Oral preparation of hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C improves sexual and urinary symptoms in participants with recurrent urinary tract infections: a randomized crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Intravesical instillation of hyaluronic acid (HA) has been associated with reduced sexual dysfunction in participants with recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs), but the efficacy of an oral treatment has never been investigated. AIM: To investigate the efficacy of an oral preparation of HA, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C in improving sexual and urinary symptoms in a cohort of reproductive-age participants with rUTI. METHODS: In a monocentric randomized crossover pilot trial, participants with rUTI who were referred to our institute between March 2022 and April 2023 were randomized 1:1 in 2 groups: intervention vs control. All participants had an oral preparation of cranberry, D-mannose, propolis extract, turmeric, and Boswellia twice a day for 3 months. The intervention group also included an oral preparation of HA, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C once a day for 3 months. Crossover of treatment occurred at 3 months for an additional 3 months. At baseline and 3 and 6 months, participants were evaluated clinically and with the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models tested the impact of the intervention on urinary and sexual symptoms at each follow-up assessment. OUTCOMES: Improvement in sexual and urinary symptoms as measured by the FSFI and IPSS. RESULTS: Overall, 27 (54%) participants had an FSFI score <26.5 at enrollment. At 3 months, FSFI scores were higher in the intervention group vs control (P < .001), but IPSS scores were lower (P = .03). After crossover of treatment, FSFI and IPSS scores remained stable in the intervention group. However, after crossover, the control group showed a significant improvement in IPSS and FSFI scores (all P < .01) vs the 3-month assessment. At last follow-up, urinary and sexual symptoms were comparable between groups. In logistic regression analyses, the intervention group was associated with early improvement in sexual symptoms (odds ratio, 3.9; P = .04) and urinary symptoms (odds ratio, 5.1; P = .01) after accounting for clinical confounders. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Combination treatment with HA, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C is effective if started immediately or even after a few months from symptoms in participants with rUTI. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: The main limitation is the lack of long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: The oral formulation of HA, chondroitin sulfate, N-acetylglucosamine, and vitamin C could be an effective therapy against urinary and sexual distress in participants with rUTI (NCT06268483; ClinicalTrials.gov).

Minimally invasive transperitoneal partial versus radical nephrectomy in obese patients: perioperative and long-term functional outcomes from a large perspective contemporary series (RECORd2 project).

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to evaluate the perioperative and long-term functional outcomes of laparoscopic (LPN) and robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) in comparison to laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (LRN) in obese patients diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: Clinical data of 4325 consecutive patients from The Italian REgistry of COnservative and Radical Surgery for cortical renal tumor Disease (RECORD 2 Project) were gathered. Only patients treated with transperitoneal LPN, RAPN, or LRN with Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2, clinical T1 renal tumor and preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥60 mL/min, were included. Perioperative, and long-term functional outcomes were examined. RESULTS: Overall, 388 patients were included, of these 123 (31.7%), 120 (30.9%) and 145 (37.4%) patients were treated with LRN, LPN, and RAPN, respectively. No significant difference was observed in preoperative characteristics. Overall, intra and postoperative complication rates were comparable among the groups. The LRN group had a significantly increased occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) compared to LPN and RAPN (40.6% vs. 15.3% vs. 7.6%, P=0.001). Laparoscopic RN showed a statistically significant higher renal function decline at 60-month follow-up assessment compared to LPN and RAPN. A significant renal function loss was recorded in 30.1% of patients treated with LRN compared to 16.7% and 10.3% of patients treated with LPN and RAPN (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In obese patients, both LPN and RAPN showcased comparable complication rates and higher renal function preservation than LRN. These findings highlighted the potential benefits of minimally invasive PN over radical surgery in the context of obese individuals.

The relationship between the force applied and perceived by the surgeon during ureteral access sheath placement: ex-vivo experimental model.

