Use of Surgery for Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence.

PURPOSE: Stress urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy is common and potentially debilitating. Surgical therapy with a urethral sling or an artificial urinary sphincter is an effective option with high patient satisfaction in men in whom conservative measures fail to treat post-prostatectomy incontinence. We sought to characterize the contemporary utilization of surgical therapy of post-prostatectomy incontinence using an all payer database. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project databases for Florida from 2006 to 2015 and identified men who underwent radical prostatectomy between 2006 and 2012 using ICD procedure codes. Patients were tracked longitudinally for placement of an ambulatory or inpatient urethral sling, or an artificial urinary sphincter between 2006 and 2015. Patient and clinical data were extracted and analyzed with descriptive statistics. A multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to determine risk adjusted predictors of subsequent incontinence surgery. RESULTS: During the study period 29,287 men underwent radical prostatectomy, of whom 1,068 (3.6%) were treated with subsequent incontinence surgery a median of 23.5 months after prostatectomy. On multivariate analysis risk factors for incontinence surgery included age groups 61 to 70 years (OR 1.25, p=0.008) and 71 to 80 years (OR 1.34, p=0.022), Medicare insurance (OR 1.33, p <0.005) and an increased Charlson Comorbidity Index (OR 1.13 per unit increase, p <0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy 3.6% subsequently underwent stress urinary incontinence surgery. Post-prostatectomy incontinence surgery is likely under performed and delayed in performance based on the previously reported prevalence of severe post-prostatectomy incontinence and the natural history of symptoms. Efforts to increase prompt repair of refractory or severe incontinence can greatly improve patient quality of life after radical prostatectomy.

Antibiotic prophylaxis after urethroplasty may offer no benefit.

PURPOSE: Patients often receive antibiotic prophylaxis after urethroplasty to minimize the risk of urinary tract infection (UTI). The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of UTIs after urethroplasty and its impact on urethral and incisional healing. METHODS: Patients undergoing urethroplasty by a single surgeon from 2000 to 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis and postoperative prophylaxis for 30 days or until catheter removal. We reviewed urine cultures obtained within 30 days after urethroplasty in symptomatic patients, and rates of stricture recurrence and wound complications. A positive culture was defined as > 1000 cfu/mL of an organism. RESULTS: 398 patients were included with a mean age of 43.5 years at time of surgery. We identified 102 positive urine cultures (25.6%) within 30 days of urethroplasty. 78 stricture recurrences (19.6%) occurred at an average of 3 years after surgery and 18 (4.5%) experienced a wound complication, with a 52 month mean follow-up. There were no significant differences in stricture recurrence (p = 0.36) or wound complications (p = 0.42) between patients who had a positive and negative urine culture. On multivariate analysis, positive urine cultures (HR 1.0, 95% CI 0.6-1.8, p = 0.88) were not associated with stricture recurrence, while lichen sclerosis (HR 3.2, 95% CI 1.1-9.2, p = 0.03) and previous urethroplasty (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.6, p = 0.03) were. CONCLUSION: Bacterial colonization and UTIs despite antimicrobial prophylaxis are common in urethroplasty patients. This, however, does not appear to impair urethral healing or influence wound healing, suggesting that postoperative prophylaxis may in fact offer no benefit.

Gender Differences in Compensation, Job Satisfaction and Other Practice Patterns in Urology.

PURPOSE: The proportion of women in urology has increased from less than 0.5% in 1981 to 10% today. Furthermore, 33% of students matching in urology are now female. In this analysis we characterize the female workforce in urology compared to that of men with regard to income, workload and job satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We collaborated with the American Urological Association to survey its domestic membership of practicing urologists regarding socioeconomic, workforce and quality of life issues. A total of 6,511 survey invitations were sent via e-mail. The survey consisted of 26 questions and took approximately 13 minutes to complete. Linear regression models were used to evaluate bivariable and multivariable associations with job satisfaction and compensation. RESULTS: A total of 848 responses (660 or 90% male, 73 or 10% female) were collected for a total response rate of 13%. On bivariable analysis female urologists were younger (p <0.0001), more likely to be fellowship trained (p=0.002), worked in academics (p=0.008), were less likely to be self-employed and worked fewer hours (p=0.03) compared to male urologists. On multivariable analysis female gender was a significant predictor of lower compensation (p=0.001) when controlling for work hours, call frequency, age, practice setting and type, fellowship training and advance practice provider employment. Adjusted salaries among female urologists were $76,321 less than those of men. Gender was not a predictor of job satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Female urologists are significantly less compensated compared to male urologists after adjusting for several factors likely contributing to compensation. There is no difference in job satisfaction between male and female urologists.

