Plication for Correction of Congenital Penile Curvature: With or Without Degloving?

INTRODUCTION: Previously, incisionless plication (IP) for correction of congenital penile curvature (CPC) has been performed after penile degloving via a circumscribing incision. AIM: To describe our experience with non-degloving incisionless penile plication (NDIP) for correction of CPC and compare these outcomes with those of men who underwent degloving incisionless penile plication (DIP). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of men ≤ 45 years of age who underwent incisionless penile plication for correction of CPC between 2008 and 2020 at two adult tertiary hospitals. Patients underwent either NDIP, performed through a 2-3 cm longitudinal incision along the proximal-to-mid shaft opposite the point of maximum penile curvature, or DIP via a sub-coronal circumscribing incision. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical and patient-reported outcomes were compared between the non-degloving and degloving groups. RESULTS: Among the 38 men (mean age, 26 years) who met the inclusion criteria, 25 underwent NDIP, including 6 patients with biplanar curvature (2 Ventral, 4 Dorsal, 6 Lateral). Thirteen patients underwent DIP, including 1 patient with biplanar curvature (1 ventral, 1 lateral). Curvature reduction was 50 ± 23 degrees for the NDIP group and 36 ± 10 degrees for the DIP group (P = .04). Five (20%) patients in the NDIP group and nine (69%) patients in the DIP group experienced a reduction in stretched penile length following plication (SPL) (P = .01). One patient in the NDIP group underwent an additional plication for recurrent curvature. CONCLUSION: Both NDIP and DIP are safe and highly efficacious techniques for the correction of CPC. Kusin SB, Khouri RK, Dropkin BM, et al., Plication for Correction of Congenital Penile Curvature: With or Without Degloving?. Sex Med 2021;9:100462.

Immediate preoperative blood glucose and hemoglobin a1c levels are not predictive of postoperative infections in diabetic men undergoing penile prosthesis placement.

Defining the risks associated with diabetes mellitus in patients undergoing penile prosthesis implantation remains controversial. Our study aims to assess whether preoperative hemoglobin a1c and preoperative blood glucose levels are associated with an increased risk for postoperative infection in diabetic men. We performed a retrospective review of 932 diabetic patients undergoing primary penile prosthesis implantation from 18 high-volume penile prosthesis implantation surgeons throughout the United States, Germany, Belgium, and South Korea. Preoperative hemoglobin a1c and blood glucose levels within 6 h of surgery were collected and assessed in univariate and multivariate models for correlation with postoperative infection, revision, and explantation rates. The primary outcome is postoperative infection and the secondary outcomes are postoperative revision and explantation. In all, 875 patients were included in the final analysis. There were no associations between preoperative blood glucose levels or hemoglobin a1c levels and postoperative infection rates; p = 0.220 and p = 0.598, respectively. On multivariate analysis, a history of diabetes-related complications was a significant predictor of higher revision rates (p = 0.034), but was nonsignificant for infection or explantation rates. We conclude preoperative blood glucose levels and hemoglobin a1c levels are not associated with an increased risk for postoperative infection, revision, or explantation in diabetic men undergoing penile prosthesis implantation.

Impact of Antimicrobial Dipping Solutions on Postoperative Infection Rates in Patients With Diabetes Undergoing Primary Insertion of a Coloplast Titan Inflatable Penile Prosthesis.

BACKGROUND: Modern-day penile prostheses use infection retardant coating to decrease rates of postoperative infection, subsequently reducing explantation and revision rates as well. The Coloplast Titan models are dipped into antimicrobial solutions right before implantation, and the components used for dipping can be tailored toward the patient. AIM: To compare infection, explantation, and revision rates among different dipping solutions used before implantation for patients with diabetes receiving a Coloplast Titan implant. METHODS: We systematically reviewed 932 patients with diabetes receiving a primary penile implant across 18 different centers from the period April 2003 to August 2018. Of those patients, 473 received a Coloplast device, whereas 459 received an AMS device. Data regarding the type of antimicrobial solution used before implantation were recorded for 468 patients receiving a Coloplast Titan, including whether or not they suffered a postoperative infection and if they underwent explantation and/or revision. Outcome rates were compared using Fisher's exact and Pearson's chi-square tests, and logistic regression modeling was performed to account for covariates. OUTCOMES: The main outcome measures of this study were postoperative infection, explantation, and revision rates. RESULTS: Of the total 932 patients reviewed, 33 suffered a postoperative infection. Of 468 patients receiving Coloplast implants, there was a 3.4% infection rate. The most commonly used antibiotic combination before dipping was vancomycin + gentamicin (59.0%). There was a significantly lower rate of postoperative infection, explantation, and revision when vancomycin + gentamicin was used than those associated with the use of all other dipping solutions ([1.4% vs 6.4%; P = .004], [1.1% vs 8.3%; P < .001], and [2.5% vs 12.5; P < .001], respectively). After adjusting for age, body mass index, preoperative blood glucose level, and hemoglobin A1c, the use of other dips was an independent predictor of postoperative infection (odds ratio: 0.191; P = .049). The inclusion of rifampin in the dipping solution trended toward being a significant risk factor for infection (P = .057). Including antifungals in the dipping solution did not affect infection (P = .414), explantation (P = .421), or revision (P = .328) rates. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Vancomycin + gentamicin was the most efficacious combination of antibiotics used for dipping in terms of preventing postoperative infection and subsequent explantation and revision. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS: Data were sampled across multiple institutions providing a large sample that may be more representative of the population of interest. A key limitation of the study was its retrospective nature, which prevented us from controlling certain variables. CONCLUSION: The use of rifampin did not provide the same type of protection, possibly representing a shift in resistance patterns of common bacteria responsible for device infection. Towe M, Huynh LM, Osman MM, et al. Impact of Antimicrobial Dipping Solutions on Postoperative Infection Rates in Patients With Diabetes Undergoing Primary Insertion of a Coloplast Titan Inflatable Penile Prosthesis. J Sex Med 2020;17:2077-2083.

