Minimally invasive methods for bulbar urethral strictures: a survey of members of the American Urological Association.

OBJECTIVE: To determine current practice patterns, we mailed a questionnaire regarding urethral stricture evaluation, treatment, and follow-up to members of the American Urological Association (AUA). The minimally invasive methods used for treating and evaluating anterior urethral strictures vary widely among clinicians. METHODS: A nationwide survey of practicing members of the AUA was performed by mailed questionnaires. Surveys were mailed to 1262 Urologists, randomly selected from all 50 states. Four-hundred thirty-one urologists (34%) completed the questionnaire and formed the basis for our analysis. RESULTS: Most urologists (63%) treat 6-20 urethral strictures per year. The most common minimally invasive procedures used for managing anterior urethral strictures were dilation (92.8%), cold-knife optical internal urethrotomy (85.6%), endourethral stent (23.4%), laser urethrotomy (19%), and periurethral steroid injection after urethrotomy (7.9%). Most urologists will perform urethrotomy on bulbar strictures up to 2 cm (68.7%) and leave a Foley catheter in place for 1 week or less (86.5%). Technical method of urethrotomy is commonly 1 cut at 12 o'clock (86.3%) or radial cuts (12.1%). Recommended follow-up diagnostic tests after urethrotomy included flow rate (62.9%) and, to a lesser degree (with roughly one-third each), cystoscopy, urethral calibration, and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Other tests, such as ultrasonography or urethrography were rarely used. CONCLUSION: Our survey provides information regarding current minimally invasive management and follow-up practice strategies recommended by members of the AUA for anterior urethral strictures. Many common practices in the treatment of anterior urethral stricture disease are not supported in the literature.

Effect of reclassification on the incidence of benign and malignant renal tumors.

PURPOSE: The incidence of benign renal tumors has increased in recent years. This trend is commonly attributed to the increased use of cross-sectional imaging and minimally invasive surgical approaches. An alternative hypothesis is that recent changes in histological classification are responsible for the increasing incidence. To further investigate the impact of histological reclassification we reexamined all excised renal masses using the 2004 WHO criteria and compared this histological classification to the prior criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 1,101 consecutive partial and radical nephrectomy cases managed at our institution from 1989 to 2003. All histopathological sections were rereviewed by a single pathologist and reclassified according to 2004 WHO criteria. The percentages of benign lesions per year according to the prior histological and current WHO 2004 histological criteria were compared. RESULTS: Of the 1,101 renal masses 132 (12.0%) and 165 (15.0%) were classified as benign using prior and current WHO criteria, respectively. On average the WHO criteria diagnosed more benign tumors per year than the prior criteria (p = 0.004). Linear regression demonstrated a similar, persistent increase in benign diagnoses per year of 0.69% (WHO) and 1.22% (prior) during the 14-year period (p = 0.33). All masses reclassified as benign were oncocytoma (33). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the 2004 WHO criteria is contributing to the increase in diagnosis of benign renal lesions, specifically oncocytoma. Changes in histological classification do not account for the entire increase. Other factors, which remain to be delineated, are also contributing to the increase in the diagnosis of benign renal lesions.

Unintentional transurethral Foley catheterization of the right renal pelvis.

This case study describes a 23-year-old woman who had an unintentional blind placement of a 16 Fr Foley catheter into her right ureter with inflation of the balloon in the right renal pelvis. Pertinent medical history/presentation, clinical interactions, and clinical implications are discussed.

The distribution of histological subtypes of renal tumors by decade of life using the 2004 WHO classification.

PURPOSE: The 2004 World Health Organization histological classification of renal tumors reflects our understanding of the underlying molecular determinants of renal tumors. We reviewed all partial and radical nephrectomy specimens at Barnes-Jewish Hospital to determine if the distribution of renal tumor histological subtypes varies by decade of life using the new scheme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 1,043 consecutive cases of renal masses operated on for presumed malignancy from 1989 to 2003 were identified. All specimens were rereviewed by a single pathologist (MFS) and classified by the 2004 WHO scheme. In addition to decade of life and histological subtype, gender, tumor size and pathological tumor stage were analyzed. RESULTS: Analysis demonstrated an association between histological subtype and decade of life (p <0.001). The proportions of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (p = 0.008) and angiomyolipoma (p <0.001) decreased while the proportions of oncocytoma (p <0.001) and papillary renal cell carcinoma (p = 0.005) increased with increasing decade of life. The proportions of chromophobe (p = 0.181) and unclassified (p = 0.660) renal cell carcinoma did not change with increasing decade of life. In addition, younger patients were more likely to have larger tumors (p = 0.019) and metastatic disease at diagnosis (p = 0.017), while gender (p = 0.809) and tumor stage (p = 0.334) were not associated with increasing decade of life. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides baseline histological subtypes by decade for the most common renal tumors using the 2004 WHO histological classification. Clinicians may consider using these trends along with imaging, history and physical examination to counsel patients before recommending treatment.

Urologist practice patterns in the management of Peyronie's disease: a nationwide survey.

