Initial experience using the Axonics sacral neuromodulation system in patients with multiple sclerosis.

INTRODUCTION: Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is third-line therapy approved for urge urinary incontinence (UUI) and urgency, and nonobstructive urinary retention. Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients often suffer from neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). The utility of SNM in the MS population is limited by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) incompatibility as routine MRIs to evaluate for disease progression are required. The Axonics System is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved SNM device that is 1.5/3 T full-body MRI-conditionally safe. This study seeks to investigate the symptomatic improvement in MS patients after implantation of the Axonics System. METHODS: All MS patients who elected for Axonics SNM from December 2019 to January 2021 were included. Demographics and scores were queried for urogenital distress inventory (UDI-6), incontinence impact questionnaire (IIQ-7), and global response assessment (GRA). RESULTS: Fifteen MS patients with UUI were included. The time to follow-up averaged 121 days. On UDI-6, 12 patients reported improvement, 1 worsening, and 2 no change. Average UDI-6 scores before and after implantation were 56.6 and 25.2 (p < 0.0001). Improvements were significant for all questions under stress urinary incontinence, UUI, and voiding difficulty subcategories. On IIQ-7, 14 patients reported improvement and 1 reported worsening. Average IIQ-7 scores before and after implantation were 59.0 and 22.2 (p < 0.001). Improvements were significant for travel, social, and emotional subcategories, but not for physical activity. The average GRA score was 6 ("moderately improved"). CONCLUSION: The majority of MS patients reported significant initial improvement in UUI and associated quality of life measures on validated questionnaires after implantation of the Axonics System. Future studies are needed to determine the long-term outcomes and durability of this MRI full-body conditionally-safe system.

Gynecologic Considerations for the Urologic Surgeon.

While gynecologic malignancy is uncommon in women with conditions such as pelvic organ prolapse and bladder cancer, urologists should be acquainted with the relevant gynecologic literature as it pertains to their surgical care of female patients. While taking the patient history, urologists should be aware of prior cervical cancer screening and ask about vaginal bleeding, which can be a sign of uterine cancer. Urologic surgeons should also discuss the role of concomitant prophylactic oophorectomy and/or salpingectomy for ovarian cancer risk reduction at the time of pelvic surgery. An understanding of basic tests, such as a transvaginal sonogram, can help urologists provide comprehensive care.

Trends of Mesh Utilization for Stress Urinary Incontinence Before and After the 2011 Food and Drug Administration Notification Between FPMRS-Certified and Non-FPMRS-Certified Physicians: A Statewide All-Payer Database Analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the utilization of mesh slings for stress urinary incontinence (SUI) across time - before and after the 2011 US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) public health notification regarding an increase in adverse events related to transvaginal mesh (TVM) for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) repair - and among FPMRS-certified urologists and gynecologists and non-FPMRS counterparts using a statewide database. METHODS: The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System all-payer database was utilized to extract outpatient Current Procedural Terminology procedure codes for SUI mesh sling utilization and revision or removal performed between 2007 and 2015. RESULTS: After the 2011 FDA warning on POP with TVM, sling placement decreased by 43% from 5214 cases in 2011 to 2958 in 2015. However, over the study period, the rate of sling revision remained stable relative to total sling placement. The rise and fall in mesh sling usage for SUI was primarily driven by non-FPMRS providers. FPMRS providers performed a higher proportion of sling procedures. The number of FPMRS physicians also increased from 2011 to 2015, and each individual physician had a higher median case volume for sling placements and revisions. CONCLUSION: In New York state, utilization of mesh slings for SUI has significantly decreased since the 2011 FDA public health notification, without any specific warning for the utilization of mesh in this setting. This trend was mainly driven by a decrease in mesh usage among non-FPMRS physicians, although the specific causality is likely complex.

Fluid Intake and Urinary Symptoms in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis.

