A Case-Control Study on the Association between Salmonella Bacteriuria and Cystoscopy

To date, there is only one published report of an outbreak of urinary tract infections by Salmonella species after cystoscopy. Disinfection procedures for cystoscope have come into question. The current study aimed to determine the odds of developing Salmonella bacteriuria after cystoscopy. A retrospective case-control study was conducted on all patients with Salmonella species in urine (case) and blood (control) from 2017 to 2019 in 16 hospitals in Eastern Ontario, Canada. Eight of the 11 patients had cystoscopy prior to Salmonella bacteriuria; three of the 74 patients had urological procedures prior to Salmonella bacteremia, but none of their procedures were cystoscopy. The odds ratio of urological procedures with Salmonella bacteriuria was 63.1 (95% CI 10.9 to 366.6; p < 0.0001). In the bacteriuria group, the most frequently identified isolates were Salmonella enteritidis (n = 8), followed by Salmonella oranienburg, and Salmonella heidelberg. Seven of the S. enteritidis isolates had identical susceptibilities (ampicillin-sensitive; sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim-sensitive; ciprofloxacin intermediate). In the bacteremia group, the most frequently identified isolates were S. enteritidis (n = 22), followed by Salmonella typhi, S. heidelberg, S. oranienburg, and Salmonella typhimurium. The result suggested cystoscopy is a risk factor for Salmonella bacteriuria. Identification of Salmonella bacteriuria should prompt public health investigations of linkage between cystoscopy and Salmonella bacteriuria.

Surveillance Intensity in Intermediate Risk, Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Revisiting the Optimal Timing and Frequency of Cystoscopy

PURPOSE

We sought to determine the optimal cystoscopic interval for intermediate risk, nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with intermediate risk, nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (2010-2017) was performed and 3 hypothetical models of surveillance intensity were applied: model 1: high (3 months), model 2: moderate (6 months) and model 3: low intensity (12 months) over a 2-year period. We compared timing of actual detection of recurrence and progression to proposed cystoscopy timing between each model. We calculated number of avoidable cystoscopies and associated costs.

RESULTS

Of 107 patients with median followup of 37 months, 66/107 (77.6%) developed recurrence and 12/107(14.1%) had progression. Relative to model 1, there were 33 (50%) delayed detection of recurrences in model 2 and 41 (62%) in model 3. There was a 1.7-month mean delay in detection of recurrence for model 1 vs 3.2, and a 7.6-month delay for models 2 and 3 (p <0.001 model 1 vs 2; p <0.001 model 2 vs 3). Relative to model 1, there were 8 (67%) and 9 (75%) delayed detection of progression events in model 2 and 3. There were no progression-related bladder cancer deaths or radical cystectomies due to delayed detection. Mean number of avoidable cystoscopies was higher in model 1 (2) vs model 2 (1) and 3 (0). Model 1 had the highest aggregate cost of surveillance ($46,262.52).

CONCLUSIONS

High intensity (3-month) surveillance intervals provide faster detection of recurrences but with increased cost and more avoidable cystoscopies without clear oncologic benefit. Moderate intensity (6-month) intervals in intermediate risk, nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer allows timely detection without oncologic compromise and is less costly with fewer cystoscopies.

Cystoscopy and Systematic Bladder Tissue Sampling in Predicting pT0 Bladder Cancer: A Prospective Trial

PURPOSE

Concern for discordance between clinical staging and final pathology drives current management of patients deemed appropriate candidates for radical cystectomy. Therefore, we set out to prospectively investigate reliability and shortcomings of cystoscopic evaluation in radical cystectomy candidates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients undergoing radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma were enrolled in a prospective single-arm study to evaluate reliability of Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation in predicting pT0 urothelial carcinoma (NCT02968732). Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation consisted of cystoscopy and tissue sampling at the time of radical cystectomy. Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation results were compared to radical cystectomy pathology. The primary end point was the negative predictive value of Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation findings in predicting radical cystectomy pathology.

RESULTS

A total of 61 patients underwent Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation and radical cystectomy. Indications included muscle invasive bladder cancer in 42 (68.9%) and high risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer in 19 (31.1%). In all, 38 (62.3%, 90.5% of patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. On Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation, 31 (50.8%) patients demonstrated no visual nor biopsy-based evidence of disease (seeT0), yet 16/31 (51.6%) harbored residual disease (>pT0), including 8 (8/31, 25.8%) with residual ≥pT2 disease upon radical cystectomy. The negative predictive value of Systematic Endoscopic Evaluation predicting a pT0 bladder was 48.4% (CI 30.2-66.9), which was below our prespecified hypothesis. Therefore, the trial was stopped for futility.

