Patient-reported outcomes after one-stage neourethral reconstruction in transmen with phalloplasty-associated strictures and fistulas.

INTRODUCTION: Urethral strictures and fistulas arising after gender-affirming surgery in transmen require meticulous management strategies. This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of urethral reconstruction and patient satisfaction post-surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis examined peri- and postoperative data from transmen undergoing urethral reconstruction for urethral fistula and/or strictures at the distal urethral anastomosis between December 2017 and April 2023. Follow-up involved clinical examinations, uroflowmetry, and voiding cystourethrography. Patient satisfaction and quality of life were assessed using USS PROM and ICIQ-S questionnaires. RESULTS: Among 25 patients, 88% (n = 23) had urethral fistulas, and 48% (n = 12) had urethral strictures. 41% of fistula patients also had strictures, while 75% of stricture patients had concurrent fistulas. Previous surgeries for fistula or stricture repair were noted in 26% of cases. Techniques for stricture included modified flap (50%), buccal oral mucosal grafting (33%), and primary anastomosis (17%). Post-operative urethrogram revealed urethral strictures in 15% (n = 3) and urinary extravasation in an equal number. Postoperative uroflow parameters showed improvement (Qmax 18 ml/s, Qave 7.9 ml, time 37 s, volume 332 ml). Perioperative complications were low (n = 6, 24%), all grade one (Clavien-Dindo). Follow-up revealed that 33% required another surgical intervention. The mean six-item LUTS score was 6.7 (SD 3.9). Mean ICIQ-S overall satisfaction score was 8.6 (SD 1.6) and outcome score was 20 (SD 2.8). DISCUSSION: Our study found a significant recurrence rate of urethral strictures and fistulas post-surgery. Despite this, patient satisfaction remains high and complications are generally low-grade, highlighting the importance of expert surgical intervention.

Urinary bladder transplantation in humans - current status and future perspectives.

Urinary bladder vascularized allograft transplantation in humans is currently extensively being investigated worldwide, owing to the theoretical potential of this approach as a therapeutic option for individuals with end-stage, non-oncological bladder conditions or congenital bladder pathologies. To date, a successful attempt at urinary bladder autotransplantation was carried out in a heart-beating brain-dead research human donor. The robot-assisted surgical technique was shown to be optimal for performing this procedure, achieving a good performance in terms of both bladder allograft collection as well as vascular, ureterovesical and vesicourethral anastomoses. The urinary bladder vascularized allograft would be an alternative to traditional urinary diversion methods that rely on the use of intestinal segments, potentially avoiding adverse effects associated with these approaches. However, different from ileal urinary diversion, bladder transplantation would require lifelong immune suppression. Clinical trials are in progress to assess the vascularized bladder allograft transplantation technique, as well as the safety of this procedure in oncological and non-oncological indications.

Perineal Urethrostomy for Complex Urethral Strictures: Long-Term Patient-Reported Outcomes from a Reconstructive Referral Center and a Scoping Literature Review.

PURPOSE: There is a paucity of long-term objective and patient-reported outcomes after definitive perineal urethrostomy for complex urethral strictures. Our objective is to determine comprehensive long-term success of perineal urethrostomy with our 15-year experience at a reconstructive referral center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent perineal urethrostomy between 2009 and 2023 were identified. A comprehensive long-term follow-up was conducted, evaluating both objective outcomes (retreatment-free survival) and subjective outcomes through the use of validated questionnaires. Additionally, to provide further context for our findings, we conducted a scoping review of all studies reporting outcomes following perineal urethrostomy. RESULTS: Among 76 patients, 55% had iatrogenic strictures, with 82% previously undergoing urethral interventions. At a median follow-up of 55 months, retreatment-free survival was 84%, with 16% of patients experiencing perineal urethrostomy recurrent stenosis. Patient-reported outcomes revealed a generally satisfactory voiding function (Urethral Stricture Surgery patient-reported outcome measure Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms score) and continence (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form), with median scores of 4 (range 0-24) and 0 (range 0-21), but with bimodal distributions of sexual function scores (median International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function domain: 3.5; median Male Sexual Health Questionnaire-Ejaculation Scale: 21). Treatment satisfaction was very high with a median International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Satisfaction outcome score of 21 (range 0-24). The scoping review revealed varying success rates ranging from 51% to 95%, highlighting difficulties in comparison due to variable success definitions and patient case mix. CONCLUSIONS: Perineal urethrostomy provides effective treatment for complex anterior urethral strictures, with high patient satisfaction, preserved continence function, and favorable voiding outcomes. It presents a viable option for older and comorbid patients, especially after thorough counseling on expected outcomes and potential risks.