PURPOSE: The relationship between fluid intake and lower urinary tract symptoms in individuals with neurogenic bladder is unknown. We investigated the association between fluid intake and urinary symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective cross-sectional study of patients with multiple sclerosis presenting to the neurology office was conducted. Fluid intake and lower urinary tract symptoms were assessed by the questionnaire based voiding diary and the American Urological Association Symptom Score, respectively. The relationship between fluid intake and lower urinary tract symptoms was assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Among 200 individuals with multiple sclerosis the mean total daily fluid intake was 2,489 ml (SD 1,883) and did not differ according to severity (ie mild, moderate, severe) of lower urinary tract symptoms (F=0.30, p=0.74). Fluid restricting behavior to control urinary symptoms was reported by 47% of subjects. Subjects who reported fluid restricting were more likely to have worse urinary symptoms (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.53-2.47, p <0.01). After accounting for fluid restricting behavior on multivariate analysis, there was a minimal relationship between caffeinated fluid intake and lower urinary tract symptom severity (OR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, p=0.01), and there was no relationship between total fluid intake and lower urinary tract symptom severity (OR 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.00, p=0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Caffeinated fluid intake has a minimal effect on lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis. On average, patients with multiple sclerosis do not hydrate excessively and a considerable proportion restrict fluid intake to control urinary symptoms. Fluid intake may not contribute considerably to lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Association between urinary symptom severity and white matter plaque distribution in women with multiple sclerosis.

AIMS: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by demyelinated white matter plaque throughout the central nervous system. Plaque involvement in regions that regulate micturition may be associated with urinary symptom severity in patients with MS. The aim of this prospective study is to investigate the relationship between cerebral plaque volume (PV), location, and urinary symptoms in women with MS. METHODS: We conducted a case-control pilot study of women with MS undergoing routine yearly brain MRI. Women were administered the American Urologic Association-Symptom Index (AUA-SI) and divided into two groups: severe urinary symptoms (AUA-SI ≥20) and mild symptoms (AUA-SI ≤7). PV and location in the brain were determined using a validated automated white matter lesion segmentation algorithm. RESULTS: This study of 36 women found that the median total PV did not differ between groups. Women with severe urinary symptoms had larger median PV in the left frontal lobe (LFL) and right limbic lobe (RLL) compared with women with mild urinary symptoms. Within the RLL, women with severe symptoms had a larger median PV in the right cingulate gyrus (RCG). There was a moderate correlation between LFL lesion volume and RLL lesion volume with the AUA emptying subscore; however, these regions did not correlate with the storage subscore. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study found urinary symptom severity in women with MS is associated with PV in the RCG and LFL, and not total cerebral PV. These findings may explain why disease burden alone is not a predictor of severity or type of voiding dysfunction in patients with MS.

Partially Obstructed Longitudinal Vaginal Septum Presenting in Adulthood With Complaint of Urinary Incontinence.

A longitudinal vaginal septum can be obstructive or nonobstructive. We report on an adult woman who presented with involuntary fluid loss per vagina and had a partially obstructive longitudinal vaginal septum. A 36-year-old nulliparous female presented with malodorous, clear, leakage per vagina that she described as "urinary incontinence." Examination revealed a fluid-filled fluctuant anterior vaginal wall with a draining sinus. Imaging revealed a solitary right kidney with duplicated ectopic fluid-filled ureters inserting into a partially obstructed left hemivagina with a longitudinal vaginal septum. A longitudinal vaginal septum may present in adulthood with the complaint of urinary incontinence.

Brain activation during the voiding phase of micturition in healthy adults: A meta-analysis of neuroimaging studies.

Several studies have used a variety of neuroimaging techniques to measure brain activity during the voiding phase of micturition. However, there is a lack of consensus on which regions of the brain are activated during voiding. The aim of this meta-analysis is to identify the brain regions that are consistently activated during voiding in healthy adults across different studies. We searched the literature for neuroimaging studies that reported brain co-ordinates that were activated during voiding. We excluded studies that reported co-ordinates only for bladder filling, during pelvic floor contraction only, and studies that focused on abnormal bladder states such as the neurogenic bladder. We used the activation-likelihood estimation (ALE) approach to create a statistical map of the brain and identify the brain co-ordinates that were activated across different studies. We identified nine studies that reported brain activation during the task of voiding in 91 healthy subjects. Together, these studies reported 117 foci for ALE analysis. Our ALE map yielded six clusters of activation in the pons, cerebellum, insula, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), thalamus, and the inferior frontal gyrus. Regions of the brain involved in executive control (frontal cortex), interoception (ACC, insula), motor control (cerebellum, thalamus), and brainstem (pons) are involved in micturition. This analysis provides insight into the supraspinal control of voiding in healthy adults and provides a framework to understand dysfunctional voiding. Clin. Anat., 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Clinical Considerations for Intravesical Prostatic Protrusion in the Evaluation and Management of Bladder Outlet Obstruction Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