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 1 of 4 patients with seeT0 at the time of radical cystectomy harbored residual muscle invasive bladder cancer. These prospective data definitively confirm major limitations of endoscopic assessment for pT0 bladder cancer. Future work should focus on novel imaging and biomarker strategies to optimize evaluations before radical cystectomy for improved decision making regarding bladder preservation.

Biomarkers for Precision Urothelial Carcinoma Diagnosis: Current Approaches and the Application of Single-Cell Technologies

Simple Summary

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer of the urinary tract and is ranked the sixth most diagnosed cancer in men worldwide. About 70–75% of newly diagnosed UCs are non-invasive or low grade. Different tests such as urine cytology and cystoscopy are used to detect UC. If abnormal tissue is found during cystoscopy, then a biopsy will be performed. Cytology has low sensitivity for low-grade cancer while cystoscopy is invasive and costly. Detecting UC early improves the chances of treatment success. Therefore, many researchers have painstakingly identified urine biological markers for non-invasive UC diagnosis. In this review, we summarize some of the latest and most promising biological markers (including FDA-approved and investigational markers). We also discuss some new technologies that can aid research efforts in biological marker discovery for early UC detection.

Abstract

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most frequent malignancy of the urinary system and is ranked the sixth most diagnosed cancer in men worldwide. Around 70–75% of newly diagnosed UC manifests as the non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) subtype, which can be treated by a transurethral resection of the tumor. However, patients require life-long monitoring due to its high rate of recurrence. The current gold standard for UC diagnosis, prognosis, and disease surveillance relies on a combination of cytology and cystoscopy, which is invasive, costly, and associated with comorbidities. Hence, there is considerable interest in the development of highly specific and sensitive urinary biomarkers for the non-invasive early detection of UC. In this review, we assess the performance of current diagnostic assays for UC and highlight some of the most promising biomarkers investigated to date. We also highlight some of the recent advances in single-cell technologies that may offer a paradigm shift in the field of UC biomarker discovery and precision diagnostics.

Application of EUS-based techniques in the evaluation of pancreatic cystic neoplasms

Pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs) are being detected increasingly frequently due to the widespread use of high-resolution abdominal imaging modalities. Some subtypes of PCNs have the potential for malignant transformation. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of PCNs is crucial to determine whether surgical resection or surveillance is the best management strategy. However, the current cross-section imaging modalities are not accurate enough to enable definite diagnoses. In the last decade, EUS-based techniques have emerged, aiming to overcome the limitations of standard cross-section imaging modalities. These novel EUS-based techniques were primarily designed to acquire distinct images to make radiological diagnoses, collect cyst fluid to undergo biochemical or molecular analyses, and obtain tissue to conclude the pathological diagnoses. In this article, we present a comprehensive and critical review of these emerging EUS techniques for the diagnosis of PCNs, with emphasis being placed on the advantages, feasibilities, diagnostic performances, and limitations of these novel techniques.

Feasibility and Safety of a Simple Non-cystoscopic Double-J Tube Removal Technique in Children

Objective: Double-J tube placement is an important procedure during upper urinary tract surgery. A primary drawback is the requirement of a second double-J tube removal under a cystoscope. Therefore, a simple and feasible alternative is required to remove the double-J tube without cystoscopy. The present study reported the feasibility and safety of a simple non-cystoscopic double-J tube removal technique. Method: We retrospectively analysed children who underwent pyeloplasty and ureterovesical reimplantation between June 2015 and August 2021. A simple device (a catheter with a suture) was used to pull out the double-J tube. Patient characteristics, detailed surgical procedures, success and complication rates and reasons for failure were evaluated. Result: A total of 613 children were included. The mean age of patients was 6.2 months (3 months-14 years). Non-endoscopic methods were used to remove the double-J tube in all except 6 patients (0.9%). Of the 6 patients who required ureteroscopy or cystoscopy, 4 had retraction of the double-J tube into the ureter, and 2 (0.6%) had bladder stones. Of the 613 patients, 479 (76.0%) required one attempt, 127 (20.1%) required two attempts and 19 (3.0%) required several attempts. No serious postoperative complications occurred in all patients. The most common complications were gross haematuria (22.5%), pain urinating (17.9%), difficulty in urinating (3.6%), foreskin injury (1.7%), and penile oedema (1.3%). No urethral strictures developed during the follow-up period. Conclusion: The study results demonstrated that the modified and simple non-cystoscopic double-J tube removal technique is a safe and an effective alternative to cystoscopy in clinical practise.

