was cost per QALY. Probabilistic and one-way deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: CIC had a lifetime mean total cost of $ 29,161 for 20.91 QALYs. The model predicted that a 40-year-old person with SCI would gain an additional 1.77 QALYs and 1.72 discounted life-years gained if CIC were utilized instead of SPC at an incremental cost savings of $330. CIC confer 1.96 QALYs and 3 discounted life-years gained compared to UC with an incremental cost savings of $2496. A limitation of our analysis is the lack of direct long-term comparisons between different catheter modalities. CONCLUSIONS: CIC appears to be a dominant and more economically attractive bladder management strategy for NLUTD compared with SPC and/or UC from the public payer perspective over a lifetime horizon.

Peri-Urethral and Anterior Vaginal Wall Masses: Does Radiological Imaging Change the Predicted Diagnosis?

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to determine the accuracy of radiological imaging compared with surgical pathology in patients with periurethral (PU) and anterior vaginal wall (AVW) lesions. METHODS: This study is a retrospective analysis of 126 women who underwent surgical treatment for PU and AVW masses between 2011 and 2020. Clinicopathological data were extracted along with radiological findings from medical records. The primary outcome was the diagnostic accuracy of preoperative imaging compared to the gold standard, pathological diagnosis. The secondary outcome was the rate of imaging correcting the clinical diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 126 women with a median age of 42 underwent surgical treatment for PU and AVW masses. The most diagnoses were periurethral cysts (PUC) (52%) and urethral diverticulum (UD) (39%). Clinical diagnosis was accurate in 102 cases (81%) for the group of pathological diagnoses. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transvaginal ultrasound (TV US) were performed in 82 (65%) and 22 (17%) cases. The accuracy of MRI and TV US for the diagnosis of PU and AVW lesions was 76% and 82%, respectively. MRI and TV US corrected the clinical diagnosis in five (6%) and two (9%) cases, respectively. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) and double balloon urethrography (DBU), each performed in six (5%) cases, were accurate in four (67%) and three (50%) cases. No statistical difference was found for any imaging modality compared to clinical diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Clinical diagnosis based on pelvic and cystoscopy examinations was sufficient for diagnosing PU and AVW masses and was not significantly different from imaging diagnosis. Imaging may be helpful with preoperative surgical planning in selected cases.

Periurethral and Anterior Vaginal Wall Masses: Etiology, Presentation, and Treatment Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the etiology and presenting symptoms of periurethral and anterior vaginal wall masses in a large series of patients in an academic institution. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of 126 patients presenting and undergoing treatment for periurethral and anterior vaginal wall masses between November 2001 and July 2021 was completed. Clinicopathologic data were extracted. Ethics approval was obtained. The primary objective of this study was to determine the etiology of these masses; secondary objectives included determining the rates of presenting symptoms, complications, resolution of stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and de novo SUI. RESULTS: The median age of patients was 42 years. The most common etiology was urethral diverticula (39.7%), followed by Skene gland cysts or abscesses (30.2%). The rate of malignancy was 1.6%, and the rate of infection was 21.4%. The most common presenting symptoms were sensation of mass (78.6%), dyspareunia (52.4%), and discharge (46.0%). The rate of surgical complications was 9.5%. Three patients had recurrence on follow-up, but there were no recurrent urethral diverticula after excision. The rate of de novo SUI was 5.6%. The rate of resolution of SUI was 67.6%, and all patients who had slings reported resolution of SUI. CONCLUSION: Urethral diverticula and Skene gland cysts or abscesses accounted for 70% of periurethral and anterior vaginal wall masses in this series. Treatment by complete excision is usually successful.

Persistent storage symptoms following Y-V plasty reconstruction for the treatment of refractory bladder neck contracture.

