Development of a predictive tool for sacral nerve modulation implantation in the treatment of non-obstructive urinary retention and/or slow urinary stream: a study from the Neuro-Urology Committee of the French Association of Urology.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to seek predictive factors and develop a predictive tool for sacral nerve modulation (SNM) implantation in patients with non-obstructive urinary retention and/or slow urinary stream (NOUR/SS). METHODS: This study was designed as a retrospective study including all patients who have undergone a two-stage SNM for NOUR/SS between 2000 and 2021 in 11 academic hospitals. The primary outcome was defined as the implantation rate. Secondary outcomes included changes in bladder emptying parameters. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were performed and determined odds ratio for IPG implantation to build a predictive tool. The performance of the multivariable model discrimination was evaluated using the c-statistics and an internal validation was performed using bootstrap resampling. RESULTS: Of the 357 patients included, 210 (58.8%) were finally implanted. After multivariable logistic regression, 4 predictive factors were found, including age (≤ 52 yo; OR = 3.31 CI95% [1.79; 6.14]), gender (female; OR = 2.62 CI95% [1.39; 4.92]), maximal urethral closure pressure (≥ 70 cmH2O; OR: 2.36 CI95% [1.17; 4.74]), and the absence of an underlying neurological disease affecting the lower motor neuron (OR = 2.25 CI95% [1.07; 4.76]). Combining these factors, we established 16 response profiles with distinct IPG implantation rates, ranging from 8.7 to 81.5%. Internal validation found a good discrimination value (c-statistic, 0.724; 95% CI 0.660-0.789) with a low optimism bias (0.013). This allowed us to develop a predictive tool ( https://predictivetool.wixsite.com/void ). CONCLUSION: The present study identified 4 predictive factors, allowing to develop a predictive tool for SNM implantation in NOUR/SS patients, that may help in guiding therapeutic decision-making. External validation of the tool is warranted.

Prioritization of risk situations in neuro-urology: guidelines from Association Française d'Urologie (AFU), Association Francophone Internationale des Groupes d'Animation de la Paraplégie (A.F.I.G.A.P.), Groupe de Neuro-urologie de Langue Française (GENULF), Société Française de Médecine Physique et de Réadaptation (SOFMER) and Société Interdisciplinaire Francophone d'UroDynamique et de Pelvi-Périnéologie (SIFUD-PP).

PURPOSE: The current health crisis has drastically impacted patient management in many fields, including neuro-urology, leading to a mandatory reorganization. The aim of this work was to establish guidelines regarding the prioritization and optimal timing of each step of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction management. METHODS: A steering committee included urologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation practitioners. Based on a literature review and their own expertise, they established a comprehensive risk-situation list and built a risk scale, allowing multiple other experts to score each clinical situation. New recommendations were generated using a Delphi process approach. RESULTS: Forty-nine experts participated in the rating group. Among the 206 initial items, 163 were selected and divided into four domains, diagnosis and assessment, treatment, follow-up, and complications, and two sub-domains, general (applicable for all neurological conditions) and condition-specific [varying according to the neurological condition (spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinsonism, dysraphism, lower motor neuron lesions)]. The resulted guidelines are expert opinions established by a panel of French-speaking specialists, which could limit the scalability of this work. CONCLUSIONS: The present multidisciplinary collaborative work generates recommendations which complement existing guidelines and help clinicians to reorganize their patients' list in the long term with a personalized medicine approach, in the context of health crisis or not.

[Treatment of female recurrent or not stress urinary incontinence with intrinsic sphincter deficiency: Sub-urethral retropubic adjustable sling (Remeex)]. / Traitement de l'incontinence urinaire d'effort féminine avec insuffisance sphinctérienne récidivée ou non : la bandelette rétropubienne ajustable Remeex.