Cystoscopically Placed Pancreatic Duct Stent for Management of Bladder-Drained Pancreas Transplant with Pancreatic Duct Leak

Background: Historically, exocrine pancreas secretions during pancreas transplant were commonly managed by bladder drainage. Although this technique has fallen out of favor because of significant rates of urologic complications, urologists must still be prepared to assist when they arise. We describe the first reported case of a cystoscopically placed pancreatic duct stent for management of a pancreas transplant duodenocystostomy leak in the setting of normal bladder function. Case Presentation: A 63-year-old male with a history of type 1 diabetes mellitus complicated by end-stage renal disease underwent a simultaneous bladder-drained pancreas and kidney transplant 25 years ago. He developed hematuria and acute rejection of his pancreas, with CT showing large volume ascites concerning for pancreatic leak. Cystoscopy revealed an intact and patent duodenal-cystostomy anastomosis; however, intraperitoneal extravasation on intraoperative cystogram raised concern for pancreatic head necrosis. The patient underwent intraperitoneal drain placement and Foley catheter bladder decompression, but drain output and drain amylase and lipase remained markedly elevated. He was taken back to the operating room for attempted cystoscopic stenting of the pancreatic duct, which was effective using a 5F × 4 cm Zimmon^® pancreatic stent. His drain output normalized in the following days and the pancreatic stent and intraperitoneal drain were removed 4 and 5 weeks after discharge, respectively. Outpatient urodynamics revealed no signs of obstruction and his catheter was removed with minimal postvoid residuals on follow-up. Conclusion: Anastomotic leak after duodenocystostomy during pancreas transplant is a complication typically related to elevated intravesical pressures, managed with bladder decompression and subsequent bladder outlet procedure. We present a novel technique for cystoscopic pancreatic duct stenting in the setting of intact anastomosis and normal bladder function with delayed leak secondary to necrotic pancreatic head. Endoscopic stent placement, intraperitoneal drainage, and bladder decompression with Foley catheter are an effective technique to avoid unnecessary reconstructive surgery.

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate-Like Syndrome After Double-J Replacement in a Patient with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury: Case Report

Background: Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) syndrome is a rare, but extremely dangerous complication. We present an even rarer case of a spinal cord injured patient who developed "TURP-like syndrome" after cystoscopy with Double-J replacement, under general anesthesia. Case Presentation: A 39-year-old man, American Society of Anesthesiologists III, tetraplegic, was scheduled for cystoscopy with bilateral Double-J replacement. Preoperative values of serum sodium were 133 mmol/L and potassium 5 mmol/L. To prevent autonomic dysreflexia, we performed general anesthesia. During cystoscopy, 0.9% NaCl irrigating fluid reservoir was fixed 50 cm above patient level and pressure was applied at urologist's request. The balance between inflow and outflow of irrigation fluids showed no significant difference. Procedure lasted 25 minutes, without any complications. Patient was transferred, awake, to postanesthesia care unit and discharged 1 hour later to the ward. Four hours later, patient referred nausea, headache, and abdominal pain. Acetaminophen and ondansetron were administered. Arterial blood gas sample revealed metabolic acidosis, hyponatremia, and hyperkalemia. A fluid resorption syndrome was assumed, furosemide was given, 0.9% NaCl was loaded, followed by 3% NaCl, and 1.4% NaHCO₃ for metabolic acidosis. A 5% glucose solution with 10 U insulin was started for hyperkalemia correction. In 24 hours, patient's clinical state improved and serum sodium and potassium values returned to baseline levels. A week after surgery, patient was discharged home, without neurologic damage. Conclusion: Excessive absorption of irrigation fluids during cystoscopy may occur and manifestations may be delayed in up to 24 hours postoperatively. Anesthesiologists and urologists must be aware of this life-threatening situation. Preventive measures, rapid detection, and treatment are imperative and may prevent complications and, ultimately, death.

The performance of the Xpert Bladder Cancer Monitor Test and voided urinary cytology in the follow-up of urinary bladder tumors

Background

Cystoscopy in complement with urinary cytology represents the gold standard for the follow-up of patients with urinary bladder tumours. Xpert Bladder Cancer Monitor Test (XBC) is a novel mRNA-based urine test for bladder cancer surveillance. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of the XBC and voided urinary cytology (VUC) in the follow-up of bladder tumours.

Patients and methods

The XBC was performed on stabilized voided urine and VUC was performed on urine samples. The results were compared to cystoscopic findings and histopathological results after transurethral resection of the bladder lesion.

