Telemedicine in Urology: Where Have We Been and Where Are We Heading?

Context: Humanity is facing significant challenges, and in 2019, a new coronavirus caused an unprecedented global disease outbreak. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic vastly impacted health care delivery, generating devastating economic, social, and public health disruption. Although previously underutilized, it was not until recently that telemedicine emerged and amassed tremendous popularity. Objective: To examine and assess telemedicine's past, present, and future roles in urology. Evidence acquisition: We queried relevant literature investigating the role of telemedicine in urology using the electronic PubMed database and mainly focused on English-language studies of any design. Evidence synthesis: Growing attention has been paid to the widespread adoption of novel telehealth technologies for managing various diseases. Meanwhile, solid evidence supports the meaningful use of telemedicine for most urological diagnoses. Existing literature delineates telemedicine as a viable, safe, and convenient alternative to in-person clinical visits. Conclusions: The present article overviews the evolution of telemedicine in urology, and discusses its application in outpatient and physician's office settings. In addition, it highlights the technical, legal, ethical, and financial aspects of telemedicine while providing valuable insights and practical considerations for the future of telehealth in urology. Patient summary: Urologists must adopt telemedicine carefully in daily practice, always adhering to predefined regulatory frameworks.

Evaluation of Overactive Bladder Symptoms in Patients Recovering from Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome.

Purpose: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a multi-organ viral infection with many manifestations. However, its impact on the genitourinary system is nowadays under investigation. This study aimed to evaluate the consequences on bladder function in patients suffering from post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS) transferred to inpatient rehabilitation for long-term care after initial treatment for COVID-19 pathophysiology. Materials and Methods: All the patients were initially asked the question (after having recovered from the acute stage of COVID-19 disease): "Have you noticed a sudden, uncontrolled need to urinate and sometimes a urine leakage accompanying the voiding desire?" Sixty-six out of 147 patients responded positively to this question and were assessed with the AUA Urology Care Foundation Overactive Bladder Assessment Tool (AUA-OAB-tool). All included men were evaluated with the IPSS score. Results: The median age of patients was 59.5 (range 44-72). We identified 44 patients with newly diagnosed OAB (Group A; post-COVID assessment) and 22 with worsening OAB symptoms (Group B). The mean symptom score ± standard deviation in Group A patients was 18.25 ± 2.11 (using the above AUA OAB tool). In the patients of Group B, there was an increase in the above score from 10.43 ± 1.52 (pre-COVID condition) to 17.87 ± 1.89 (post-COVID assessment). In patients of Group A, the total quality of life (QOL) score was 17.74 ± 2.34. Patients in Group B presented an escalation in total QOL score from 9.04 ± 1.41 (pre-COVID) to 18.84 ± 1.96 (post-COVID condition). There was no statistically significant difference in symptoms and QOL scores between men and women in groups A and B. There were 11 men in Group A and 5 in Group B with an IPSS score >20. Conclusion: OAB symptoms may be essential to PACS syndrome and influence quality of life, delaying full recovery.