INTRODUCTION: Recommendations for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) due to intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD) or recurrent, are complex. They accept the use of sub-urethral slings (BSU), if unsuccessful the artificial urinary sphincter. The objective was to report the results in terms of continence and morbidity of the Remeex® Adjustable BSU in the treatment of SUI by ISD recurrent or non-recurrent. METHOD: Monocentric retrospective study of 70 patients with a mean age of 67.7 years (±12) operated of Remeex sling, between 2015 and 2019, was conducted. Preoperative and postoperative characteristics were analyzed from medical records. Two groups were analyzed: Group A (n=28) with no history of incontinence surgery and Group B (n=42) with history (recurrent). Patients who were totally continent (0 protection) and those who were socially continent (1 safety protection) were considered successful. RESULT: Postoperative success rate was similar between groups B (90 %) and A (92%) with respectively: 64% versus 71% of totally continent patients, 26% versus 21% wearing safety protection. The postoperative complications were mainly Clavien II (28%) such as urinary tract infections (6%), transient urinary retention (3%) and de novo bladder overactivity (20%) with no significant statistical difference between the groups. Six patients were reoperated (Clavien III): BSU detension (1%), vaginal exposure (4%) (including one total material removal for infection), varitensor explantation (1%) or scar disunion (1%). CONCLUSION: The Remeex® BSUA seems to lead to satisfactory perioperative results in patients with SUI with ISD recurrent or non-recurrent.

Epidemiology and risk factors for ureteral stent-associated urinary tract infections in non-transplanted renal patients: a systematic review of the literature.

PURPOSE: Pathophysiology and risk factors for Ureteral Stent-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (USAUTI) have been poorly investigated. This situation results in highly diverse practices regarding USAUTI prevention, diagnosis and treatment. The aim of the present study was to describe the epidemiology and risk factors for USAUTI in non-transplanted patients. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature review based on a comprehensive PubMed® bibliographic strategy, between October 1998 and March 2020. The methodological quality of the studies included was analyzed according to dedicated grids. The main endpoints were the correlation between different potential risk factors and infection ureteral stent-associated urinary tract infection or colonization rate. Conclusions and their level of evidence were reported on the basis of a critical analysis of the best available scientific evidence. This work has been submitted to a national review, which enabled the potentially divergent opinions of experts to be collected, thereby ensuring adequate quality of data. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Twenty-six studies out of the 505 articles identified, were included in the final analysis. Staphylococcus spp, E. coli, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomona aeruginosa, Enterococcus spp. and Candida spp. were the microorganisms most often responsible for asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) or USAUTI. Longer indwelling time, diabetes mellitus, female gender, chronic renal failure, diabetic nephropathy and cancer were identified as risk factors for ABU and ureteral stent colonization. No specific risk factor for UTI was identified in the literature studied. A causal relationship between ureteral stent colonization and USAUTI or urosepsis remains to be demonstrated.

Early Results of Unilateral Prostatic Artery Embolization as a Focal Therapy in Patients with Prostate Cancer under Active Surveillance: Cancer Prostate Embolisation, a Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of prostatic artery embolization in patients with low-risk prostate cancer (PC) under active surveillance (AS). METHODS: This monocentric prospective pilot study, running from June 2018 to June 2019, included 10 patients with low-risk PC under AS, median age 72 years (range, 62-77 years), with a unilateral focal lesion visible on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System v2 score ≥3/5 confirmed by multiparametric MR imaging-targeted biopsy and Gleason score 6. The patients underwent unilateral prostatic artery embolization with 300-500 µm Embospheres in the affected prostatic lobe. The primary endpoint was technical feasibility (prostate and no off-target ischemia in the imaging). The secondary endpoints included safety, negative biopsies/MR imaging response/functional outcomes at 6 months, and oncologic efficacy at 1 year. RESULTS: Embolization was successfully achieved in all patients; prostate ischemia was confirmed on multiparametric MR imaging, and no off-target ischemia was reported. No major complications were reported. Four patients (40%) presented with both negative targeted and systematic biopsies at 6 months. No lesions were seen on the MR imaging in 30% of patients. The mean International Prostate Symptom Score and International Index of Erectile Function score were 7 and 19 and 5 and 20 at baseline and 6 months, respectively, with no significant difference. Nine patients (90%) were still under AS at 1 year. One patient (10%) had PC progression outside the target lesion and was switched over to curative radiotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Prostatic artery embolization is feasible and appears safe for prostate cancer patients under AS, with no impact on erectile function or continence status. These results justify the pursuit of further studies.

Long-term outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter in female patients with spina bifida.