Results

For the prediction of malignant histopathological result sensitivity, the specificity and negative predictive value were 76.9%, 9 7.5% and 93.0% for the XBC and 38.4%, 9 7.5% and 83.3%, respectively for VUC. For the prediction of suspicious or positive cystoscopic finding sensitivity, the specificity and negative predictive value were 75.0%, 95.2%, and 93.0% respectively for the XBC and 41.7%, 97.6%, and 85.4% for VUC. The sensitivities for papilary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential (PUNLMP), low- and high-grade tumours were 0.0%, 66.7% an d 100.0% for the XBC and 0.0%, 66 .7% and 42.9%, respectively for VUC.

Conclusions

The XBC showed significantly higher overall sensitivity and negative predictive value than VUC and could be used to increase the recommended follow-up cystoscopy time intervals. Complementing the XBC and voided urinary cytology does not improve performance in comparison to the XBC alone.

Flexible cystoscopy for ureteral stent removal without antimicrobial prophylaxis. A prospective observational study

OBJECTIVE

Flexible cystoscopy for ureteral stent removal after ureteroscopy is widely performed. In this scenario, the real need for antimicrobial prophylaxis is still uncertain. Aim of this study is to determine the urinary tract infections rate after 4 weeks from outpatient flexible cystoscopies for ureteral stent removal without antimicrobial prophylaxis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A prospective observational study was performed between November 2017 and August 2018 in a single, high-volume Institution.Risk factors for UTIs were recorded. Immediately before cystoscopy, each patient submitted a voided urine specimen. Antibiotics were not given before or after cystoscopy. About 7 and 28 days after cystoscopy all the patients underwent abdomen US, urine analysis and culture, and clinical evaluation to assess possible symptoms of UTI.

RESULTS

A total of 192 patients were enrolled in the study, 76 patients (39.2%) were female. Median age was 55 years [IQR 47- 68]. Median BMI was 24.2 [22.9-26.7]. Eighteen patients (9.4%) had asymptomatic bacteriuria before cystoscopy and 39 (20.3%) had positive culture at 7 days. About 21 patients (10.9%) were diagnosed with febrile UTI in the 28 days FU period. The 28.6 % of the Febrile patients had asymptomatic bacteriuria before the stent removal (p < 0.001), this group was slightly older (p = 0.085) and with higher BMI (p = 0.036).Forty-eight patients had positive urine culture at 7 days, of whom 27 (14.1%) were asymptomatic and were classified as asymptomatic bacteriuria. Multivariate analysis shows that only high BMI and bacteriuria before the procedure were significantly associated with developing a febrile UTI, none of the other risk factors was significant.

CONCLUSION

Our data show a high rate of UTI after flexible cystoscopies for ureteral stent removal without antimicrobial prophylaxis especially in patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria, in those with high BMI and in the elderly; in these subgroups, antimicrobial prophylaxis should be recommended.

Bladder mulberry-like fibroepithelial polyp with calcification and squamous cell metaplasia mimicking bladder carcinoma: case report and literature review

Fibroepithelial polyps (FEPs) are a rare, benign disease in the urinary system. We present a clinical case of a 34-year-old woman with a symptomatic bladder tumor. Cystoscopy showed a mulberry-like mass with calcification in the bladder trigone. After transurethral resection, histopathology showed an FEP in the bladder with calcification and squamous cell metaplasia. The patient was discharged from hospital 3 days after surgery. We review the recent literature to summarize the clinical manifestations, treatments, and prognosis of bladder FEPs.

Cystoscopic Imaging for Bladder Cancer Detection Based on Stepwise Organic Transfer Learning with a Pretrained Convolutional Neural Network

Background: Nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer is diagnosed, treated, and monitored using cystoscopy. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used to augment tumor detection, but its performance is hindered by the limited availability of cystoscopic images required to form a large training data set. This study aimed to determine whether stepwise transfer learning with general images followed by gastroscopic images can improve the accuracy of bladder tumor detection on cystoscopic imaging. Materials and Methods: We trained a convolutional neural network with 1.2 million general images, followed by 8728 gastroscopic images. In the final step of the transfer learning process, the model was additionally trained with 2102 cystoscopic images of normal bladder tissue and bladder tumors collected at the University of Tsukuba Hospital. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The diagnostic performance of the models trained with cystoscopic images with or without stepwise organic transfer learning was compared with that of medical students and urologists with varying levels of experience. Results: The model developed by stepwise organic transfer learning had 95.4% sensitivity and 97.6% specificity. This performance was better than that of the other models and comparable with that of expert urologists. Notably, it showed superior diagnostic accuracy when tumors occupied >10% of the image. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the value of stepwise organic transfer learning in applications with limited data sets for training and further confirm the value of AI in medical diagnostics. Here, we applied deep learning to develop a tool to detect bladder tumors with an accuracy comparable with that of a urologist. To address the limitation that few bladder tumor images are available to train the model, we demonstrate that pretraining with general and gastroscopic images yields superior results.