Risk of urethral stricture recurrence increases over time after urethroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To report a single institutional experience with urethroplasty outcomes and success rates at long-term follow up. METHODS: A retrospective review was carried out of all urethroplasties performed by a single surgeon from 2000 to 2010. A total of 347 patients underwent urethroplasty during this time period, of which 227 had minimum 1-year follow-up data available. Demographic, clinical, pathological and outcome data were reviewed. Recurrence was defined by patient reported urinary symptoms or need for subsequent intervention. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS statistical software. RESULTS: A total of 26% of all patients had a recurrence at a mean follow up of 62 months (range 13-147 months). The recurrence rate after anastomotic urethroplasty was 18%, as compared with 31% after substitution urethroplasty. Mean time to recurrence was 34 months (range 5-87). On univariate analysis, use of abdominal skin graft, history of prior urethroplasty, lichen sclerosus and length of follow up were statistically significant predictors of recurrence. On multivariate analysis, only history of prior urethroplasty and length of follow-up time exceeding 48 months were statistically significant predictors of recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Urethroplasty for urethral stricture is the most durable treatment modality, regardless of surgical approach. However, there is an ongoing risk of recurrence with the passage of time. Patients should be counseled appropriately on the potential for late recurrence of stricture disease after urethroplasty.

An observational analysis of provider adherence to AUA guidelines on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively evaluated urologist adherence to the AUA guidelines on the management of new patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia related lower urinary tract symptoms in a large university urology group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All first time benign prostatic hyperplasia/lower urinary tract symptom visits to the urology clinic at the Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2012 were evaluated using an institutionally managed electronic medical record data repository. Clinical documentation and orders from each encounter were assessed to determine the rate of performance of guideline measures. Approximately 1% of all results were manually reviewed in a validation process designed to determine the reliability of the electronic medical record based system. RESULTS: A total of 3,494 eligible encounters were evaluated in the final analysis. Provider adherence rates with the 9 measures recommended in the guidelines varied by measure from 53.0% to 92.8%. The rate of performance of 5 not routinely recommended measures was 10.2% or less. Post-void residual and urinary flow measurement were optional measures, and were performed on 68.1% and 4.6% of new encounters respectively. Manual validation revealed the electronic medical record data extraction was concordant with manual review in 96.7% of cases (95% CI 94.8-98.5). CONCLUSIONS: Using electronic medical record based data extraction techniques, we reliably document a baseline adherence rate with AUA guidelines on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Establishing this benchmark will be important for future investigation into patient outcomes related to guideline adherence and into methods for improving provider adherence.

Lichen sclerosus and isolated bulbar urethral stricture disease.

PURPOSE: Lichen sclerosus is a chronic inflammatory genital skin condition that can cause destructive urethral scarring. To our knowledge no prior study has described lichen sclerosus in isolated bulbar urethral stricture segments without progressive disease originating from the penile urethra. We report the incidence of lichen sclerosus in isolated bulbar urethral stricture segments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 70 patients after urethroplasty for isolated bulbar stricture disease was performed from 2007 to 2013. Stricture specimens were re-reviewed by a single uropathologist. Cases were evaluated using common histological features of lichen sclerosus, including hyperkeratosis or epithelial atrophy, basal cell vacuolar degeneration, lichenoid lymphocytic infiltrate and superepithelial sclerosis. RESULTS: Average patient age was 46.5 years (range 19 to 77) and average stricture length was 3.5 cm (range 1 to 7). Of the patients 51 (73.0%) underwent excision and primary anastomosis, and 19 (27.1%) underwent buccal mucosal onlay. In 6 patients (8.6%) stricture recurred during a median followup of 22 months (IQR 14, 44). Three of those patients had lichen sclerosus. Initial pathology assessment revealed lichen sclerosus in 5 patients (7.1%, 95% CI 1.0-13.3). On re-review of specimens using pathology criteria specific to lichen sclerosus 31 patients (44.3%, 95% CI 32.4-56.2) showed pathology findings highly suggestive of (13) or diagnostic for (18) lichen sclerosus (p = 0.0001). On pathological re-review lichen sclerosus was associated with recurrent stricture. CONCLUSIONS: On re-review of surgical specimens we noted a significant incidence of lichen sclerosus in isolated bulbar strictures in men undergoing urethroplasty. The incidence of lichen sclerosus may be higher than reported in isolated bulbar urethral segments without evidence of distal to proximal progressive urethral disease.

