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Versailles, OH-Midmark Corp.'s new Soniclean line of ultrasonic cleaners offers fast, safe, and consistent cleaning of medical instruments and components. Specifically designed for quiet operation, the cleaners are comprised of acoustic pressure generated by a stack transducer and coupled with overlapping wave frequency technology to produce powerful cavitation, the company says. The cleaners are available in three sizes: M150, M250, and M550.

Washington-MDLinx now offers www.urologylinx.com, a web site featuring news about general urology and urologic subspecialties. The site's subspecialties include adrenal glands, erectile dysfunction, infertility, kidney, pediatric urology, penis, prostate, stones, testis/scrotum, ureter, urethra, urinary bladder, uroradiology, voiding dysfunction, basic science/genetics, economics of medicine, and popular press.

San Jose, CA-Laserscope has received FDA approval to market a high-power KTP laser system for photoselective vaporization of the prostate for the treatment of BPH. The product uses an 80-watt KTP/532 laser system and sterile, disposable, fiber-optic delivery devices. During the procedure, a miniature camera attached to an endoscope is inserted through the urethra to the prostate. A laser fiber is threaded through the endoscope to the area to be treated. The laser, which operates at 532 nm, is then used to vaporize excess tissue. The minimally invasive procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis, the company says.

Washington-An evolution in the management of bladder cancer, including the use of molecular-based diagnostic testing, may soon make it possible to achieve better outcomes at a lower cost, according to Mark P. Schoenberg, MD. Dr. Schoenberg, associate professor of urology and oncology and director of the bladder cancer research center at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, said that a change in some aspects of bladder cancer management is sorely needed.

San Francisco-Non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation for metastatic renal cell carcinoma appears feasible in a very select, younger, healthier patient population with slow-growing tumors and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched siblings, said Brian I. Rini, MD. He reported results from a University of Chicago Hospital phase II trial at the 37th annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology here.

Anaheim, CA- Epidemiologists, puzzling over metabolism, diet, food supplements, and genes, may have to look no further than the medicine chest to find one of the factors contributing to the putative rise in kidney stone disease. Three studies presented here at the annual AUA meeting suggest a link between calcium oxalate stones, the bacterium Oxalobacter formigenes, and antibiotics.

San Francisco-Results from a 14-year Southwest Oncology Group trial show for the first time that neoadjuvant chemotherapy plus cystectomy offers improved survival over cystectomy alone in the treatment of patients with locally advanced bladder cancer. This finding challenges the results of seven previous clinical studies.

Many prostate cancer researchers were delighted last fall by two significant developments. First, Myriad Genetics, a Salt Lake City-based biopharmaceutical company, announced on October 4 that its research team had cloned a prostate cancer susceptibility gene (HPC2), also known as ELAC2. That same month, an independent research team at the University of Pennsylvania published its findings that the variant allele (copy) of the gene was found to be more common in men with prostate cancer than in healthy matched controls.

The AUA annual meeting is a remarkable gathering of international thought leaders, practitioners, and industry. As in past years, last month's event in Anaheim provided attendees not only with a measure of urology's scientific progress but also a barometer for many of the issues and concerns facing urologists in the trenches. Here is a very brief look at some of the science and trends that drew applause and raised eyebrows during the scientific sessions, on the exhibit floor, and behind closed doors.

Research and understanding of lower urinary tract symptoms and associated clinical BPH have evolved tremendously over the past years. Detailed analyses of data from the Olmsted County Study of Urinary Symptoms in Men has taught us that it is not symptom severity and frequency alone that prompt men to consult a physician. Rather, issues such as bother, interference with daily activities, embarrassment about urinary conditions, and worry about the possibility of malignancy all very significantly contribute to the decision to see a physician.

Carle Place, NY-Nuclear Associates offers an extensive line of books and videos, featuring subjects on management for radiographic imaging, the basics of film processing, hospital radiation protection, radiation safety and risks, and radiation protection standards.

Palm Harbor, FL-Sempermed offers the SemperCARE Nitrile Powder-Free Exam Glove to eliminate the potential for aerosolization of glove powder and associated transfer of chemical allergens. The non-latex glove is ergonomically designed and made from a low modulus synthetic polymer, which maximizes comfort, tactile sensitivity, and protection from blood-borne pathogens, according to the company. Its textured surface provides better gripping, while the light blue color optimizes visibility.

Fort Washington, PA-Hydak Coatings from Biocoat, Inc., for use on catheters and guidewires, are manufactured with hyaluronan, a biocompatible biopolymer found in human tissues and body fluids. The coatings provide a high degree of hydrophilicity, lubricity, flexibility, and abrasion resistance to assure trauma-free functioning, the company says.

New Orleans-Scientists from two Cleveland institutions have identifieda chromosomal region they believe contains a gene or genes associated withaggressive forms of prostate cancer. Tests for molecular markers of geneticabnormalities in this region could some day identify men with prostate cancerwho warrant aggressive therapies, as well as spare some men from treatment.

Geneva-A survey of nearly 3,500 couples conducted in four countries inEurope and Asia has uncovered a "huge burden" of benign urologicaldiseases, often silently endured. Calling for increased efforts for prevention,a group of international investigators said more than half of the couplesinterviewed had never consulted a physician about their problems, in spiteof the deleterious effect on the quality of their lives.

Washington-As negotiations intensify in Washington to developa patients' bill of rights that can be passed and signed into law, insuranceindustry and business opponents are attempting to convince physicians thatthey are in danger of being confronted with a new source of lawsuits themselvesif such legislation is enacted.

Providing employees with rewards for achieving goals boosts morale andthe bottom line

Testicular cancer patients who do not respond to traditional therapy can be cured with high-dose chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant using cells harvested from the patient before the initial chemotherapy infusion, suggests a retrospective review by researchers from Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.

The use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection has increased dramatically in the United States since 1995, while the proportion of patients receiving treatment for male-factor infertility has remained stable, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine (2007; 357:251-7).

Las Vegas--Urologists are beginning to use a more extensive biopsyregimen when working up men with suspected prostate cancer. Although thisis paying off in increased disease detection, it also has raised questionsabout whether some men are being over-treated for clinically insignificantdisease.