Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP): size-independent gold standard for surgical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) has become an increasingly common surgical management option for treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has long been considered the gold standard, contemporary literature and newer guidelines indicate that HoLEP has become the new size-independent endoscopic gold standard for surgical BPH treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We provide a review and update on current HoLEP surgical techniques, outcomes, safety, and durability according to the growing body of literature. RESULTS: The current body of literature and guidelines indicate HoLEP as a safe and effective surgical treatment for symptomatic BPH regardless of prostate size. Durable long term subjective and objective outcomes have been demonstrated in previous studies, extending beyond 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP continues to demonstrate durable long term efficacy for treating patients suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to BPH. The American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines recommend its use as a size-independent endoscopic treatment option. HoLEP has proven itself to be the new gold standard in surgical treatment for LUTS secondary to BPH with the ability to endoscopically treat prostates independent of size, with durable long term outcomes.

How successful is the transition to adult urology care in spina bifida? A single center 7-year experience.

INTRODUCTION: Rates of successful transition from adolescent to adult spina bifida (SB) care are unknown. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess rates and predictors of successful transition from a multidisciplinary SB clinic to a transitional urology clinic (TUC), or a pediatric or adult urologist. STUDY DESIGN: We retrospectively reviewed patients discharged from a multidisciplinary SB clinic (2006-2012), collecting demographic and clinical data. At transition, all patients/families were given instructions to arrange an appointment within 12 months. Patients who followed-up within 2 years were classified as transitioned. Logistic regression was used for analysis. RESULTS: Of 77 patients discharged at a mean age of 19.1 years, 31 (40.3%) successfully transitioned (mean follow-up 4.7 years). Only 20/41 (48.8%) with prior bladder augmentation, urinary channel, and MACE transitioned. There was no significant change in patients transitioning over time or late catch-up presentations (p = 0.41 see Figure). Transitioned and non-transitioned groups were similar in age, gender, home-to-clinic distance, insurance, ambulation, shunt status, prior non-adherence, emergency room visits, neurosurgery appointments, hospitalizations, and surgeries (including genitourinary reconstruction) before discharge (p = 0.22). Transitioned patients had more pre-discharge appointments with services outside the SB clinic (p = 0.01) and radiographic studies (p < 0.001), but these were not significant on multivariate analysis (p = 0.16). Among those who did not transition, five (6.5%) presented after 2 years, rarely with new complaints (20.0%). Patients without urological follow-up were most likely to visit the emergency room (p = 0.03). DISCUSSION: To facilitate continued care and a smooth transition, the TUC was opened across the corridor from the multidisciplinary SB clinic. To our surprise, a low percentage of patients actually transitioned to adult care over the last 7 years. It is a sobering fact that despite offering three different transition models, <50% of patients took advantage of any of them. While none of the predictors we anticipated to be important in a successful transition were statistically significant, potentially because of low statistical power, perhaps others, such as insufficient time to coordinate care, wait times, and lack of adult coordinated care programs, may be more important. We were unable to compare the urologic health of those who did and did not transition, as we relied on medical record data. CONCLUSIONS: Only 40% of patients transitioned successfully from a multidisciplinary SB clinic and few presented after 2 years. Patients who transitioned tended to have more active health issues and more radiographic tests prior to discharge. Those followed by a urologist are less likely to use emergency room services.

Examining variation in cost based on surgeon choices for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the standard of care for treatment of benign biliary disease. Declining reimbursements and increasing medical costs require physicians to examine closely their choices for equipment to decrease overall costs, particularly looking at key steps of cholecystectomy. The objective of this study was to examine variations between surgeons in equipment and operating room costs for elective LC. METHODS: Elective LC performed at IUH West Hospital in 2013 was analyzed. Patient demographics, preoperative diagnosis, operative time, surgical equipment, and resident participation were tracked. Exclusion criteria included acute cholecystitis and cases with additional procedures. Electronic medical records for clinical data and administrative records for reimbursement data were reviewed. Total supply costs and disposable costs for key portions of the LC were analyzed. Reimbursements were obtained from all payers for LC. RESULTS: All LC were examined (n = 362) and 272 met inclusion criteria. Demographics and pathology were similar between surgeons. Operative time varied significantly (range 53-98 min) with the lowest cost surgeon taking the longest overall time. Times were significantly affected by resident participation. The total morbidity was 4 %, with no mortalities. Total supply costs by surgeon ranged from $412-$924. The most costeffective technique included the use of plastic locking clips and hook electrocautery. Hospital and surgeon reimbursements were $336-$11,554 and $669-$1500 respectively. CONCLUSION: This study highlights effects of surgeon choice as it relates to variable costs for surgical technique during elective LC without compromising safety. With healthcare reform emphasizing reduced healthcare expenditures, it is vital for surgeons to identify areas of unnecessary cost. Operating room time also contributes to cost, thus surgeons should implement techniques to complete procedures in a safe yet efficient fashion. Transparency by surgeons can lead to data that may support standardization of technique across a healthcare system to lower total supply costs.

