Nonoperative Management of a Spontaneous Perforation of Neobladder Secondary to Blackout From Solitary Binge Drinking: A Case Report and Current Literature Review.

The orthotopic ileal neobladder is becoming a popular technique of urinary diversion after radical cystectomy (RC) for localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), allowing patient continence, with a more desirable body image and good quality of life. Minimally invasive robot-assisted RC and neobladder have the potential to minimize physical and psychological trauma and are increasingly being adopted for patients with MIBC worldwide. Spontaneous perforation of orthotopic neobladder is uncommon;however, it represents serious complications. Solitary binge drinking can be dangerous in a patient with a neobladder because of reduced level of consciousness and overdistension of the neobladder. We report a case of spontaneous ileal neobladder perforations one year post-robotic RC secondary to blackouts from binge drinking. We also describe nonoperative active management and review the literature. A 66-year-old gentleman was brought by ambulance to our emergency department with a reduced level of consciousness, vomiting, and abdominal pain in the early hours of the morning. Collateral history revealed that he had drunk alcohol alone the night before at his home where he lives alone. Initial examination revealed tachycardia and hypotension. Immediate resuscitation using the sepsis six protocol included intravenous normal saline, blood culture, broad-spectrum antibiotic, lactate measurement, and insertion of a urethral catheter to monitor urine output. Following contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) of the abdomen and pelvis, the patient was referred to a urologist. A diagnosis of spontaneous perforation of the neobladder was made. A nonoperative or 'conservative' management approach was adopted with careful active monitoring at the intensive care unit (ICU) involving a multidisciplinary team. Follow-up CT was performed to assess radiological recovery. The patient recovered successfully and was discharged home five weeks post-admission with an indwelling urethral catheter. The catheter was removed 10 weeks post-admission following a cystogram confirming the integrity of the neobladder. The patient has preserved neobladder function and continence and is doing well until the last follow-up at six months post-discharge. Patients with neobladder should be rigorously counseled about the importance of timed voiding, intermittent self-catheter, serious consequences of solitary binge drinking, and urinary retention.

A Prospective Multi-institutional Study Using a Novel Safety Valve for the Prevention of Catheter Balloon Inflation Injury of the Urethra.

PURPOSE: We prospectively assessed the ability of a novel transurethral catheterization safety valve to prevent urethral catheter balloon injury in a multi-institutional clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, multi-institution study was conducted. The safety valve was introduced for urinary catheterization in 6 hospital groups (4 in Ireland; 2 in the UK). The safety valve allows fluid in the catheter system to vent through a pressure relief valve if attempted intraurethral inflation of the catheter's anchoring balloon occurs. Device usage was studied over a 12-month period, with data recorded using a 7-item data sticker containing a scannable QR code. "Venting" through the safety valve during catheterization was indicative of prevention of a urethral injury. An embedded 3-month study was conducted in 3 centers, with any catheter balloon injuries occurring during catheterization without safety valve use referred to the on-call urology team recorded. Health economic analyses were also performed. RESULTS: During the overall 12-month device study phase, 994 urethral catheterizations were performed across study sites. Twenty-two (2.2%) episodes of safety valve venting were recorded. No urethral injuries occurred in these patients. In the embedded 3-month study, 18 catheter balloon injuries were recorded in association with catheterizations performed without the safety valve. Based on confirmed and device-prevented urethral injuries, the injury rate for urethral catheterization without safety valve use was calculated to be 5.5/1,000 catheterizations. CONCLUSIONS: The safety valve has the potential to eliminate catheter balloon injury if widely adopted. It represents a simple, effective, and innovative solution to this recurring problem applicable to all patient cohorts.

A Prospective Multi-Institutional Evaluation of Iatrogenic Urethral Catheterization Injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a multi-institutional investigation of incidence and outcomes of urethral trauma sustained during attempted catheterization. PATIENTS & METHODS: A prospective, multi-center study was conducted over a designated 3-4 month period, incorporating seven academic hospitals across the UK and Ireland. Cases of urethral trauma arising from attempted catheterization were recorded. Variables included sites of injury, management strategies and short-term clinical outcomes. The catheterization injury rate was calculated based on the estimated total number of catheterizations occurring in each center per month. Anonymised data were collated, evaluated and described. RESULTS: Sixty-six urethral catheterization injuries were identified (7 centers; mean 3.43 months). The mean injury rate was 6.2 ± 3.8 per 1000 catheterizations (3.18-14.42/1000). All injured patients were male, mean age 76.1 ± 13.1 years. Urethral catheterization injuries occurred in multiple hospital/community settings, most commonly Emergency Departments (36%) and medical/surgical wards (30%). Urological intervention was required in 94.7% (54/57), with suprapubic catheterization required in 12.3% (n = 7). More than half of patients (55.56%) were discharged with an urethral catheter, fully or partially attributable to the urethral catheter injury. At least one further healthcare encounter on account of the injury was required for 90% of patients post-discharge. CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest study of its kind and confirms that iatrogenic urethral trauma is a recurring medical error seen universally across institutions, healthcare systems and countries. In addition, urethral catheter injury results in significant patient morbidity with a substantial financial burden to healthcare services. Future innovation to improve the safety of urinary catheterization is warranted.

