Benign Conditions

The management of BPH has had an interesting roller coaster ride over the past 25 years with new medicines, minimally invasive surgical therapies, and a host of novel surgical technologies, including lasers and bipolar electrosurgery.

A handheld transurethral therapy that delivers targeted sterile water vapor reduces lower urinary tract symptom severity in patients with BPH with no impact on sexual function.

The three most commonly performed sling procedures exhibit long-term success, according to a recent observational study presented at the AUA annual meeting in New Orleans.

In this round-up of new urology products and services, learn about an app that helps moviegoers with OAB, a new mesh for sacrocolpopexy, and device/smartphone app that help women with pelvic floor exercises.

According to a population-based assessment of the risk factors for bladder slings used to treat stress urinary incontinence in women, provider volume impacts the incidence of mesh removal or revision.

While there is no benefit from using tamsulosin (Flomax) versus placebo for the treatment of small ureteral stones, there is a potential upside of increased passage from using the drug to treat 5- to 10-mm stones, according to a study from Australia published online in the Annals of Emergency Medicine (July 13, 2015).

A recently published review expands understanding of the effectiveness and side effects of mid-urethral sling procedures for stress urinary incontinence, providing more information for women considering minimally invasive surgical treatment.

The recently published findings may open new avenues for treating urinary tract infections.

The authors of a recently published study have found that bariatric surgery may provide a significant benefit beyond dramatic weight loss.

New findings based on pharmacy claims data show just how adherent patients are to a thiazide, alkali citrate, and allopurinol.

A large, randomized trial provides a head-to-head comparison of late complications involving the two approaches to BPH.

New study data suggest an answer to the problem of managing stones in pregnant women.

The first clinical trial of a novel ultrasound technology shows that it can safely reposition stones in situ to make them more amenable to natural passage and treatment.

Urology Times’ “Best of AUA 2015” report provides a guide to the meeting’s take-home messages in 15 therapeutic areas-an information-packed, condensed summary of the top papers and presentations.

A two-drug treatment regimen works better than monotherapy for incontinent overactive bladder patients, researchers reported at the AUA annual meeting in New Orleans.

Use of mesh in the treatment of pelvic organ prolapse is increasing, despite FDA warnings about its risks.

A large, multicenter study “definitively demonstrates” the treatment’s infectiveness, one expert says.

Other products featured include: Radiosurgery collimator allows treatment of broad rang of tumors and Phi prostate cancer test and more.

Greater use of culture-directed care represents an opportunity to improve management of women with uncomplicated UTIs, researchers say.

Products in the pipeline for prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and much more.

An experimental drug that stabilizes a protein protects human bladder cells against a major UTI pathogen, researchers say.

A patient follow-up report shows promising mid-term results from five German urology centers that implemented the prostatic urethral lift (UroLift System, NeoTract, Inc.) to alleviate symptomatic BPH in patients suffering from mild, moderate, and even severe obstruction.

Laser photoselective vaporization prostatectomy using a 180W 532-nm lithium triborate laser (GreenLight XPS-180W laser system, American Medical Systems) is a safe and efficient option for treating BPH in men at high risk for surgical complications, according to findings from a large, international retrospective analysis.

In this Coding Q&A column, the Painters discuss the tricky question of whether you can bill for stone prevention counseling, and also answer a question about whether you can bill two instillation codes (51700) for one appointment.

Other products featured include a spacer system to protect men undergoing PCa radiotherapy, a pelvic floor exercise app, and more.