Effects of Listening to Binaural Beats on Anxiety Levels and Pain Scores in Male Patients Undergoing Cystoscopy and Ureteral Stent Removal: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Purpose: To investigate the effects of pure binaural beats on anxiety and pain scores in male patients undergoing diagnostic cystoscopy (DC) and ureteral stent removal (USR) under local anesthesia. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective, randomized placebo-controlled study. Patients in the DC group (DCG) and USR group (USRG) were divided into three subgroups according to interventions applied; DCG-1 and USRG-1, patients listened to binaural beats; DCG-2 and USRG-2, patients listened to classical music; and DCG-3 and USRG-3, patients wore headphones, but were not exposed to audio (control group). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were used for measuring anxiety and pain scores, respectively. Demographic data, initial STAI, tolerance rate of interventions, terminal STAI (STAI-T), differences of STAI (delta STAI, STAI-D), and VAS scores were compared. Results: Between July 2019 and March 2020, a total of 252 and 159 eligible male patients for DCG and USRG were included, respectively. After exclusions, remaining patients were DCG-1, n = 61; DCG-2, n = 73; DCG-3, n = 75; USRG-1, n = 41; USRG-2, n = 50; and USRG-3, n = 52. The tolerance rate in binaural beat groups was significantly lower than in other groups (p < 0.05 for all). There were significant decreases in terms of STAI-T when DCG-1 and DCG-2 were compared with DCG-3 and USRG-1 and USRG-2 were compared with USRG-3 (p < 0.05 for all). There were significant decreases in STAI-D scores when DCG-1 and DCG-2 were compared with DCG-3 and when USRG-1 and USRG-2 were compared with USRG-3 (p < 0.001 for all). Binaural beat groups had significantly lower VAS scores than other groups and classical music groups had significantly lower VAS scores than control groups (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusions: Listening to pure binaural beats may be a simple and effective method to reduce anxiety levels and pain scores associated with the DC and USR procedures in males.

Evaluation of post-flexible cystoscopy urinary tract infection rates

PURPOSE

The risk of urinary tract infection (UTI) development after flexible cystoscopy (FC) is not well described. It remains difficult to assess the role of pre-FC antimicrobial prophylaxis to reduce UTI risk.

METHODS

In fall 2017, the urology service at the Providence Veterans Affairs Medical Center implemented routine oral antimicrobial prophylaxis in its outpatient FC clinic. Outpatients were randomly selected for a retrospective chart review to compare patients who received pre-FC antimicrobials (cefuroxime 500 mg tablet or sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim [800 mg/160 mg] tablet) and those who underwent FC prior to fall 2017 and did not receive prophylaxis. The primary outcome was presence of symptomatic UTI within 30 days post FC. Secondary outcomes included symptomatic UTI that met colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL guideline requirements, and UTI treatment received. Potential risk factors for UTI were also assessed.

RESULTS

A total of 296 patients were included in the final analysis: 139 who did not receive and 157 who received a prophylactic antimicrobial before FC. Rates of symptomatic UTI, symptomatic UTI meeting CFU/mL guideline requirements, and postprocedure treatment for UTI were similar with and without antimicrobial prophylaxis (2.5% vs 2.2% [P > 0.99], 1.9% vs 1.4% [P > 0.99], and 2.5% vs 4.3% [P = 0.53], respectively). The mean number of days from FC to the start of UTI treatment was 7.9 (range, 1-18 days). Age over 65 years was the only risk factor present in all patients with a post-FC UTI, irrespective of antimicrobial prophylaxis.

CONCLUSION

The rate of post-FC symptomatic UTI was lower than rates previously described in the literature. The role of antimicrobial prophylaxis prior to FC warrants further exploration.

Uncoiling of a Cook Resonance Metallic Ureteral Stent

Introduction and Background: The Cook Resonance^® metallic ureteral stent's unique configuration allows adequate urine drainage while providing improved resistance to external ureteral compression. We report a case in which a stent broke and subsequently uncoiled during stent removal under cystoscopy. Case Presentation: A 46-year-old woman with a history of cervical carcinoma treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy and bilateral ureteral strictures presented for cystoscopic removal of bilateral Cook Resonance ureteral stents. During removal of the right ureteral stent, a snap was felt with subsequent uncoiling of the stent. Firm tension to the inner wire and outside curls allowed eventual complete removal of the stent without any retained fragments. Discussion: The all-metal Cook Resonance stent is an attractive alternative to polymeric stents because of reduced frequency of stent exchange and resistance to external compression. However, the metal stent possesses risks such as increased urothelial hyperplasia and stent embedment.

