Immediate Artificial Urinary Sphincter (AUS) Reactivation at the Time of Urethral Cuff Exchange is Not Associated with Increased Erosion Rate.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the outcomes of immediate artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) reactivation in patients after urethral cuff replacement. It is common practice to delay reactivation of an AUS for four to six weeks following surgery to replace a failed urethral cuff. This is due to concerns about local tissue edema risking obstruction and concerns for urethral erosion. Despite these concerns, there are no published data to support this practice. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of single surgeon procedures performed from 2005-2020. Patients with urethral cuff replacement for recurrent stress incontinence due to compression or mechanical failure were included. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients were identified who had immediate reactivation of the AUS following urethral cuff exchange. Thirty of these patients (88.2%) had radical prostatectomy and five patients also underwent further radiation therapy (14.7%). At 6 months follow-up, there was no reported events of erosion. Likewise, 32/34 (94%) of patients had no complications and reported expected urinary function of the AUS. Urinary retention was not observed. One patient required further re-exploration for a complication within his AUS system (2.9%), and another was ultimately unsatisfied with their unchanged baseline continence despite a fully functioning AUS (2.9%). CONCLUSION: In this series, we observe that immediate reactivation of the AUS after urethral cuff exchange is a safe and reasonable management approach. Limitations of this analysis include a single institution, retrospective study. However, early AUS reactivation after device revision has not been reported in the literature and warrants further investigation given the impact on patient quality of life.

Causes of Artificial Urinary Sphincter Failure and Strategies for Surgical Revision: Implications of Device Component Survival.

BACKGROUND: Up to 50% of patients receiving an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) require surgical revision after initial placement. However, the literature is heterogeneous regarding the leading causes of AUS failure and appropriate surgical management. OBJECTIVE: To inform a revision approach by tabulating the causes of AUS failure, assessing AUS component survival, and examining the single-component revision efficacy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We retrospectively reviewed 168 patients receiving AUS placements carried out by a single surgeon from 2008 to 2016 at a high-volume academic institution. The median follow-up from initial placement was 2.7 yr, with 37.5% experiencing recurrent incontinence. The cuff size ranged from 4.0 to 5.5cm, with median size of 4.5cm. INTERVENTION: Patients without infection or erosion underwent systematic device interrogation and revision, starting with the pressure-regulating balloon (PRB) and then, if necessary, the urethral cuff. Device revision involved either PRB-only correction or cuff and PRB revision. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We used bootstrapped intervals to estimate the mean time to failure for individual AUS components. Kaplan-Meier estimates were used to compare survival for individual components and for revised devices by revision technique. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: PRB malfunction most commonly caused device failure, while cuff or pump malfunction was rare. Among patients undergoing surgical revision, those with PRB-only correction had similar outcomes to those with more extensive device correction (cuff and PRB exchange; p=0.46). This study, while systematic and detailed, is limited by sample size, follow-up length, and its retrospective nature. CONCLUSIONS: PRB malfunction most commonly caused AUS failure in our cohort. PRB-only correction may satisfactorily restore AUS function in select patients. Consequently, initial interrogation of the PRB may avoid a second incision and urethral exposure for many patients requiring AUS revision. PATIENT SUMMARY: Artificial urinary sphincters remain prone to failure over time. In many instances, correcting only the pressure-regulating balloon may effectively restore device function, allowing for a less invasive revision.

Impact of Adjuvant Radiation on Artificial Urinary Sphincter Durability in Postprostatectomy Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To further understand the implications of adjuvant radiation on artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) durability in postprostatectomy patients. METHODS: One hundred fifty-eight postprostatectomy patients, identified by retrospective chart review, underwent AUS placement by 1 surgeon from 2008 to 2016. Time-to-event analysis measured the effect of adjuvant radiation on all-cause failure, and competing-risks regression stratified failure by cause (infection or erosion, urethral atrophy, mechanical failure). RESULTS: Adjuvant radiation independently predicted all-cause failure over time (hazard ratio = 4.32, P <.01) When stratifying failure by cause, we find that adjuvant radiation patients have increased risk of infection or erosion complications (hazard ratio = 4.48, P = .03). However, there was no statistical increase in urethral atrophy or mechanical failure. Lastly, among patients who have urethral comorbidities (bladder neck contracture, prior urethral sling, or urethral stricture), those with radiation history have particularly poor outcomes (22.4% revision-free survival at 3 years). CONCLUSION: In our series of postprostatectomy patients, adjuvant radiation portends worse AUS device survival over time. Furthermore, this decrease in revision-free survival appears to be concentrated in an increase in infection or erosion complications. Patients with prior urethral injury or manipulation who have also undergone adjuvant radiation should be carefully selected when receiving an AUS as this subset of patients experiences low device survival.

