Perioperative Mobile Telehealth Program for Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Perioperative pelvic floor muscle training can hasten recovery of bladder control and reduce severity of urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy. Nevertheless, most men undergoing prostatectomy do not receive this training. The purpose of this trial was to test the effectiveness of interactive mobile telehealth (mHealth) to deliver an evidence-based perioperative behavioral training program for post-prostatectomy incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a 3-site, 2-arm, randomized trial (2014-2019). Men with prostate cancer scheduled to undergo radical prostatectomy were randomized to a perioperative behavioral program (education, pelvic floor muscle training, progressive exercises, bladder control techniques) or a general prostate cancer education control condition, both delivered by mHealth for 1-4 weeks preoperatively and 8 weeks postoperatively. The primary outcome was time to continence following surgery measured by the ICIQ (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire) Short-Form. Secondary outcomes measured at 6, 9 and 12 months included Urinary Incontinence Subscale of Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite; pad use; International Prostate Symptom Score QoL Question and Global Perception of Improvement. RESULTS: A total of 245 men (ages 42-78 years; mean=61.7) were randomized. Survival analysis using the Kaplan-Meier estimate showed no statistically significant between-group differences in time to continence. Analyses at 6 months indicated no statistically significant between-group differences in ICIQ scores (mean=7.1 vs 7.0, p=0.7) or other secondary outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: mHealth delivery of a perioperative program to reduce post-prostatectomy incontinence was not more effective than an mHealth education program. More research is needed to assess whether perioperative mHealth programs can be a helpful addition to standard prostate cancer care.

Initiative to reduce bone scans for low-risk prostate cancer patients: A quasi-experimental before-and-after study in a Veterans Affairs hospital.

PURPOSE: Bone scans (BS) are a low-value test for asymptomatic men with low-risk prostate cancer. We performed a quality improvement intervention aimed at reducing BS for these patients. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The intervention was a presentation that leveraged the behavioral science concepts of social comparison and normative appeals. Participants were multidisciplinary stakeholders from the Radiation Oncology and Urology services at a Veterans Affairs hospital. We determined the baseline rate of BS by retrospectively analyzing cases of asymptomatic men with newly diagnosed low-risk prostate cancer. For social comparison, we presented contemporary peer BS rates in the United States-including Veterans Affairs hospitals. For normative appeals, we reviewed guidelines from various professional groups. To analyze the effect of this intervention, we performed a quasi-experimental, uncontrolled, before-and-after study. RESULTS: During the 1-year period before the intervention, 32 of 37 patients with low-risk prostate cancer (86.5%) received a BS. The contemporary peer rate was approximately 30%. All reviewed guidelines recommended against BS. During the 1-year period after the intervention, the rate of BS was reduced to 65.5% (19 of 29 patients; P = .043 by one-sided Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSIONS: We observed a modest reduction in guideline-discordant BS after the quality improvement intervention. BS rates might be influenced by initiatives that combine social comparisons with appeals to professional norms.

Placenta Percreta With Invasion into the Urinary Bladder.

Placenta percreta is a rare condition, which can lead to significant morbidity and potentially mortality. We present a case of a 38-year-old woman who presented at 24 weeks gestation with vaginal bleeding and was found to have complete placenta previa with placenta percreta invading the urinary bladder. Her hospital course was complicated by bilateral pulmonary emboli. She underwent an exploratory laparotomy, repeat Caesarean section, and total abdominal hysterectomy. Because of placental invasion into the bladder, the procedure was complicated by bladder and ureteral injuries for which urology carried out repair. Postoperatively, the patient had a persistent bladder leak until postoperative day #39.

Tumor enucleation: a safe treatment alternative for renal cell carcinoma.

The treatment of renal cell carcinoma has evolved tremendously over the years. Initially the entire kidney was removed along with the renal tumor despite the size or extent of the mass. Early attempts to remove tumors with a normal surrounding parenchymal margin showed equivalent oncologic results in small renal masses. Attempts to preserve more renal parenchyma in patients with compromised renal function led to the enucleation of renal masses by blunt dissection following the natural plane between the peritumor pseudocapsule and the renal parenchyma. Enucleation of renal tumors has been especially useful for renal preservation in patients with preoperative renal insufficiency, solitary kidneys, multiple renal lesions and hereditary renal cell carcinoma syndromes. Comparable long-term progression and cancer-specific survival has been shown with tumor enucleation and standard partial nephrectomy. However, there has been considerable controversy regarding the safety of renal tumor enucleation due to histopathologic findings of pseudocapsule tumor invasion. Current data suggest that tumor enucleation is a safe alternative for small renal masses that are locally confined on preoperative imaging, easily delineated intraoperatively and do not appear to grossly invade beyond the pseudocapsule.

