Factors Associated With Corporoglandular Shunting for Patients With First-time Ischemic Priapism.

OBJECTIVE: To establish predictive factors of patients who failed intra-cavernosal injection therapy and ultimately required corporoglandular shunting during first-time ischemic priapism episodes. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all patients over the age of 18 who presented to our institution with first-time episode of ischemic priapism from 2009 to 2019. Variables assessed included: body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, race, insurance-type, hypertension, etiology, age, duration of erection prior to evaluation, total amount of phenylephrine injected, and use of corporal irrigation. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed utilizing duration of erection and amount of phenylephrine. RESULTS: One-hundred and forty-seven patients met inclusion criteria of which 24 patients required surgical intervention. There were differences associated with mean total phenylephrine used, duration of erection between shunted patients and non-shunted patients with regards to age (P = .38) or etiology (P = .81). Multivariable analysis revealed differences between duration of erection and BMI greater than 25 kg/m2. ROC curve analyses revealed total amount of phenylephrine injected and duration of erection were acceptable and excellent predictors of need for shunt procedures with area under the curves of 0.72 and 0.90, respectively. Optimal cut-off values for each were found to be 950 mcg and 15.5 hours. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that patients who require greater than 950 mcg of total phenylephrine or present with erections lasting greater than 15.5 hours are significantly more likely to require corporoglandular shunting and should be counseled appropriately as such.

A Simplified Adult Acquired Buried Penis Repair Classification System With an Analysis of Perioperative Complications and Urethral Stricture Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To propose a simple classification system for buried penis repairs and present an analysis of perioperative data based on category. METHODS: Patients undergoing buried penis repair at a single institution were examined. Classification was as follows: Category I-penile unburying with local flap; II-skin graft; III-scrotal surgery; IV-escutcheonectomy; V-abdominal panniculectomy. Complex repairs were Category III or above. Success was defined as an unburied penis without additional unburying surgery. RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2017, 64 patients underwent repair with 44 (69%) considered complex. Patients undergoing complex repairs had a higher body mass index (median 48 vs 36 kg/m2, P < .01). A total of 30 patients (47%) had urethral strictures, with no association to buried penis complexity (P = .43). High-grade complications (Clavien ≥ 3) occurred in 10 patients (23%) in the high-complexity group with none in the low-complexity group (P = .02). Seven of 10 (70%) of high-grade complications were wound related. Successful unburying was seen in 58 patients (91%). All failures occurred in the high-complexity group. Median follow-up was 209 days. CONCLUSION: Buried penis repairs are highly successful. We propose a classification based on surgical complexity. Patients requiring complex repairs have higher body mass index and increased risk of high-grade complications. While urethral strictures are found in nearly half of patients, there is no association with the severity of disease. Ongoing modifications of technique and perioperative care may improve outcomes.

Can regional anesthesia have an effect on surgical outcomes in patients undergoing distal hypospadia surgery?

BACKGROUND: Caudal and penile blocks are the most popular regional anesthetic techniques used in infants and children undergoing urological surgery. A recent report has suggested that penile venous pooling resulting from caudal blocks could affect surgical outcomes after hypospadias operations. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to report our experience in patients with distal hypospadias undergoing repair with caudal versus penile block. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective clinical database was constructed for patients who underwent distal hypospadias repair by a single surgeon (M.P.B.) at our sponsoring institutions for the time period 2008-2013 (n = 192). Collected data included hypospadias classification (glanular, coronal, subcoronal), chordee status, perioperative anesthesia (caudal vs. penile), and assessment of postoperative complications (fistula and meatal stenosis). RESULTS: Risk ratio (RR) analysis for all distal hypospadias cases revealed that there is a higher risk of developing complications in patients who underwent caudal anesthesia than in patients who underwent penile block RR for a complication was 3.70 (95% CI 1.05-13.03; p < 0.04) (Figure). DISCUSSION: Similar to other papers in the literature, we found that patients who underwent caudal anesthesia had more complications than those who underwent penile block. The limitations of this study include not adjusting the results according to the severity of hypospadias. CONCLUSION: The main goal of this study was accomplished by demonstrating that, in our series, caudal anesthesia is associated with a higher risk of fistula formation after undergoing distal hypospadias repair than penile block.