PURPOSE: Refractory bladder neck contracture (BNC) following transurethral prostatectomy is rare and difficult to manage. Success rate of endoscopic treatment decline considerably after repeated treatments. Bladder neck reconstruction are often the last resort to treat refractory BNC failing endoscopic treatments. In general, experience is limited with this type of bladder neck reconstruction, particularly in adult patients. This study aims to determine the success rate, functional and patient-reported outcomes (PRO) of open Y-V plasty in treatment of refractory BNC after transurethral prostatectomy. The study also aims to determine the rate, and potential predictors of persistent storage symptoms after Y-V plasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between January 2016 and February 2021, 18 consecutive patients with refractory BNC who underwent open Y-V plasty were included in this study. All patients presented with voiding dysfunction after two or more failed attempts of endoscopic treatments followed by a 3-month period of outpatient serial dilation program. Clinicopathological data were extracted from medical records including baseline demographics, aetiology of BNC, previous endoscopic treatment, operative time, length of stay, complications, uroflow findings, International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and OAB-V8. Primary outcome was the success of open YV plasty, defined as no need for further instrumentation such as indwelling catheterization, urethral dilatation, urethrotomy, or open surgery. Simple linear regression analysis was performed to determine predictor factors for postoperative OAB-V8. Variables that showed p < 0.25 were included in the multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Most common aetiology of BNC was transurethral resection of prostate gland (n = 18, 100%). Mean age at surgery age (SD) was 65.5 (7.3) years. Mean follow-up was 14.8 (7) months. Success rate was 100%. Postoperative Qmax improved significantly [pre-OP 6.7 (8.1) ml/s vs. post-OP was 14.8 (7.3) ml/s, p < 0.001]. Mean postvoid residual decreased significantly [pre-OP 223.3 (254.3) ml vs. post-OP 45.1 (71.0) ml, p < 0.01)]. Persistent storage symptoms were reported in 61% of patients. BMI and baseline IPSS score are significant predictors for the postoperative OAB V8 change (adjusted b (95% confidence interval) = 1.037 (0.2-1.9), 0.64 (0.28-0.99), respectively, R2 = 0.59). CONCLUSION: Y-V plasty reconstruction for refractory BNC represents a feasible and successful option with high success rate and favorable outcomes. While functional and patient-reported outcomes had significantly improved post-operatively, persistent storage symptoms after this procedure still exist. BMI and baseline IPSS score are significant predictors for persistent storage symptoms after bladder neck reconstruction.

Canadian cost data associated with treating overactive bladder is lacking.

INTRODUCTION: Cost-effectiveness analysis forms an integral part of the approval process for new medical treatments in Canada, including drug and non-drug technologies. This study's primary objective was to identify peer-reviewed studies that report Canadian-specific cost data for treating overactive bladder (OAB) based on the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) guideline. A secondary objective was to identify studies that report cost data from other healthcare jurisdictions that could be generalizable to the Canadian context. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the published peer-reviewed literature. We included studies from Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries, excluding the U.S., published in English since January 2009. RESULTS: From 165 abstracts identified in our initial search, 18 studies were ultimately included for analysis. This included one Canadian-based study reporting costs in Canadian dollars, all related to second-line treatments. The other studies were primarily from Europe, reporting costs in Euros or British pounds. There were no studies reporting costs for first-line treatments. Gaps in costs for select second-line and third-line treatments recommended by the CUA were also identified. CONCLUSIONS: Canadian-specific cost data for OAB treatments published in the peer-reviewed literature is limited to a single study reporting costs for only a few second-line treatments sourced from a single province over 10 years ago. Cost data from other healthcare jurisdictions are available, but the generalizability of costs associated with third-line treatments is questionable.

The use of onabotulinumtoxinA to treat idiopathic overactive bladder in elderly patients is in need of study.

BACKGROUND: Injecting onabotulinumtoxinA (BoTN-A) into the bladder has been established as an effective treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) and well-tolerated by patients. However, there evidence suggests the efficacy and safety of this treatment may decrease with age due to increased comorbidities and frailty. This study's objective was to establish empirical evidence regarding age-related differences in outcomes related to BoTN-A for the treatment of idiopathic OAB. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Registry for Controlled Trials were systematically searched. Results were restricted to randomized control trials of BoTN-A bladder injections for the treatment of idiopathic OAB. The resulting articles' abstracts were screened independently by two reviewers. Those passing the screen were reviewed in full. Articles were excluded if participants were <18 years old, diagnosed with neurogenic overactivity, or treated with both oral medications and BoTN-A; if the frequency and severity of OAB symptoms were not specified; or, if symptoms were not stratified by age. RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 1572 articles; 166 were reviewed in full. None met all inclusion/exclusion criteria. However, 21 studies met all criteria except age stratification. Authors were contacted to obtain raw data to perform an independent age-based analysis, but sufficient data was not received. CONCLUSION: While the initial systematic review did not generate the expected results, it did reveal that age-related outcomes of BoTN-A for the treatment of OAB are significantly under-studied. Given that the prevalence of OAB increases with age, this is an important knowledge gap. Our article explains the rationale for further study in this area.

