Ureteral stent related symptoms: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: In urology, ureteral stents are used to treat obstructive diseases. Hematuria (54%), fever, discomfort, and lower urinary system symptoms are the predominant symptoms related to ureteral stent. AIM: This article links stent symptoms to double-j width and length, as well as patient's height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Ureteric Stent Symptoms Questionnaire (USSQ) was used to measure ureteral stent symptoms at 1st and 4th week of stent in situ as well as the 4th week after pigtail removal. METHODS: A 200-patient prospective study, where patients were allocated into four groups following ureteral stent insertion depending on the stent characteristics. Those groups were: 4.8 Fr./26 cm (Group A), 4.8 Fr./28 cm (Group B), 6 Fr/26 cm (Group C), and 6 Fr/28 cm (Group D). RESULTS: Men comprised 53.5% of 200 patients. Participants had an average age of 49 ± 15.5 years, height of 175 ± 8.94 cm, and BMI of 23.8 ± 7.6 cm. The laboratory results were identical between groups. At the first and fourth week, groups had similar urine symptoms, pain severity, health status and occupational activities. The difference in pain location was statistically significant. Group A had 82.4% renal back pain in the first week, whereas Group B had 68.8%, Group C 31.3% and Group D 62.5 (p=0.04). At the fourth week, 64.7% of Group A patients reported kidney front pain, compared to 100% of Group B, 93.3% of Group C, and 100% of Group D (p=0.04). There was statistical significance in the sexual activity of the patients. 24.4% of Group C patients stopped sexual activity before stent installation, compared to 10.6%, 8.3%, and 6.4% of the other groups (p=0.03). A moderate percentage of patients had active sexual activity at week 4 (Group A: 7.8%, Group B: 5.8%, Group C: 8.2%, Group D: 4.1%), p=0.83. In multivariate analysis, urinary catheter group, age, weight, height, and BMI did not significantly affect urine index score (UIS), pain index score (PIS), general health (GH), quality of work (QW), and quality of sex (QS). CONCLUSIONS: Despite various attempts to establish the best ureteral stent, the effect of double-j stent physical features on stent-related symptoms remained unknown. No verdict is conceivable without adequate empirical data.

Ureteral stents: A brief narrative review of the different polymeric types, their characteristics, and their connection to stent-related symptoms.

Background: In routine urological practice, pigtails are frequently utilized to relieve blockage. Early signs of pigtail problems include pain, lower urinary tract symptoms, pain, hematuria (54%) and fever. Seventy percent of patients experience irritable voiding symptoms, and 80% of patients or even more report pain interfering with everyday activities. Methods: This article's goal is to evaluate the various polymeric stents that are currently on the market. In addition, a review of their fundamental bioqualities is conducted, and a connection between their physical attributes (length, size, and composition) and stent-related issues is looked into. For this review, extensive Medline, PubMed, and literature research from 1987 to January 2023 was conducted. Lower urinary tract complaints, ureteral stents, "pigtail," "materials," "characteristics," or "properties" were the search terms employed. Results: The reviews and publications that are now accessible linking certain materials to stent-related symptoms offer contradictory conclusions, and the majority of research do not specify the precise properties of the materials utilized. The results of the studies on the relationship between stents length and diameter and symptoms connected to stents are likewise inconclusive, despite the fact that there are several studies on this topic in the literature. Conclusion: Numerous studies imply a connection between the various types and properties of the utilized stents and stent-related complaints. However, the available data did not fully support this claim, necessitating additional research.

Ureteral Stent-Related Symptoms and Pharmacotherapy: A Brief Narrative Review.

The purpose of this article is to review the effects of different types of pharmacotherapy on symptoms that affect the quality of a patient's life after stent insertion. A thorough Medline/PubMed nonsystematic review was conducted from 1987 to January 2023, using the terms: "pigtail" OR "ureteral stents" AND "lower urinary tracts symptoms" OR "LUTS" AND "pharmacotherapy" OR "drugs". Relevant studies conducted in humans and reported in English language were included. The available reviews and articles associating the use of drugs with stent-related symptoms (SRS) provide conflicting results. Most of them show a clear benefit of alpha blockers, particularly alfuzosin, on treating urinary SRS, and hence there is a strong recommendation for the use of alpha blockers for the treatment of SRS in the guidelines of the European Association of Urology. Anticholinergics and mirabegron have shown a significant benefit in dealing with irritative bladder symptoms. In contrast, the findings for combination therapies are contradictory, with some studies showing that combination therapy is no superior to monotherapy with regards to most of the subsets of the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ), whereas others present a clear benefit of combination therapies, specifically silodosin and solifenacin, in treating stent-associated lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), in comparison with any other type of monotherapy or combination therapy. Many studies suggest that some categories of pharmacotherapy, such as alpha blockers, can alleviate SRS. However, there is conflicting evidence concerning most other types of medical treatment. Randomized trials with the largest number of patients are needed to investigate the effectiveness of novel approaches on SRS.