Reducing Operating Room Costs Through Real-Time Cost Information Feedback: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To create a protocol for providing real-time operating room (OR) cost feedback to surgeons. We hypothesize that this protocol will reduce costs in a responsible way without sacrificing quality of care. METHODS: All OR costs were obtained and recorded for robot-assisted partial nephrectomy and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Before the beginning of this project, costs pertaining to the 20 most recent cases were analyzed. Items were identified from previous cases as modifiable for replacement or omission. Timely feedback of total OR costs and cost of each item used was provided to the surgeon after each case, and costs were analyzed. RESULTS: A cost analysis of the robot-assisted partial nephrectomy before the washout period indicates expenditures of $5243.04 per case. Ten recommended modifiable items were found to have an average per case cost of $1229.33 representing 23.4% of the total cost. A postwashout period cost analysis found the total OR cost decreased by $899.67 (17.2%) because of changes directly related to the modifiable items. Therefore, 73.2% of the possible identified savings was realized. The same stepwise approach was applied to laparoscopic donor nephrectomies. The average total cost per case before the washout period was $3530.05 with $457.54 attributed to modifiable items. After the washout period, modifiable items costs were reduced by $289.73 (8.0%). No complications occurred in the donor nephrectomy cases while one postoperative complication occurred in the partial nephrectomy group. CONCLUSION: Providing surgeons with feedback related to OR costs may lead to a change in surgeon behavior and decreased overall costs. Further studies are needed to show equivalence in patient outcomes.

Treatment of clinical T2N0M0 esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Management of clinical T2N0M0 (cT2N0M0) esophageal cancer remains controversial. We reviewed our institutional experience over 21 years (1990-2011) to determine clinical staging accuracy, optimal treatment approaches, and factors predictive of survival in this patient population. METHODS: Patients with cT2N0M0 esophageal cancer determined by endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) were identified through a prospectively collected database. Demographics, perioperative data, and outcomes were examined. Cox regression model and Kaplan-Meier plots were used for statistical survival analysis. RESULTS: A total of 731 patients underwent esophagectomy, of whom 68 cT2N0M0 patients (9 %) were identified. Fifty-seven patients (84 %) had adenocarcinoma. Thirty-three patients (48.5 %) were treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation followed by surgery, and 35 underwent surgical resection alone. All resections except one included a transthoracic approach with two-field lymph node dissection. Thirty-day operative mortality was 2.9 %. Only 3 patients (8.5 %) who underwent surgery alone had T2N0M0 disease identified by pathology: the disease of 15 (42.8 %) was found to be overstaged and 17 (48.5 %) understaged after surgery. Understaging was more common in poorly differentiated tumors (p = 0.03). Nine patients (27.2 %) had complete pathologic response after chemoradiotherapy. Absence of lymph node metastases (pN0) was significantly more frequent in the neoadjuvant group (29 of 33 vs. 21 of 35, p = 0.01). Median follow-up was 44.2 months. Overall 5-year survival was 50.8 %. On multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma (p = 0.001) and pN0 after resection (p = 0.01) were significant predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS: EUS was inaccurate in staging cT2N0M0 esophageal cancer in this study. Poorly differentiated tumors were more frequently understaged. Adenocarcinoma and absence of lymph node metastases (pN0) were independently predictive of long-term survival. pN0 status was significantly more common in patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy, but long-term survival was not affected by neoadjuvant therapy. A strategy of neoadjuvant therapy followed by resection may be optimal in this group, especially in patients with disease likely to be understaged.