Management and Excision of a 15 cm Paratesticular Angiolipoma.

Paratesticular tumors are rare and often benign causes of scrotal masses. Intrascrotal angiolipomas are an uncommon paratesticular tumor that has seldom been reported in the literature. This report describes a 77 year old man who presented with a 15 cm extratesticular mass. The mass was removed due to increasing discomfort and specimen pathology confirmed it as an angiolipoma. This case highlights the feasibility of conservative management for slow growing masses, such as angiolipomas.

Does Use of a Second Cuff Improve Artificial Urinary Sphincter Effectiveness? Evaluation Using a Comparative Cadaver Model.

PURPOSE: The artificial urinary sphincter is the gold standard long-term solution for male stress incontinence. Some urologists believe that including a second urethral cuff at the time of placement can improve efficacy but strong evidence is lacking. We compared the functionality of a single vs a tandem cuff in a cadaver model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Artificial urinary sphincter reservoir pressure was confirmed at 61 to 70 cm H2O. The bulbar urethra was dissected through a perineal approach in each of 4 cadavers. Distal and proximal bulbar urethral circumference was measured. The membranous urethra was transected. Cuffs sized based on circumference measurements were placed distal and proximal, and connected to the reservoir and pump. Retrograde leak point pressure was measured sequentially across the distal, proximal and tandem cuffs. We used the Friedman test to compare retrograde leak point pressure among the 3 cuff positions, the paired t-test to compare distal and proximal urethral circumferences and the Spearman correlation to compare urethral circumference to retrograde leak point pressure. RESULTS: Mean retrograde leak point pressure across the distal, proximal and tandem cuffs was 73.5, 77.75 and 79.25 cm H2O, respectively (p=0.44). Mean urethral circumference of the distal and proximal bulbar urethra was 4.78 and 5.83 cm, respectively (p=0.019). There was a strong positive correlation between urethral circumference and retrograde leak point pressure (rs=0.5). CONCLUSIONS: The tandem cuff did not improve retrograde leak point pressure. Proximal bulbar urethral circumference was greater than distal circumference and increasing urethral circumference correlated with increasing retrograde leak point pressure. Therefore, the perceived benefit of tandem cuffs may reflect more proximal placement of one of the cuffs.

An Extreme Case of Fordyce Angiokeratoma.

Angiokeratomas are benign vascular ectasias that can present with bleeding or cosmetic concerns. We present an extreme case of Fordyce angiokeratoma. Usual treatment modalities, including medical management with analgesics and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, as well as laser treatments, were not viable options in this unique case. Surgical excision with autografting offered a curative treatment option in this case.

Tubular Adenoma in the Indiana Pouch of a Patient With a History of Bladder Exstrophy.

An increased risk of neoplasm has been noted when bowel segments are used for urinary diversion. Particularly true for ureterosigmoidostomy, colonic adenocarcinoma has rarely been reported following Indiana Pouch diversion. This report describes a 42-year-old woman with a history of bladder exstrophy who developed a polyp in her Indiana Pouch 24 years after its creation. The polyp, found incidentally, was a tubular adenoma with high-grade dysplasia. Due to its malignant potential, the polyp was resected with preservation of the Indiana Pouch. This case highlights the need for lifetime surveillance in urinary reservoir patients who received diversions at a young age.

Chronic pelvic pain after laser prostatectomy: treatment by resection of the perineal branches of the pudendal nerve.

Development of chronic pelvic pain after laser resection for benign prostatic hypertrophy has not been described previously (Clavien IIIb complication). The etiology of this chronic pain, which persisted despite medical chronic pain and urologic management for 5 years, was proven to be of pudendal nerve origin by local anesthetic blockade of the pudendal nerves bilaterally at the ischial spines. Surgical treatment was based upon the anatomic proximity of the perineal and dorsal branches of the pudendal nerve to the site of laser therapy on the pelvic side of the urogenital diaphragm. Treatment required resection of the perineal branches of the pudendal nerve bilaterally and neurolysis of the dorsal nerve to the penis bilaterally through incisions overlying the inferior pubic ramus. Relief of perineal pain and pain with micturition occurred in the immediate postoperative period. Pain relief and resumption of all normal activity occurred by 3 months postoperatively and continues 13 months following the surgery.