Perspectives on the urological care in Parkinson's disease patients.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is recognized as the most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. Lower urinary tract symptoms are common in patients with PD, either storage symptoms (overactive bladder symptoms or OAB) or voiding symptoms. The most important diagnostic clues for urinary disturbances are provided by the patient's medical history. Urodynamic evaluation allows the determination of the underlying bladder disorder and may help in the treatment selection. Pharmacologic interventions especially anticholinergic medications are the first-line option for treating OAB in patients with PD. However, it is important to balance the therapeutic benefits of these drugs with their potential adverse effects. Intra-detrusor Botulinum toxin injections, electrical stimulation were also used to treat OAB in those patients with variable efficacy. Mirabegron is a ß3-agonist that can also be used for OAB with superior tolerability to anticholinergics. Desmopressin is effective for the management of nocturnal polyuria which has been reported to be common in PD. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is effective in improving urinary functions in PD patients. Sexual dysfunction is also common in PD. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are first-line therapies for PD-associated erectile dysfunction (ED). Treatment with apomorphine sublingually is another therapeutic option for PD patients with ED. Pathologic hypersexuality has occasionally been reported in patients with PD, linked to dopaminergic agonists. The first step of treatment of hypersexuality consists of reducing the dose of dopaminergic medication. This review summarizes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, genetic, clinical manifestations, diagnostic test, and management of PD. Lastly, the urologic outcomes and therapies are reviewed.

The Impact of COVID-19 Disease on Urology Practice.

The diagnosis and timely treatment of cancer patients should not be compromised during an infectious disease pandemic. The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious implications on urology practice and raises particular questions for urologists about the management of different conditions. It was recommended to cancel most of the elective urological surgeries. Urological cancers surgeries that should be prioritized are radical cystectomy for selective tumors, orchiectomy for suspected testicular tumors, nephrectomy for c T3 + , nephroureterectomy for high-grade disease, and radical adrenalectomy for tumors >6 cm or adrenal carcinoma. Most prostatectomies can be delayed without compromising the survival rate of patients. Urological emergencies should be treated adequately even during this pandemic. There is a potential risk of coronavirus diffusion during minimally invasive procedures performed. It is crucial to use specific precautions when urologists performed those type of surgeries. It was also recommended to suspend the kidney transplantation program during the COVID-19 pandemic except for specific cases. In this review, we discussed the triage of urological surgeries, the risk of minimally invasive urological procedure, the kidney transplantation challenges, the systemic therapies, intravesical instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), endourology, teleconferencing, and telemedicine application in urology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Perspectives on urological care in multiple sclerosis patients.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. Lower urinary tract dysfunction due to MS includes a dysfunction of the storage phase or dysfunction of the voiding phase or a detrusor-sphincter dyssynergia. Baseline evaluation includes a voiding chart, an ultrasound scan of the urinary tract, urine culture, and an urodynamic study. For storage symptoms, antimuscarinics are the first-line treatment, and clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) is indicated if there is concomitant incomplete bladder emptying. Intradetrusor injections with botulinum toxin A (BTX-A), are recommended for refractory cases. Urinary diversion is rarely indicated. For patients with voiding symptoms, CIC and alpha-blockers are usually offered. Sexual dysfunction in patients with MS is multifactorial. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors are first-line therapies for MS-associated erectile dysfunction in both male and female patients. This review summarizes the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, genetic, clinical manifestations, diagnostic tests, and management of MS. Lastly, the urologic outcomes and therapies are reviewed.

Perspectives on urological care in spina bifida patients.