Impact of radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer on bladder function as demonstrated on urodynamics study: A systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to describe the effects of bladder function following radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer by performing a systematic review on studies reporting on urodynamic findings after radiotherapy. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The review protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42021229037). A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and OVID Embase. Studies were included if they involved men who underwent urodynamic studies following radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer. A total of 798 articles were screened and five articles included. A qualitative analysis was performed. RESULTS: Bladder compliance appears to be impaired following radiotherapy, especially with longer followup. Impaired bladder compliance was reported in 18.8-62.5% of patients following radiotherapy. Bladder capacity was found to be statistically significantly lower following radiotherapy compared to pre-radiotherapy, and when compared with patients who did not undergo pelvic radiotherapy. Bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) persists post-radiotherapy in most patients at three and 18 months post-radiotherapy. De novo detrusor overactivity (DO) of 13.3% has been reported at 18 months post-radiotherapy. This review is limited by the absence of level I/II studies. CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer results in decreased bladder compliance and capacity demonstrated on urodynamic studies. Resolution of BOO appears less likely in comparison to series on radical prostatectomy. De novo DO may develop following radiotherapy, especially with longer followup. With only low level of evidence studies available at present, further high-quality, prospective studies are important to elucidate the impact of radiotherapy on bladder and urethral function.

Evaluation of surgical approaches for vesicovaginal fistulae repair: the case for transvaginal repair as the gold standard.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To highlight the success rates of two approaches of transvaginal vs. transabdominal closures for the vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) repair and to investigate the patient, fistula, and surgical factors relevant to surgical characteristics and successful outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 66 consecutive patients who underwent VVF repair between 2005 and 2020. Fistula profile, operative data, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. Primary outcome was success rate with regard to surgical approach. Secondary outcomes were to compare patients' and surgical characteristics with regard to surgical approach and correlate these characteristics relevant to surgical outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 66 women with a median age of 47 (27-82) years were included. Most (93.9%) of the VVFs were secondary to gynecological procedures. Thirteen (19.7%) patients had previous VVF repair. The median time from onset of leakage to surgical repair was 120 days. Forty-nine patients underwent transvaginal repair, whereas 17 (25.7%) women had abdominal repair. The success rates of transvaginal and abdominal techniques were 98% and 82%, respectively. Transvaginal approach had a significantly shorter operative time, less intraoperative blood loss, reduced hospital stay, and lower complication rates (p < 0.005). Age and time to surgery were positively and significantly correlated with surgical time [r (p value): 0.392 (0.003), (0.0386 (0.01)] and estimated blood loss [0.388 (0.002 and 0.410 (0.001)], respectively. CONCLUSION: Transvaginal repair of VVF is a technically feasible and successful approach with significantly better operative parameters and lower complications. Despite varied etiology and different surgical approach, age and time to surgery are the main factors that correlate with operative time and blood loss.

An unusual case of vaginal mass - subpubic cartilaginous cyst.

Subpubic cartilaginous cyst is a rare form of ganglion cyst that arises on the inferior surface of the pubis symphysis. The pathophysiology is poorly understood but has been hypothesised to be secondary to mucinous degeneration of the pubic supporting ligaments with cartilaginous metaplasia. We report a case of subpubic cartilaginous cyst in a 58-year-old woman who presented with an unusual symptomatic vaginal mass, that she described as 'growing a penis'. The patient proceeded to surgical excision of the lesion and is symptom and recurrence free following 2.5 years of follow up.

