Real-life after sacral nerve modulation implantation: Rate, reasons, and risk factors for mid-term follow-up discontinuation

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate follow-up after implantation of a sacral nerve modulation implantable pulse generator (IPG) and to investigate the reasons and risk factors for follow-up discontinuation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients who underwent an IPG implantation to treat lower urinary tract symptoms between 2014-2019 within 6 hospital centers located in the district of "Hauts-de-France" (France) were systematically called during the year 2020 for a standardized (tele)consultation. Patients were divided into 3 distinct profiles according to the regularity of their 5-year postoperative follow-up: "Regular follow-up", "Irregular follow-up" and "Lost to follow-up". The primary outcome was the change in the annual proportion of the 3 follow-up profiles over the 5 years following IPG implantation. As secondary outcomes we described the reasons reported for follow-up discontinuation and looked for risk factors associated with.

RESULTS

Overall, 259 patients were included. At the time of data collection, after a mean follow-up of 28.4 (± 19.8) months, 139 patients (53.7%) had a "Regular follow-up", 54 (20.8%) had an "Irregular follow-up" and 66 (25.5%) were "Lost to follow-up". The proportion of patients with a "Regular follow-up" decreased year by year, representing only 46.2% of patients at five-years. 175 patients (67.6%) underwent a standardized (tele)consultation. In multivariate analysis, only "lack of knowledge of the follow-up protocol" was statistically associated with follow-up discontinuation (OR=5.16; 95% CI [2.12-13.57]).

CONCLUSION

The proportion of patients followed up after IPG implantation decreased steadily over the years, often related to a lack of therapeutic education.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

Standardized one-day evaluation before urinary reconstructive surgery for neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction: Feasibility and impact on surgical strategy and care pathway

OBJECTIVES

To describe a concept of standardized preoperative one-day evaluation before urinary reconstructive or diversion surgery for the treatment of neurogenic lower urinary tract (LUT) dysfunction, and to evaluate its feasibility and its impact on the care pathway.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All patients who underwent a one-day standardized evaluation before a urinary reconstructive or derivation surgery for the treatment of neurogenic LUT dysfunction between January 2017 and December 2021 in our institution were included. Data were collected retrospectively from standardized reports. The main outcome was the rate of completion of the tests and consultations planned during this evaluation. Secondary outcomes included the findings from the one-day evaluation and changes in the urological surgical strategy at different time points within one year.

RESULTS

One hundred and thirty-one patients benefited from this one-day standardized evaluation. The overall completeness rate of the data collected was 77.5%, increasing from 62.3% in 2017 to 89.3% in 2021. The urological surgical plan was modified for 19.1% of patients following this preoperative evaluation. The indication was then confirmed for 114 patients (87.0%) by the multidisciplinary meeting and was carried out unchanged during the following year for 89 patients (67.9%). An associated colostomy procedure was proposed for 18.3% of patients and was finally performed in 11.5%.

CONCLUSION

A standardized multidisciplinary preoperative one-day evaluation before performing reconstructive or diversion surgery for the treatment of neurogenic LUT dysfunction seems feasible and makes it possible to optimize the surgical plan and adapt the course of care.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4

[Prioritization of risk situations in neuro-urology: Guidelines based on the Delphi method from Association française d'urologie (AFU), Association francophone internationale des groupes d'animation de la paraplégie (AFIGAP), Groupe de neuro-urologie de langue française (GENULF), Société française de médecine physique et de réadaptation (SOFMER) and Société interdisciplinaire francophone d'urodynamique et de pelvi-périnéologie (SIFUD-PP)]

PURPOSE

During the COVID-19 pandemic, a care reorganization was mandatory, and affected patients in different areas, including management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. This work aims to provide validated schedule concerning the assessment and management of patients in neuro-urology.

METHODS

Based on a literature review and their own expertise, a steering committee composed of urologists and physical medicine and rehabilitation practitioners generated a comprehensive risk-situation list and built a risk scale. A panel of French-speaking experts in neuro-urology was asked to define the timing for each clinical situation and validated these new recommendations through a Delphi process approach.

