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Whether or not medical expulsive therapy (MET) is a sound recommendation for patients with kidney or ureteral stones is a matter of debate.

Our #LetsTalkMensHealth section offers clinical tips on the care of male patients. In 2016, articles in this section tackled a variety of subjects, including the Affordable Care Act, epigenetics and genetics, and BPH and prostate cancer prevention.

Dr. Henry Rosevear apologizes to those he may have hurt with his prescription habits for pain control and discusses the steps he is taking to help remedy the narcotics epidemic.

Administering sipuleucel-T (Provenge) before rather than after androgen deprivation therapy in men with biochemically recurrent prostate cancer appears to result in a more robust immunologic response, according to a recent study.

Statement authors recommend using immunotherapy prior to an androgen receptor-targeted agent in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Urology resident, Nirmish Singla, MD, goes over some of the ways urologists can stay educated and informed in the infinite and dynamic curriculum that defines the medical field.

Robert A. Dowling, MD, summarizes key findings from the recent CMS report “National Health Spending: Faster Growth In 2015 As Coverage Expands and Utilization Increases."

In this interview, Sarah E. McAchran, MD, discusses the need for urology-gynecology collaboration, the background behind the ABMS recognizing the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery subspecialty, and how barriers to full integration of providers treating pelvic floor disorders can be overcome.

"Those patients (and their caregivers) who take ownership of more aspects of their health care experience, including relevant and personalized information, will have better outcomes," writes Steven A. Kaplan, MD.

With the New Year being associated with resolutions of improved health and fitness and reducing the number on the scale, it seems a particularly appropriate time to share some information about how obesity impacts urologic care and treatment, and the impact of obesity on malpractice litigation.

Sanofi Pasteur recently announced that it is discontinuing its BCG products TheraCys and ImmuCyst, prompting fears of a shortage of BCG for bladder cancer patients. In this interview, Dr. Benjamin J. Davies, associate professor of urology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, discusses the implications of the announcement and what’s next for patients and clinicians.

Patients undergoing ureteroscopy while remaining on anticoagulant therapy may be at increased risk for bleeding complications, including significant bleeding events and unplanned returns to the operating room, according to a retrospective study

Results from bench studies favor a new open-faced stone retrieval device (Dakota, Boston Scientific) for having greater versatility, efficacy, and durability compared with a competing product, and the in vitro performance of the new instrument is consistent with early clinical experience, says Roger L. Sur, MD.

A large new study provides more evidence that cholesterol drugs may lower kidney stone formation.

"Increasingly, urologists are faced with patients who cannot safely discontinue anticoagulation or antiplatelet medications, even in the face of an impending surgical procedure. This is a trend that is likely to continue into the foreseeable future," writes Brian R. Matlaga, MD, MPH.

A study evaluating the oxalate content of foods as reported by two reputable sources shows discordance.

As the federal government moves toward more bundled payments, radical prostatectomy may prove to be an early target because of the potential for overall savings.

A recent review of medical literature adds to the debate surrounding medical expulsive therapy for stone disease.

“I am concerned about decreased federal support impacting urologic clinical practices and research progress,” Arthur L. Burnett, II, MD, MBA, told Urology Times.

Discussion of cases involving alleged delay in testis cancer diagnosis, bowel perforation during robotic radical prostatectomy, and arterial injury during nephrectomy were among the most read “Malpractice Consult” articles from 2016.

"I don’t know what to expect from any aspect of the President Trump camp. There is so much vagueness in what he says," one urologist said.

From AUA guidelines to a prostate cancer risk calculator, here are some useful apps recommended by urologists.