A retrospective cohort study of bladder cancer following the COVID-19 pandemic: Are patients presenting with more aggressive disease?

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays in the treatment of patients with urological malignancies. The management of bladder cancer (BC) in particular poses a significant challenge given the recurrent nature of the disease and the intense follow-up regime required for many cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential changes in the presentation and operative management of BC in our hospital following the pandemic. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Potential BC cases were identified through the histopathology database between March 2019 and February 2021. Details were obtained on patient demographics, procedure type such as biopsy, resection or excision, grade and stage of BC. Cases were divided into two groups: period one (pre-COVID between March 2019 and February 2020) and period two (post-COVID between March 2020 and February 2021). Results: A total of 207 procedures for confirmed BC were performed during the study period, 126 in period one and 81 in period two. New cases accounted for 52.4% (n = 66) and 53.1% (n = 43) of cases during periods one and two respectively. There was a higher rate of invasive disease (43.2% vs 26.2%) as well as high grade disease (47.4% vs 35.8%) in period two than in period one. Conclusion: Fewer BC procedures were performed in the COVID period. The higher rate of more advanced stage and grade of disease seen in period two suggests patients are presenting later. This should be considered when allocating resources in the management of non-COVID related diseases. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term impact of COVID-19 on bladder cancer outcome.

The recurrent urinary tract infection health and functional impact questionnaire (RUHFI-Q): design and feasibility assessment of a new evaluation scale.

INTRODUCTION: We aim to design a tool to assess the impact of recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI) on quality of life (QoL) in adult women, given the notable absence of an established instrument for this purpose. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Best practice guidelines in health-related survey design were reviewed. A literature review informed creation of an interview guide. Following ethical approval, 10 female patients (23-38 years) with rUTI were invited to participate in phase 1 of questionnaire design; all agreed. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted exploring the impact of rUTI on patients' QoL. Interviews were repeated with 5 staff members (3 urology nurses and 2 consultant urologists). Responses were recorded and thematic analysis performed, to inform the design of a new questionnaire. A further 10 patients were recruited to assess feasibility of completion. RESULTS: All participants found available questionnaires unfit for assessment of rUTI-related QoL. Multiple themes emerged as integral to an rUTI questionnaire, including: frequency of UTIs, duration of symptoms, time to full recovery, specific symptoms of UTI, constitutional symptoms, impact on work/education, impact on leisure activities, impact on interpersonal relationships, impact on sexual relationships, psychological aspects and implications of treatment. Data saturation was reached. Based on responses, the Recurrent Urinary tract infection Health and Functional Impact Questionnaire (RUHFI-Q) was drafted, comprising 10 domains and 16 items. CONCLUSIONS: We propose a novel self-administered questionnaire, the RUHFI-Q, as an instrument to standardize evaluation of the QoL impact of rUTI in a population of premenopausal women. Further validation studies are in progress.

Direct mechanical characterization of prostate tissue-a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Direct mechanical characterization of tissue is the application of engineering techniques to biological tissue to ascertain stiffness or elasticity, which can change in response to disease states. A number of papers have been published on the application of these techniques to prostate tissue with a range of results reported. There is a marked variability in the results depending on testing techniques and disease state of the prostate tissue. We aimed to clarify the utility of direct mechanical characterization of prostate tissue in identifying disease states. METHODS: A systematic review of the published literature regarding direct mechanical characterization of prostate tissue was undertaking according to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: A variety of testing methods have been used, including compression, indentation, and tensile testing, as well as some indirect testing techniques, such as shear-wave elastography. There is strong evidence of significant stiffness differences between cancerous and non-cancerous prostate tissue, as well as correlations with prostate cancer stage. There is a correlation with increasing prostate stiffness and increasing lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with benign prostate hyperplasia. There is a wide variation in the testing methods and protocols used in the literature making direct comparison between papers difficult. Most studies utilise ex-vivo or cadaveric tissue, while none incorporate in vivo testing. CONCLUSION: Direct mechanical assessment of prostate tissue permits a better understanding of the pathological and physiological changes that are occurring within the tissue. Further work is needed to include prospective and in vivo data to aid medical device design and investigate non-surgical methods of managing prostate disease.

