Benign Conditions

A study analyzing stone-free rates after ureteroscopy suggests that urologists might consider applying refined patient selection criteria in order to achieve better outcomes.

Reconstruction of anterior compartment defects using magnetic resonance-visible vaginal mesh implants in combination with post-surgical three-dimensional imaging is feasible and yields reproducible results, researchers report.

A 61-year-old female complains of acute-onset right-sided flank and abdominal pain. She describes associated nausea, but denied urinary symptoms, hematuria, fever, or chills.

Delay to urethroplasty for bulbar urethral strictures is associated with repetitive interventions, stricture lengthening, and more complex repairs that have a greater risk for failure, while scheduling-related delay to reconstruction exposes men to risk for stricture-related complications, according to separate studies presented at the AUA annual meeting in Boston.

Other pipeline products discussed in this round-up include and advanced renal cell carcinoma agent, a bladder cancer detection agent, and a BPH treatment.

About one-fourth of patients with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome have Hunner lesions in the bladder visible on cystoscopy.

Repeated hydrodistention as therapy for interstitial cystitis has a low complication rate and does not decrease bladder capacity over time.

The correlation between patient-reported bother and symptom severity is inexact, according to conclusions of a recent retrospective multicenter study of nearly 1,200 patients referred for lower urinary tract symptoms.

Flexible ureteroscopy using a digital single-use flexible ureteroscope known as PUSEN achieves stone-free rates on par with reusable flexible ureteroscopes, with a total surgery time averaging 45 minutes.

Other products and services discussed in this round-up include a biosimilar for cancer, an American College of Surgeons manual on quality initiatives, a kidney cancer microsite, and more.

A new single-use digital flexible ureteroscope (LithoVue) compares favorably in performance to reusable scopes, at least for routine urteroscopy, with a possible advantage of being more economical.

Findings of a study investigating biomechanical stresses on the urologist while performing flexible ureteroscopy indicate that reusable and single-use digital ureteroscopes have a more favorable ergonomic profile than a reusable fiberoptic instrument.

A study analyzing variation in spending for patients undergoing ureteroscopy or shock wave lithotripsy for urinary stone disease is a step towards helping urologists understand cost reduction opportunities.

Heat-free high-velocity waterjet ablation (Aquablation) for BPH performed with an image-guided robot-assisted platform (AquaBeam System) met its primary safety and efficacy endpoints in a phase III study.

Treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms/BPH with convective water vapor ablation (Rezum System) appears to provide significant improvement on two key outcome measures versus medical therapy at up to 2 years, according to a study presented at the AUA annual meeting in Boston.

Men and women with gout are at 60% greater risk for nephrolithiasis than adults without gout, according to a study looking at not only the chronic kidney condition’s incidence but also potential risk factors for first-time nephrolithiasis in people with and without gout.

The risk of erectile dysfunction is not increased with the use of a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor compared with an alpha-blocker for the treatment of BPH.

Urologists are no longer the primary initiators of tamsulosin (Flomax) therapy in the United States, suggests an analysis of pharmaceutical claims from more than 50 private health plans.

Other pipeline developments include an agent to control pain in IC/BPS patients, an antibody to treat prostate and bladder cancer, an injectable OAB treatment, and more.

Authors of a recent study say that long-term therapy with a 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor was associated with increased glucose, increased glycated hemoglobin, and altered lipid profiles.

Other products discussed include cancer tests, an app to connect patients with specialists, a revenue management system, and more

Studies of bipolar plasma vaporization of the prostate and thulium vapoenucleation were among the other noteworthy research in BPH/LUTS presented at the AUA annual meeting in Boston.

The safety and viability of outpatient percutaneous nephrolithotomy and predictors of success after shock wave lithotripsy were among the research highlights in endourology/stones at the AUA annual meeting.

Other pipeline developments include a new company formed to develop OAB treatments, a phase III urothelial cancer study meeting its primary endpoint, the formation of a partnership to study RCC treatment, and more.

Urologist Henry Rosevear, MD, reviews his personal highlights from AUA 2017, along with a few bumps in the road.

The use of robot-assisted simple prostatectomy is increasing for the management of BPH in the United States. Patients were nearly seven times more likely to undergo RASP in 2011-2015 compared to 2003-2006, after adjusting for confounders.

Analyses of data from 5 years of prospective follow-up in the pivotal trial supporting regulatory approval of the prostatic urethral lift ([PUL] UroLift System, NeoTract) show that the minimally invasive procedure remains safe and provides rapid and durable benefits for men with symptomatic BPH.