High-frequency jet ventilation is beneficial during shock wave lithotripsy utilizing a newer unit with a narrower focal zone.

INTRODUCTION: High-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) during shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) has been reported using older lithotripsy units with larger focal zones. We investigated how HFJV affects the clinical parameters of SWL using a newer lithotripsy unit with a smaller focal zone. METHODS: We reviewed all patients who underwent SWL by a single surgeon (KVA) from July 2006 until December 2007 with the Siemens Lithostar Modularis (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). Either HFJV or conventional anesthetic techniques were used based on the anesthesiologists' preference. Preoperative imaging was reviewed for stone size, number and location. Total operating room time, procedure time, number of shocks and total energy delivery were analyzed. Postoperative imaging was reviewed for stone-free rates. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients underwent SWL with 80 undergoing conventional anesthesia, and 32 with HFJV. Age, body mass index, preoperative stone size and number were not significantly different between the groups. The HFJV group required significantly less total shocks (3358 vs. 3754, p = 0.0015) and total energy (115.8 joules vs. 137.2 joules, p = 0.0015). Total operating room time, SWL procedure time and postoperative stone-free rates were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: Previous studies using older SWL units with larger focal zones have demonstrated that HFJV can be effective in reducing total shocks and total energy. Our data is consistent with these studies, but also shows benefit with newer units that have narrower focal zones.

Single-center experience of caval thrombectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma with tumor thrombus extension into the inferior vena cava.

The objective of this study is to describe a single-center experience of caval thrombectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and tumor thrombus extension into the inferior vena cava (IVC). We retrospectively reviewed 23 patients undergoing radical nephrectomy with caval thrombectomy. Follow-up included an office visit and computed tomography scan. Statistical comparisons were made using 2-sample t tests. Patients' ages ranged from 32 to 83 years (mean, 62 years; 18 male, 5 female). Tumor size ranged from 3 to 21 cm (mean, 8.6 cm). Tumor thrombus staging was based on the Nevus classification: level I (2/23), II (6/23), III (13/26), IV (2/23). Tumor thrombi were removed by means of digital extraction (20), Fogarty embolectomy (2), or endarterectomy (1-caval wall invasion). Lateral venorrhaphy was used for IVC repair in all cases. Hepatic mobilization and suprahepatic clamping were necessary in 14 patients. Clamp times were significantly different between the suprahepatic (SH) and infrahepatic (IH) groups (15 vs 9.4 minutes, P < .012). Mean blood loss was also significantly different (3.2 L vs 2 L, P < .045). In the SH group, 2 patients developed postoperative atrial fibrillation and 2 patients died (respiratory failure; missed enterotomy). The IH group had no perioperative morbidity or mortality. Median followup was 15 months (range, 1-54 months). Follow-up imaging was available for 19/23 patients. Ninety-five percent of patients had a patent IVC (18). One SH patient developed an IVC stenosis/thrombosis 12 months postoperatively with successful thrombolysis and stenting. There was a 16% (3/19) recurrence rate in follow-up, with all patients demonstrating renal vascular invasion and high Fuhrman grade upon final pathologic evaluation. Caval thrombectomy can be performed safely during radical nephrectomy for RCC with tumor thrombus extension. The need for suprahepatic clamping is associated with longer clamp times, increased blood loss, and increased morbidity and mortality. Lateral venorrhaphy with primary repair avoids complicated caval reconstructions and results in high patency rates, despite a not insignificant recurrence rate.