Patient experience after transperineal template prostate biopsy compared to prior transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy.

INTRODUCTION: Transperineal template prostate biopsy (TTPB) is reported to have higher cancer detection and lower complication rate compared to transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB).However, there is no report of the same patient's experience with both types of biopsy.To compare the patient reported experience in the same cohort of patients who underwent both TRUSPB and TTPB, using validated questionnaires. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively utilised the Patient Reported Outcome Methods (PROM) tool validated for TRUSPB and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) questionnaire to collect longitudinal data at follow-up in the same cohort of patients who underwent both TTPB and TRUSPB between January 2015 and February 2016. RESULTS: Out of 44 TTPB performed during the period, 35 patients had undergone both TRUSPB and TTPB. Patient reported pain post biopsy was significantly higher with TRUSPB (86% vs. 61%; p = 0.01). Post-biopsy urinary retention rates were significantly higher in the TTPB group (16.7% vs. 5.7%; p = 0.05, t test). Furthermore, the incidence of patient reported sexual dysfunction rates based on the IIEF-5 was significantly higher in the TTPB group (p = 0.001, t test). CONCLUSIONS: Although overall TTPB was better tolerated in this cohort of patients with lower risk of health care contact, patients reported higher incidence of urinary retention and sexual dysfunction after TTPB compared to TRUSPB. Thus, patients should be adequately informed about potential risks with each biopsy as they may have significant impact on quality of life.

Hospital burden of long-term genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity after radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Treatment options for prostate cancer (PCa) include radical radiotherapy (RT) and radical prostatectomy, both of which have comparable oncological outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the hospital burden of long-term genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicity among patients with PCa who were treated with radiotherapy at our institution. METHODS: The radiotherapy department database was used retrospectively to identify all patients who underwent radiotherapy for PCa from January 2006 to January 2008. The patient administration system from each public hospital in the region was interrogated and all patient points of contact were recorded. Minimum follow up was 5 years. Individual patient charts were reviewed and factors that might influence outcomes were documented. RESULTS: We identified 112 patients. The mean age at diagnosis was 66 (44-76) and the median PSA was 12.1 (3.2-38). The mean duration of follow-up was 7.8 yrs. Twenty-three patients (20%) presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with late onset toxicity. Nine patients had more than 2 ED attendances. Twenty-five patients (22%) were investigated for genitourinary toxicity. Forty-seven patients (42%) underwent investigation for gastrointestinal side-effects and 45% of these required argon therapy (21/47). CONCLUSION: We found a significant hospital burden related to the management of gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity post radical radiotherapy for prostate cancer. As health care reforms gain momentum, policy makers must take into account the considerable longitudinal health care cost related to radiotherapy. It is also important that patients are counselled carefully in relation to potential long-term side-effects.

Increasing detection of significant prostate cancer in younger men - ten year trends in prostate cancer risk profile in the Mid-West of Ireland.

INTRODUCTION: Although PSA (prostate specific antigen) based screening for prostate cancer (PCa) is controversial, an increasing number of men are undergoing Transrectal Ultrasound Guided prostate biopsy (TRUSPB) through primary care-based PSA testing and referral to hospitals. The aim of our study was to investigate presenting risk profiles of PCa over the last decade in a cohort of men in Ireland and to examine any change in the same over this time period. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The hospital patient administration system was analysed for patients who underwent TRUSPB from January 2005 to December 2015. Clinically significant PCa was defined as Gleason score of 7 or above. RESULTS: Complete data was available on 2391 TRUSPB patients: number of biopsies increased by 53%, median age decreased by 0.9%, median PSA decreased by 6% (p = 0.001, ANOVA) and abnormal DRE increased by 9% (p = 0.001, chi square). Overall positive biopsy was 44% and significant cancer rate was 21%. There was a significant change in trend of detection (p = 0.02) with average annual increase in significant cancer of 3%. The median age of the significant cancer cohort reduced by 1% and the PSA at diagnosis reduced by 9%. In younger men (<50 years), the rate of significant cancer detection increased by 18%. CONCLUSIONS: Significant PCa detection increased across all age groups but recently, a younger patient profile was diagnosed with high-grade disease. This paves the way for future research on early-onset PCa. Younger patients with significant disease would result in increasing number of patients being eligible for radical treatment with implications on health resource planning and provision.