Female Urology

A wide range of anticholinergic medications used by women for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms are associated with high discontinuation rates, according to research presented at the American Urogynecologic Society annual scientific meeting.

When considered over a treatment period of 2 years, botulinum toxin A injection (Botox) is a cost-effective strategy for the management of idiopathic urge incontinence compared with anticholinergic medication, according to data presented by Duke University researchers.

Although overall complication rates are similar after traditional surgery, sacral colpopexy, or vaginal mesh kit repair for apical vaginal prolapse, the mesh kit procedures are associated with higher total reoperation rates due to a higher rate of surgical intervention for managing complications.

Lower urinary tract symptoms can put a damper on many women's sexual enjoyment and activity.

Getting good results with the minimally invasive TVT SECUR vaginal sling for stress urinary incontinence may be a matter of technique.

An 11-year follow-up on the safety and efficacy of tension-free vaginal tape for female stress urinary incontinence found 90% of patients were objectively cured, and 97% considered themselves subjectively cured or improved.

A disproportionate influence of fat mass accounts for the relationship between body mass index and lower urinary tract symptoms.

Urologic pelvic pain is a debilitating condition that affects significant numbers of men and women during their lifetime. Diverse disease states, physiologic conditions, and lifestyle factors may cause or exacerbate pain, challenging diagnosis and treatment efforts. We outline the fundamentals of a multimodal approach to managing urologic pelvic pain.

Postoperative ileus is a common result after major abdominal surgery, and frequently resolves within days after surgery. However, prolongedileus can result in increased pain and morbidity and increased time to hospital discharge. A multimodal approach using preventive and therapeutic strategies can definitively mange postoperative ileus.

In potent, young patients diagnosed with clinically localized prostate cancer, sparing of the neurovascular bundles during radical prostatectomy is crucial for preservation of erectile function. Intraoperative ultrasound monitoring, combined with preoperative oncologic data, can greatly improve outcomes. Novel, emerging techniques and ultrasound-driven imaging technologies may further advance the practice of nerve preservation.

Once you discover microscopic hematuria, typically the next step is evaluation with a careful history and physical exam, then specific laboratory tests, and cystoscopic and radiologic studies.

Results of an Italian study comparing transobturator suburethral tape (TOT) and tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) show both surgical techniques to be equally efficient at a follow-up of nearly 3 years in women suffering from stress urinary incontinence.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has named Anthony J. Schaeffer, MD, as one of seven new members of its advisory council.

Spending time in hot tubs and even hot baths may lead to male infertility, according to new research from the University of California, San Francisco. However, researchers said halting such exposure may reverse the effects.

New Orleans-When retrieving sperm from men with nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) and associated varicocele, go for the testis on the right side. That's the bottom line advice of University of California, San Francisco investigators who evaluated whether side matters in retrieving sperm for ICSI.

New Orleans-Having severe teratospermia does not affect pregnancy outcomes when using in vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection, according to a large retrospective review presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine annual meeting by investigators from Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York.

New Orleans-Men who are interested in fatherhood had better eat their fruits and vegetables and add soy to their diet. These dietary recommendations were recently shown to boost sperm quality in an observational study from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY.

New Orleans-Transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy of the prostate appears to have an immediate impact on the semen parameters of reproductive-age men, according to findings from a small study from Beth Israel Medical Center, New York. However, these effects were transient in all but one patient.

San Francisco-One of the most frustrating problems for women with urinary tract infections is to complete apparently successful antibiotic treatment, only to have the infection reoccur.

Atlanta-The impact of environmental toxins on male sexual development has become a topic of keen interest among pediatric urologists, who have released a growing body of data suggesting environmental links to hypospadias, cryptorchidism, and other urinary tract anomalies and diseases. At the 2006 American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Urology annual meeting, several groups presented data on the effect of in utero exposure to endocrine disrupters on the developing fetus.

Researchers working with breast cancer stem cells have found 186 genes that together can predict the risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients.

In men with varicoceles, spermatic vein embolization can significantly improve the chances for pregnancy, German researchers suggest.

National Report-With another year of Medicare payment cuts looming in 2007, declining reimbursement is no surprise as the number one current concern among practicing urologists, according to an exclusive survey from Urology Times and its sister publication, Contemporary Urology. Changes in reimbursement are followed closely by malpractice, office overhead, pay for performance, and increasing regulations as the top five issues that urologists are extremely or very concerned about, the first State of the Specialty survey found.

Three new staff members have joined the Cleveland Clinic Glickman Urological Institute: Jeffrey Palmer, MD, is the director of minimally invasive surgery, pediatric urology; Courtenay K. Moore, MD, is a specialist in female urology; and Edmund Sabanegh, MD, is head of the section of male infertility.

Although needle biopsies are being used for localization, the majority of prostate cancers are multifocal in nature and invisible on gray scale ultrasonography.