The relationship between overactive bladder and prostate cancer: A scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: The relationship between prostate cancer (PCa) and overactive bladder (OAB) is poorly understood. PCa and OAB are frequently diagnosed in elderly populations, so it could be expected that both conditions would be observed in older patients. Whether PCa and OAB occur independently with age, or the presence of PCa leads to the onset of OAB/lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has not been explored. This review aimed to investigate whether men newly diagnosed with PCa are more likely to have OAB compared to the general population, and if the various treatment modalities for PCa are likely to impact the incidence or exacerbation of OAB. METHODS: The University of Calgary's databases for Medline and PubMed were searched for relevant publications. No restrictions were placed on the study design reported. Any publications reporting OAB and a PCa diagnosis and/or observation relating to PCa diagnosis and rates of OAB/LUTS in an adult population were included for full review. RESULTS: Of the studies examining the relationship between PCa and LUTS, results varied, but frequently indicated an inverse association between PCa and LUTS in which patients newly diagnosed with PCa were more unlikely to have LUTS compared to the general population. Following treatment, brachytherapy resulted in a higher prevalence of OAB symptoms compared to surgical treatment and external beam radiation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Diverse evidence was found regarding the relationship between the prevalence of pre-treatment OAB and PCa diagnosis. However, limited evidence, as well as uncertainty regarding pre-treatment symptoms and their impact on post-treatment outcomes, restricts potential conclusions.

Impact of radical prostatectomy on bladder function as demonstrated on urodynamics study-A systematic review.

AIMS: This study aims to describe the effects of radical prostatectomy (RP) on bladder function by performing a systematic review of urodynamics study findings before and after RP. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guideline and registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020206844). A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase. Studies were included if they involved men who underwent RP and had urodynamics study performed preoperatively, postoperatively, or both. Studies that included only subgroups of patients based on symptoms were excluded. Three hundred and four articles were screened, with 20 articles included. A qualitative analysis was performed. RESULTS: The rate of baseline bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) pre-RP was 19%-67%. All six studies with comparative data pre- and postoperatively demonstrated a decrease in the rate of patients with equivocal or clear obstruction. The baseline rates of detrusor overactivity (DO) varied widely from 11% to 61.2%. Six of eight studies with 6 months or more follow-up showed an improvement in the rates of DO ranging from 3.0% to 12.5%. The rate of de novo DO ranged from 0% to 54.5%. Four studies reported an increased rate of impaired bladder contractility and two of three studies showed a worsening rate of impaired bladder compliance following RP. This review is limited by the absence of level I/II studies. CONCLUSIONS: Urodynamics study shows that BOO is improved following RP in most patients. RP resolves DO in some patients and cause de novo DO in others. The net effect is a reduced overall rate of DO in most studies. Bladder compliance and contractility may be impaired after RP.

Incidence and predictors of early and late hospital readmission after transurethral resection of the prostate: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the incidence and predictors of hospital readmission and emergency department (ED) visits in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia treated by transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using a linked administrative dataset from Calgary, Canada. Participants were men who underwent their first TURP procedure between 2015 and 2017. We examined patient demographics, and type of surgery (elective or urgent). Comorbidities were scored using the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). The primary outcomes were unplanned hospital readmissions and ED visits at 30, 60 and 90 days after TURP. The secondary aim was to identify potential predictors across these groups. RESULTS: We identified 3059 men, most of whom underwent elective TURP (83%). The mean (sd) patient age was 71.0 (10.0) years. A total of 224 patients (7.4%) were readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, 290 (9.5%) within 60 days, and 339 (11.1%) within 90 days of discharge. The frequency of return visits within 30, 60 and 90 days of TURP were 21.4%, 26% and 28.6%, respectively. The most responsible diagnoses for ED visit within 90 days were haematuria (15.4%) and retention of urine (12.8%). Multivariable analysis showed that age (odds ratio [OR] 1.61, P < 0.001), surgery type (OR 2.20, P < 0.001), and CCI score (OR 2.03, P < 0.001) were independently associated with odds of readmission and ED visits at all time points. CONCLUSION: Older age, poorer health and urgent surgery predicted return to ED or readmission after TURP; efforts should be made to improve selection, counselling and preoperative optimization based on these risks.