Spontaneous remission of untreated primary amyloidosis of the bladder after transurethral resection biopsy: a case report and literature review

We herein present a case involving a 23-year-old woman with gross hematuria. Cystoscopy revealed abnormal areas of the mucosa along the anterior and posterior bladder walls. These abnormalities were suspicious for neoplasia; however, a diagnosis was not established by subsequent biopsy. The patient underwent transurethral resection biopsy in which an isolated lesion along the anterior wall was completely resected and the others were left untreated. Pathologic examination and special staining led to a diagnosis of amyloidosis, and the patient elected to undergo transurethral surgery 1 month later. During the operation, the intravesical lesions were found to have significantly improved in both the treated and untreated sites. The operation was cancelled, follow-up was arranged, and no other treatment was administered. Repeat cystoscopy examinations at 3 and 9 months after surgery showed that the lesions had almost completely disappeared.

Antibiotics are not necessary during routine cystoscopic stent removal: A randomized controlled trial at UC San Diego

Introduction:

Current American Urological Association (AUA) Best Practice Statement recommends antibiotic prophylaxis for cystoscopy with manipulation, including stent removal; although no Level 1b trials explicitly address prophylaxis for stent removal. We sought to determine the efficacy of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent infectious complications after stent removal.

Materials and Methods:

Following institutional review board approval, patients undergoing removal of ureteral stent placed during stone surgery were recruited from July 2016 to March 2019. Patients were recruited at the time of stent removal and randomized to treatment (single dose 500 mg oral ciprofloxacin) or control group (no antibiotics). Telephone contact was attempted within 14 days of stent removal to assess for urinary tract infection (UTI) symptoms, antibiotic prescriptions, or Emergency Department visits. Primary outcome was UTI within 1 month of stent removal – defined by irritative voiding symptoms, fever or abdominal pain associated with positive urine culture (Ucx) (>100k colony-forming units/mL).

Results:

Seventy-seven patients were enrolled, with 58 meeting final inclusion criteria for the analysis (33 treatment, 25 controls). No differences were seen with clinical and demographic variables, except a higher body mass index in the treatment group (P = 0.007). Positive Ucx rate before stone surgery (16.7% vs. 11.8%, P = 0.819) and at the time of stent removal (16.0% vs. 11.1%, P = 0.648) was not significantly different in treatment versus control groups, respectively. Primary outcome: No patients in either cohort developed symptomatic culture-diagnosed UTI within 1 month of stent removal. Of patients with documented phone follow-up (treatment n = 29, control n = 22), only one patient (control) reported any positive response on phone survey.

Conclusions:

We found a low infectious complication rate regardless of antibiotic prophylaxis use during cystoscopic stent removal. The necessity of antibiotics during routine cystoscopic stent removal warrants possible reevaluation of the AUA best practice statement.

Global Assessment of Urological Endoscopic Skills (GAUES): development and validation of a novel assessment tool to evaluate endourological skills

OBJECTIVE

To develop and evaluate an assessment tool for endourological skills during simulation including cystoscopy, ureteroscopy (URS) and transurethral resection (TUR) procedures.

METHODS

We designed a Global Assessment of Urological Endoscopic Skills (GAUES) tool, comprised of nine endourology task-specific and two global-rating skills items. The tool was developed through two rounds of the Delphi process. The GAUES tool was used to assess acquisition of URS and TUR skills of novices (Year 2 core surgical trainees, CT2) and intermediate level trainees (residents at the start of the UK higher surgical training programme in Urology, Speciality Trainee Year 3, ST3) at the Urology Simulation Boot Camp (USBC) between 2016 and 2018. Validity was evaluated by comparing scores between trainees with different levels of urological experience. Inter-rater reliability was also assessed.

RESULTS

We evaluated 130 residents, 52% of trainees were at an intermediate stage of training and 39% were novices. In all, 9% of the anonymous forms were missing demographics. The completion rate of the GAUES tool during the USBC for URS and TUR was 85% and 89%, respectively. Our analysis demonstrated a significant difference in all domains between intermediates and novices at assessment in URS, except for one domain more suited to clinical assessment (P = 0.226). There was excellent intraclass correlation (ICC) overall between the two experts' judgements, ICC = 0.841 (95% confidence interval 0.767-0.893; P < 0.001, n = 88).