Preoperative International Prostate Symptom Score Predictive of Inguinal Hernia in Patients Undergoing Robotic Prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: Studies have shown that encountering an inguinal hernia during robotic radical prostatectomy is not uncommon. We reviewed our experience with simultaneous robotic prostatectomy and mesh hernia repair to identify variables predictive of a hernia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our cohort consisted of 693 consecutive men who underwent robotic radical prostatectomy as performed by 1 surgeon. Hernias were repaired with mesh composed of equal parts of absorbable polyglecaprone-25 and nonabsorbable polypropylene monofilament. Preoperative variables potentially predictive of an inguinal hernia were evaluated. RESULTS: Inguinal hernias were encountered in 55 of 639 patients (8.6%), of which 22.3% were bilateral for a total of 68 hernia sides. Only 26 of 55 hernias (47.2%) were evident preoperatively. Men with a preoperative I-PSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) of 15 or greater had a 22.4% chance (30 of 134) of requiring a hernia repair compared with 5% in those without such a score (OR 5.54, 95% CI 3.13-9.81, p <0.0001). There were no differences between the hernia and nonhernia groups in prostate size, body mass index, age, blood loss, transfusions, operative time, length of stay or any Clavien grade II-V complication. In 47 patients there was 1 recurrence at a median followup of 27.9 months. There were no cases of mesh associated pain or erosion. CONCLUSIONS: Independent of prostate size, men with preoperative lower urinary tract dysfunction were at 5 times the risk of a hernia at robotic radical prostatectomy (22.4% vs 5%). Given that half of the hernias were subclinical, patients with an I-PSS of 15 or greater should be counseled about the potential need for hernia repair at robotic radical prostatectomy.

Laparoscopic Single-Site Surgery in Pediatric Urology: Where Do We Stand Today?

Since the first description of the laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) in the pediatric urology population, various authors have shared their experiences and results. We aim to provide a review of current studies of LESS and share our experience with this modality. The current literature describes the use of LESS for most surgeries performed in the pediatric urology population with similar results to open and standard laparoscopic surgery. The authors have described their experiences with transabdominal and retroperitoneal nephrectomy, nephroureterectomy, pyeloplasty, orchidopexy, varicocelectomy, and renal cyst decortication. In our experience, LESS has taken a role for extirpative surgery since we use other modalities for upper tract reconstruction. The data available has validated LESS as safe and has demonstrated similar results to standard laparoscopic surgery and open surgery with better cosmetic results.

Knowledge of and attitudes toward organ donation: a survey of medical students in Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE: The increasing demand for organ transplants exceeds the organ donation rate. Addressing this discrepancy is challenging for organ procurement agencies and health professionals involved in the care of patients in dire need of organs. Research suggests that health-care professionals' knowledge of, attitudes toward, and behavior in terms of organ donation and transplantation are deciding variables in promoting organ donation. In Puerto Rico, there is a lack of information regarding medical student's knowledge of and/or attitudes toward organ donation, a lack that our study was designed to address. METHODS: Two hundred thirty participants (98 first-year, 45 second-year, and 87 third-year medical students) completed a questionnaire consisting of 55 questions; 10 questions assessed knowledge and 20, attitudes about organ and tissue donation. The remaining questions inquired after demographic information, history of blood donation, and educational experience. RESULTS: In terms of their knowledge about organ donation, the participating students had a mean score of 6.29 on a 10-point scale-with 10 being the highest possible knowledge score-and 45.7% of them scored 7 or more. These data also showed that participants had a positive attitude toward organ donation (44.9; range 14 to 56), with approximately 72% having a favorable view. However, while 40% of the participating students stated their intentions to donate their organs, only 23% of them had donor cards. CONCLUSION: We determined that medical students have a positive attitude towards organ donation. However, a substantial lack of knowledge of organ donation among our subjects is a barrier to their taking the necessary measures to become active donors. Our data highlight the need to incorporate educational programs to increase knowledge and awareness regarding organ donation and the transplantation process.