Representation Matters: One Urology Residency Program's Approach to Increasing Workforce Diversity.

OBJECTIVE: To address the challenge in urology in recruiting physicians from backgrounds racially and ethnically underrepresented in medicine (URiM), we sought to design, implement, and evaluate methods for recruiting URiM candidates to our urology residency program. METHODS: We developed a 3-pronged approach aimed at increasing the number of interviewed applicants, and subsequently number of URiM residents recruited to our program. The 3 facets included: (1) funded visiting student rotation, (2) holistic evaluation of applications, (3) implemented targeted outreach. Statistical analysis of the applicants interviewed and matched into our residency program, as well as traditional metrics used for residency recruitment, were performed from 2015 to 2022. RESULTS: The number of URiM interviewees significantly increased from 6.1% in 2015 to its peak, 40%, in 2020. In 2015, there were no URiM residents in our urology residency program. By 2022, the total URiM complement increased to 35%. In evaluating traditional metrics of residency recruitment, there was no significant difference in mean USMLE Step 1 score before compared with after the implementation of our recruitment approach. The maximum rank number reached to fill the urology residency positions also remained relatively stable throughout the study period, with a range from 5 to 38. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that the implementation of our innovative and intentional 3-pronged recruitment approach effectively increased the number of URiM interviewees and residents in our residency program. The diversification of our urology workforce depends on the implementation of such efforts, and we encourage urologists to lead the way on such initiatives.

Interdisciplinary Management of Extramammary Paget's Disease Using Mohs Micrographic Surgery With Frozen Section Cytokeratin-7 Immunostains.

OBJECTIVE: To describe local recurrence rates and patient-reported outcomes when Mohs micrographic surgery with cytokeratin-7 immunostains (MMS-CK7) is included in the interdisciplinary management of extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of EMPD treated with MMS-CK7 as part of an interdisciplinary team at an academic medical center between 2009 and 2016. Local recurrence rates and patient-reported outcomes were determined by record review and patient surveys. RESULTS: Twenty tumors in 19 patients were treated using MMS-CK7. After MMS-CK7 defined clear microscopic margins, 75% (15/20) of tumors underwent excision or reconstruction by a surgical colleague. Internal malignancy screening was performed by multiple specialties in 17 patients, with 1 associated malignancy of prostate cancer detected. No local recurrence was detected with a mean follow-up of 75.2 months. Most patients were satisfied with appearance (18/19, 95%) and function (16/19, 84%) after surgery. CONCLUSION: Interdisciplinary teams that include MMS-CK7 can treat EMPD with low local recurrence rates, high patient satisfaction, and thorough internal malignancy screening.

Management of the Transitional Urology Patient: the Role of the Adult Reconstructive Urologist.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Patients with congenital urologic conditions present unique challenges as adults. Herein, we review the literature relevant to the adult reconstructive urologist confronted with complex surgical concerns affecting their patients with a history of hypospadias, spina bifida, and other syndromes affecting the genitourinary tract. RECENT FINDINGS: Urethral stricture disease related to hypospadias is complex, but successful urethroplasty and penile curvature correction can be achieved with an anatomically minded approach. Multiple urinary diversion techniques can be considered in a patient-centered approach to bladder management in the adult spina bifida patient, but complications are common and revision surgeries are frequently required. Strong evidence is lacking for most surgical techniques in this population, but experiences reported by pediatric and adult urologists with genitourinary reconstruction training can help foster consensus in decision-making. Urologists trained in genitourinary reconstruction may be uniquely positioned to care for the transitional urology patient as they enter adolescence and adulthood.

Second opinion pathologic review in the management of prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION Inter-institutional re-review of prostate needle biopsy (PNBx) material is required at many institutions before definitive treatment, but adds time and cost and may not significantly alter urologic management. We aim to determine the utility of universal PNBx re-review on influencing the decision to recommend definitive local therapy for patients with prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2017-2020, 590 prostate biopsy specimens from outside institutions were re-reviewed at our center for patients considering prostatectomy. Clinical and pathologic characteristics from initial and secondary review were analyzed. Potential for change in treatment candidacy (CTC) was determined by re-diagnosis to non-malignant tissue or change in candidacy for active surveillance (AS) versus definitive treatment (i.e. prostatectomy or radiation therapy). Thus, the following scenarios were considered CTC: downgrading to non-malignant tissue, downgrading ISUP Grade Group (GG) ≥ 2 to GG1, and upgrading GG1 to GG ≥ 2. Any changes between GG2 to GG5 were not considered CTC, as definitive treatment would be offered to all groups. RESULTS: Overall, 55 patients (9.3%) had potential for CTC based on secondary review, all of whom had initial pathologic GG (iGG) ≤ 2. Of the 152 patients with iGG1, 8 were downgraded to no malignancy and 41 were upgraded to GG2 or GG3. Of the 185 patients with iGG2, 6 were downgraded to GG1. No patients with iGG ≥ 3 qualified for a CTC. Features associated with CTC included iGG, number of positive cores, and highest core percentage. Upon multivariable analysis, only iGG1 diagnosis was predictive of CTC (OR 23.66, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Second review may be helpful in determining need for definitive treatment in patients with GG1 and GG2 prostate cancer, i.e. those considering AS. This process appears unnecessary in GG3+ patients, as management for patients considering surgery would not change. This may allow for judicious redirection of hospital resources.