Spina bifida (SB) is a neurogenetic disorder with a complex etiology that involves genetic and environmental factors. SB can occur in two major forms of open SB or SB aperta and closed SB or SB occulta. Myelomeningocele (MMC), the most common neural tube defects (NTDs), occurs in approximately 1 in 1,000 births. Considering non-genetic factors, diminished folate status is the best-known factor influencing NTD risk. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been implicated as a risk factor for NTDs. The primary disorder in the pathogenesis of MMC is failed neural tube closure in the embryonic spinal region. The clinical manifestation of SB depends on clinical type and severity. SB can be detected in the second trimester using ultrasound which will reveal specific cranial signs. The management of MMC traditionally involves surgery within 48 h of birth. Prenatal repair of MMC is recommended for fetuses who meet maternal and fetal Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) specified criteria. Urological manifestations of SB include urinary incontinence, urolithiasis, sexual dysfunction, renal dysfunction, and urinary tract infection. Renal failure is among the most severe complications of SB. The most important role of the urologist is the management of neurogenic bladder. Medical management with clean intermittent catheterization and anticholinergic treatment is generally considered the gold standard of therapy. However, when this therapy fails surgical reconstruction become the only remaining option. This review will summarize the pathogenesis, risk factors, genetic contribution, diagnostic test, and management of SB. Lastly, the urologic outcomes and therapies are reviewed.

Bladder irrigation with povidone-iodine prevent recurrent urinary tract infections in neurogenic bladder patients on clean intermittent catheterization.

AIMS: To determine if daily povidone-iodine (PI) bladder irrigation in neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) patients doing clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) can reduce the rate of symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs), emergency department (ED) visit for UTIs, and hospitalization for UTIs. METHODS: We prospectively reviewed the records of patients with NLUTD on CIC who had recurrent symptomatic UTIs and who were placed on daily intravesical instillations of PI. This trial was conducted from January 2014 to January 2020 on 119 patients. RESULTS: After using daily PI bladder irrigation, the rate of symptomatic UTIs was reduced by 99.2% (incidence rate ratio [IRR]: 0.008, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001-0.059; p < .001), the rate of ED visits was reduced by 99.2%% (IRR: 0.008, 95% CI: 0.001-0.059; p < .001), and the rate of inpatient hospitalizations for UTI was reduced by 99.9% (IRR: 0.0008, 95% CI: 0.0002-0.0035; p < .001). There was also a significant decrease in multidrug resistance in UTI organisms with the use of PI bladder instillation. CONCLUSIONS: Daily intravesical PI instillation is a well-tolerated approach to prevent UTIs and related ED visits and hospitalizations in NLUTD patients doing CIC.

Intradermal sterile water injection versus diclofenac sodium in acute renal colic pain: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of intracutaneous sterile water injection (ISWI) to relieve the pain of acute renal colic compared with diclofenac and placebo. METHODS: The study included 150 patients presented to the Emergency Department with renal colic randomized into 3 groups: control group received intracutaneous injections of 0.5 cm3 isotonic saline in the flank, group A received intracutaneous injections of 0.5 cm3 ISWI in the flank, and group B received an intramuscular injection of 75 mg Diclofenac in the gluteal region. The severity of the pain was assessed by a visual analogue scale system at baseline and 30, 45 min, and 60 min after injections. Subjects with inadequate pain relief at 1 h received rescue analgesia. RESULTS: The mean baseline pain score was 9.6 ± 0.61 in the ISWI group, 9.72 ± 0.64 in the diclofenac group and 9.26 ± 0.89 in the control group. The mean pain score at 30 min of the control group was reduced to 6.9 ± 1.56. This mean at 30 min after ISWI and diclofenac injections were reduced to 1.98 ± 1.41 and 1.88 ± 1.19 respectively. The mean of pain sore of the ISWI and diclofenac group at 45 and 60 min was constant. Rescue analgesics at 1 h were required by 47 patients receiving the saline injection and by 4 patients and by 7 patients receiving ISWI and diclofenac injection respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ISWI and diclofenac were equally effective for the pain relief of acute renal colic.

Erectile dysfunction in common neurological conditions: A narrative review.

Neurogenic erectile dysfunction (NED) can be defined as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection due to central or peripheral neurologic disease. Neurologic diseases can also affect the physical ability and psychological status of the patient. All these factors may lead to a primary or secondary NED. Medication history plays an important role since there are many drugs commonly used in neurologic patients that can lead to ED. The assessment of NED in these patients is generally evolving with the application of evoked potentials technology in the test of somatic and autonomic nerves, and functional magnetic resonance imaging. With the electrophysiological examinations, neurogenic causes can be determined. These tools allow to categorize neurologic lesion and assess the patient prognosis. The first-line treatment for NED is phosphodiesterase inhibitors. Second-line treatments include intracavernous and intraurethral vasoactive injections. Third-line treatments are penile prostheses. The efficacy and safety of each treatment modality depend on the specific neurologic condition. This review discusses the physiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of ED in multiple peripheral and central neurologic conditions, as well as for future research.