AIMS: To report the long-term functional outcomes of artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation in female patients with spinal dysraphism and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) related to intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD). METHODS: The charts of all spina bifida female patients with SUI due to ISD who underwent AUS (AMS 800) implantation between 2005 and 2019 at three academic departments of urology were retrospectively reviewed. Reoperation was defined as either revision or explantation of the AUS device. Reoperation-free survival of the AUS device was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Continence status as per patients' subjective assessment was categorized as follows: complete continence (no pads), improved continence, unchanged SUI or worsened SUI. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients were included, 69.6% were self-catheterizing. The median follow-up was 14 years. Median time to first reoperation was 10 years. Survival rates without reoperation were 85.9%, 41.8%, 34.6%, and 20.9% at 5, 10, 15, 20 years, respectively. Survival rates without AUS explantation were 90.7%, 66.3%, 55.2%, and 41.4% at 5, 10, 15, 20 years, respectively. None of the patients who underwent device explantation had a new AUS implanted. The only predictive factor of reoperation-free survival was the type of spinal dysraphism (hazards ratio = 3.60 for closed vs. open dysraphism; p = .04). At last follow-up, 17 of the 23 patients were fully continent (73.9%). CONCLUSION: AUS in female patients with spina bifida may be associated with satisfactory long-term functional outcomes and a high reoperation rate. The median time to first reoperation was similar to what is reported in the male AUS literature (10 years).

Outcomes of pregnancy and delivery in women with continent lower urinary tract reconstruction: systematic review of the literature.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this systematic review of the literature was to pool all the existing data regarding pregnancy and delivery in women with neurogenic bladder or bladder exstrophy who had undergone previous lower urinary tract reconstruction (LUTR). METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the literature from PubMed/MedLine, ClinicalTrials.gov and the Google Scholar database, from 1972 to July 2020. Fifty articles were included, of which 25 contained data that could be pooled (229 women representing 292 pregnancies). RESULTS: Ninety-eight women had bladder exstrophy (43%), 58 had spinal dysraphism (25%), 14 had spinal cord injury (6%), and 59 presented other pathological conditions. Of these, 138 have had an augmentation cystoplasty (61%), 42 (18%) had a continent cutaneous urinary diversion, and 31 had an artificial urinary sphincter (14%). During their pregnancy, 97 women (33%) experienced at least one febrile urinary tract infection. Thirty-one women (11%) required ureteral stenting or nephrostomy placement for upper urinary tract dilatation. Forty-six pregnancies ended with premature delivery (16%). Delivery mode was by C-section for 108 patients (62%) and vaginal delivery for 104 (36%). Twenty complications were reported during delivery (mainly urological), of which 19 occurred during C-section. Nine women experienced postpartum urinary incontinence (4%); in 5 of then this was due to urinary fistulae secondary to complicated C-section. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnancy and vaginal delivery are possible for women with LUTR who have no obstetric or medical contraindications, except for some particular cases of bladder exstrophy. However, these high-risk pregnancies and deliveries should be managed by a specialist multidisciplinary team.

Unilateral versus bilateral sacral neuromodulation test in the treatment of refractory idiopathic overactive bladder: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

AIM: To compare treatment success rate in terms of improvement of bladder overactivity between unilateral and bilateral sacral neuromodulation testing. METHODS: A multicentric, parallel, randomized, open pilot trial (October 2012-September 2017) was conducted. Participants presented primary overactive bladder resistant to first-line treatments. Patients were excluded in case of secondary bladder, pelvic, or neurological condition. Patients were randomized between bilateral testing (n = 28) or unilateral testing (n = 27), to determine the best functional response before final implantation. The primary outcome was the rate of patients presenting at least 50% of clinical improvement at 1 month on urinary frequency, number of urge incontinence episodes or number of urinary urgency episodes. Symptom severity, implantation success rate, uroflowmetry, device tolerance, complications, and quality of life were also assessed. RESULTS: Fifty-five patients have been included. The rate of patients presenting at least one significant clinical improvement at month 1 was 62% in the bilateral group versus 84% in the unilateral group (P = .0891), RR = 0.74 (0.51; 1.07). There was no significant difference between bilateral and unilateral groups in terms of improvement of urinary frequency (0% and 17%; P = .1115), number of urge incontinence episodes (52% and 63%; P = .4929) or number of urinary urgency episodes (57% and 74%; P = .2411). More complications were reported in the bilateral group than in the unilateral group (9 [47%] vs 4 [16%], respectively; P = .0239). CONCLUSION: Systematic bilateral sacral neuromodulation testing before final implantation did not appear to increase success rate compared with unilateral stimulation in the treatment of overactive bladder.