BACKGROUND: Intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) is a manifestation of benign prostatic hyperplasia marked by overgrowth of the prostatic median lobe into the bladder, producing bladder outlet obstruction and related storage and voiding symptoms. METHODS: A MEDLINE® database search of the current literature was guided using combination of "prostate" with the following terms: intravesical prostatic protrusion, bladder trabeculation, bladder outlet obstruction, lower urinary tract symptoms, alpha blockers, transrectal ultrasonography, and prostatectomy. RESULTS: Although IPP can be identified via a variety of imaging modalities, it is easily detected via transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). Failing to detect IPP promptly by TRUS may result in refractory symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, as the condition may not respond to typical α1-adrenoceptor antagonist therapy. In addition, depending on grade, IPP can influence outcomes and complications of prostatectomies. CONCLUSION: Upon report of lower urinary tract symptoms, initial performance of TRUS along with digital rectal examination prevents delay in the appropriate evaluation and management of prostatic diseases.

Specific Changes in Brain Activity during Urgency in Women with Overactive Bladder after Successful Sacral Neuromodulation: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

PURPOSE: The mechanism of sacral neuromodulation is poorly understood. We compared brain activity during urgency before and after sacral neuromodulation in women with overactive bladder and according to the response to treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women with refractory overactive bladder who elected sacral neuromodulation were invited to undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after treatment. During imaging the bladder was filled until urgency was experienced. Regions of interest were identified a priori and brain activity in these regions of interest was compared before and after treatment as well as according to the treatment response. Whole brain exploratory analysis with an uncorrected voxel level threshold of p <0.001 was also performed to identify additional brain regions which changed after sacral neuromodulation. RESULTS: Of the 12 women who underwent a pretreatment functional magnetic resonance imaging examination 7 were successfully treated with sacral neuromodulation and underwent a posttreatment examination. After sacral neuromodulation brain activity decreased in the left anterior cingulate cortex, the bilateral insula, the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the bilateral orbitofrontal cortex (each p <0.05). No new brain regions showed increased activity after sacral neuromodulation. Pretreatment brain activity levels in the bilateral anterior cingulate cortex, the right insula, the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the right orbitofrontal cortex, the right supplementary motor area and the right sensorimotor cortex were higher in women who underwent successful treatment (each p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Brain activity during urgency changes after successful sacral neuromodulation. Sacral neuromodulation may be more effective in women with higher levels of pretreatment brain activity during urgency.

Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery-What Does Certification Mean?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There are advantages and disadvantages of subspecialty certification for physicians, trainees, patients, and society at large. As female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) became the second subspecialty of urology to offer subspecialty certification, understanding the effects of FPMRS subspecialty certification on the healthcare system is important. RECENT FINDINGS: While subspecialty certification may improve training, identify experts, and ultimately lead to improved patient outcomes, certification might also be unnecessary for some physicians, weaken residency training, and limit the number of physicians who are deemed qualified to offer certain treatments. As pelvic floor disorders can considerably affect quality of life, and their prevalence is expected to increase with the aging population, high-quality FPMRS care is needed. In this article, we describe the history of FPMRS subspecialty certification as well as its potential advantages and disadvantages as suggested by literature. There are advantages and disadvantages of FPMRS subspecialty certification. Further research is needed to assess the effect of FPMRS subspecialty certification on patient outcomes.

The history of the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine, and Urogenital Reconstruction.