RESULTS

The 49 experts included in the rating group validated 163 propositions among the 206 initial items. The propositions were divided into four domains - diagnosis and assessment, treatment, follow-up, and complications - and two sub-domains - general (applicable for all neurological conditions) and condition-specific (varying according to the neurological condition (spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, brain injury, Parkinsonism, spinal dysraphism, lower motor neuron lesions)).

CONCLUSIONS

This multidisciplinary collaborative work generates recommendations based on expert opinion, providing a validated timing for assessment and management of patients in neuro-urology which may help clinicians to reorganize their patients' list with a personalized medicine approach, in a context of health crisis or not.

Quality of life associated with orthotopic neobladder and ileal conduit in women: A multicentric cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

To compare quality of life and functional outcomes associated with orthotopic neobladder (ONB) and ileal conduit (IC) after anterior pelvic exenteration for bladder cancer in women, through a multicentric cross-sectional study.

METHODS

All women who have undergone an anterior pelvic exenteration associated with ONB or IC for a bladder cancer between January 2004 and December 2014 within the three participating university hospital centers and that were still alive in February 2016 were included. Three distinct auto-administered questionnaires were submitted to the patients: the EORTC QLQ-C30, the EORTC QLQ-BLmi30 and the SF-12. Comparison of response to these questionnaires between women with ONB and those with IC were studied with Mann-Whitney U tests, with a statistically significant P-value set at<0.05. The primary endpoint was the "global health status" sub-score extracted from the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. The secondary endpoints were the functional sub-scores and symptoms sub-scores obtained with the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire as well as the sub-scores obtained with the EORTC QLQ-BLmi30 and the SF-12 questionnaires.

RESULTS

Forty women were included in the study (17 ONB, 23 IC). The primary endpoint was comparable between the ONB and IC women (83.3 vs. 66.7 P=0.22). Similarly, no significant statistical difference could be pointed between the ONB and IC women in terms of secondary endpoints.

CONCLUSION

The present study did not report any significance difference in terms of quality of life and functional outcomes between women with ONB and those with IC after pelvic exenteration for bladder cancer.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

3.

[Non continent urinary diversion and other bladder managements in patients with multiple sclerosis]

INTRODUCTION

To compare non-continent urinary diversion (NCUD) and other bladder managements in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), in terms of satisfaction and burden of care.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

All patients with MS that were proposed a NCUD in our center for refractory lower urinary tract disorders between January 2005 and March 2018 were eligible. Patients were attributed to two distinct groups: "NCUD" and "Other bladder management". The primary endpoint was the satisfaction related to the bladder management quoted by a numerical rating scale (NRS) from 0 to 10. The secondary endpoints included, among other things, the evaluation of the burden of care associated with the bladder management.

RESULTS

Twenty-three patients were included in the "NCUD" group and 11 in the "Other bladder management" group, with 4 patients pursuing with spontaneous voiding, 3 with intermittent catheterization, 2 that have undergone a sphincterotomy, 1 still performing self-intermittent catheterization and 1 with a supra-pubic catheter. The "NCUD" group had a significant higher NRS than the "Other bladder management" group (8.22±1.78 vs. 6.27±2.45; P=0.0056). The daily average duration of care was 16.42minutes in the "NCUD" group and 35.6minutes in the "Other bladder management" group (P=0.1111) CONCLUSION: This exploratory study, even if not conclusive, brings to light the preliminary results needed to elaborate a high level of evidence protocol regarding the satisfaction and the burden of care associated with NCUD in MS patients.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

4.

[Use of botulinum toxin A in pelvic floor dysfunctions in the elderly: A review]

INTRODUCTION

The present article is the final report of a multi-disciplinary meeting supported by the GRAPPPA (group for research applied to pelvic floor dysfunctions in the elderly). The objective was to conduct a comprehensive review on the role of botulinum toxin A (BonTA) in the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunctions in the elderly.

METHODS

The present article, written as a comprehensive review of the literature, combines data issued from the scientific literature with expert's opinions. Review of the literature was performed using the online bibliographic database MedLine (National Library of Medicine). Regarding intra-detrusor BonTA injections, only articles focusing on elderly patients (>65 yo) were included. Regarding other localizations, given the limited number of data, all articles reporting outcomes of BonTA were included, regardless of studies population age. In case of missing or insufficient data, expert's opinions were formulated.