Does bariatric surgery affect urinary incontinence?

OBJECTIVE: To determine International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision, (ICD-9) coding patterns as a proxy for incidence and prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) in a population of patients before and after a bariatric surgical procedure for the treatment of obesity. METHODS: We evaluated claims from a national private insurer over a 5-year period (2002-2006) to identify female patients who underwent bariatric surgery and had 3 years of follow-up claims data. The cohort of patients who underwent bariatric surgery (treatment) was matched to a cohort of obese female patients who did not undergo bariatric surgery (control), who were followed from the start of their enrollment. UI was identified by ICD-9 coding. RESULTS: After bariatric surgery, 62.4% of patients (83/133) diagnosed with UI before their surgery no longer had a coding diagnosis of UI. In contrast, only 42.1% (56/133) of those in the nonbariatric surgery cohort lost their coding diagnosis of UI (P = .0009). Of those that did not have pre-existing UI, 6.2% (235/3765) of the bariatric surgery cohort gained a new coding diagnosis of UI vs 7.1% (269/3765) of the control group (P = .1169). Our final model suggested that age >45 years (P <.0001) and pre-existing UI (P <.0001) were significantly associated with post-index date UI. Interaction between bariatric surgical status and UI was also significant (P <.0001). CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo bariatric surgery are more likely to lose a previous diagnosis of UI than are obese patients not treated with bariatric surgery. This supports the fact that bariatric surgery may have other indirect benefits to the obese population.

Comparison of musculoskeletal anatomic relationships, determined by magnetic resonance imaging, in postpubertal female patients with and without classic bladder exstrophy.

UNLABELLED: WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: Several studies in the paediatric literature have characterized the pelvic musculoskeletal anatomy of infants and children with bladder exstrophy using MRI and three-dimensional CT. The pelvic floor anatomy of female patients with bladder exstrophy who have undergone somatic growth and puberty is less well described. This study uses MRI to characterize comprehensively the pelvic anatomy of postpubertal females with classic bladder exstrophy by measuring 15 pelvic floor variables previously described in younger children with bladder exstrophy. OBJECTIVE: To characterize pelvic musculoskeletal anatomy in postpubertal females with classic bladder exstrophy, and to compare this with females without bladder exstrophy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of all females in our institutional review board-approved bladder exstrophy database of 1078 patients and identified those with classic bladder exstrophy who underwent pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) after the age of 12 years. Indications for MRI included haematuria, adnexal lesion, perineal fistula, non-pelvic cancer staging, abdominal wall hernia and vaginal stenosis. Age- and race-matched female patients without exstrophy who underwent MRI evaluation for similar indications were included for comparison. The MRI protocol included axial, sagittal and coronal T1- and/or T2-weighted imaging. RESULTS: The study included 30 patients with a median (range) age of 22.5 (12-55) years at time of MRI. Ten patients had bladder exstrophy while 20 control patients did not. A smaller percentage of levator ani was located in the anterior compartment of the pelvis in patients with bladder exstrophy compared with controls. The iliac wing angle, puborectalis angle, ileococcygeous angle, levator ani width, symphyseal diastasis, erectile body diastasis, posterior bladder neck distance and posterior anal distance was greater in patients with bladder exstrophy than in those without. The ischial angle and obturator internus angle were narrower in patients with bladder exstrophy than in those without, and there was no significant difference between levator ani surface area, sacral anal angle, sacral bladder neck angle and bladder neck erectile body distance between the two patient groups. CONCLUSIONS: In postpubertal females with bladder exstrophy, significant deviations from normal pelvimetry exist, including posterior location of the majority of the levator ani muscle, a wider ileococcygeous angle and a wider symphyseal diastasis. These differences are similar to those described in previous comparisons of younger children with bladder exstrophy and control children.

Indications for revision of artificial urinary sphincter and modifiable risk factors for device-related morbidity.