Outcomes after urethroplasty for radiotherapy induced bulbomembranous urethral stricture disease.

PURPOSE: We recently demonstrated that radiotherapy induced urethral strictures can be successfully managed with urethroplasty. We increased size and followup in our multi-institutional cohort, and evaluated excision and primary anastomosis as treatment for radiotherapy induced urethral strictures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 72 patients from 3 academic institutions treated for radiotherapy induced bulbomembranous strictures. Outcome parameters of successful repair included recurrence, incontinence and erectile dysfunction. RESULTS: Among the 72 men treated for radiotherapy induced strictures 66 (91.7%) underwent excision and primary anastomosis. Mean followup was 3.5 years (median 3.1, range 0.8 to 11.2). Prostate cancer was the most common reason for radiotherapy (in 64 of 66, 96.9%). External beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy were performed in 28 of 66 men (42.4%) each, and a combination of both was performed in 9 (13.6%). Mean time from radiation to excision and primary anastomosis was 6.4 years (range 1 to 20) and mean stricture length was 2.3 cm (range 1 to 6). Successful reconstruction was achieved in 46 men (69.7%). Mean time to recurrence was 10.2 months (range 1 to 64) with new onset of incontinence observed in 12 men (18.5%). This was associated with stricture length greater than 2 cm (p = 0.013) and treatment center (p <0.001). The rate of erectile dysfunction remained stable (preoperative 45.6%, postoperative 50.9%, p = 0.71). Radiotherapy type did not affect stricture length (p = 0.41), recurrence risk (p = 0.91), postoperative incontinence (p = 0.88) or erectile dysfunction (p = 0.53). CONCLUSIONS: Radiotherapy induced bulbomembranous urethral strictures can be successfully managed with excision and primary anastomosis. Substitution urethroplasty with graft or flap is needed infrequently. Patients should be counseled on the potential risks of urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Lichen sclerosus in men is associated with elevated body mass index, diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease and smoking.

PURPOSE: To elucidate disease associations and possible etiology of lichen sclerosus (LS), we identified comorbidities present in men with LS. LS is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology affecting genitals and urethra of men commonly resulting in strictures. METHODS: Men with LS of the urethra, penis, prepuce and scrotum were identified. A control population was generated from men seen in the Department of Urology matched by age and race in a 5:1 ratio. A case-control study was performed and comorbidities identified by ICD9, CPT codes and medication use via systematic electronic medical record review. Subgroup analysis of men with urethral strictures was performed based on their LS status. RESULTS: Men with LS had a significantly higher mean body mass index [31.0 (range 18.9-52.6)] compared to controls [28.1 (16.8-64.1), p = 0.001], significantly increased rate of coronary artery disease (CAD) (15.3 vs. 8.9%, p = 0.05) as well as a twofold higher rate of diabetes mellitus (15.5 vs. 8.3%, p = 0.02). Of men with LS and stricture disease, 11/19 (58%) were current or former smokers, compared to 28% of men with strictures without LS (p = 0.006). No association of LS with other morbidities like hyperlipidemia, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease or dermatologic disorders was found. CONCLUSIONS: Men suffering from LS have an increased BMI and a higher prevalence of concomitant CAD, diabetes mellitus and tobacco use. Development and chronicity of LS may not be a purely dermatologic condition, but be associated or confounded by systemic or vascular compromise from disorders of CAD, DM and smoking.

