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Chicago-Penile implants provide greater patient satisfaction than eithermedical therapy or intracavernosal injections for erectile dysfunction,said Detroit researchers during a presentation yesterday.

Chicago-Contrary to a widely held belief, penile sensation does not differbetween circumcised and uncircumcised men, New York researchers said duringa presentation yesterday.

Chicago-Radical prostatectomy patients taking sildenafil postoperativelywere seven times more likely to report a return to spontaneous erectionsthan those taking placebo in a multi-institutional, double-blind study presentedhere yesterday.

Chicago-A higher age at baseline predicted increased rate of progressionin all three treatment arms of the Medical Therapy of Prostate Symptoms(MTOPS) trial, according to a secondary analysis of data presented at theAUA meeting yesterday.

Chicago-The Coalition for the Advancement of Prosthetic Urology (CAPU),fresh from its first battle in Washington earlier this year over reimbursementfor prosthetic urology devices and procedures, took another big step forwardwith a standing-room-only presentation at the AUA meeting here on Tuesday.

Urologix, Inc. has received FDA approval to market the Cooled ThermoCathtreatment catheter, which is designed for use in conjunction with the company'sTargis microwave generator, for the treatment of BPH. The product incorporatescatheter cooling technology designed to improve the heat exchange coupledwith improved catheter conformance to urethral tissue.

An informal chamber music ensemble concert gave AUA meeting attendees abrief respite from the meeting's bustle yesterday. Concert violinist YuraLee and violist Lawrence Neuman were joined by William Sloan, MD; FritzSchroeder, MD; and Mary Olssen, RN. The concert was presented by The StradivariSociety.

Amersham and Galil Medical announced an agreement to merge portions oftheir respective buinesses into a new yet-unnamed venture.

Chicago-A group of physicians, urologic researchers, and patients whohave battled a variety of urologic conditions gathered here yesterday tosupport new legislation aimed at increasing federal funding for urologicdisease.

>Chicago­Combination drug therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasiahas won the endorsement of the American Urological Association in the organization'sfirst-ever clinical guidelines for the management of BPH.

Chicago-A biopsy of men with PSA levels of 2.6 to 4.0 ng/mL may detectorgan-confined prostate cancer more often than a biopsy in men with a PSAlevel >4.0 ng/mL, according to a large study from Washington University,St. Louis, presented yesterday. This may result in better clinical outcomes,including a lower biochemical progression rate.

Chicago-Positive surgical margins are associated with an increased riskof cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy, and adjuvant radiationtherapy given before recurrence may benefit patients with positive margins,according to a Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center study.

Chicago - Treatment with bacille Calmette-Guérin plus interferon-alpha-2B appearsto be effective in a salvage situation for superficial bladder cancer patientswho have failed primary BCG treatment.

Chicago-Patients with carcinoma in situ or recurrent Ta, Tis, or T1 bladdercancer are at increased risk of dying of the disease within 5 years unlessthey achieve a complete response with bacille Calmette-Guérin therapy,say researchers from the Southwest Oncology Group.

Chicago-Morbidity and hospital stay after standard post-chemotherapyretroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) decreased in testis cancerpatients undergoing the procedure over a 10-year period, even no changesoccurred in surgical technique. Researchers from Indiana University Schoolof Medicine suggest that this outcome probably reflects changes in care.

Chicago-Women who undergo cesarean section without a trial of labor appearto be significantly less likely to experience stress urinary incontinencethan those who deliver vaginally or underwent a CS for obstructed labor,according to a study from Israel.

Chicago-When renal tumors are found in a patient less than 45 years old,a benign pathology is more common, especially in women. Symptomatic presentationis also more common in younger patients, perhaps because young patientsare less likely to undergo ultrasound or computed tomography evaluationfor nonspecific complaints.

Chicago-Six weeks of antimicrobial therapy with levofloxacin (Levaquin)appears to improve symptoms of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndromein men, although the benefits are not sustained, according to a Canadianstudy presented yesterday.

Chicago-Two alpha-blockers appear to have modest efficacy in treatingchronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, according to separatestudies presented here.

Chicago-African-American men with clinically localized prostate cancerhave poorer overall and cancer-specific survival rates compared with similarwhite patients, according to results of a retrospective study. This disparitycan be substantially explained by differences in socioeconomic status andlower rate of surgical treatment among African-Americans.

