Levels and drivers of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic among a diverse group of resident physicians.

OBJECTIVES: Evidence has shown significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on physicians. We hypothesized that these effects would impact surgical and non-surgical resident education differently, with non-surgical specialties being more heavily impacted by frontline work and surgical specialties losing elective cases. METHODS: We examined well-being and burnout among resident physicians in surgical and non-surgical specialties during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic using the Mayo Physician Well-Being Index (WBI). RESULTS: Completed surveys were received from 110 residents, 55% of whom were in a surgical training program. 35% of respondents were identified as 'at risk' for burnout. Increased demands from work (adj. OR 3.79, 95% CI 1.50, 9.59, p = 0.005) was associated with an increased likelihood for being 'at risk' compared to those without increased demands. Odds of having increased stress level were higher amongst residents with fear/anxiety of the unknown (adj. OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.63, 10.90, p = 0.003) and more demands outside work (adj. OR 10.54, 95% CI 2.63, 42.16, p = 0.001) but lower amongst residents with more time for studying (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09, 0.64, p = 0.005). Risk for burnout was not significantly different between surgical and non-surgical specialties when adjusting for increased demands from work (adj. OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.60, 3.37, p = 0.0.418). CONCLUSION: Perceived effects of the COVID-19 pandemic upon residents' educational experience was mixed: reduced clinical volume had a negative impact, while increased time for study was perceived favorably. These findings suggest potential strategies and targets to mitigate the stress and burnout of a future crisis, whether large or small, among surgical and non-surgical trainees.

Post-Operative Order Set Decreases Opioid Prescriptions and Increases Efficiency.

BACKGROUND: Opioid addiction remains a public health crisis. We aimed to create an electronic medical record (EMR) based protocol to decrease post-operative prescribing of opioid medications and streamline the ordering process while maintaining adequate pain control. METHODS: An order set was created to minimize opioid prescriptions. The post-operative prescribing practices for minor urologic procedures (MUOs) over 6-week periods at three time points were compared: one period before and two periods after implementation of the order set. RESULTS: 72 MUOs were performed in the pre-implementation, 52 in post-implementation, and 60 in the long-term period. Opioid medications were prescribed for 66 patients (91.7%) pre-implementation, 23 patients (44.2%) post-implementation, and 45 patients (75.0%) at the long-term time point (P < .0001 and P = .015 respectively). The mean morphine milligram equivalent (MME) prescribed was 81.52 units before implementation, 38.74 units after, and 24.21 units at the long-term time point (P = .0002 and P < .0001 respectively). DISCUSSION: The integration of a post-operative prescribing order set into our EMR substantially decreased opioid prescribing after MUO while streamlining the ordering process to improve efficiency.

Cutting-Edge Evaluation of Male Infertility.

A male factor is a contributor in 50% of cases of infertility. Although assisted reproductive techniques can often bypass the need to improve semen parameters, the evaluation of the infertile man remains critical. Current methods for evaluating the infertile man are discussed, beginning with the basic workup that all suspected infertile men should undergo, followed by subsequent evaluation steps. Although the fundamental components of the evaluation have remained consistent, several new tools are available to assist in identifying the underlying etiology. As our understanding of male fertility expands, the technologies available to diagnose and ultimately treat it continue to evolve.

Efficacy and Safety of Common Ingredients in Aphrodisiacs Used for Erectile Dysfunction: A Review.

INTRODUCTION: Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to attain or sustain an erection for sexual intercourse. Affected men endorse difficulties with intimacy and feelings of guilt and shame. Although medical treatments are available, patients are reluctant to discuss ED with physicians and often use dietary supplements to attempt to treat their ED. As such, there is a need to better understand the effects of ingredients used in nutraceuticals for ED treatment. OBJECTIVES: To summarize the literature on the efficacy and safety of the most common ingredients used in ED supplements. METHODS: 10 of the most common ingredients in ED supplements were reviewed using PubMed-indexed literature to assess their efficacy and safety in treating ED. Key findings were summarized to include historical use, active ingredients, prior animal studies, human studies, and toxicity. RESULTS: Nutraceuticals used in ED treatment include a variety of ingredients. Although L-arginine is a safe supplement with clinical data supporting improved erectile function, limited data exist on the efficacy of other ingredients in the treatment of ED. CONCLUSION: Despite the growing use of supplements for treatment of sexual dysfunction, ED supplements remain poorly studied, with limited data demonstrating efficacy of individual ingredients. Further study is required to definitively determine the efficacy of nutraceuticals in ED treatment. Srivatsav A, Balasubramanian A, Pathak UI, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Common Ingredients in Aphrodisiacs Used for Erectile Dysfunction: A Review. J Sex Med 2020;8:431-442.

Vasoepididymostomy: an insight into current practice patterns.

BACKGROUND: Vasectomy reversal (VR) is a specialized procedure currently offered by an increasing number of medical practitioners. One method of VR, vasoepididymostomy (VE), is considered the most challenging microsurgical technique within the field of reproductive urology. We surveyed reproductive urologists to assess current practice patterns regarding both intra-operative and post-operative considerations surrounding VE, with the hypothesis being that more experienced surgeons may have different practice patterns than less experienced surgeons. METHODS: An anonymous questionnaire was sent to members of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology (SMRU). The survey included questions regarding case volume, preferred intra-operative techniques, and post-operative management strategies. Responses were collected using Survey Monkey (San Mateo, CA) and statistically analyzed with chi square tests. RESULTS: Three hundred and twenty SMRU members were contacted to participate in the survey; 74/320 (23.1%) participants completed the survey in its entirety. Respondents performed varying amounts of VR annually with most surgeons (24%) reporting between 11-20 VR per year and 15 surgeons (20.3%) performed over 60 per year. Comparing practitioners who performed ≤30 VR's annually (n=46) to providers who performed >30 (n=28) revealed a significantly lower rate of VE in low-volume practitioners (≤20% vs. >20%, P<0.0001). The most commonly used technique to create the epididymotomy involved placing two 10-0 sutures into the tubule, followed by a sharp incision between the needles (74.3% of respondents). An intussusception anastomosis was the most commonly reported technique; 46.0% of participants utilize longitudinal stitch placement, while 35.1% place sutures horizontally. The most commonly reported time interval to evaluate the first post-reversal semen analysis (SA) was 6-8 weeks (39.2%). Participants were also asked to rank the progression of adjunctive therapies employed in the setting of a subpar post-reversal SA. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the most popular first-line management option (52.7%). Corticosteroids were the most frequently employed second-line option (37.8%). Referral to an in vitro fertilization (IVF) center (9.5%) and repeat surgery (2.7%) were also options pursued by survey respondents. Most providers repeated the SA every 8-12 weeks (41.2%) while following sub-par SA parameters. CONCLUSIONS: VE is a technically demanding procedure that requires both microsurgical expertise and appropriate post-operative care. Our analysis demonstrates that a higher VR operative volume is associated with a higher rate of conversion to VE. This indicates either more experienced surgeons are more likely to perform a VE when indicated or more experience surgeons are getting referred and/or performing more complex VRs.