Novel anticancer therapy in BCG unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Many patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) failed intravesical BCG therapy. Currently, radical cystectomy is the recommended standard of care for those patients. There is unfortunately no effective other second-line therapy recommended. AREAS COVERED: In this review, we present the topics of BCG unresponsive NMIBC; definition, prognosis, and further treatment options: immunotherapy, intravesical chemotherapy, gene therapy, and targeted individualized therapy. EXPERT OPINION: There are major challenges of the management of NMIBC who failed BCG therapy as many patients refuse or are unfit for radical cystectomy. Multiple new modalities currently under investigation in ongoing clinical trials to better treat this category of patients. Immunotherapy, especially PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, offers exciting and potentially effective strategies for the treatment of BCG unresponsive NMIBC. As the data expands, it is sure that soon there will be established new guidelines for NMIBC.

Seizure as the first manifestation of transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare genitourinary entity of the renal pelvis and the ureter characterized by an aggressive behavior. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the first-line therapy of metastatic UTUC. However, a large number of patients with metastatic UTUC are considered ineligible for cisplatin. Immunotherapy emerged as a promising treatment in this setting. Brain metastasis from UTUC is unusual, occurring most often in the presence of systemic metastases. Local therapies such as stereotactic radiosurgery, neurosurgical resection and whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) remain the main therapeutic options for brain metastasis. We report a case of a 65-year-old male patient presenting with generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Imaging studies confirmed the presence of multiple brain metastasis. During an evaluation for the primary, he was found to be having metastatic UTUC of the renal pelvis. The brain metastases were treated by hippocampal sparing WBRT with minimal neurotoxicity. The primary tumor was treated by pembrolizumab.

Update on cystine stones: current and future concepts in treatment.

Cystine stones are relatively uncommon compared with other stone compositions, constituting just 1% to 2% of adult urinary tract stone diseases, and accounting for up to 10% of pediatric stone diseases. Two responsible genes of cystinuria have been identified, the SLC3A1 and the SLC7A9. Cystinuria is diagnosed by family history, stone analysis, or by measurement of urine cystine excretion. Current treatments for cystinuria include increased fluid intake to increase cystine solubility by maintaining daily urine volume of greater than 3 Liter (L). Limiting sodium and protein intake can decrease cystine excretion. When conservative therapy fails, then pharmacologic therapy may be effective. Alkaline urine pH in the 7.0-7.5 range will reduce cystine solubility and can be achieved by the addition of alkali therapy. If these measures fail, cystine-binding thiol drugs such as tiopronin and D-penicillamine are considered. These compounds bind cysteine and prevent the formation of less soluble cystine. These drugs, however, have poor patient compliance due to adverse effects. Captopril can be useful in the treatment of cystine stones but the drug has not been tested in rigorous clinical trials. Novel potential therapies such as alpha-lipoic acid and crystal growth inhibitors (L-cystine dimethyl ester (L-CDME) and L-cystine methyl ester (L-CME)) were developed and tested in animals. Those therapies showed promising results. Compliance with treatment was associated with a lower rate of cystine stone formation.

Management of stent-related symptoms with the use of α-blockers: A meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of α-blockers at reducing stent-related morbidity compared to placebo using the Ureteric Symptom Score questionnaire (USSQ) at particular time points as originally set by the developers of the USSQ. Materials and methods: We conducted the study following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Eligible articles were identified by a search of the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) database for the period from 1 January 2006 to 30 November 2018. The search strategy included specific keywords and only articles in English were considered eligible. A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials was done according to methodological quality, placebo-control use, and USSQ completion at the time points of 1 and 4 weeks after insertion, and 4 weeks after stent removal. The mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for outcomes, with a P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: In all, eight papers were included for analysis. At 1 week after stent insertion, α-blockers were associated with a significant decrease in the USSQ Urinary Index score (UIS), Pain Index score, General Health Index score (GHIS), Sex Index score, and Work Index score (WIS). At 4 weeks after stent insertion, α-blockers were associated with a significant decrease in the UIS, GHIS and WIS only, whilst at 4 weeks after stent removal, α-blockers were associated with a significant decrease in the UIS and GHIS. Conclusions: The oral administration of α-blockers or their combinations have been shown to relieve stent morbidity, especially during the early period of stenting. The use of selective agents can therefore be considered; however, there is still the need for uniformly designed multi-centre randomised studies. Abbreviations: MD: mean difference; QoL: quality of life; RCT: randomised controlled trial; SRS: stent-related symptoms; USSQ: Ureteric Symptom Score questionnaire.