PURPOSE: To define a peak force of insertion (PFOI) threshold for ureteral damage during ureteral access sheath (UAS) placement on an experimental ureteral orifice model. METHODS: A specially designed water tank using 2 laparoscopic 5 mm ports and 2 different size (10 Fr and 8 Fr) sealing cap adaptors (SCA) as ureteral orifices was used to perform the test. A 10-12 Fr UAS was fixed to a load cell and the force of insertion (FOI) was continuously recorded with a digital force gauge.13 experts in the field of endourology who participated performed 3 UAS insertions. The FOI was recorded initially with 10 Fr followed by 8 Fr SCA. On the final insertion, the orifice was obstructed, leaving a 5 cm length to insert the UAS. The experts were asked to "Stop at the point they anticipate ureteral damage, and they would not proceed in real life". RESULTS: Using 10 Fr SCA the PFOI was 2.12 ± 0.58 Newton (N) (range:1.48-3.48) while 8 Fr SCA showed a PFOI 5.76 ± 0.96 N (range:4.05-7.35). Six of the experts, said they would stop proceeding when they reached above 5.1 N. Three experts had PFOI < 5.1 N and the other 4 stated they would go with PFOIs of 5.88, 6.16, 6.69 and 7.35 N when using SCA of 8 Fr.The highest load they would stop proceeding had a PFOI of 6.09 ± 1.87 N (range: 2.53-10.74). CONCLUSION: The PFOI threshold for ureteral damage inserting UAS of the experts is variable. Although FOI is a subjective perception, experience suggests that ureteral injury may occur at an average of 6.05 N perceived by surgeons' tactile feedback. In-vivo measurement of UAS PFOI may confirm a threshold.

External validation of a nomogram for outcome prediction in management of medium-sized (1-2 cm) kidney stones.

BACKGROUND: Stone nomogram by Micali et al., able topredict treatment failure of shock-wave lithotripsy (SWL), retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) in the management of single 1-2 cm renal stones, was developed on 2605 patients and showed a high predictive accuracy, with an area under ROC curve of 0.793 at internal validation. The aim of the present study is to externally validate the model to assess whether it displayed a satisfactory predictive performance if applied to different populations. METHODS: External validation was retrospectively performed on 3025 patients who underwent an active stone treatment from December 2010 to June 2021 in 26 centers from four countries (Italy, USA, Spain, Argentina). Collected variables included: age, gender, previous renal surgery, preoperative urine culture, hydronephrosis, stone side, site, density, skin-to-stone distance. Treatment failure was the defined outcome (residual fragments >4 mm at three months CT-scan). RESULTS: Model discrimination in external validation datasets showed an area under ROC curve of 0.66 (95% 0.59-0.68) with adequate calibration. The retrospective fashion of the study and the lack of generalizability of the tool towards populations from Asia, Africa or Oceania represent limitations of the current analysis. CONCLUSIONS: According to the current findings, Micali's nomogram can be used for treatment prediction after SWL, RIRS and PNL; however, a lower discrimination performance than the one at internal validation should be acknowledged, reflecting geographical, temporal and domain limitation of external validation studies. Further prospective evaluation is required to refine and improve the nomogram findings and to validate its clinical value.

Conservative treatment of Peyronie's disease: a guide.

PURPOSE: To review the literature on the topic, to suggest a common line of treatment applicable across a wide community of specialists, and to contribute in maintaining the high level of interest in this disease. METHODS: A comprehensive and exhaustive review of the literature was performed, identifying hundreds of articles on the topic. RESULTS: Peyronie's disease is a condition that has been recognized, studied, and treated for centuries; despite this, if one excludes surgery in cases in which the deformity is stable, no clear treatment (or line of treatment) is available for complete relief of signs and symptoms. Treatment options were divided into local, oral, and injection therapy, and a wide variety of drugs, remedies, and options were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy, vacuum therapy, penile traction therapy, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, hyaluronic acid, and collagenase of Clostridium histolyticum may be recommended only in specific contexts. Further studies on individual options or potential combinations are required.