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed the novel GAUES tool for cystoscopic, URS and TUR skills. Overall, we demonstrated good face, content and construct validity and excellent reliability, suggesting that the GAUES tool can be useful for endourological skills assessment.

Surgeon Scorecards Improve Muscle Sampling on Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor and Recurrence Outcomes in Patients with Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

PURPOSE

The presence of detrusor muscle is essential for accurate staging of T1 cancers. Detrusor muscle presence can be a quality indicator of transurethral resection of bladder tumor for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. We hypothesized that increasing surgeon awareness of personal and institutional detrusor muscle sampling rates could improve resection quality and long-term oncologic outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective review of transurethral resections of bladder tumor from 1/2006 to 2/2018 was performed. The presence of detrusor muscle in the pathology report and transurethral resection specimen were extracted from records. Individual surgeon scorecards were created and distributed. Rates of detrusor muscle sampling were compared prior to and 12 months after distribution. Chart review was done to compare 3-year recurrence and progression outcomes before and after distribution of scorecards.

RESULTS

The rate of detrusor muscle sampling increased from 36% (1,250/3,488) to 54% (202/373) (p=0.001) in the 12 months after scorecard distribution, ie from 30% (448/1,500) to 55% (91/165) (p <0.001) in Ta tumors and from 47% (183/390) to 72% (42/58) (p <0.001) in T1 tumors. Pathological reporting of muscle also improved for all samples (73%, 2,530/3,488 to 90%, 334/373, p <0.001), Ta (75%, 1,127/1,500 to 94%, 155/165, p <0.001) and T1 (93%, 362/390 to 100%, 58/58, p=0.04). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, the surgeon scorecard was associated with decreased 3-year risk of recurrence (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.40-0.99).

CONCLUSIONS

Creation and distribution of individual surgeon scorecards improved detrusor muscle sampling on transurethral resection and was associated with decreased risk of disease recurrence. Quality evaluation of transurethral resection of bladder tumor may contribute to improved outcomes of patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer.

Clinical Validation of a Urine Test (Uromonitor-V2®) for the Surveillance of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients

The costly and burdensome nature of the current follow-up methods in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) drives the development of new methods that may alternate with regular cystoscopy and urine cytology. The Uromonitor-V2^® is a new urine-based assay in the detection of hotspot mutations in three genes (TERT, FGFR3, and KRAS) for evaluation of disease recurrence. The aim of this study was to investigate the Uromonitor-V2^®’s performance in detecting NMIBC recurrence and compare it with urine cytology. From February 2018 to September 2019 patients were enrolled. All subjects underwent a standard-of-care (SOC) cystoscopy, either as part of their follow-up for NMIBC or for a nonmalignant urological pathology. Urine cytology was performed in NMIBC patients. Out of the 105 patients enrolled, 97 were eligible for the study. Twenty patients presented nonmalignant lesions, 29 had a history of NMIBC with disease recurrence, and 49 had a history of NMIBC without recurrence. In NMIBC, the Uromonitor-V2^® displayed a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 93.1%, 85.4%, 79.4%, and 95.3%, respectively. Urine cytology was available for 52 patients, and the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 26.3%, 90.9%, 62.5%, and 68.2%, respectively. With its high NPV of 95.3%, the Uromonitor-V2^® revealed promising properties for the follow-up of patients with NMIBC.

Optimizing Telemedicine Technologic Infrastructure with Animal Models: A Case in Telecystoscopy

Background: Rapid evolution of telemedicine technology requires procedures in telemedicine to adapt frequently. An example in urology, telecystoscopy, allows certified advanced practice providers to perform cystoscopy, endoscopic examination of the bladder, in rural areas with real-time interpretation and guidance by an off-site urologist. We have previously shown the technological infrastructure for optimized video quality. Introduction: Newer models of cystoscope and coder/decoder (codec) are available with anticipation that components used in our original model will become unavailable. Our objective is to assess the diagnostic ability of two cystoscopes (Storz, Wolf) with old (SX20) and new (DX70) codecs. Materials and Methods: A single urologist performed flexible cystoscopy on an ex vivo porcine bladder. Combinations of cystoscope (Storz vs. Wolf), codec (SX20 vs. DX70), and internet transmission speed were used to create eight distinct recordings. Deidentified videos were reviewed by expert urologist reviewers via electronic survey with questions on video quality and diagnostic ability. A logistic regression model was used to assess the ability to make a diagnosis. Results: Eight transmitted cystoscopy videos were reviewed by 16 urologists. Despite new technology, the Storz cystoscope combined with the SX20 codec (the original combination) provides the best diagnostic capacity. Discussion: Technical infrastructure must be routinely validated to assess the component impact on overall quality because newer is not always better. Should the SX20 become obsolete, ex vivo animal models are safe, inexpensive anatomic models for testing. Conclusions: As technology continues to evolve, procedures in telemedicine must critically scrutinize the impact of new technologic components to uphold quality.