AIMS: To review the history of the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU). METHODS: We reviewed Society meeting minutes, contacted all living former Society presidents, searched the William P. Didusch Center for Urology History records, and asked Society members to share their important Society experiences in order to gather important historical information about the Society. RESULTS: The Society initially formed as the Urodynamics Society in 1969 in the backdrop of a growing passion for scientific research in the country after World War II ended. Since then, Society meetings have provided a pivotal forum for the advancement of science in lower urinary tract dysfunction. Meetings occurred annually until 2004, when the meeting schedule increased to biannual. The journal, Neurourology and Urodynamics, became the official journal of the Society in 2005. SUFU has authored important guidelines on urodynamics (2012), non-neurogenic overactive bladder (2012), and stress urinary incontinence (2017) and has shared important collaborations with other societies, including the American Urological Association (AUA), the International Continence Society (ICS), and the International Society of Pelvic Neuromodulation (ISPiN). SUFU has also been instrumental in trainee education and helped to establish formal fellowship training in the field in addition to holding a yearly educational meeting for urology residents. The Society has been led by 21 presidents throughout its history. CONCLUSION: Throughout the Society's near half-century long existence, the Society has fostered research, published guidelines, and educated trainees in order to improve the care of individuals suffering from lower urinary tract dysfunction.

Accuracy of a Portable Bladder Scanner to Measure Post-Void Residual Urine Volume in Women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

INTRODUCTION: Lower urinary tract evaluation in women with pelvic organ prolapse commonly includes measurement of the post-void residual urine volume. Portable bladder scanners may not accurately measure post-void residual urine volume in women with pelvic organ prolapse as the bladder is no longer in its normal anatomical position. In this study we investigated the accuracy of the BladderScan® BVI 9400 to measure post-void residual urine volume in women with prolapse. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study of 31 women with pelvic organ prolapse being evaluated in the outpatient setting. Women underwent 3 post-void residual urine volume measurements, including 1) portable bladder scan with prolapse not reduced, 2) portable bladder scan with prolapse reduced and 3) straight catheterization. Student's t-test, Pearson's correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare the 3 measurements. RESULTS: There were no differences in absolute errors among the 3 methods of measurement (all p >0.05). All 3 measurements were strongly correlated (all r >0.85 and all p <0.001). The bladder scan measurements obtained during prolapse reduction did not appear to agree more with the catheterized volume than the bladder scan measurements obtained when prolapse was not reduced. Bladder scan error was not related to obesity (p=0.46) or prior hysterectomy (p=0.81). CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic organ prolapse did not affect post-void residual urine volume measurement error using a portable bladder scanner. Thus, it may be unnecessary to reduce stage 2-3 pelvic organ prolapse before obtaining a post-void residual urine volume measurement.

Etiologic classification, evaluation, and management of hematospermia.

Hematospermia is defined by the presence of blood in the semen typically occurring in men younger than 40 years of age. Symptoms can occur due to a multitude of reasons, but are usually benign and self-limiting, requiring no additional treatment or evaluation. Despite this, the condition often impairs quality of life due to associated anxiety and must be taken seriously by the patient and the physician, particularly if recurrent, refractory, and painful. The etiology of hematospermia can be classified into inflammatory, infectious, lithiasis, cystic, obstructive, tumoral, vascular, traumatic, iatrogenic, and systemic origin. Alternatively, it can also be divided into subcategories based on anatomical origins such as prostate, bladder, spermatic cord, seminal vesicles, or epididymis. A complete history and physician examination, laboratory testing, and a variety of invasive and non-invasive imaging and instrumentation modalities can help to identify and treat the underlying pathology promptly.

Quantitative Changes in Cerebral Perfusion during Urinary Urgency in Women with Overactive Bladder.