AIMS: The aim of the study is to evaluate the causes for artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) failure in a contemporary series, and to detect modifiable risk factors for device-related complications. The aim is to also report outcome after AUS revision. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients who underwent AUS revision at a tertiary care institution by a single surgeon from 2006 to 2011. There were 53 AUS revisions performed on 34 patients at a median age of 69 years. RESULTS: Urethral atrophy was the most common indication for revision. Fourteen patients (41%) underwent more than one revision. Seven patients had urethral catheterization in the setting of an active AUS while admitted to a non-urologic service; these patients all developed cuff erosion. Fifty-four percent of urethral erosions were associated with such traumatic catheterizations. After revision, 80% of patients with an AUS in place were using one or no pad daily at mean follow up of 27 months. CONCLUSION: Urethral atrophy remains the most common reason for AUS revision. More than half of all urethral erosions are secondary to urethral catheterization in the setting of an active sphincter, suggesting that some of the risk of device-related morbidity may be modifiable.

Is pelvic osteotomy associated with lower risk of pelvic organ prolapse in postpubertal females with classic bladder exstrophy?

PURPOSE: Bladder exstrophy is a major congenital anomaly involving defects in the genitourinary tract and pelvic musculoskeletal system. It appears intuitive that closure of the pelvic ring using osteotomy would be associated with a decreased risk of pelvic organ prolapse. We investigated whether osteotomy is associated with a decreased risk of pelvic organ prolapse in females with classic bladder exstrophy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched our institutional review board approved exstrophy database of 1,078 patients and identified 335 females. We excluded patients who were younger than 13 years, had cloacal exstrophy or epispadias and did not have postpubertal imaging for measurement of pubic diastasis available. Our final study population consisted of 67 females. Univariate analysis was performed using t test or rank sum test for continuous variables and chi-square test for categorical variables. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Median patient age was 23 years (range 13 to 60). A total of 20 patients (29.9%) had pelvic organ prolapse at a median age of 20 years (range 11 to 43). Of the 67 patients 25 (37.3%) had undergone osteotomy at a median age of 6 months (range birth to 10 years). Seven patients had at least 1 pregnancy (range 1 to 3), and 24 patients had undergone vaginoplasty. On univariate analysis only diastasis was associated with pelvic organ prolapse, with smaller diastasis associated with a decreased risk of prolapse. On multivariate analysis including diastasis and osteotomy only diastasis was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Osteotomy does not decrease the risk of pelvic organ prolapse in patients with classic bladder exstrophy. Rather, degree of diastasis is significantly associated with pelvic organ prolapse.

Anatomical and manometric comparison of perineal and transscrotal approaches to artificial urinary sphincter placement.

PURPOSE: We compared cuff sites and assessed anatomical and manometric differences between the transscrotal and perineal approaches to artificial urinary sphincter placement in fresh male cadavers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Artificial urinary sphincter implantation using perineal and transscrotal incisions was performed in 15 fresh male cadavers. The artificial urinary sphincter cuffs were placed as proximal as possible using each approach. After measuring urethral circumference at each cuff site, an appropriately sized cuff was placed at each location. The 61 to 70 cm H(2)O pressure reservoir and control pump were then connected to the cuffs. Retrograde leak point pressure was assessed sequentially across each cuff. The paired t test was used to compare urethral circumference and retrograde leak point pressure between the 2 approaches. RESULTS: Mean urethral circumference using the perineal and transscrotal approaches was 5.38 (range 3.2 to 7.5) and 3.81 cm (range 3 to 4.5), respectively (p <0.0001, 95% CI of difference 0.99-2.13). Mean retrograde leak point pressure using the perineal and transscrotal approaches was 90.1 and 64.9 cm H(2)O, respectively (p = 0.0002, 95% CI of difference 13.7-33.5). On visual inspection of cuff sites, the perineal approach was more proximal on the urethra than the transscrotal approach. CONCLUSIONS: While the transscrotal approach to artificial urinary sphincter placement has the advantage of technical ease, the anatomical and manometric findings of this cadaver study suggest that the perineal approach offers a more proximal cuff location, more robust urethral size and more effective urethral coaptation than the transscrotal approach.

Simultaneous repair of sigmoid colon conduit fistula and neovagina construction in a patient with bladder exstrophy.

Recurrent urogynecologic complications in women with bladder exstrophy are common and complex given the congenital abnormalities of the bony, connective tissue, and muscular support of the pelvic floor, as well as the length and axis of the vagina. Management of these issues is challenging and often requires unique surgical strategies. We present the case of a distinct, individualized surgical approach to management of several complicated urogynecologic issues in a woman with bladder exstrophy who desired surgical correction of a non-healing fistula, pelvic organ prolapse, and a short vagina.

The effect of age on short-term outcomes after abdominal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse.