Presenting an atlas of Hunner lesions in interstitial cystitis which can be identified with office cystoscopy

AIM

To assist clinicians in proper visual diagnosis of Hunner lesions by providing an atlas of representative images of the variability in Hunner lesion appearance.

METHODS

Available cystoscopic images of Hunner lesions were reviewed from patients with interstitial cystitis or bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) treated by a single clinician between 2011 and 2020. For most patients, initial cystoscopy was performed in the office under local anesthesia. Images were categorized by variations in appearance. Data including Hunner lesion descriptions and patient demographics were retrospectively collected from the medical record. Only patients who had images available, received triamcinolone injection and/or fulguration of Hunner lesions, and reported improvement of their symptoms following treatment were included in the atlas.

RESULTS

Thirty-one IC/BPS patients with Hunner lesions had cystoscopic images available for review. We created an atlas of representative images. Variations in appearance include classic lesions with or without a central coagulum, inflamed lesions, non-inflamed lesions, groupings of lesions, and lesions with a red waterfall bleeding appearance.

CONCLUSION

There is variation in cystoscopic appearance of Hunner lesions. Most Hunner lesions can be identified during office visits using flexible cystoscopy and local anesthesia without hydrodistention or general anesthesia. Proper visual diagnosis of Hunner lesions is of upmost importance as these patients with IC/BPS respond greatly to endoscopic intervention. This atlas will serve as a reference for clinicians and researchers, so they are able to better identify and manage these patients.

Cystoscopy with antibiotic irrigation during pelvic reconstruction and minimally invasive gynecologic surgery: A double-blind randomized controlled trial

AIMS

After pelvic reconstructive surgery, the risk of postoperative urinary tract infection (UTI) is significant; intraoperative cystoscopy may contribute to this risk. Intravesical antibiotics are used in the ambulatory setting and may be applied to the surgical arena. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of antibiotic irrigation during intraoperative cystoscopy to prevent postoperative UTI.

METHODS

This double-blind randomized controlled trial enrolled 216 women undergoing cystoscopy with elective surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, stress urinary incontinence, or laparoscopic gynecologic surgery at an academic medical center 2016-2019. Participants were randomized to cystoscopic irrigation fluid type: normal saline (control) or 200,000 U polymyxin B + 40 mg neomycin solution in normal saline (antibiotic). Patients and providers who treated UTIs were blinded. The primary outcome was treatment of UTI within 6 weeks postoperatively, defined as positive culture or treatment for a symptomatic UTI. χ² and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed.

RESULTS

We enrolled 216 women: 111 control (51.4%) and 105 antibiotic (48.6%). Mean age was 51.6 years. Groups were well matched in medical comorbidities and surgery type. Primary vaginal surgery was most common (n = 127, 58.8%). Overall, 10.7% of patients developed a postoperative UTI with no difference in incidence between groups: 9.9% of control (n = 11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.0%-16.0%) versus 11.4% of antibiotic subjects (n = 12, 95% CI: 5.0%-18.0%), on χ² (p = .718) and logistic regression analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.3; CI: 0.53-3.16; p = .569).

CONCLUSION

When cystoscopy is performed during elective pelvic surgery, use of antibiotic irrigation does not impact the rate of postoperative UTI.

"Central Road" cystoscopic finding: The road to worsened incontinence following laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy

INTRODUCTION

This paper presents the "Central Road" cystoscopic finding accompanied by magnified mixed urinary incontinence following laparoscopic sacrocolopopexy.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 70-year-old female experienced severe mixed urinary incontinence upon completing laparoscopic sacrocolopopexy. The cystoscopy showed a cord-like appearance in the center of the bladder trigon and posterior wall. Videourodynamics confirmed stress urinary incontinence, and chain cystourethrography indicated that the proximal urethra was open and the posterior vesicourethral angle was atypically widened. After implanting a midurethral sling, mixed urinary incontinence was cured subjectively and objectively without medication.

CONCLUSION

The "Central Road" cystoscopic finding can be a signpost pointing to laparoscopic sacrocolopopexy mesh overtensioning, which can cause dekinking of the bladder neck, exacerbate stress urinary incontinence, and possibly lead to stress-induced instability. A midurethral sling successfully relieved mixed urinary incontinence in this case, but it might be necessary to loosen the laparoscopic sacrocolopopexy mesh in some other cases.