PURPOSE: To quantitatively measure changes in cerebral perfusion in select regions of interest in the brain during urinary urgency in women with overactive bladder (OAB) using arterial spin labeling (ASL). METHODS: Twelve women with OAB and 10 controls underwent bladder filling and rated urinary urgency (scale 0-10). ASL fMRI scans were performed (1) in the low urgency state after voiding and (2) high urgency state after drinking oral fluids. Absolute regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in select regions of interest was compared between the low and high urgency states. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in rCBF between the low and high urgency states in the control group. In the OAB group, rCBF (mean ± SE, ml/100 g/min) increased by 10-14% from the low to the high urgency state in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (44.56 ± 0.59 versus 49.52 ± 1.49, p < 0.05), left ACC (49.29 ± 0.85 versus 54.02 ± 1.46, p < 0.05), and left insula (50.46 ± 1.72 versus 54.99 ± 1.09, p < 0.05). Whole-brain analysis identified additional areas of activation in the right insula, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and pons/midbrain area. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary urgency is associated with quantitative increase in cerebral perfusion in regions of the brain associated with processing emotional response to discomfort.

Transrectal ultrasound-guided extraction of impacted prostatic urethral calculi: a simple alternative to endoscopy.

Urethral stones can become impacted in the posterior urethra, typically presenting with varying degrees of acute urinary retention and lower urinary tract symptoms. These are traditionally treated in the inpatient setting, with external urethrotomy or endoscopic push-back of the calculus into the urinary bladder followed by cystolitholapaxy or cystolithotripsy. However, these methods are invasive, involve general anesthesia, and require radiation. In this report, we describe a simple, minimally invasive, and safe alternative technique to visualize and remove impacted prostatic urethral stones under the real-time guidance of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS). The urologist can accomplish this procedure in the office, avoiding radiation exposure to the patient and hospital admission.

Bacteria on Urine Microscopy Is Not Associated with Systemic Infection in Patients with Obstructing Urolithiasis.

INTRODUCTION: Determining whether bacterial presence in urine microscopy represents infection is important as ureteral stent placement is indicated in patients with obstructing urolithiasis and infection. We aim to investigate whether the presence of bacteria on urine microscopy is associated with other markers of infection in patients with obstructing urolithiasis presenting to the emergency room. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 199 patients with obstructing urolithiasis and divided patients into two groups according to the presence of bacteria on urine microscopy. The primary outcome was serum white blood cell count and secondary outcomes were objective fever, subjective fever, tachycardia, pyuria, and final urine culture. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to assess whether the presence of bacteria on microscopy was associated with other markers of infection. RESULTS: The study included 72 patients in the bacteriuria group and 127 without bacteriuria. On univariate analysis, the presence of bacteria was not associated with leukocytosis, objective fever, or subjective fever, but it was associated with gender (p < 0.001), pyuria (p < 0.001), positive nitrites (p = 0.001), positive leukocyte esterase (p < 0.001), and squamous epithelial cells (p = 0.002). In a multilinear regression model including the presence of squamous cells, age, and sex, the presence of bacteriuria was not related to serum white blood cell count (coefficient -0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.1, 0.2; p = 0.17), heart rate (coefficient 0.85; 95% CI -2.5, 4.2; p = 0.62), presence of subjective or objective fever (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 0.8, 3.1; p = 0.18), or the presence of squamous epithelial cells (coefficient -4.4; 95% CI -10, 1.2; p = 0.12). However, the presence of bacteriuria was related to only the degree of pyuria (coefficient 16.4; 95% CI 9.6, 23.3; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bacteria on urine microscopy is not associated with other markers of systemic infection and may largely represent a contaminant. Renal colic may be a risk factor for providing a contaminated urine specimen.

The impact and management of sexual dysfunction secondary to pharmacological therapy of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common genitourinary complications in men over 50 years of age and typically presents with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Classes of medications include α1-adrenoceptor blockers, 5α-reductase inhibitors, and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors. Today, α1-adrenoceptor blockers and 5α-reductase inhibitors are often combined to give a synergistic effect. A review of the current literature identified several adverse sexual side effects, including erectile dysfunction (ED), decreased libido, orgasmic disorders, and ejaculatory disorders. We believe it is important to know the extent of these side effects, as the clinician and patient will need to decide the cost of improved voiding symptoms. The chief adverse effect is ejaculatory disorders, including the absence of ejaculation. Clinical consideration for BPH should include the elements of male sexual function, patients' age, and the characteristics and comprehensive effects of each group of drugs. Methodological bias in clinical studies, such as the subjective evaluation of the sexual side effect, makes it difficult to determine the ideal drug for treatment.