Assessment of Effectiveness and Safety of Aspiration-Assisted Nephrostomic Access Sheaths in PCNL and Intrarenal Pressures Evaluation: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

Background: Different suction-assisted nephrostomic sheaths have been developed for percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Objectives: (1) To examine PCNL techniques performed with different aspiration-assisted sheaths (Clear Petra® sheath, Superperc, SuperminiPCNL, and a miniPCNL patented sheath), with specific regard to effectiveness and safety outcomes in adult and paediatric patients; (2) to extrapolate intrarenal pressure (IRP) data during these procedures. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Relevant articles up to 8 February 2024 were included. Results: Twenty-five studies were selected, thirteen retrospective and twelve prospective. The use of four different aspirating sheaths for miniPCNL was reported: Clear Petra® sheath, Superperc, SuperminiPCNL, and a miniPCNL patented sheath. Stone free rates (SFRs) across techniques ranged from 71.3% to 100%, and complication rates from 1.5% to 38.9%. Infectious complication rates varied from 0 to 27.8% and bleeding complication rates from 0 to 8.9%. Most complications were low grade ones. The trend among studies comparing aspiration- and non-aspiration-assisted miniPCNL was towards equivalent or better SFRs and lower overall infectious and bleeding complication rates in suction techniques. Operation time was consistently lower in suction procedures, with a mean shortening of the procedural time of 19 min. Seven studies reported IRP values during suction miniPCNL. Two studies reported satisfactory SFRs and adequate safety profiles in paediatric patient cohorts. Conclusions: MiniPCNL with aspirating sheaths appears to be safe and effective in both adult and paediatric patients. A trend towards a reduction of overall infectious and bleeding complications with respect to non-suction procedures is evident, with comparable or better SFRs and consistently shorter operative times. The IRP profile seems to be safe with the aid of aspirating sheaths. However, high quality evidence on this topic is still lacking.

Extended pelvic lymph node dissection during robotic prostatectomy: antegrade versus retrograde technique.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with extended lymphadenectomy (ePLND) is the gold standard for surgical treatment of prostate cancer (PCa). Recently, the en-bloc ePLND has been proposed but no studies reported on the standardization of the technique. The aim of the study is to describe different standardized en-bloc ePLND, the antegrade and the retrograde ePLND, and to compare their surgical and oncological outcomes. MATERIALS & METHODS: From January 2018 to September 2019, all patients subjected to RARP plus ePLND by one single surgeon were enrolled. ePLND was performed in a retrograde fashion by starting laterally to the medial umbilical ligament from the internal inguinal ring proceeding towards the ureter, or in an antegrade way by starting from the ureter at its crossing with the common iliac artery and proceeding towards the femoral canal. Patients' demographic data, clinical and surgical data were collected. Each en-bloc ePLND was categorized as "efficient" or "inefficient" by the operator, as surrogate of surgeon's satisfaction. RESULTS: Antegrade and retrograde ePLND were performed in 41/105 (group A) and 64/105 (group R) patients, respectively. The two groups (A vs R) had similar median (IQR) number of lymph nodes retrieved [20 (16.25-31.5) vs 19 (15-26.25); p = 0.18], ePLND time [33.5 (29.5-38.5) min vs 33.5 (26.5-37.5) min; p = 0.4] and post-operative complications [8/41 (19.5%) vs 9/64 (14.1%); p = 0.61]. In group A, 3/41 (7.3%) clinically significant lymphoceles were reported, while 1/64 (1.6%) in group R (p = 0.3). 33/41 (80.5%) and 28/64 (44%) procedures were scored as efficient 59 in group A and R, respectively (p = 0.01). On multivariate regression, only BMI (B = 0.93; 95% CI 0.29-1.56; p = 0.005) was associated with a longer ePLND time. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that antegrade and retrograde en-bloc extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) have comparable surgical and oncologic outcomes, supporting the importance of standardizing the procedure rather than focusing on the direction. Although both techniques aligned with current evidence regarding lymph node invasion and complications, the antegrade approach was subjectively perceived as safer due to early isolation of critical anatomical landmarks. Encouragement for the use of en-bloc ePLND, regardless of direction, is emphasized to improve prostate cancer staging accuracy and procedural standardization.