Chicago-Plaintiffs' lawyers in medical liability lawsuits contend thatthere is a direct correlation between the level of service a physician providesand his or her risk of being sued."What causes malpractice claims is not malpractice," said JamesW. Saxton, chairman of the health care litigation group at Stevens &Lee in Lancaster, PA. "What causes malpractice claims-60% to 70% ofthem-is lack of service."

Tyco Healthcare offers the Liebel-Flarsheim Hydra Vision DR UrologicalImaging System with the ViewMax LCD Dual Monitor Viewing Option, which providesmonitor positioning flexibility and procedural vision. A lightweight triplearticulating arm with ergonomic handle allows the monitors to easily bemoved and placed for virtually any need, which increases physician comfortand patient positioning, the company says.

UrologyTrends.com (www.urologytrends.com), an online communitydedicated to providing educational resources to the practicing urologist,is launching this week. The web site is intended to help urologists improvepatient care by providing a convenient forum to expand their knowledge ofkey clinical, economic, and patient management issues.

Chicago-Urologists interested in Medicare reimbursement rates for prostheticurology should consider attending an informational lunch hosted by the Coalitionfor the Advancement of Prosthetic Urology (CAPU). John Mulcahy, MD, chairmanof CAPU, which is comprised of leading clinical experts and researchersin prosthetic urology and the nation's leading manufacturers and developersof prosthetic urological devices, will discuss the group's advocacy andoutreach initiatives.

Chicago -Once daily dosing with ciprofloxacin extended-release 1,000 mg (CiproXR) is as safe and effective as twice a day administration with conventionalciprofloxacin, 500 mg (Cipro), in the treatment of complicated urinary tractinfections and acute pyelonephritis, according to the results of a NorthAmerican, multicenter study.

Chicago-Leading a healthy lifestyle may stop or even reverse the progressionof prostate cancer as measured by PSA levels in men undergoing watchfulwaiting, according to the findings of the first randomized controlled clinicaltrial on the subject.

Chicago-Patients under 65 years of age are more likely to return to baselinecontinence, potency, and physical health 1 year after radical prostatectomy,according to results from a multicenter study presented yesterday. Also,RP patients without comorbidities and those with high health self-ratingsare more likely to return to baseline physical and mental health, respectively.

Medstone's STS-TC Transportable Spark Gap Lithotripter features the largest available focus (12 x 90 mm) and facilitates fragmentation of larger stones and mitigates positioning errors. The anterior/posterior shockwave transmission allows the deeper penetration required for obese patients or horseshoe kidneys.

Chicago, site of AUA's 2003 annual meeting, offers attendees and their guests an almost endless assortment of cultural, entertainment, shopping, dining, and recreational activities to occupy their free time. Visitors benefit from the large range of choices found only in a big city but will feel welcome wherever they go, thanks to Chicago?s brand of Midwestern friendliness.The nation's third-largest city is home to the world's tallest building, North America?s biggest convention center, and the nation's second-busiest airport. Yet despite its size, enjoying the sites in Chicago is easy since most key attractions are located within a several-mile radius of the downtown area and are readily accessible through public transportation. Choices of activities appeal to tastes running from the sophisticated to the casual.The Chicago Cultural Center (312-346-3278) may be a good place to start because it is home to a Chicago Office of Tourism Visitor Information Center. Formerly the main branch of the Chicago Public Library, the Cultural Center is a Chicago architectural landmark. A key highlight is the world?s largest Tiffany stained-glass dome. Visitors can marvel at the elegance of the building?s interior on their own or take a guided tour. Free concerts and performances are also offered.

Chicago-Research on lowering the PSA cutpoint, prostate cancer treatments,and new methods for treating BPH, prostatitis, and stone disease are amongthe major scientific advances coming out of this year's AUA annual meeting.Thomas Brady, MD, chair of AUA's public media committee, offered a previewof the research yesterday to about 15 members of the news media.Dr. Brady said members of the media committee read all abstracts submittedfor presentation at the meeting and select 25 to 30 based on their scientificmerit and news value."Many articles are extremely scientific but have absolutely no newsworthinessto them; other articles are extremely newsworthy and have absolutely noscientific merit," he said.