Influential Factors in Pursuit of Pediatric Urology Fellowship Training.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated factors that helped recent fellows achieve a successful match and sought to understand the influences in pursuing a career in pediatric urology. Selecting to continue training after urology residency entails much consideration. However, there are few tangible resources available to help residents understand the process. METHODS: A 20-item web based survey was e-mailed to second year fellows and recent graduates of pediatric urology fellowships (103) from the graduating classes of 2013 to 2015. The survey explored factors that affected the decision to pursue this field along with the influence of mentors, fellows and other residents who applied to pediatric urology. We assessed the key factors that helped applicants achieve a successful match. Descriptive statistics and univariate logistic regression analysis were used to determine relationships between program characteristics and respondents' decisions to apply and interview at various programs. RESULTS: In total, 59 of 103 individuals surveyed (57.3%) responded to the survey. Faculty, program reputation and clinical volume had key roles in ranking programs, while satisfaction with the match result was contingent upon accurately assessing programs based on key factors such as family considerations, location, program reputation, faculty, clinical year volume and gut feeling. In addition, our survey demonstrated that having a pediatric urology fellow at one's institution had little impact on a resident's decision to pursue pediatric urology. CONCLUSIONS: As the subspecialty of pediatric urology continues to grow, we identified key elements that help shape and influence choices to participate in the future of this ever evolving field.

The role of inheritance in the development of adolescent varicoceles.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of varicoceles is estimated to be 15% in the general population but is nearly 35% among men with primary infertility and increases by 10% with each decade of life. Studies among adults infer a higher rate of varicoceles among first-degree relatives of patients with varicoceles. However, these studies do not consider the presence of varicoceles, or other venous abnormalities, at the time of desired paternity in first-degree relatives of adolescent patients. Our aim was to document the prevalence of varicoceles and varicose veins among first-degree relatives of pediatric patients diagnosed with varicoceles. METHODS: A series of 884 patients between the ages of 17 and 22 diagnosed with a varicocele were contacted and of the responders, permission was asked to discuss family history. Each patient underwent a telephone survey regarding the presence of a varicocele in the father prior to achieving paternity, the presence of a varicocele in brothers in childhood, or varicose veins in the father and mother prior to achieving pregnancy. If a varicocele or varicose vein was present, a history of intervention was surveyed. Descriptive statistics were performed to assess overall prevalence of varicocele and varicose veins in first-degree relatives. Chi-squared and logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: In total, 152 patients (17.2%) responded and 139 (91.4%) consented to the telephone survey (mean age 19.5±1.84 years old). Overall, 12.9% of fathers had varicoceles and 8.6% of fathers underwent surgical intervention. Among siblings, 18 individuals had a varicocele and 5.6% of siblings with varicocele required intervention. Varicose veins were diagnosed in 7.9% of fathers and 25.2% of mothers; 8.6% of mothers underwent intervention. Surveillance was employed in 76.3% of patients, and surgery undertaken 21.6%. Patients with grade 2 or 3 varicoceles were more likely to have a father with a varicocele than those with grade 1 varicocele (P=0.037). Patients with grade 2 varicocele were more likely to have a father who required varicocele surgery than grade 1 (P=0.019). There was no statistical association of adolescent varicocele and varicose veins in first degree relatives (P=0.306). CONCLUSIONS: This series shows that while a father's prevalence is similar to that of the general population, higher grade varicoceles were associated with a higher prevalence of varicoceles and surgical ligation. This suggests the existence of a hereditary predisposition to high grade varicoceles. Furthermore, varicocele is not associated with varicose veins in first degree relatives.

The genetic framework for development of nephrolithiasis.

Over 1%-15% of the population worldwide is affected by nephrolithiasis, which remains the most common and costly disease that urologists manage today. Identification of at-risk individuals remains a theoretical and technological challenge. The search for monogenic causes of stone disease has been largely unfruitful and a technological challenge; however, several candidate genes have been implicated in the development of nephrolithiasis. In this review, we will review current data on the genetic inheritance of stone disease, as well as investigate the evolving role of genetic analysis and counseling in the management of nephrolithiasis.