Transient ureteral obstruction after mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy is associated with stone volume and location: results from a single-center, real-life study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the rate of and predictors of ureteral obstruction after mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPCNL) for kidney stones. METHODS: We analyzed data from 263 consecutive patients who underwent mPCNL at a single tertiary referral academic between 01/2016 and 11/2022. Patient's demographics, stone characteristics, and operative data were collected. A nephrostomy tube was placed as the only exit strategy in each procedure. On postoperative day 2, an antegrade pyelography was performed to assess ureteral canalization. The nephrostomy tube was removed if ureteral canalization was successful. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with a lack of ureteral canalization. RESULTS: Overall, median (IQR) age and stone volume were 56 (47-65) years and 1.7 (0.8-4.2) cm3, respectively. Of 263, 55 (20.9%) patients showed ureteral obstruction during pyelography. Patients without ureteral canalization had larger stone volume (p < 0.001), longer operative time (p < 0.01), and higher rate of stones in the renal pelvis (p < 0.01) than those with normal pyelography. Length of stay was longer (p < 0.01), and postoperative complications (p = 0.03) were more frequent in patients without ureteral canalization. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that stone volume (OR 1.1, p = 0.02) and stone located in the renal pelvis (OR 2.2, p = 0.04) were independent predictors of transient ureteral obstruction, after accounting for operative time. CONCLUSION: One out of five patients showed transient ureteral obstruction after mPCNL. Patients with a higher stone burden and with stones in the renal pelvis are at higher risk of inadequate ureteral canalization. Internal drainage might be considered in these cases to avoid potential complications.

Vacuum-assisted mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy is associated with lower rates of infectious complications compared to vacuum-cleaner procedure in patients at high risk for infections: a single-center experience.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of vacuum-assisted mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (vamPCNL) vs. vacuum-cleaner mPCNL (vcmPCNL) on the rate of postoperative infectious complications in a cohort of patients with high risk factors for infections. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data from 145 patients who underwent mPCNL between 01/2016 and 12/2022. Patient's demographics, stones characteristics and operative data were collected. vamPCNL and vcmPCNL were performed based on the surgeon's preference. High-risk patients were defied as having ≥ 2 predisposing factors for infections such as a history of previous urinary tract infections, positive urine culture before surgery, stone diameter ≥ 3 cm, diabetes mellitus and hydronephrosis. Complications were graded according to modified Clavien classification. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were used to identify factors associated with postoperative infectious complications. RESULTS: vamPCNL and vcmPCNL were performed in 94 (64.8%) and 51 (35.2%) cases, respectively. After surgery, infectious complications occurred in 43 (29.7%) participants. Patients who developed infectious complications had larger stone volume (p = 0.02) and higher rate of multiple stones (p = 0.01) than those who did not. Infectious complications occurred more frequently after vcmPCNL than vamPCNL (55.9% vs. 44.1%. p = 0.01) in high-risk patients. Longer operative time (p < 0.01) and length of stay (p < 0.01) were observed in cases with infectious complications. At multivariable logistic regression analysis, longer operative time (OR 1.1, p = 0.02) and vcmPCNL (OR 3.1, p = 0.03) procedures were independently associated with the risk of infectious complications post mPCNL, after accounting for stone volume. CONCLUSION: One out of three high-risk patients showed infectious complications after mPCNL. vamPCL and shorter operative time were independent protective factors for infections after surgery.

Surveillance or Dynamic Sentinel Lymph-Node Biopsy in Low-Risk Clinically N0 Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Single-Institution Real World Data.

INTRODUCTION: Surveillance is the standard management in low-risk cN0 penile squamous cell carcinoma (peSCC) patients. However, no previous analysis focused on early and long-term outcomes of these patients. We report on main oncological outcomes of a large series of low-risk cN0 peSCC patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1980 and 2017 included, 93 evaluable consecutive low-risk (ie, pT1a G1 cN0M0) peSCC patients underwent primary tumor surgery and either observation (74) or dynamic sentinel node biopsy (DSNB) (19) following a clinical diagnosis of T1 in 66 (71%), T2 in 15 (16.1%) and Tx in 12 (12.9%) patients, respectively. The statistical significance of differences in medians and proportions was tested with the Kruskal-Wallis and chi-square tests. Kaplan-Meier plots illustrated 5-year inguinal relapse (IR)-free survival rates. RESULTS: Median age was 60 years (IQR: 50-69 years). Median follow-up was 92 months (IQR 54-133 months). Surveillance was more frequently adopted in clinical (c)T1 than in cT2 tumors (79.7% vs. 36.8%). None of 19 patients who had DSNB had nodal metastasis. Overall, 7 (7.5%) out of 93 pT1aG1cN0 peSCC patients had IR after a median interval of 9 months. Of note, 1 patient only relapsed after 12 months of surveillance. After stratification according to IR, relapses occurred more frequently in younger patients (59 vs. 64 years, P < .001). The 5-year IR-free survival rates for the entire cohort was 92% (95% Confidence interval [CI] 87-98%). CONCLUSIONS: Observation is a safe and effective management for low-risk peSCC patients. Younger patients may be offered a mini-invasive staging as an alternative.