Female non-obstetric urogenital fistula repair: long-term patient-reported outcomes and a scoping literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate long-term and patient-reported outcomes, including sexual function, in women undergoing urogenital fistula (UGF) repair, addressing the lack of such data in Western countries, where fistulas often result from iatrogenic causes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis at a tertiary referral centre (2010-2023), classifying fistulas based on World Health Organisation criteria and evaluating surgical approaches, aetiology, and characteristics. Both objective (fistula closure, reintervention rates) and subjective outcomes (validated questionnaires) were assessed. A scoping review of patient-reported outcome measures in UGF repair was also performed. RESULTS: The study included 50 patients: 17 (34%) underwent transvaginal and 33 (66%) transabdominal surgery. History of hysterectomy was present in 36 patients (72%). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) operating time was 130 (88-148) min. Fistula closure was achieved in 94% of cases at a median (IQR) follow-up of 50 (16-91) months and reached 100% after three redo fistula repairs. Seven patients (14%) underwent reinterventions for stress urinary incontinence after transvaginal repair (autologous fascial slings). Patient-reported outcomes showed median (IQR) scores on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Modules (ICIQ-FLUTS) of 5 (3-7) for filling symptoms, 1 (0-2) for voiding symptoms and 4.5 (1-9) for incontinence symptoms. The median (IQR) score on the ICIQ Female Sexual Matters Associated with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Module (ICIQ-FLUTSsex) was 3 (1-5). The median (IQR) ICIQ Satisfaction (ICIQ-S) outcome score and overall satisfaction with surgery item score was 22 (18.5-23.5) and 10 (8.5-10), respectively. Higher scores indicate higher symptom burden and treatment satisfaction, respectively. Our scoping review included 1784 women, revealing mixed aetiology and methodological and aetiological heterogeneity, thus complicating cross-study comparisons. CONCLUSIONS: Urogenital fistula repair at a specialised centre leads to excellent outcomes and high satisfaction. Patients with urethrovaginal fistulas are at increased risk of stress urinary incontinence, possibly due to the original trauma site of the fistula.

Impact of Preoperative Plasma Potassium Levels on Oncological Outcomes, Major Complications, and 30-Day Mortality in Bladder Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: We examined the impact of preoperative plasma potassium levels (PPLs) on outcomes in patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB), hypothesizing that potassium imbalances might influence outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, 501 UCB patients undergoing RC from 2009 to 2017 at a tertiary center were analyzed. Blood samples collected a week prior to surgery defined normal and abnormal PPL based on institutional standards. We assessed overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), postoperative complications, 30-day mortality, and non-organ confined disease. Kaplan-Meier estimates, Cox proportional hazards, logistic regression, and decision curve analyses (DCA) were employed. RESULTS: 63 (13%) patients had abnormal preoperative PPLs, with 50 (10%) elevated and 13 (2.5%) decreased. In a 59 months median follow-up, 152 (31%) had disease recurrence, 197 (39%) died from any cause, and 119 (24%) from UCB. Multivariable cox regression analyses adjusting for perioperative parameters demonstrated abnormal PPL was associated with worse OS (HR=1.9, P=0.009), CSS (HR=2.8, P<0.001) and RFS (HR=2.1; P=0.007). Elevated preoperative PPLs also demonstrated significant associations with adverse outcomes in OS, CSS, and RFS (all P<0.05). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, abnormal and elevated PPLs were not associated with 30-day mortality, major 30-day postoperative complications, positive nodal disease, pT3/4 stage, and non-organ confined disease (all P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Abnormal and elevated preoperative PPLs correlate with adverse oncologic outcomes in UCB patients treated with RC. Pending external validation, preoperative PPLs might be a cost-effective, easily obtainable supplemental biomarker for enriching accuracy of outcome prediction in this highly variable maladie.

Ultrasound imaging of male urethral stricture disease: a narrative review of the available evidence, focusing on selected prospective studies.