Urethral strictures and the cancer survivor.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Urethral stricture disease is poorly understood in prostate cancer survivors who have undergone radiation or ablative treatments. We review the cause and incidence of urethral strictures (excluding bladder neck contracture) in this setting, as well as risk factors and treatment options. RECENT FINDINGS: Stricture rates differ for various modalities of radiation therapy, with the highest rate in high-dose-rate brachytherapy. Risk factors include higher dose of radiation delivered to prostate apex, radiation delivered per treatment, and prior transurethral resection of prostate. Cryoablation and high-intensity focused ultrasound of the prostate also carry high risk of urethral stricture formation, particularly in the salvage setting. Dilation or direct vision incision of the urethra can be utilized as a temporizing technique, with frequent recurrence. Urethral stenting is also an option; however, this is associated with a high rate of incontinence. Urethroplasty has durable outcomes for radiation-induced strictures, with a preference for excision and primary anastomosis because of the bulbomembranous location and relatively short length of these strictures. Salvage radical prostatectomy has been described in a small series as treatment for posterior urethral strictures and bladder neck contractures resulting from ablative therapies. SUMMARY: Prostate cancer survivors treated with radiation or ablative therapies are at risk for urethral stricture formation. Urethroplasty is a feasible and durable treatment option and should be considered in the appropriate patient.

Erectile function in men with failed hypospadias repair.

OBJECTIVES: While efforts have been made to study erectile function in patients with urethral stricture, very few prior investigations have specifically assessed erectile function in men with failed hypospadias surgery. We set forth to assess the baseline erectile function of men with hypospadias failure presenting for urethroplasty as adults. METHODS: Retrospective data was analyzed on 163 adult patients with prior failed hypospadias repair who presented for urethroplasty from 2002-2007 at two sites in the United States and Italy. All patients had completed the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) pre-operatively. Standard IIEF-6 categories were used to assess baseline level of erectile dysfunction (ED) defined as none (≥ 26), minimal (18-25) ,moderate (11-17), and severe (≤ 10). A subset of 13 hypospadias patients prospectively completed the IIEF questionnaire pre and post- operatively. RESULTS: The mean age at presentation for urethroplasty was 39.7 years. Based on IIEF-6 scores, 54% of patients presented with some degree of ED with 22.1%, 3.7%, and 28.2% reporting severe, moderate and mild ED respectively. While the oldest patient population (>50) had the highest incidence of severe ED (38.9%), the youngest age group (=30) had a 60% rate of ED with 18% classified as severe (Table I). Subset analysis of 13 failed hypospadias patients following urethroplasty revealed that 11 (85%) patients had the same or improved erectile function following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Patients presenting for repair after hypospadias failure often require complex penile reconstruction impacting both urinary as well as sexual quality of life. Among these patients there appears to be a high baseline prevalence of ED. Older patients had a higher incidence of more severe ED; however, the majority of younger patients still presented with some form of ED and a significant number with severe ED. Urethroplasty does not appear to negatively impact erectile function in men with previous hypospadias failure; however a disease specific questionnaire is needed to fully address this issue.

Protein markers of malignant potential in penile and vulvar lichen sclerosus.

PURPOSE: Lichen sclerosus is an inflammatory skin disorder affecting anogenital areas in males and females that is associated with squamous cell carcinoma. However, there is a lack of data on the role of biomarkers for predicting lichen sclerosus progression to squamous cell carcinoma. We focused on early protein markers of squamous cell carcinoma and their expression in lichen sclerosus to improve the mechanistic and diagnostic understanding of lichen sclerosus. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed an extensive PubMed® and MEDLINE® search for protein markers found in early stages of vulvar and penile squamous cell carcinoma, and their prevalence in associated lichen sclerosus lesions. RESULTS: In recent years several markers have been implicated as precursor markers for malignant transformation of lichen sclerosus into squamous cell carcinoma, including p53, Ki-67, γ-H2AX, MCM3 and cyclin D1. These proteins are up-regulated in lichen sclerosus of the vulva/penis and squamous cell carcinoma. Various levels of evidence show an association between lichen sclerosus and squamous cell carcinoma. p16 is over expressed in penile and vulvar squamous cell carcinoma associated with human papillomavirus infection but conflicting reports exist about its expression in lichen sclerosus. The angiogenesis markers vascular endothelial growth factor and cyclooxygenase-2 are expressed at higher levels, and microvessel density is increased in vulvar lichen sclerosus and squamous cell carcinoma, indicating a possible similar association in penile lichen sclerosus. CONCLUSIONS: Only a minority of lichen sclerosus cases are associated with squamous cell carcinoma. However, the therapeutic implications of a squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis are severe. Clinically, we lack an understanding of how to separate indolent lichen sclerosus cases from those in danger of progression to squamous cell carcinoma. Several protein markers show promise for further delineating the pathobiology of lichen sclerosus and the potential malignant transformation into squamous cell carcinoma.

A geographic analysis of male urethral stricture aetiology and location.