Prevalence and predictors of stone passage after double J stenting for symptomatic ureteral stones: a cross-sectional, real-life study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the rate of and predictors of stone passage (SP) after urgent retrograde stenting for symptomatic ureteral stones. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data from 249 consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department for symptomatic ureteral stones and treated with retrograde stenting. Demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics were collected. Stones parameters were collected before stenting and SP was evaluated at 1 month with computerized tomography. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models tested the association between predictors and SP. RESULTS: Overall, median (IQR) age and stone diameter were 56 (45-68) years and 7.1 (4.4-9.8) mm, respectively. Stones were located in the proximal, mid and distal ureter in 102 (41.0%), 48 (19.3%) and 99 (39.8%) cases. SP was observed in 65 (26.2%) individuals. Stone diameter (3.2 vs. 7.7 mm, p < 0.001) and stone density (416 vs. 741, p < 0.001) were lower and a higher rate of distal stones (76.9% vs. 26.7%, p < 0.001) was found in the SP group compared to that with persistent stones. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that distal ureteral stone location (OR 7.9, p < 0.01) and lower HU (OR 0.9, p < 0.01) were associated with SP, after accounting for stone volume. Patients with a distal stone of 500 HU had a 75% probability of SP. CONCLUSION: Stone passage occurred in 26% of patients with indwelling stent due to symptomatic ureteral stones. Lower stone density and distal stone location were independent predictors of stone passage. Patients with these criteria should be managed with follow-up imaging and stent removal instead of ureteroscopy.

Perioperative and Survival Outcomes of Patients Treated With Robot-Assisted Partial Nephrectomy and Percutaneous Microwave Ablation for Small Renal Masses: A Single Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Robot assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) and microwave ablation (MWA) are 2 of the most advanced techniques for the management of localized small renal masses. PURPOSE: To compare the perioperative, functional and oncological results of RAPN and MWA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 171 consecutive patients undergoing either RAPN or MWA for a localized small renal mass at a single academic center was retrospectively collected. Baseline features included patients' demographics and masses' characteristics. Procedures were compared in terms of perioperative outcomes and renal function variation Progression of a persistent lesion or local recurrence after a complete treatment defined local tumor progression. Descriptive statistics and survival analysis tested the association between predictors and local tumor progression. RESULTS: Of all, 109 and 62 patients underwent RAPN and MWA. Patients in the MWA group were older (P = .002) had higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) (P < .001) and higher frequency of preoperative chronic kidney disease (P < .001). MWA led to a shorter postoperative hospitalization time (P < .001) and lower incidence of medical complications (6.5% vs. 22.9%, P = .02) than RAPN. GFR decline was similar between groups both at discharge (P = .39) and at the time of last follow up (P = 1.00). A lower rate of secondary interventions (11.7% vs. 2.8%, P = .037) and a better disease-free survival (83.2% vs. 96.5%, P = .027) were reported after RAPN. Conversely, cancer specific and overall survival were comparable (P > .05). At univariate regression analysis, MWA was associated with local tumor progression (HR 3.46, P = .040). CONCLUSION: MWA displayed a lower perioperative impact, while functional outcomes were similar after each intervention. RAPN resulted superior in terms of tumor eradication, but no difference was noted regarding cancer specific survival. Thus, MWA represents a valid alternative in frail patients, though less radical than RAPN.