A Quality Analysis of the Last Decade's Most Heavily Cited Data Relative to Outcomes After Penile Prosthesis Placement.

BACKGROUND: The penile prosthesis has been used for men with erectile dysfunction for nearly 5 decades. Although many articles examine various outcome measures, wide variability exists in the quality of these studies. AIM: We sought to critically evaluate the most referenced literature related to penile prosthesis outcomes over the last 10 years. METHODS: A PubMed search of the indexed English literature was performed using the search terms "prospective," "penile prosthesis," and "outcomes", and all relevant publications from 2009 to 2019 were reviewed. In addition, we performed a Google Scholar search for the same interval using the search term "penile prosthesis outcomes" to evaluate manuscripts which have been most commonly cited. The most heavily cited manuscripts were sorted for relevancy using Google's internal algorithm, and then, the articles were reviewed by the authorship team for appropriateness of the subject matter. Articles with less than 10 citations were excluded. We used the Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine Criteria as part of our evaluation of the published data involving independent research, as opposed to review articles summarizing previously published findings. RESULTS: We evaluated the most-cited literature of the past decade relevant to penile prosthesis outcomes and reported the major findings in regards to infection, erosion, extrusion, device reliability, and satisfaction (both the patient and partner). The majority of these studies are retrospective in nature. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: From our review of the most commonly cited studies, there was no high-level evidence published in this area within the last 10 years. There are multiple barriers to producing these types of studies in the evaluation of penile prosthesis outcomes. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Using the most commonly cited articles allows us to understand the data that are being cited in other new publications. Focusing on the most cited articles on penile prosthesis outcomes in the last 10 years is a limitation as there have been many more studies published in this area. CONCLUSION: While many studies have examined penile prosthesis outcomes, most of the heavily cited literature consists of low-level evidence. Higher quality research is necessary to better assess penile prosthesis outcomes. Chouhan JD, Pearlman AM, Kovell RC, et al. A Quality Analysis of the Last Decade's Most Heavily Cited Data Relative to Outcomes After Penile Prosthesis Placement. J Sex Med 2020;17:861-869.

Transitional Urology.

The field of transitional urology has taken on an increasing importance in recent years as more individuals with congenital urologic issues are living and thriving into adulthood. This article reviews the transitional process itself including barriers to successful transition and the consequences of failing to properly transition. Also provided is a broad overview of the urologic issues faced by patients who may benefit from lifelong care and the providers who will be helping them with transition and assuming their care.

Systematic Review of Surgical Treatment and Outcomes After Local Surgery of Primary Cutaneous Melanomas of the Penis and Scrotum.

BACKGROUND: Few data exist to guide surgical management and counseling about local recurrence after surgery of primary male genital melanoma. OBJECTIVE: To compile all available data on local recurrence rates after surgery of primary cutaneous melanoma of the penis and scrotum. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of PubMed, Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Excerpta Medica database (EMBASE), and Web of Science identified all surgically treated penile and scrotal melanomas that reported local recurrence status and follow-up time. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-seven melanomas from 74 manuscripts were included. Eighty-six percent of melanomas were located on the penis, and 14% were located on the scrotum. Average follow-up time was 35.7 months. Scrotal melanomas were predominantly treated with organ-sparing surgeries (16/18, 88.9%), whereas penile melanomas were treated more often with amputation (61/109, 56.0%). Overall, local recurrence rate was 15.7% (20/127). Local recurrence rates for penile cases were 18.8% (9/48) after organ-sparing surgery versus 13.1% (8/61) for amputative surgery. Local recurrence rates were 66.7% (4/6) after positive surgical margins versus 10.2% (5/49) after negative surgical margins. CONCLUSION: Local recurrence rates are high after both organ-sparing and amputative surgery of primary cutaneous melanoma of the penis and scrotum. There is a need to standardize reporting for this rare tumor, as more complete data are necessary to develop consensus guidelines for surgical management of male genital melanoma.

Morbidity Associated with Urinary Diversion in the United States: A Contemporary Evaluation Using the NSQIP Database.