UNLABELLED: WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: The incidence of specific aetiologies of urethral stricture disease has been reported from a variety of series throughout the world. Most reported urethral stricture series are from single institutions or from a specific region of the world. We provide a multi-centred series to compare aetiologic incidence between differing regional populations. OBJECTIVE: To better understand distinct regional patterns in urethral stricture aetiology and location among distinct regional populations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on 2589 patients who underwent urethroplasty from 2000 to 2011 were collected retrospectively from three clinical sites, including 1646 patients from Italy, 715 from India and 228 from the USA. Data from all sites were single-surgeon series. As the data from the Italian and US cohorts were similar in aetiology, location and demographics, we combined these data to form group 1, and compared this group with men in the Indian cohort, group 2. Age, stricture site and primary stricture aetiology were identified for each patient. Stricture site and primary aetiology were determined by the treating surgeon. Primary aetiology was defined as iatrogenic, trauma including pelvic-fracture-related urethral injury (PFUI), lichen sclerosus (LS), infectious, congenital, or unknown. RESULTS: There were more penile strictures (27 vs 5%) and fewer posterior urethral stenoses (9 vs 34%) in group 1. There were more iatrogenic strictures identified in group 1 (35 vs 16%). When comparing the aetiology of iatrogenic strictures alone, more strictures in group 1 were attributable to failed hypospadias repair (49 vs 16%). More patients presented with LS (22 vs 7%) and external trauma (36 vs 16%) in group 2. Prevalence of strictures of infectious aetiology was low (1%) with similar proportions between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: We have shown that significant regional differences in stricture aetiology exist in a large multicentre cohort study. Group 1 had a higher proportion of penile strictures, largely owing to more iatrogenic strictures and, in particular, failed hypospadias repair. Group 2 had a higher proportion of PFUI and LS-associated urethal stricture. Identified infection-related urethral stricture was rare in all cohorts. Significant regional differences in stricture aetiology exist and should be considered when analysing international outcomes after urethroplasty. These data may also help the development of international disease prevention and treatment strategies.

Presenting symptoms of anterior urethral stricture disease: a disease specific, patient reported questionnaire to measure outcomes.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the spectrum of symptoms in men with urethral stricture presenting for urethroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 214 men who underwent anterior urethroplasty by a single surgeon (CMG) from March 2001 to June 2010. We retrospectively reviewed the initial patient history. All voiding and sexual dysfunction symptoms were recorded. RESULTS: The most common presenting voiding complaints were weak stream in 49% of cases and incomplete emptying in 27%. Overall 21% of men did not present with voiding symptoms specifically addressed by the American Urological Association symptom index. The most common of these symptoms were spraying of urinary stream in 13% of men and dysuria in 10%. No symptoms were reported in 10% of men. Men with lichen sclerosus were more likely to present with obstructive symptoms (76% vs 55%) while men with penile urethral stricture were more likely to present with urinary stream spraying (17% vs 6%, each p <0.05). Sexual dysfunction was reported by 11% of men, most commonly in those with failed hypospadias repair (23% vs 9%) and lichen sclerosus (24% vs 10%, each p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: While the American Urological Association symptom index captures the most common voiding complaints of men with urethral stricture, 21% of those who presented for urethroplasty did not have voiding symptoms assessed by the index. A validated, disease specific instrument is needed to fully capture the presenting voiding symptoms and sexual dysfunction complaints of men with urethral stricture disease.

Distal urethroplasty for isolated fossa navicularis and meatal strictures.

OBJECTIVE: • Urethral strictures located in the fossa navicularis are common and are often managed with meatotomy or meatoplasty. • Few data have described the outcomes for men after urethroplasty or patient satisfaction following these procedures. METHODS: • In all, 93 men at two different institutions underwent surgical repair of distal urethral stricture disease using meatotomy (73) or meatoplasty (20), with 13/20 (65%) of the latter group undergoing substitution urethroplasty. • In patients with lichen sclerosus (LS), all involved tissue was excised prior to reconstruction. • In a subset of men undergoing meatotomy, patient satisfaction was evaluated by questionnaire. RESULTS: • Average clinical follow-up for men undergoing distal urethroplasty was 61 months. • Successful reconstruction requiring no further intervention occurred in 84% of men overall. Subgroup analysis revealed success in 87% of men with meatotomy, 75% with meatoplasty and 66% with substitution urethroplasty. • Men with LS had a significantly greater rate of stricture recurrence (20.5% vs 7.5%, P= 0.04). • Of the subset of men who completed a patient-based questionnaire 84% reported they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the results of their meatotomy. CONCLUSIONS: • We report the success of distal urethral stricture management. • Meatal strictures may be approached successfully in a stepwise manner progressing from meatotomy to meatoplasty for longer recurrent strictures, with a high overall success rate for meatotomy. • Although substitution grafts may be useful for men with longer distal strictures and those with LS, the risk of recurrence was significantly higher in this cohort.