INTRODUCTION: Peyronie's disease (PD) is a poorly understood clinical entity. Aim. We endeavored to determine how contemporary urologists in the United States manage PD. METHODS: A randomly generated mailing list of 996 practicing urologists was generated from the American Urologic Association member directory. A specifically designed survey was mailed with a cover letter and a postage-paid return envelope. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Our survey assessed several practice-related factors and asked questions of how the subject would manage various presentations of PD in their practice. Four cases were presented: case 1, a healthy 55-year-old man with painless 30 degrees dorsal curvature of 16 months duration; case 2, a 60-year-old man with 35 degrees dorsal curvature, 4/10 pain on visual analog scale, of 6 months duration; case 3, a 62-year-old man with painless 60 degrees dorsal curvature and erectile dysfunction responsive to alprostadil suppository of 2 years duration; and case 4, a 50-year-old man with mid-shaft waist deformity, foreshortening, no pain/curvature/erectile dysfunction. RESULTS: Responses were received from 236 (24%) practicing urologists. Vitamin E was the preferred initial management for 70% of respondents, with observation, Potaba (Glenwood, Englewood, New Jersey, USA), colchicine, verapamil injections, and verapamil gel favored by 32, 20, 12, 7, and 10% of respondents, respectively. Fifty-seven percent of respondents performed surgery for PD, with penile prostheses, Nesbit procedure, grafting, and plication used by 76, 66, 55, and 51% of respondents, respectively. Medical therapy and/or observation was the preferred management for all of the cases except case 3, for which penile prosthesis placement and referral were the favored options by 39 and 30% of urologists, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Medical therapy is the initial treatment for PD among American urologists. Penile prosthesis is the treatment of choice in impotent patients. Most American urologists conform to recommended practice patterns in the management of PD.

Adult anterior urethral strictures: a national practice patterns survey of board certified urologists in the United States.

PURPOSE: We determined the methods and patterns of the evaluation of and treatment for adult anterior urethral stricture disease by practicing urologists in the United States. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A nationwide survey of practicing members of the American Urological Association was performed by a mailed questionnaire. A total of 1,262 urologists were randomly selected from all 50 states, of whom 431 (34%) completed the questionnaire. RESULTS: Most urologists (63%) treat 6 to 20 urethral strictures yearly. The most common procedures used by those surveyed for urethral strictures were dilation (92.8%), optical internal urethrotomy (85.6%) and endourethral stent (23.4%). Minimally invasive procedures are used more frequently that any open urethroplasty technique. Furthermore, most urologists (57.8%) do not perform urethroplasty surgery. When used, the most common urethroplasty surgeries performed were end-to-end anastomotic urethroplasty, perineal urethrostomy and ventral skin graft urethroplasty. Few urologists (4.2%) performed buccal mucosa grafts. For a long bulbar urethral stricture or short bulbar urethral stricture refractory to internal urethrotomy 20% to 29% of respondents would refer to another urologist, while 31% to 33% would continue to manage the stricture by minimally invasive means despite predictable failure. Of the urologists 74% believed that the literature supports a reconstructive surgical ladder, in which urethroplasty is only performed after repeat failure of endoscopic methods. CONCLUSIONS: Most urologists in the United States have little experience with urethroplasty surgery. Most urologists erroneously believe that the literature supports a reconstructive surgical ladder for urethral stricture management. Unfamiliarity with the literature and inexperience with urethroplasty surgery have made the use of endoscopic methods inappropriately common.

Is there a better way to biopsy the prostate? Prospects for a novel transrectal systematic biopsy approach.

The study reported here was undertaken to investigate a novel method of systematic, 3-dimensional, template-guided, transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. The TargetScan transrectal ultrasound and prostatic biopsy system (Envisioneering Medical Technologies, St. Louis, MO) uses a stationary transrectal ultrasound probe that acquires 3-dimensional and simultaneous biplanar ultrasound imaging. With the use of prostate-specific measurements, targeted transrectal biopsy specimens of the prostate are taken. The precise location of each specimen is defined by 2 coordinates: depth in centimeters proximal from the apex of the prostate, and degree of rotation (clockwise or counterclockwise from 12 o'clock). This device has been evaluated when used with radical prostatectomy specimens. Studies on 20 radical prostatectomy specimens disclosed that simulated TargetScan biopsy correctly identified cancer in 16 (80%) prostates and high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in 2 others. Simulated TargetScan biopsy correctly characterized 88% of prostatic octants in terms of whether or not they harbored cancer. This technique was reproducible from operator to operator, and 85% biopsy core concordance was attained when the TargetScan protocol was simulated in 2 urology residents. The TargetScan biopsy system seems to be an effective transrectal alternative to transperineal, 3-dimensional, ultrasound-guided biopsies. Its reproducibility from operator to operator suggests that it may be useful for guiding rebiopsy of specific locations within the prostate and for providing targeted focal prostate cancer therapy.

Emerging drug therapies for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the nonmalignant enlargement of the prostate gland caused by increases in number of both epithelial and stromal cells. Clinically, BPH leads to voiding dysfunction, which is most often referred to as lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Historically, the only treatments for LUTS due to BPH were watchful waiting or surgery (transurethral or open prostatectomy). However, over the last 20 years medical therapy has taken a prominent role in the management of BPH. Current medical treatments for BPH include alpha-adrenergic receptor antagonists, inhibitors of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme and various phytotherapies. These agents are generally effective and safe; however, many patients are unable to tolerate the side effects or are refractory to medical management and require surgery. In light of this, many potential new therapies for the treatment of BPH are under development. Some represent a variation of current treatments, whereas others target novel molecular pathways within the prostate. The aim of this review is to examine current pharmacotherapies as well as to highlight emerging drugs that may improve our treatment of patients with LUTS secondary to BPH.