A Multicenter Investigation Examining American Urological Association Recommended Antibiotic Prophylaxis vs Nonstandard Prophylaxis in Preventing Device Infections in Penile Prosthesis Surgery in Diabetic Patients.

PURPOSE: American Urological Association (AUA) antibiotic prophylaxis recommendations may be insufficient for covering organisms commonly found in penile prosthesis infections. In this study we assess the difference between AUA recommended antibiotic prophylaxis and nonstandard prophylaxis in preventing device infections in penile prosthesis surgery performed in diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study of diabetic patients undergoing primary penile prosthesis surgery was performed between April 2003 and August 2018. Eighteen institutions from the United States, Europe and Korea contributed. The association between antibiotic prophylaxis type and postoperative penile prosthesis infections, device explantations and revision surgeries was assessed. RESULTS: Standard AUA antibiotic prophylaxis was followed in 48.6% (391) of cases while nonstandard prophylaxis was used in 51.4% (413). Common nonstandard antibiotic prophylaxis included vancomycin-gentamycin-fluoroquinolone, clindamycin-fluoroquinolone, and vancomycin-fluoroquinolone among other combinations. Patients who received AUA prophylaxis had significantly more postoperative device infections (5.6% vs 1.9%, p <0.01) and explantations (8.3% vs 2.0%, p <0.001) compared to those who received nonstandard prophylaxis. Patients who received AUA prophylaxis had significantly higher odds of a postoperative device infection (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.1-7.3) and explantation (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4-9.1) compared to those who received nonstandard prophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic men with erectile dysfunction who received standard AUA prophylaxis for penile prosthesis surgery had significantly greater odds of experiencing a postoperative device infection and device explantation compared to patients who received nonstandard prophylaxis. Our study provides a strong rationale for a prospective investigation to establish the most appropriate prophylaxis strategy in penile prosthesis surgery.

The effects of physiological estrogen concentration on the immune response of urothelial carcinoma cells to bacillus Calmette-Guérin.

PURPOSE: Meta-analysis has shown that bacillus Calmette-Guérin is less effective in females undergoing treatment for urothelial carcinoma. Urothelial carcinoma cells express immune regulatory proteins as a consequence of bacillus Calmette-Guérin induced, nuclear factor κB signaling. Nuclear factor κB is influenced by estrogen receptor binding. We evaluated the effect of the physiological estradiol concentration on the expression of bacillus Calmette-Guérin induced, nuclear factor κB regulated immune proteins. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We determined the estrogen receptor expression status of human urothelial carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The functional status of estrogen receptor signaling was established using estrogen receptor reporter constructs. We used gene expression profiling of urothelial carcinoma cells combined with reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction to identify the nuclear factor κB dependent immune regulatory proteins expressed in response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin. We determined the influence of the estradiol concentration on bacillus Calmette-Guérin dependent interleukin-6 and 8, chemokine (c-x-c motif) ligands 1 and 2, and chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 20 gene expression by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Urothelial carcinoma cell lines expressed functional estrogen receptor. Nuclear factor κB signaling was inhibited by estradiol in a dose and estrogen receptor dependent manner. Urothelial carcinoma cell expression of interleukin-6 and 8, chemokine (c-x-c motif) ligands 1 and 2, and chemokine (c-c motif) ligand 20 was up-regulated in response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin in a nuclear factor κB dependent manner. There was a significant dose dependent effect of estradiol on the expression of these genes in bacillus Calmette-Guérin treated urothelial carcinoma cells. CONCLUSIONS: The physiological concentration of estrogen influences nuclear factor κB signaling and bacillus Calmette-Guérin dependent gene expression. Serum estradiol fluctuations in women may influence the response of urothelial carcinoma to intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment.

Laparoscopic vascular control techniques in donor nephrectomy: Effects on vessel length.

BACKGROUND: Various techniques for vascular control have been used during urologic laparoscopic procedures. The importance of optimizing the vessel length and securing reliable vascular control are critical for procedures like laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. We aimed to determine the length of vessel lost by using 4 common techniques of vascular control in a fresh human cadaveric vascular model. METHODS: The techniques include application of 2 non-absorbable polymer-ligating clips (10-mm Hem-o-Lok MLX Weck Closure Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC), Endo-GIA II stapler (30-mm length, 2.5-mm staples, Auto Suture, US Surgical, Norwalk, CT), Endopath ETS35 stapler (35 mm length, 2.5mm staples, Ethicon Endo-Surgery), and the Endo Ta-30 stapler (30-mm length, 2.5-mm staples, Auto Suture, US Surgical, Norwalk, CT). RESULTS: The Endo-TA-30 stapler and the polymer clips resulted in significantly less compromise of the vessel length, when compared with the other methods of vascular control. CONCLUSIONS: The Endo-TA-30 stapler and the polymer clips can be applied during laparoscopic procedures where optimizing vascular length is important.