Urethroplasty for radiotherapy induced bulbomembranous strictures: a multi-institutional experience.

PURPOSE: Radiotherapy induced urethral strictures are often difficult to manage due to proximal location, compromised vascular supply and poor wound healing. To determine the success of urethroplasty for radiation induced strictures we performed a multi-institutional review of men who underwent urethroplasty for urethral obstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 30 men (mean age 67 years) underwent urethroplasty at 3 separate institutions. Excision with primary anastomosis was used in 24 of 30 patients (80%), with 4 of 30 requiring a genital fasciocutaneous skin flap and 2 a buccal graft. Hospitalization was less than 23 hours for 70% of the patients. Recurrence was defined as cystoscopic identification of urethral narrowing to less than 16Fr in diameter. RESULTS: All strictures were located in the bulbomembranous region. Mean stricture length was 2.9 cm (range 1.5 to 7). External beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer was the etiology of stricture disease in 15 men (50%), with brachytherapy in 7 (24%) and a combination of the 2 modalities in 8 (26%). Successful urethral reconstruction was achieved in 22 men (73%) at a mean of 21 months. Mean time to stricture recurrence was 5.1 months (range 2 to 8). Two men required balloon dilation after stricture recurrence and none required urinary diversion. Incontinence was transient in 10% and persistent in 40%, with 13% requiring an artificial urinary sphincter. The rate of erectile dysfunction was unchanged following urethroplasty (47% preoperative, 50% postoperative). CONCLUSIONS: Urethroplasty for radiation induced strictures has an acceptable rate of success and can be performed without tissue transfer techniques in most cases. Almost half of men will experience some degree of incontinence as a result of surgery but erectile function appears to be preserved.

Update on AUA guideline on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: To revise the 2003 version of the American Urological Association's (AUA) Guideline on the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From MEDLINE® searches of English language publications (January 1999 through February 2008) using relevant MeSH terms, articles concerning the management of the index patient, a male ≥45 years of age who is consulting a healthcare provider for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) were identified. Qualitative analysis of the evidence was performed. Selected studies were stratified by design, comparator, follow-up interval, and intensity of intervention, and meta-analyses (quantitative synthesis) of outcomes of randomized controlled trials were planned. Guideline statements were drafted by an appointed expert Panel based on the evidence. RESULTS: The studies varied as to patient selection; randomization; blinding mechanism; run-in periods; patient demographics, comorbidities, prostate characteristics and symptoms; drug doses; other intervention characteristics; comparators; rigor and intervals of follow-up; trial duration and timing; suspected lack of applicability to current US practice; and techniques of outcomes measurement. These variations affected the quality of the evidence reviewed making formal meta-analysis impractical or futile. Instead, the Panel and extractors reviewed the data in a systematic fashion and without statistical rigor. Diagnosis and treatment algorithms were adopted from the 2005 International Consultation of Urologic Diseases. Guideline statements concerning pharmacotherapies, watchful waiting, surgical options and minimally invasive procedures were either updated or newly drafted, peer reviewed and approved by AUA Board of Directors. CONCLUSIONS: New pharmacotherapies and technologies have emerged which have impacted treatment algorithms. The management of LUTS/BPH continues to evolve.

Joint AUA/SUNA white paper on reprocessing of flexible cystoscopes.