PURPOSE: To synthetize the current scientific knowledge on the use of ultrasound of the male urethra for evaluation of urethral stricture disease. This review aims to provide a detailed description of the technical aspects of ultrasonography, and provides some indications on clinical applications of it, based on the evidence available from the selected prospective studies. Advantages and limitations of the technique are also provided. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed using the Medline and Cochrane databases on October 2022. The articles were searched using the keywords "sonourethrography", "urethral ultrasound", "urethral stricture" and "SUG". Only human studies and articles in English were included. Articles were screened by two reviewers (M.F. and K.M.). RESULTS: Our literature search reporting on the role of sonourethrography in evaluating urethral strictures resulted in selection of 17 studies, all prospective, even if of limited quality due to the small patients' number (varied from 28 to 113). Nine studies included patients with urethral stricture located in anterior urethra and eight studies included patients regardless of the stricture location. Final analysis was based on selected prospective studies, whose power was limited by the small patients' groups. CONCLUSION: Sonourethrography is a cost-effective and safe technique allowing for a dynamic and three-dimensional urethra assessment. Yet, because of its limited value in detecting posterior urethral strictures, the standard urethrography should remain the basic 'road-map' prior to surgery. It is an operator-dependent technique, which can provide detailed information on the length, location, and extent of spongiofibrosis without risks of exposure to ionizing radiation.

Advancing Intraoperative Assessment of Urethral Stricture Anatomic Variation: A Prospective Proof-of-Concept Study.

INTRODUCTION: Urethral strictures, particularly those refractory to endoscopic interventions, are commonly treated through open urethroplasty. However, predicting recurrence in homogeneous patient populations remains challenging. METHODS: To address this, we developed an intraoperative urethral stricture assessment tool aiming to identify comprehensive risk predictors. The assessment includes detailed parameters on stricture location, length, urethral bed width, spongiosum thickness, obliteration grade, and spongiofibrosis extension. The tool was prospectively implemented in 106 men with anterior one-stage augmentation urethroplasty from April 2020 to October 2021. RESULTS: An intraoperative granular assessment of intricate stricture characteristics is feasible. Comparative analyses revealed significant differences between bulbar and penile strictures. Bulbar strictures exhibited wider urethral beds and thicker spongiosum compared to penile strictures (all p < 0.001). The assessment showed marked variations in the degree of obliteration and spongiofibrosis extension. CONCLUSION: Our tool aligns with efforts to standardize urethral surgery, providing insights into subtle disease intricacies and enabling comparisons between institutions. Notably, intraoperative assessment may surpass the limitations of preoperative imaging, emphasizing the necessity of intraoperative evaluation. While limitations include a single-institution study and limited sample size, future research aims to refine this tool and determine its impact on treatment strategies, potentially improving long-term outcomes for urethral strictures.

Comprehensive Evaluation of the Ability of Comorbidity and Health Status Indices to Improve the Prediction of Perioperative Morbidity and Long-Term Survival Outcomes After Radical Cystectomy.

BACKGROUND: In the era of standardized outcome reporting, it remains unclear if widely used comorbidity and health status indices can enhance predictive accuracy for morbidity and long-term survival outcomes after radical cystectomy (RC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this monocentric study, we included 468 patients undergoing open RC with pelvic lymph node dissection for bladder cancer between January 2009 and December 2017. Postoperative complications were meticulously assessed according to the EAU guideline criteria for standardized outcome reporting. Multivariable regression models were fitted to evaluate the ability of ASA physical status (ASA PS), Charlson comorbidity index (± age-adjustment) and the combination of both to improve prediction of (A) 30-day morbidity key estimates (major complications, readmission, and cumulative morbidity as measured by the Comprehensive Complication index [CCI]) and (B) secondary mortality endpoints (overall [OM], cancer-specific [CSM], and other-cause mortality [OCM]). RESULTS: Overall, 465 (99%) and 52 (11%) patients experienced 30-day complications and major complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIb), respectively. Thirty-seven (7.9%) were readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Comorbidity and health status indices did not improve the predictive accuracy for 30-day major complications and 30-day readmission of a reference model but were associated with 30-day CCI (all P < .05). When ASA PS and age-adjusted Charlson index were combined, ASA PS was no longer associated with 30-day CCI (P = .1). At a median follow-up of 56 months (IQR 37-86), OM, CSM, and 90-day mortality were 37%, 24%, and 2.9%, respectively. Both Charlson and age-adjusted Charlson index accurately predicted OCM (all P < .001) and OM (all P ≤ .002) but not CSM (all P ≥ .4) and 90-day mortality (all P > .05). ASA PS was not associated with oncologic outcomes (all P ≥ .05). CONCLUSION: While comorbidity and health status indices have a role in predicting OCM and OM after RC, their importance in predicting postoperative morbidity is limited. Especially ASA PS performed poorly. This highlights the need for procedure-specific comorbidity assessment rather than generic indices.