OBJECTIVES: To compare perioperative morbidity and 1-year outcomes of older and younger women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). DESIGN: Prospective ancillary analysis. SETTING: Academic medical centers in National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Study. PARTICIPANTS: Women with POP and no symptoms of stress incontinence. INTERVENTION: Abdominal sacrocolpopexy with randomization to receive Burch colposuspension for treatment of possible occult incontinence or not. MEASUREMENTS: Perioperative complications and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Quantification and quality-of-life (QOL) questionnaires (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory, Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire, and Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and 6 weeks and 3 and 12 months postoperatively). RESULTS: Three hundred twenty-two women aged 31 to 82 (21% aged > or =70), 93% white. Older women had higher baseline comorbidity (P<.001) and more severe POP (P=.003). Controlling for prolapse stage and whether Burch was performed, there were no age differences in complication rates. Older women had longer hospital stays (3.1+/-1.0 vs 2.7+/-1.5 days, P=.02) and higher prevalence of incontinence at 6 weeks (54.7% vs 37.2%, P=.005). At 3 and 12 months, there were no differences in self-reported incontinence, stress testing for incontinence, or prolapse stage. Improvements from baseline were significant on all QOL measures but with no age differences. CONCLUSION: Outcomes of prolapse surgery were comparable between older and younger women except that older women had slightly longer hospital stays.

Detection of life-threatening prostate cancer with prostate-specific antigen velocity during a window of curability.

BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level is typically used as a dichotomous test for prostate cancer, resulting in overdiagnosis for a substantial number of men. The rate at which serum PSA levels change (PSA velocity) may be an important indicator of the presence of life-threatening disease. METHODS: PSA velocity was determined in 980 men (856 without prostate cancer, 104 with prostate cancer who were alive or died of another cause, and 20 who died of prostate cancer) who were participants in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging for up to 39 years. The relative risks (RRs) of prostate cancer death and prostate cancer-specific survival stratified by PSA velocity were evaluated in the three groups of men by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses. Statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: PSA velocity measured 10-15 years before diagnosis (when most men had PSA levels below 4.0 ng/mL) was associated with cancer-specific survival 25 years later; survival was 92% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 84% to 96%) among men with PSA velocity of 0.35 ng/mL per year or less and 54% (95% CI = 15% to 82%) among men with PSA velocity above 0.35 ng/mL per year (P<.001). Furthermore, men with PSA velocity above 0.35 ng/mL per year had a higher relative risk of prostate cancer death than men with PSA velocity of 0.35 ng/mL per year or less (RR = 4.7, 95% CI = 1.3 to 16.5; P = .02); the rates per 100,000 person-years were 1240 for men with a PSA velocity above 0.35 ng/mL per year and 140 for men with a PSA velocity of 0.35 ng/mL per year or less. CONCLUSIONS: PSA velocity may help identify men with life-threatening prostate cancer during a period when their PSA levels are associated with the presence of curable disease.

Serum testosterone and the risk of prostate cancer: potential implications for testosterone therapy.

OBJECTIVE: A potential risk of testosterone replacement therapy is an increase in the incidence of prostate cancer, but it is unclear whether higher levels of serum testosterone are associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer. We prospectively evaluated serum androgen concentrations and prostate cancer risk. METHOD: Included were 794 members of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. We estimated the rate ratio (RR) of prostate cancer by entering serial measures of serum total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, sex hormone binding globulin, calculated free testosterone, and free testosterone index (FTI) into a Cox proportional hazards regression model with simple updating. RESULTS: Higher calculated free testosterone was associated with an increased age-adjusted risk of prostate cancer {RRs by quartile: 1.00, 1.52 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.93-2.50], 1.16 (95% CI, 0.61-2.20), 2.59 (95% CI, 1.28-5.25); P(trend) = 0.03}, which persisted after excluding measures in men <45 years of age [RRs by quartile: 1.00, 1.33 (95% CI, 0.78-2.25), 1.26 (95% CI, 0.68-2.33), 1.89 (95% CI, 0.99-3.61); P(trend) = 0.03]. Compared to men with eugonadal FTI (> or = 0.153), men with hypogonadal FTI had a decreased risk of prostate cancer (RR, 0.51; 95% CI, 0.31-0.82). CONCLUSION: Higher levels of calculated serum free testosterone are associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. These findings suggest that men receiving testosterone therapy should be regularly monitored for prostate cancer and underscore the need for prospective trials of testosterone therapy incorporating incidence of prostate cancer as a primary safety end point.