PURPOSE: Numerous federal bodies and professional societies have produced guidelines and standards for the reprocessing of endoscopes, but few specifically address the reprocessing of cystoscopes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This document presents a summary of the current recommendations for reprocessing flexible cystoscopes, and highlights particular aspects of instrument reprocessing that are unique to cystoscopy. RESULTS: Cystoscopes are classified as "semi-critical" devices. Such devices require high-level disinfection or sterilization between patients. High-level disinfection differs from sterilization in that high-level disinfection does not kill large numbers of bacterial spores, while sterilization involves the complete destruction of all microbial life. In the office setting, high-level disinfection (using glutaraldehyde or another chemical disinfectant) is commonly employed for the reprocessing of flexible cystoscopes. During high-level disinfection, standard reprocessing steps should be followed to prevent contamination of the cystoscope between uses. These include precleaning, leak testing, cleaning, disinfection, rinsing, and drying. Recommended "soak times" for glutaraldehyde vary from 20 to 45 minutes, depending upon the degree to which these steps are followed. If no precleaning is performed, a 45-minute glutaraldehyde soak is required to achieve high-level disinfection. Conversely, a 20-minute soak is adequate to achieve high-level disinfection if recommended reprocessing steps are followed prior to immersion in the glutaraldehyde. One chemical disinfectant (ortho-phthalaldehyde) has been associated with anaphylaxis in bladder cancer patients, and should be avoided in these patients. CONCLUSIONS: This white paper provides a concise reference document for the reprocessing of flexible cystoscopes. In addition, references and links to more comprehensive resources are provided. This document may be useful for clinicians and others who are in search of guidance in this area.

Urethroplasty with abdominal skin grafts for long segment urethral strictures.

PURPOSE: Buccal derived graft tissue has been proven to be useful in urethral reconstruction. However, nonbuccal sources are often needed for long segment strictures or for those with prior buccal harvest. We describe a technique using full-thickness abdominal skin grafts for long segment urethroplasty and present the short-term outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 men underwent urethroplasty for strictures of an average of 11 cm (range 4 to 24) using abdominal wall skin. Prior urethroplasty was performed in 52% of patients and multistage repair was conducted in 48%. RESULTS: The recurrence rate following urethroplasty was 19%, with 9.5% requiring revision after first stage urethroplasty. Complications included hair from the skin graft during the early part of the series (14.5%), glans dehiscence (9.5%), urethrocutaneous fistula (9.5%) and periurethral abscess (1 patient). Histological evaluation at 6 months demonstrated excellent uptake of grafts with minimal keratinization. CONCLUSIONS: In men with significant penile scarring, lichen sclerosis and long segment urethral strictures the use of abdominal skin limits donor site morbidity, and provides a useful alternative graft source for urethroplasty when buccal mucosa or genital skin are not available or sufficient. Grafts should be harvested from nonhair bearing areas to minimize the risk of urethral hair development.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Transgender Man's Neo-Urethra after Metoidioplasty.

Metoidioplasty is a gender-affirming surgery for transgender men, which creates a neophallus using vaginal mucosa and labia majora. One known complication of this procedure is urethral stricture. We report the novel case of a patient with urethral stricture 4 years after metoidioplasty found to have squamous cell carcinoma in situ likely originating from the vaginal mucosa grafted to the neourethra, and highlight the importance of sending such strictures for pathologic evaluation.

Preoperative Testing for Urethroplasty is Not Associated With Outcomes-A NSQIP Study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the current practice of routine preoperative testing before urethroplasty and to determine if the results are clinically significant. METHODS: Data was obtained from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. We identified 1527 patients who underwent urethroplasty from 2010 to 2017. Chi-square and one-way ANOVA tests were used to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were utilized to assess the rate of complications between testing groups. RESULTS: A total of 8455 individual laboratory tests were performed on 1156 patients (average of 7 tests per patient), with only 959 labs (11.3%) showing abnormal results. Of the 1156 patients, 629 (54.4%) patients had at least one abnormal lab. Patients who had at least one abnormal preoperative lab were found to be significantly older (51.49 ± 16.57 years vs 48.14 ± 16.32 years; P < .001), and to be smokers (112 [17.8%] vs 63 [12%]; P = 0.005). Additionally, they were more likely to have diabetes mellitus (112 [17.8%] vs 63 [12%]; P < 0.001), dyspnea (18 [2.9%] vs 16 [3.0%]; P = .029), and ASA class ≥3 when compared to the group with normal preoperative labs. On a multivariable logistic regression, abnormal preoperative tests were not predictive of intra- or postoperative complications in patients with ASA ≤2 (n = 1112) when adjusted for age and race. In patients with ASA class ≥3, the only lab predictive of postoperative complications was an abnormal coagulation profile. CONCLUSION: Obtaining routine preoperative labs, especially in patients with ASA ≤2, does not affect postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing urethroplasty.