RESULTS

Although, available data are lacking in this specific population, it appears that BonTA could be used in the non-fraily elderly patients to treat overactive bladder or even neurogenic detrusor overactivity, with a success rate comparable to younger population at 3 months (88.9% vs. 91.2%), 6 months (49.4% vs. 52.1%) and 12 months (23.1% vs. 22.3%), as well as a significant decrease in number of voids per day (11.4 vs. 5.29 P<0.001) and in the number of pads per day (4.0 vs. 1.3, P<0.01). Furthermore, BonTA is likely to be offered in the future as a treatment of fecal incontinence and obstructed defecation syndrome symptoms. Concerning bladder outlet obstruction/voiding dysfunction symptoms, intra-urethral sphincter BonTA should not be recommended.

CONCLUSION

BonTA injections are of interest in the management of various pelvic floor dysfunctions in the elderly, and its various applications should be better evaluated in this specific population in order to further determine its safety and efficacy.

Outcome comparison of different approaches to self-intermittent catheterization in neurogenic patients: a systematic review

STUDY DESIGN

Systematic review (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA); http://www.prisma-statement.org).

OBJECTIVES

Different types of catheters and techniques have been described in the past three decades to identify the best self-intermittent catheterization method. Our aim is to review systematically the literature on the most appropriate material and technique to perform self-intermittent catheterization in the adult neurogenic population.

METHODS

A systematic review search was performed through PubMed/Medline, Embase and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases to study all types of self-intermittent catheters, and analyzing their impact on urinary tract infections (UTIs), urethral trauma, cost-effectiveness, quality of life and patient's satisfaction. We used the following keywords: 'intermittent catheterization/catheterisation', 'neurogenic', 'urinary catheters for intermittent use' and 'urethral catheterization/catheterisation' published by November 2015.

RESULTS

After screening 3768 articles, 31 were included in the final synthesis (level of evidence 1b to 2b). The 2188 trial participants were mainly spinal cord injury adults and women with multiple sclerosis. Hydrophilic-coated catheters tended to decrease the incidence of UTI as well as urethral trauma and improve patient's satisfaction when compared with non-hydrophilic-coated catheters. Similarly, prelubricated catheters were associated with better results in terms of patient satisfaction. Sterile technique seemed to decrease the incidence of recurrent UTI; however, these results are counter-balanced by significantly increasing cost compared with clean catheterization.

CONCLUSIONS

The present review demonstrated advantages of hydrophilic-coated catheters in decreasing risk of UTI and urethral trauma as well as improving patient's satisfaction. Prelubricated catheters has been shown to be superior to conventional polyvinyl chloride catheters. Randomized controlled trials comparing hydrophilic and prelubricated catheters must be conducted to assess possible superiority and cost-effectiveness.

Artificial Urinary Sphincter: Report of the 2015 Consensus Conference

PURPOSE

The AMS800™ device, by far the most frequently implanted artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) worldwide, is considered to be the "gold-standard" when male incontinence surgical treatment is contemplated. Despite 40 years of experience, it is still a specialized procedure with a number of challenges. Here, we present the recommendations issued from the AUS Consensus Group, regarding indications, management, and follow-up AMS800™ implantation or revision.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Under ICS auspices, an expert panel met on July 10, 2015 in Chicago, IL, USA in an attempt to reach a consensus on diverse issues related to the AMS800™ device. Participants were selected by the two co-chairs on the basis of their practice in a University hospital and their experience: number of implanted AUSs according to AMS (American Medical System Holdings Inc., Minnetonka, MN) records and/or major published articles. Topics listed were the result of a pre-meeting email brainstorming by all participants. The co-chairs distributed topics randomly to all participants, who then had to propose a statement on each topic for approval by the conference after a short evidence-based presentation, when possible.

RESULTS

A total of 25 urologists were invited to participate, 19 able to attend the conference. The present recommendations, based on the most recent and relevant data available in literature as well as expert opinions, successively address multiple specific and problematic issues associated with the AMS800™ trough a eight-chapter structure: pre-operative assessment, pre operative challenges, implantation technique, post-operative care, trouble-shooting, outcomes, special populations, and the future of AUSs.

CONCLUSION

These guidelines undoubtedly constitute a reference document, which will help urologists to carefully select patients and apply the most adapted management to implantation, follow-up and trouble-shooting of the AMS800™.