Joyce Baard

Age and Bladder Outlet Obstruction Are Independently Associated with Detrusor Overactivity in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

BACKGROUND Detrusor overactivity is one known cause of lower urinary tract symptoms and has been linked to bladder storage symptoms (urgency, frequency, or urge incontinence). OBJECTIVE To determine clinical and urodynamic parameters associated with detrusor overactivity in patients with suspected benign prostatic hyperplasia. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS During 1993-2003, urodynamic investigations were performed in patients aged 40 yr or older and with lower urinary tract symptoms, benign prostatic enlargement, and/or suspicion of bladder outlet obstruction (maximum flow rate < 15 ml/s or postvoid residual urine > 50 ml). MEASUREMENTS Detrusor overactivity was defined according to the new International Continence Society classification (2002) as involuntary detrusor contractions during cystometry, which may be spontaneous or provoked, regardless of amplitude. The Schäfer algorithm was used to determine bladder outlet obstruction. RESULTS In total, 1418 men were investigated (median age: 63 yr) of whom 864 men (60.9%) had detrusor overactivity. In univariate analysis, men with detrusor overactivity were significantly older, more obstructed, had larger prostates, higher irritative International Prostate Symptoms Score subscores, a lower voiding volume at free uroflowmetry, and a lower bladder capacity at cystometry. The prevalence of detrusor overactivity rose continuously with increasing bladder outlet obstruction grade. Multivariate analysis showed that only age and bladder outlet obstruction grade were independently associated with detrusor overactivity. After age adjustment, the odds ratios of detrusor overactivity compared to Schäfer class 0 were 1.2 for class I, 1.4 for class II, 1.9 for class III, 2.5 for class IV, 3.4 for class V, and 4.7 for class VI. CONCLUSIONS In patients with clinical benign prostatic hyperplasia, detrusor overactivity is independently associated with age and bladder outlet obstruction. The probability of detrusor overactivity rises with increasing age and bladder outlet obstruction grade.

Diagnostic dilemmas in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare condition and recommendations based on a high level of evidence for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up monitoring are lacking. Current decision-making is often based on evidence from trials investigating urothelial carcinoma of the lower tract. Radical nephroureterectomy has been the standard of care for UTUC but kidney-sparing treatment using endoscopic approaches has been established for a select patient group with low-grade and low-stage disease. Optimal treatment choice requires correct tumour characterization. According to available recommendations, diagnostic work-up of UTUC includes evaluation by CT urography or MRI urography, cystoscopy and urine cytology. Ureterorenoscopy and lesion biopsy are grade C recommendations in patients with suspected UTUC. When kidney-sparing treatment is planned, ureterorenoscopy and biopsy should be considered and are the procedures of choice in most cases. These diagnostics have limitations and their accuracy varies in defining tumour characteristics and predicting grade and stage. Urinary tests have higher sensitivity than cytology for detection of lower tract urothelial carcinoma but evidence of their benefit in UTUCs is lacking. New optical and image enhancement techniques are being developed to facilitate real-time diagnostics with increased accuracy. A new diagnostic algorithm for patients with suspected UTUC that integrates the diagnosis, treatment and clinical risk stratification is required.

New technologies for upper tract urothelial carcinoma management

Purpose of review Image enhancement techniques and optical diagnostic tools have emerged in the quest to improve diagnostics and treatment in patients with upper urinary tract carcinoma (UTUC). The aim of the present report is to describe their mechanisms of action and to assess the current evidence on applicability and utility in UTUC. Recent findings Image enhancement techniques including narrow band imaging, Image1 S, and photodynamic diagnosis aim at better visualization of malignant urothelium and especially flat tumours or carcinoma in situ which are often difficult to see with white light endoscopy. Conducted studies in the upper tract are scarce but first results show that tumour detection seems to be better for narrow band imaging and photodynamic diagnosis-guided inspection. Optical diagnostic tools as confocal laser endomicroscopy and optical coherence tomography aim at providing real time optical biopsies giving pathologic information. A pilot study of optical coherence tomography proved its feasibility to visualize, grade and stage low and high-grade UTUC. Summary Better visualization of suspect lesions and optical diagnostic techniques providing real time optical biopsies aim to facilitate in higher diagnostic precision and optimal individualized treatment of our patients with UTUC. As the disease is rare, studies are scarce but indispensable for future implication of these techniques.

Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy for the Diagnosis of Urothelial Carcinoma in the Bladder and the Upper Urinary Tract: Protocols for Two Prospective Explorative Studies