Baseline patient reported outcomes data shows high prevalence of overactive bladder, sexual dysfunction, depression and anxiety in Canadian men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Research on prostate cancer survivorship patients has largely been on oncological outcome, incontinence and erectile dysfunction, with less data on the relationship between prostate cancer, bladder function and mental health. This study aims to elucidate the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), overactive bladder (OAB), sexual dysfunction, depression and anxiety in Canadian men with newly diagnosed localised prostate cancer. METHODS: This is a single-centre prospective cross-sectional study of men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer recruited from June 2017 to July 2018. The patient-reported outcomes (PRO) instruments used in this study included the international prostate symptoms score (IPSS), OAB-V8, EQ-5D™, and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite short form (EPIC-26). Clinico-pathological data were extracted from medical records. The prevalence of LUTS, OAB, sexual dysfunction, depression and anxiety were determined from the PROs. RESULTS: A total of 83 patients were included in this study. The median age was 63. Based on IPSS scores, 55.3% of men had mild LUTS, 36.8% had moderate LUTS and 7.9% had severe LUTS. Based on OAB-V8 scores, 55.8% of men had a score of 8 or higher, suggestive of OAB. Only 55.8% of men reported erections adequate for intercourse. 23.1% of men reported to have a moderate to big problem with depression, and 28.8% of men reported to have a degree of anxiety or depression. CONCLUSIONS: OAB is a significant problem in men with newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer, with a prevalence of 55.8% based on this study. Baseline sexual dysfunction, anxiety and depression are also prevalent in this population.

Is there a link between back pain and urinary symptoms?

AIMS: To identify epidemiological studies of mechanical low back pain and urinary dysfunction, and to identify potential evidence supporting a mechanism for this relationship. METHODS: A systematic online search was conducted of EmBASE, Medline, CINAHL, and PEDro databases. We excluded studies where an obvious link between low back pain and urinary dysfunction exists (such as cauda equina syndrome). Two reviewers used inclusion/exclusion criteria to screen the articles. Data were extracted and summarised with a narrative review, and study quality was assessed. RESULTS: We included 22/930 studies. Twelve studies addressed the epidemiological link between low back pain and urinary symptoms. The studies all found a statistically significant association between the diagnosis of urinary incontinence or urinary symptoms and low back pain, (aOR's 1.1 to 3.1). Results were consistent when stratified by sex, age, and when adjusted for confounders. The study quality was good in 4/12. Eight studies reported on an assessment/intervention related to pelvic floor function, urinary symptoms and low back pain. Pelvic floor dysfunction was common in women with low back pain, however randomized studies and pre-post studies reported mixed results for pelvic floor physiotherapy improving low back pain. The study quality was good in 3/8. CONCLUSIONS: Low back pain and urinary incontinence are associated in large epidemiological studies, and the presence of one condition seems to predispose the development of the other. There is limited evidence to suggest pelvic floor interventions are useful for low back pain in this patient population, therefore the mechanism for this relationship is still unclear.

Muscle invasive bladder cancer presenting as recurrent autonomic dysreflexia - a wolf in wolf's clothing.

Context: Autonomic dysreflexia is a potentially lethal condition experienced by spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. It has a wide range of causes, most of which are genitourinary in nature. However, there has been no documented case of primary bladder cancer as a trigger for recurrent autonomic dysreflexia. Findings: We present a case of a 51-year-old spinal cord injury patient with multiple presentations of autonomic dysreflexia. Work up revealed locally invasive bladder cancer, and following definitive surgery, his symptoms were alleviated. Conclusions: In SCI patients with recurrent AD, comprehensive work up with involvement of a specialized Urologist is required as AD may be the only presenting symptom of a serious underlying medical condition.

Evaluating the measurement properties of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) with a multicenter cohort.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the 26-item Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) for measuring the quality of life in patients treated for localized prostate cancer. The EPIC-26 is a patient-reported outcome instrument recommended for use with patients treated for localized prostate cancer. METHODS: This study is based on data collected prospectively between September 2014 and February 2017 in Alberta, Canada. Men were treated with either radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy and administered the EPIC-26. Responses to the EPIC-26 were the primary outcome. Construct validity was measured using confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was measured using Chronbach's alpha and item-total correlation. Ceiling and floor effects were also investigated. RESULTS: EPIC-26 response data from 205 participants (prostatectomy =138; radiation=60; both=7) were used in this analysis. The EPIC-26 was administered an average of 33.8 weeks after treatment. The confirmatory factor analysis model did not meet the threshold for adequate fit. Several items had near-zero factor loadings and were non-significant. Four out of the EPIC-26's five domains met the acceptable reliability threshold based on Cronbach's alpha. Ceiling effects were observed in four out of five domains. CONCLUSIONS: The EPIC-26 demonstrated poor construct validity, adequate reliability, and large ceiling effects. Several issues were observed, suggesting that the instrument's five domains were not well-defined by their respective items. The original EPIC's conceptual framework should be reviewed and the shortened instrument revised to improve its performance for measuring post-treatment quality of life.