Benign Conditions

Despite a recent study’s promise, downsides to the procedure remain, according to one of the study’s authors.

Analyses of data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project are providing understanding on trends in utilization of simple prostatectomy for treatment of symptomatic BPH and addressing the gap in information about its outcomes.

Blood vessel calcification may increase risk of heart disease in patients with recurrent kidney stones, according to a recent study.

The adage, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again,” does not appear to hold true when it comes to anticholinergic drug use in overactive bladder patients with urinary incontinence, recent study results indicate.

This article provides a real-world definition of refractory overactive bladder and its prevalence, then examines treatment options, with a focus on percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation as a noninvasive form of neuromodulation “for the masses.”

Use of the urethral lift as a treatment for BPH provided rapid improvement in symptoms, flow, and quality of life that were sustained at 2 years in a multicenter study.

More than 90% of men whose lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) progress do not seek treatment for their symptoms, according to recent study results that one expert cautioned against overinterpreting.

The FDA has approved ceftolozane/tazobactam (Zerbaxa) for the treatment of adults with complicated urinary tract infections.

New products and services from Samsung Electronics America, Syneron Medical, American Medical Systems, New Star, Buffalo Filter, Cook Medical, Endo International, Trimel BioPharma Metamark, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

Drugs and devices in the pipeline from Actavis, Genomic Health, Lipella Pharmaceuticals, Polaris Group, Innocrin Pharmaceuticals, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Heat Biologics, Repros Therapeutics, and Sophiris Bio.

Ureteroscopy is being increasingly used for surgical management of nephrolithiasis in pediatric patients, and that trend appears to be associated with cost benefits, a recent study indicates.

Flexible ureteroscopy is a safe and highly effective approach for treating proximal ureteral stones measuring

Adding an anticholinergic medication to an alpha-blocker does not appear to improve ureteral stent-related discomfort compared to monotherapy with an alpha-blocker alone, according to research presented by investigators from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

In renal stones smaller than 1.5 cm diameter, ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URS) is associated with superior stone-free rates compared with shock wave lithotripsy (SWL), according to a recent study.

Other products discussed in this article include a prosthesis for underactive bladder, a prostate cancer test, and an erectile dysfunction drug.

In this blog post, Henry Rosevear, MD, challenges thought leaders to offer guidance on the proper radiographic evaluation of new-onset colicky flank pain.

Repeated onabotulinumtoxinA 100 U (onabotA [Botox]) injections continue to provide benefit for patients with overactive bladder syndrome and urinary incontinence and without evidence of any new safety concerns, according to results of a pre-specified interim analysis in an open-label, 3-year extension study.

Propulsion with low-intensity ultrasound is showing promise as a safe and effective method for noninvasive repositioning of kidney stones, according to the findings of a first human feasibility study being conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, Seattle.

A review of initial surgical management for patients with urolithiasis has identified an association between urologist self-referral and an increased likelihood of undergoing computed tomography imaging and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) compared with non-self-referring physicians.

Autologous pubovaginal slings are associated with a high success rate following synthetic midurethral sling failure, according to recently published data.

Individuals with a history of kidney stones should increase their fluid intake to achieve at least 2 liters of urine per day to prevent recurrence, and if this fails, treatment with a thiazide diuretic, citrate, or allopurinol is recommended, according to a new clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has approved two new Category I CPT codes for the UroLift system, a treatment for BPH, effective Jan. 1, 2015.

Other products featured include a 16-slice CT scanner, new generic testosterone gel, prostate cancer risk calculator, and more.

Urologists across the country describe treatment options for large kidney and ureteral stones.

In separate actions, the FDA allowed the marketing of a urinary prosthesis for women and approved a supplemental new drug application for a lymphatic mapping agent.