Communication between the ureter and an aortic aneurysm sac after an abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Fistulae between the vasculature and the ureter are rare. We describe a communication between the ureter and the sac of an aortic aneurysm following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Incidence of benign pathologic findings at partial nephrectomy for solitary renal mass presumed to be renal cell carcinoma on preoperative imaging.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the incidence of benign pathologic findings at partial nephrectomy for a solitary renal lesion when preoperative imaging is reviewed by an experienced team of academic genitourinary radiologists. METHODS: From 1996 to 2004, 143 patients underwent resection of a solitary renal lesion for presumed renal cell carcinoma amenable to partial nephrectomy. Our experienced team of genitourinary radiologists interpreted all preoperative imaging scans. Of the 143 patients, 44 underwent partial nephrectomy for a solitary lesion less than 2 cm, 85 for a lesion 2 to 4 cm, and 14 for a lesion greater than 4 cm. RESULTS: Of the 143 solitary masses resected, 23 revealed benign pathologic findings (16.1%). Ten lesions (43.5%) were angiomyolipomas (AMLs), eight (34.8%) were oncocytomas, three (13.0%) were benign Bosniak-type cysts, and one each was a low-grade spindle cell lesion most consistent with mesoblastic nephroma, and a metanephric adenoma. CONCLUSIONS: A significant fraction of small solitary renal masses presumed to be renal cell carcinoma had benign pathologic findings on resection, despite thorough expert radiologic review. Management should favor parenchyma-sparing approaches, because resection serves not only a therapeutic but also a diagnostic function. Patients should be counseled accordingly when faced with the diagnosis of renal mass.

An interval longer than 12 weeks between the diagnosis of muscle invasion and cystectomy is associated with worse outcome in bladder carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The standard of care for muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder is radical cystectomy. Definitive therapy may often be delayed for various reasons. We assessed whether pathological stage and survival correlated with the length of time between diagnosis of muscle invasion and cystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 290 consecutive patients who underwent radical cystectomy between February 1987 and July 2000 were reviewed. Of 265 (91.4%) cystectomies performed for transitional cell carcinoma data were available for 247 (85.2%) and 189 (65.2%) patients were identified who underwent surgery for muscle invasive disease (T2 or greater). The interval between diagnosis of muscle invasion and cystectomy was calculated for each patient. Patients were divided into groups based on time to surgery as group 1-less than 4 weeks, 2-4 to 6 weeks, 3-7 to 9 weeks, 4-10 to 12 weeks, 5-13 to 16 weeks, and 6-greater than 16 weeks. Exploratory univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to test the association of time lag with clinical features and postoperative survival. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 66 years (range 37 to 84) and overall 3-year Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was 59.1% +/- 4% (median followup 36 months). For all patients mean interval from diagnosis to cystectomy was 7.9 weeks (range 1 to 40). Extravesical disease (P3a or greater) or positive nodes were identified in 84% (16 of 19) of patients when the delay was longer than 12 weeks, compared with 48.2% (82 of 170) in those with a time lag of 12 weeks or less (p < 0.01). Similarly 3-year estimated survival was lower (34.9% +/- 13.5%) for patients with a surgery delay longer than 12 weeks compared to those with a shorter interval 62.1% +/- 4.5% (hazards ratio 2.51, 95% CI 1.30-4.83, p = 0.006). When adjusted for nodal status, and clinical and pathological stages the interval was still statistically significant (adjusted hazards ratio 1.93, 95% CI 0.99-3.76, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing radical cystectomy a delay in surgery of greater than 12 weeks was associated with advanced pathological stage and decreased survival. Although this relationship persisted after adjusting for nodal status, and clinical and pathological stages, the presence of lymph node metastasis remained the strongest predictor of patient outcome.

Impact of added biopsy areas on prostate cancer detection: preliminary analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate variations in prostate cancer detection relevant to the number and areas of biopsy cores. METHODS: Ninety patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen levels, abnormal physical examination findings, or both had ultrasound examinations plus biopsies. Forty-nine patients had 11 biopsies, and 41 patients had 6 biopsies. The numbers of cancers detected were compared on a patient-by-patient basis and by all biopsy sites grouped together. An analysis of the relationship between a positive gray scale sonographic finding and the presence of adenocarcinoma was done. RESULTS: On a patient-by-patient basis, 43% of patients who had 11 biopsies had adenocarcinoma. In patients who had 6 biopsies, 32% had adenocarcinoma. Thirty-eight percent of the additional cancers found in the 11-biopsy group were in 5 additional areas not sampled in the 6-biopsy group. Of the total of 539 biopsy specimens obtained in the 11-biopsy group, 56 (10%) had adenocarcinoma; 43% of these 56 were positive in the 5 additional areas not sampled in the 6-biopsy group. No statistical differences (P > .05) were found for mean age, mean prostate-specific antigen level, and mean volume in the groups with 11 and 6 biopsies. This indicated that the observed difference was not related to any of these factors. Similar pathologic data were found for patients with prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate the added value of additional biopsy sites over the usual 6 biopsies to increase the yield of adenocarcinoma and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia detected. The added biopsy sites of the central and midperipheral glands were areas where additional specimens positive for adenocarcinoma and prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia were obtained.