INTRODUCTION: We identified preoperative differences between patients undergoing incontinent vs continent diversion, and compared 30-day complication outcomes between the 2 procedures. METHODS: Using the NSQIP® (National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) database we identified patients undergoing urinary diversion incorporating bowel, with or without cystectomy, between 2010 and 2012. We compared preoperative characteristics, surgical parameters and 30-day postoperative outcomes. We stratified patients based on the continence status of the diversion as incontinent vs continent. RESULTS: We identified 1,959 urinary diversions in the NSQIP database, including 1,568 incontinent diversions (80.0%) and 391 continent diversions (20.0%). Significantly higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (9.1% vs 4.3%), previous cardiac surgery (4.3% vs 1.8%), hypertension (63.3% vs 47.1%) and disseminated disease (4.7% vs 2.1%) were noted in patients undergoing incontinent diversion. Patients undergoing continent diversion were significantly more likely to have received preoperative chemotherapy (10.5% vs 5.2%). Operative time was longer for continent diversion (388 vs 336 minutes). Postoperative urinary tract infection (13.8% vs 7.9%) and sepsis rates (11.5% vs 7.9%) were significantly higher with continent diversion, whereas transfusion rates were higher with incontinent diversion (45.2% vs 37.1%). Thirty-day readmission rates (18.2% vs 15.6%), length of stay (10.2 vs 10.7 days), presence of at least 1 NSQIP captured complication (61.4% vs 64.0%) and mortality (1.5% vs 2.1%) were not statistically different between continent diversion and incontinent diversion. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary diversion incorporating bowel continues to carry a significant risk of postoperative morbidity. While continent diversion offers potential long-term advantages, these must be balanced against longer operative times and higher rates of postoperative infectious complications.

NSQIP® Indexed Complications Following Transurethral Bladder Tumor Resection and Contemporary Financial Implications.

INTRODUCTION: We determined the incidence of NSQIP (National Surgical Quality Improvement Project) indexed complications by tumor size and investigated the related financial implications based on contemporary reimbursement schedules. METHODS: Transurethral bladder tumor resection procedures performed from 2010 to 2012 were identified and stratified by size specific CPT coding. Preoperative characteristics, surgical parameters and 30-day perioperative outcomes were compared using chi-square analysis and Student's t-test. Financial data for all inpatient transurethral bladder tumor resections performed during the most recent fiscal year at our institution were collected and analyzed, and a comparison was made using up-to-date Medicare reimbursement schedules. RESULTS: We identified 8,116 cases, including 3,533 coded as small (43.3%), 2,734 medium (33.5%) and 1,849 large (22.6%). Large resections required longer operative time (small-25.8 minutes, medium-33.0 minutes, large-49.0 minutes, p <0.01) and length of stay (small-0.67 days, medium-1.1 days, large-1.9 days, p <0.006), and had higher rates of transfusion (small-0.74%, medium-1.5%, large-3.7%, p <0.001), sepsis (small-0.23%, medium-0.44%, large-0.92%, p <0.05), renal insufficiency (small-0.17%, medium-0.15%, large-0.60%, p <0.01) and 30-day mortality (small-0.2%, medium-1%, large-1.8%, p <0.05) independent of preoperative parameters. Large resections were also associated with higher rates of 30-day readmission (small-4.3%, medium-6.3%, large-9.4%, p <0.001) and reoperation (small-2.1%, medium-2.7%, large-4.5%, p <0.001). Institutional data demonstrate that the most common Diagnosis Related Group classification results in an operating loss when treating Medicare beneficiaries. CONCLUSIONS: Urologist selected coding directly correlates with NSQIP indexed postoperative complications. Many cases of transurethral bladder tumor resection with associated complications may result in financial loss for the performing institutions. Efforts to improve quality of care and reimbursement seem warranted.

Primary Seminal Vesicle Adenocarcinoma Presenting With Bilateral Orbital Metastasis: A Case Report.

Seminal vesicle (SV) adenocarcinoma is a rare and poorly understood malignancy. Symptoms are non-specific and prognosis is extremely poor. Herein we present a case report of a primary SV clear cell adenocarcinoma with bilateral orbital metastases at the time of initial presentation treated with multimodal therapy including radiotherapy and multi-drug chemotherapy.

A Urologist's Guide to Ingredients Found in Top-Selling Nutraceuticals for Men's Sexual Health.

INTRODUCTION: Use of supplements is common among men seeking urologic evaluation for sexual health matters. With a dizzying array of formulations available and little regulation on the dosage, purity, or ingredients found in these products, the health effects of nutraceuticals are often confusing to patients and medical practitioners alike. AIM: In this review, we set out to concisely summarize the data on ingredients found within the top-selling nutraceutical agents marketed for men's sexual health in order to provide a clinical guide for urologists. METHODS: We used sales data from the most popular retail provider of men's health supplements to identify the top-selling products marketed toward improvement of men's sexual health. We summarized the available information related to the ingredients, dosage, cost, and mechanism of action for these substances and performed an extensive literature search to identify and review the current evidence available for each of the most common ingredients found in these nutraceuticals. RESULTS: The top-selling nutraceuticals marked for men's sexual health contain a blend of multiple supplements (up to 33 in one formulation identified), the most common being ginseng, tribulus, zinc, horny goat weed, B complex vitamins/trace minerals, fenugreek, L-arginine, maca, DHEA, ginkgo, and yohimbine. The currently available medical literature evaluating the efficacy of these substances is generally of low quality. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the dearth of evidence supporting nutraceutical agents in the men's health arena, these substances are still commonly used by patients. As these products can affect the health and well-being of men presenting to a urology clinic, a familiarity with commonly used agents can help the urologist appropriately counsel their patients.