[Evaluation of French practices in 2019 regarding prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections related to ureteral stent]. / Évaluation des pratiques professionnelles françaises par questionnaire en 2019 concernant la prévention et le traitement des infections urinaires sur matériel endo-urétéral.

INTRODUCTION: Urological recommendations never focused on prevention and treatment of urinary tract infections related to endo-ureteral material. METHODS: We conducted an evaluation of French professional practices in May 2019 in the aim of highlighting the important heterogeneity of practices using a Survey Monkey inquiry. RESULTS: One-hundred-and-seventy-five urologists answered the inquiry, as to say 13% of French urologists. Questions regarding the management of pre-surgical polymicrobial urine sample, medical and surgical management of pyelonephritis on endo-ureteral material and regarding the need to diagnose and treat asymptomatic bacteriuria before endo-ureteral stent removal are the main points a majority of French urologists felt uncomfortable with. CONCLUSION: This study evaluated French practices in 2019. The diversity of the answers highlights the need for new recommendations on these subjects of daily practice. Future recommendations should allow their homogenization based on the existing evidence-based data.

Lower urinary tract dysfunction in chronic Chagas disease: clinical and urodynamic presentation.

PURPOSE: To describe and give an estimation of the prevalence of urinary disorders in chronic Chagas disease, since most clinical research has been centered on the description of the cardiac and digestive forms. METHODS: To explore this topic, a cross-sectional study was conducted in 137 Bolivian adults of both sexes suffering from symptomatic chronic Chagas disease. All patients presenting confirmed chagasic cardiomyopathy, megacolon or both underwent a urologic symptom questionnaire, uroflowmetry, urinary tract ultrasonography and a creatinine assay. When urinary abnormality was detected, a complete urodynamic study was proposed including cystometry, pressure-flow studies and urethral pressure profile. RESULTS: Out of all study patients, 35 (26%) had a Chagas cardiomyopathy, 81 (59%) a megacolon, and 21 (15%) a megacolon associated with cardiomyopathy. In all, 63% presented urinary disorders defined by IPSS > 7 and/or ICIQ SF > 1. Among them, 62% were incontinent, mainly by bladder overactivity, and 45% presented grade 2 or 3 renal insufficiency. Of 49 patients, the urodynamic study identified 34 patients with detrusor overactivity (69%), mostly in those with Chagas megacolon. Median bladder functional capacity, urethral closure pressure and bladder compliance had normal values. Moreover, 36% of these patients presented moderate hypocontractility, without significant post-void residual. CONCLUSIONS: This study evidenced lower urinary tract dysfunction in a majority of chronic chagasic patients; those presenting megacolon were more likely to suffer from urinary incontinence. These results strongly suggest including routine urological clinical investigation in chronic Chagas patients, as urinary incontinence due to overactive bladder is frequently observed in this population.

Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies vs. magnetic resonance imaging ultrasound fusion targeted biopsies: Who are the best candidates?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to compare the results of ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies (US-PB) and magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound fusion biopsies (MRI-PB) in two contemporary cohorts and to describe the parameters orienting the choice of technique. METHODS: Two contemporary cohorts of patients undergoing US-PB or MR-PB using the Urostation® (Koelis, Grenoble, France) between November 2010 and July 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. Patients with metastatic cancer or recurrence after treatment, saturation biopsies, and US-PB performed after a negative MRI were excluded. Comparison of populations, biopsy results, and clinical and biological parameters guiding the choice of technique were studied on multivariate analysis (logistic regression) taking into account the following confounding factors: age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) rate, prostatic volume, number of previous biopsies, and abnormal digital rectal examination. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients were included in the US-PB group and 118 in the MR-PB group. Prostate cancer was diagnosed among 65 patients in the US-PB group (detection rate 57.0%) and 70 patients in the MR-PB group (detection rate 59.3%) (odds ratio [OR] 3.00; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.52-6.17; p=0.002). Among the cancers diagnosed in the MR-PB group, 21 were diagnosed by the two targeted biopsy cores only (15.5%). Patients undergoing MR-PB were significantly younger (p=0.0005), with a higher number of previous biopsy sessions (p<10-7) and larger prostate volume (p=0.001). PSA rate alone (p=0.23) and digital rectal examination (p=0.48) did not significantly interfere with the choice of a technique. CONCLUSIONS: Younger patients with larger prostates and prior negative biopsy were more likely to be offered the MR-PB technique. On multivariate analysis, the detection rate was higher in the MR-PB group.