Advanced Age Impacts Survival After Radical Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma is rare but has a poor prognosis. Prognostic factors have been extensively studied in order to provide the best possible management for patients. We have aimed to investigate commonly available factors predictive of recurrence and survival in this patient population at high risk of death and recurrence, with an emphasis on the effects of age (using a cutoff of 70 years) on survival outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1387 patients with clinically nonmetastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma treated with radical nephroureterectomy at 21 academic hospital centers between 2005 and 2021, 776 patients were eligible and included in the study. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression models were built to evaluate the independent prognosticators for intravesical and extravesical recurrence, overall survival, and cancer-specific survival according to age groups. A P value of <.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: We did not find an association between groups aged <70 and >70 years old and preoperatively clinical or histopathological characteristics. Kaplan-Meier analysis was found no statistical significance between the 2 age groups in terms of intravesical or extravesical recurrence (P = .09 and P = .57). Overall survival (P = .0001) and cancer-specific survival (P = .0001) have been found to be statistically significantly associated with age as independent predictors (confounding factors: gender, tumor size, tumor side, clinical T stage, localization, preoperative hydronephrosis, tumor localization, type of surgery, multifocality of the tumor, pathological grade, lymphovascular invasion, concomitant CIS, lymph node status, necrosis, or history of previous bladder cancer). CONCLUSION: This research confirms that patients aged 70 and above who undergo radical nephroureterectomy may have worse outcomes compared to younger patients, older patients needing an improved care and management of UTUC to improve their outcomes in the setting of an increase in this aged population group.

Diagnosis of prostate cancer with magnetic resonance imaging in men treated with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate if exposure to 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) modifies the effect of MRI for the diagnosis of clinically significant Prostate Cancer (csPCa) (ISUP Gleason grade ≥ 2). METHODS: This study is a multicenter cohort study including patients undergoing prostate biopsy and MRI at 24 institutions between 2013 and 2022. Multivariable analysis predicting csPCa with an interaction term between 5-ARIs and PIRADS score was performed. Sensitivity, specificity, and negative (NPV) and positive (PPV) predictive values of MRI were compared in treated and untreated patients. RESULTS: 705 patients (9%) were treated with 5-ARIs [median age 69 years, Interquartile range (IQR): 65, 73; median PSA 6.3 ng/ml, IQR 4.0, 9.0; median prostate volume 53 ml, IQR 40, 72] and 6913 were 5-ARIs naïve (age 66 years, IQR 60, 71; PSA 6.5 ng/ml, IQR 4.8, 9.0; prostate volume 50 ml, IQR 37, 65). MRI showed PIRADS 1-2, 3, 4, and 5 lesions in 141 (20%), 158 (22%), 258 (37%), and 148 (21%) patients treated with 5-ARIs, and 878 (13%), 1764 (25%), 2948 (43%), and 1323 (19%) of untreated patients (p < 0.0001). No difference was found in csPCa detection rates, but diagnosis of high-grade PCa (ISUP GG ≥ 3) was higher in treated patients (23% vs 19%, p = 0.013). We did not find any evidence of interaction between PIRADS score and 5-ARIs exposure in predicting csPCa. Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of PIRADS ≥ 3 were 94%, 29%, 46%, and 88% in treated patients and 96%, 18%, 43%, and 88% in untreated patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to 5-ARIs does not affect the association of PIRADS score with csPCa. Higher rates of high-grade PCa were detected in treated patients, but most were clearly visible on MRI as PIRADS 4 and 5 lesions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The present study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT05078359.

Clinical and time-related predictors of sepsis in patients with obstructive uropathy due to ureteral stones in the emergency setting.

PURPOSE: Well-defined clinical predictors of sepsis after upper tract drainage for obstructive uropathy due to ureteral stones are needed. We aim to determine whether sepsis after decompression of the upper urinary tract may be predicted by clinical and time-related factors, specifically delay time from symptom onset to hospital presentation (StH) and from hospital presentation to surgical decompression (HtD). METHODS: In this single-center retrospective study, data from 196 consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department for obstructive uropathy due to ureteral stones and submitted to surgical decompression were evaluated. Postoperative sepsis was defined as an acute increase in ≥ 2 SOFA points and documented blood or urine cultures. RESULTS: Median StH and HtD were 24 (6-48) and 17 (10-30) hours, respectively. Thirty-three (16.8%) patients developed sepsis. Septic patients were more frequently female (75.8% vs. 37.4%, p < 0.001), had higher preoperative max body temperature (p < 0.001), white blood cells (WBC) count (p < 0.01), C-reactive protein (CRP) values (p < 0.001) and larger stone diameter (7.2 vs. 6 mm, p = 0.02). StH and HtD did not differ according to sepsis status. Time for WBC normalization and CRP halving were longer for septic patients (all p < 0.02). At multivariable logistic regression analysis, max body temperature ≥ 38 °C (OR 21.5; p < 0.001), female gender (OR 3.6; p = 0.02) and higher CRP (OR 1.1; p < 0.001) were independently associated with sepsis status. CONCLUSION: Clinical and laboratory parameters are associated with an increased risk of sepsis after decompression. StH and HtD timing are not associated with higher sepsis rates. In selected patients, urinary decompression could be delayed or primary ureteroscopy could be considered.