Addressing quality of life in the patient with interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome.

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating, chronic condition characterized by chronic pelvic pain, urinary urgency, and frequency and is well-known to be associated with a decrease in work productivity, emotional changes, sleep, sexual dysfunction, and mobility. Many metrics of quality of life (QoL) in this patient population have been developed; however, a unified, standardized approach to QoL in these patients has not been determined. The effects of IC/BPS and co-morbid conditions on QoL are described using current validated metrics. Next, data regarding successful treatment of IC/BPS in terms of QoL improvement are reviewed. While QoL is the single most important clinical measure of success in the treatment of patients suffering from IC/BPS, addressing QoL in this patient population remains a significant challenge, as its effects on QoL are highly variable and unable to be differentiated from the effects of comorbid conditions on QoL, including depression, poor sleep, and inability to work. Future studies will need to address treatment efficacy on the basis of IC/BPS specific QoL metrics, and multi-modal assessment and therapy to address comorbid disease will also play an important role in the future to ensure comprehensive management of these patients.

Degree of twisting and duration of symptoms are prognostic factors of testis salvage during episodes of testicular torsion.

BACKGROUND: Testicular torsion is surgical emergency. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of testicular torsion is essential for testicular viability. At surgical exploration, the spermatic cord is seen twisted a variable number of times around its longitudinal axis. There is scant data regarding the degree of twisting and its association with testis outcomes. The purpose of our study is to explore how the degree of torsion factors into testicular outcome using follow-up data. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of adolescent males who presented with testicular torsion to our institution, looking at duration of pain symptoms, degree of torsion documented in the operative note, procedure performed (orchiopexy versus orchiectomy), and follow-up clinic data for whether testicular atrophy after orchiopexy was present. A non-salvageable testis was defined as orchiectomy or atrophy. Receiver operator characteristics (ROC), multivariate, and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the probability of a non-salvageable torsed testis based on time and degree of twisting. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients met our study criteria, with 55 testes deemed viable and 26 non-salvageable. We found a 25.7% atrophy rate after orchiopexy. Cut-off values of 8.5 h and 495 degrees of torsion would provide sensitivities of 73% and 53%, respectively, with specificity of 80% for both. Only duration and age were correlated with the risk of non-salvage on multivariate analysis. Logistic regression generated linear probability formulas of 4 + (3 ¡Á hours) and 7 + (0.05 ¡Á degrees) in calculating the probability of non-salvage with strong correlation. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to derive separate formulas to determine the viability of the torsed testis based on symptom duration and degrees of twisting. Fifteen h of symptoms and 860 degrees of torsion gives testes a 50% salvage rate. Interestingly, we also found that about 1 out of every 4 testes undergoes atrophy after orchiopexy.

MACULA RETINAL VASCULITIS AND CHOROIDITIS ASSOCIATED WITH GRANULOMATOSIS WITH POLYANGIITIS.

PURPOSE: To report a case series of two cases of granulomatosis with polyangiitis, previously known as Wegener granulomatosis, which developed macular necrosis, not previously associated with granulomatosis with polyangiitis, healed with fibrosis, despite aggressive immune-modulating therapy and good control of systemic disease. METHODS: Case series of two cases with observation of treatment progress. RESULTS: The results reported the progress of response to treatment in the two cases, which resulted in the final outcome of fibrosis in the macula region, despite being on aggressive immune-modulating therapy and good systemic control. CONCLUSION: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis can be associated with macular necrosis leading to fibrosis, unresponsive to immune-modulating therapy.

A novel technique for endoscopic management of stones in a continent urinary reservoir.

Urinary stones are a well-established complication of lower urinary tract reconstruction in children and can be managed through an open, percutaneous, or transurethral endoscopic approach for their surgical removal. For children with no urethral access, it is not generally advised to pursue an endoscopic approach through a catheterizable channel. In this study, we describe a safe and effective technique for the endoscopic management of stones through a catheterizable channel in a child with a continent urinary reservoir.