Risk for Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients With Advanced Urinary Tract Cancer Treated With First-Line Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) frequently occur in cancer patients. Risk assessment models (RAMs) for cancer-associated thrombosis have been proposed. However, advanced urinary tract cancer (aUTC) was not adequately represented in these models. We studied the incidence of VTEs, the risk factors, and the applicability of recently described RAMs. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data from 335 patients with aUTC treated with chemotherapy between April 1995 and September 2015 in a single institution were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 95.2% received platinum-based first-line chemotherapy. Twenty-nine patients (8.7%) experienced VTEs. The 6-, 12-, and 24-month VTE incidence was 7.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.8-10.6), 8.1% (95% CI, 5.4-11.5) and 9.4% (95% CI, 6.4-13.1), respectively. No significant association of VTE incidence with the Khorana risk score was observed. History of vascular event (VTE and/or arterial thromboembolic event) was significantly associated with the development of VTE. Patients with such history had a 6-, 12-, and 24-month VTE incidence of 16.2% (95% CI, 6.6-29.7), 19.2% (95% CI, 8.4-33.3), and 25.2% (95% CI, 12.5-40.1) compared to 6.2% (95% CI, 3.7-9.4), 6.6% (95% CI, 4.1-10), and 7.1% (95% CI, 4.4-10.6) of those who did not. The discriminatory ability of this factor adjusted for leucocyte count, sex, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and type of chemotherapy reached 0.79 (95% CI, 0.71-0.87) compared to the 0.58 (95% CI, 0.49-0.66) for the Khorana risk score. CONCLUSION: Development of tumor-specific algorithms for the risk of VTEs is advisable. Patients with aUTC and a history of vascular events are at high risk for VTE development, and prophylaxis should be prospectively studied in this group.

The efficacy and safety of string stents after retrograde intrarenal surgery for urolithiasis.

INTRODUCTION: Ureteral stent insertion is frequently chosen after upper tract endourological procedures. The use of stents carrying a suture string is sometimes used to facilitate the extraction of the stent. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to provide stronger evidence for the efficacy of string stents, by comparing them to non-string stents, in matters of patients' quality of life (QoL), stent-related symptoms (SRS) and complications. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A systematic review was conducted on PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane, EMBASE and Web of Science. The studies included were only comparative randomized controlled trials which included at least one group with tethered ureteral stent and one group with standard stent after the performance of endoscopic surgery for lithiasis of upper urinary tract. Primary endpoints were QoL expressed as general health, urinary symptoms as well as impact on work performance and SRS, expressed by VAS score. Secondary endpoints included complications such as stent migration, stent dislodgement, urinary tract infections (UTIs), emergency room visits and retained stent. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: We identified nine studies to be included in the qualitative synthesis and 3 randomized controlled trials to be included in the quantitative synthesis and the meta-analysis. The statistical difference in the stent related QoL was insignificant. General health was less affected in the non-string group. The urinary symptoms and the impact on work performance were similar between the groups. VAS pain score during the time that the patients were stented was insignificantly less in the non-string group, while VAS pain score was higher in the non-string group at extraction. Stent dislodgement was more frequent in the string group. There was no difference between the groups concerning the rate of UTIs. CONCLUSIONS: Non-string stents affected less the patients' QoL, in terms of general health and urinary symptoms, caused less stent related pain in cases of stent in situ and caused stent dislodgment in fewer patients. On the contrary, string stents caused less pain at extraction. All the aforementioned differences did not reach statistical difference.

Established and recent developments in the pharmacological management of urolithiasis: an overview of the current treatment armamentarium.

Introduction: Urolithiasis is a common, highly recurrent disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. There are many dietary and pharmacological measures to prevent kidney stones.Areas covered: Herein, the authors explore medical expulsive therapy as well as pharmacological therapies to prevent/treat urolithiasis.Expert opinion: All stone formers should be advised to increase their fluid intake sufficiently to achieve a urine volume of at least 2.5 L/day. In the case of hypercalciuria, a thiazide diuretic should be prescribed while in cases of hypocitraturia, potassium citrate should be given. In the case of hyperoxaluria, the treatment depends on the type of hyperoxaluria. Pyridoxine or calcium supplements with a meal can be offered. For uric acid stone formers, alkali therapy is the standard of care whereas allopurinol can be beneficial in hyperuricosuric stone formers. For cystine stone formers, increased fluid intake, restriction of sodium and animal protein ingestion, and urinary alkalinization are the standard therapies used. Cystine binding thiol drugs such as tiopronin and D-penicillamine are reserved for patients where a conservative approach fails. For struvite stone formers, optimal management is the complete stone removal. Acetohydroxamic acid may be offered only after surgical options have been exhausted, for patients with residual stones but it has many side effects.