Artificial Intelligence in the Advanced Diagnosis of Bladder Cancer-Comprehensive Literature Review and Future Advancement.

Artificial intelligence is highly regarded as the most promising future technology that will have a great impact on healthcare across all specialties. Its subsets, machine learning, deep learning, and artificial neural networks, are able to automatically learn from massive amounts of data and can improve the prediction algorithms to enhance their performance. This area is still under development, but the latest evidence shows great potential in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of urological diseases, including bladder cancer, which are currently using old prediction tools and historical nomograms. This review focuses on highly significant and comprehensive literature evidence of artificial intelligence in the management of bladder cancer and investigates the near introduction in clinical practice.

Artificial intelligence and radiomics in evaluation of kidney lesions: a comprehensive literature review.

Radiomics and artificial intelligence (AI) may increase the differentiation of benign from malignant kidney lesions, differentiation of angiomyolipoma (AML) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC), differentiation of oncocytoma from RCC, differentiation of different subtypes of RCC, to predict Fuhrman grade, to predict gene mutation through molecular biomarkers and to predict treatment response in metastatic RCC undergoing immunotherapy. Neural networks analyze imaging data. Statistical, geometrical, textural features derived are giving quantitative data of contour, internal heterogeneity and gray zone features of lesions. A comprehensive literature review was performed, until July 2022. Studies investigating the diagnostic value of radiomics in differentiation of renal lesions, grade prediction, gene alterations, molecular biomarkers and ongoing clinical trials have been analyzed. The application of AI and radiomics could lead to improved sensitivity, specificity, accuracy in detecting and differentiating between renal lesions. Standardization of scanner protocols will improve preoperative differentiation between benign, low-risk cancers and clinically significant renal cancers and holds the premises to enhance the diagnostic ability of imaging tools to characterize renal lesions.

Bilateral inguinal lymph-node dissection vs. unilateral inguinal lymph-node dissection and dynamic sentinel node biopsy in clinical N1 squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the role of unilateral inguinal lymph-node dissection (ILND) plus contralateral dynamic sentinel node biopsy (DSNB) vs. bilateral ILND in clinical N1 (cN1) penile squamous cell carcinoma (peSCC) patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Within our institutional database (1980-2020, included), we identified 61 consecutive cT1-4 cN1 cM0 patients with histological confirmed peSCC who underwent either unilateral ILND plus DSNB (26) or bilateral ILND (35). RESULTS: Median age was 54 years (Interquartile range [IQR]: 48-60 years). Median follow-up was 68 months (IQR 21-105 months). Most patients had pT1 (23 %) or pT2 (54.1%), as well as G2 (47.5%) or G3 (23%) tumors, while lymphovascular invasion (LVI) was present in 67.1% of cases. Considering a cN1 and a cN0 groin, overall 57 out of 61 patients (93.5%) had nodal disease in the cN1 groin. Conversely, only 14 out of 61 patients (22.9%) had nodal disease in the cN0 groin. 5-year IR-free survival was 91% (Confidence interval [CI] 80%-100%) for bilateral ILND group and 88% (CI 73%-100%) for the ipsilateral ILND plus DSNB group (P-value 0.8). Conversely, 5-year CSS was 76% (CI 62%-92%) for bilateral ILND group and 78% (CI 63%-97%) for the ipsilateral ILND plus contralateral DSNB group (P-value 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with cN1 peSCC the risk of occult contralateral nodal disease is comparable to cN0 high risk peSCC and the gold standard, namely bilateral ILND, may be replaced by unilateral ILND and contralateral DSNB without affecting positive node detection, IRRs and CSS.