Background Visual confirmation of a suspicious lesion in the urinary tract is a major corner stone in diagnosing urothelial carcinoma. However, during cystoscopy (for bladder tumors) and ureterorenoscopy (for tumors of the upper urinary tract) no real-time histopathologic information can be obtained. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is an optical imaging technique that allows for in vivo high-resolution imaging and may allow real-time tumor grading of urothelial lesions. Objective The primary objective of both studies is to develop descriptive criteria for in vivo CLE images of urothelial carcinoma (low-grade, high-grade, carcinoma in situ) and normal urothelium by comparing CLE images with corresponding histopathology. Methods In these two prospective clinical trials, CLE imaging will be performed of suspicious lesions and normal tissue in the urinary tract during surgery, prior to resection or biopsy. In the bladder study, CLE will be performed in 60 patients using the Cystoflex UHD-R probe. In the upper urinary tract study, CLE will be performed in 25 patients during ureterorenoscopy, who will undergo radical treatment (nephroureterectomy or segmental ureter resection) thereafter. All CLE images will be analyzed frame by frame by three independent, blinded observers. Histopathology and CLE-based diagnosis of the lesions will be evaluated. Both studies comply with the IDEAL stage 2b recommendations. Results Presently, recruitment of patients is ongoing in both studies. Results and outcomes are expected in 2018. Conclusions For development of CLE-based diagnosis of urothelial carcinoma in the bladder and the upper urinary tract, a structured conduct of research is required. This study will provide more insight in tissue-specific CLE criteria for real-time tumor grading of urothelial carcinoma. Trial Registration Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03013894; https://clinicaltrials.gov /ct2/show/NCT03013894?term=NCT03013894&rank=1 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wiPZ378I); and Dutch Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects NL55537.018.15; https://www.toetsingonline.nl /to/ccmo_search.nsf/fABRpop?readform&unids=6B72AE6EB0FC3C2FC125821F001B45C6 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wwJQvqWh). Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy in the upper urinary tract: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03013920; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03013920? term=NCT03013920&rank=1 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wiPkjyt0); and Dutch Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects NL52989.018.16; https://www.toetsingonline.nl/to/ccmo_search.nsf/fABRpop?readform&unids=D27C9C3E5755CFECC12581690016779F (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wvy8R44C).

How well tolerated is supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Purpose of review Supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) has been described in 1988 and several modifications followed since. Despite claimed benefits, supine PCNL is still neglected by the majority of urologists. Lack of experience and the fear of complications are possible explanations for the resistance to supine positioning. This review evaluates recent literature on the use of supine PCNL, focussing on benefits and safety. Recent finding The Clinical Research Office of the Endourological Society Global Study and several (retrospective) reports comment on efficacy and safety of PCNL, differences in techniques, or identify conditions and patient factors for best practice. Anesthesiologic benefits (especially in the high risk, cardiopulmonary compromised, patient) and anatomical advantages are described in supine position theoretically favoring safety of supine PCNL. However, there are no prospective randomized studies conducted to support this assumption. Overall, benefits in efficacy or safety, of one position over the other, are not yet proven. Summary Supine PCNL has advantages in selected patients. Ultimately, the decision on position should be made on patients characteristics and surgeons preference and experience.

Surgical teaching in urology: patient safety and educational value of ‘LIVE’ and ‘SEMI-LIVE’ surgical demonstrations

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the opinion of urologists and their audience regarding patient safety and educational value of live surgical demonstrations (LSD) and semi-live surgical demonstrations (semi-LSD).MethodsFollowing the ‘2017 Challenges in Endourology’ meeting, a survey addressing patient safety and the educational value of LSD and semi-LSD was disseminated online to all participants. Survey outcomes of LSD and semi-LSD were compared. ResultsAll 279 respondents attended both LSD and semi-LSD. Overall, 53% of said respondents stated that patient safety was always the highest priority for LSD, while 74% noted the same for semi-LSD. The complication risk in LSD was perceived equal by 57% of the respondents when compared to cases of similar difficulty in routine practice, while 38% perceived it as a greater risk. For semi-LSD, the complication risk was perceived equal by 84%, while 5% perceived it to be a greater risk in comparison to general practice. On a scale from 0 (no value) to 10 (highly valuable), the average educational value of LSD and semi-LSD was rated 8.4 and 8.3, respectively. A substantial percentage of the surgeons who perform LSD express concerns that live surgery is not the optimal setting to ensure patient safety.ConclusionsLSD remains a popular tool for surgical education among urologists and their audience. However, patient safety remains a concern and is perceived less of a concern for semi-LSD. The educational value of LSD and semi-LSD was scored equally high. Therefore, we should consider to advocate the use of semi-LSD more often.

Durability of Flexible Ureteroscopes: A Prospective Evaluation of Longevity, the Factors that Affect it, and Damage Mechanisms

BACKGROUND Flexible ureteroscopy is an established treatment modality for evaluating and treating abnormalities in the upper urinary tract. Reusable ureteroscope (USC) durability is a significant concern. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the durability of the latest generation of digital and fiber optic reusable flexible USCs and the factors affecting it. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Six new flexible USCs from Olympus and Karl Storz were included. The primary endpoint for each USC was its first repair. Data on patient and treatment characteristics, accessory device use, ureteroscopy time, image quality, USC handling, disinfection cycles, type of damage, and deflection loss were collected prospectively. INTERVENTION Ureteroscopy. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USC durability was measured as the total number of uses and ureteroscopy time before repair. USC handling and image quality were scored. After every procedure, maximal ventral and dorsal USC deflection were documented on digital images. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS A total of 198 procedures were performed. The median number of procedures was 27 (IQR 16-48; 14h) for the six USCs overall, 27 (IQR 20-56; 14h) for the digital USCs, and 24 (range 10-37; 14h) for the fiber optic USCs. Image quality remained high throughout the study for all six USCs. USC handling and the range of deflection remained good under incremental use. Damage to the distal part of the shaft and shaft coating was the most frequent reason for repair, and was related to intraoperative manual forcing. A limitation of this study is its single-center design. CONCLUSIONS The durability of the latest reusable flexible USCs in the current study was limited to 27 uses (14h). Damage to the flexible shaft was the most important limitation to the durability of the USCs evaluated. Prevention of intraoperative manual forcing of flexible USCs maximizes their overall durability. PATIENT SUMMARY Current flexible ureteroscopes proved to be durable. Shaft vulnerability was the most important limiting factor affecting durability.

Validation of Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy Features of Bladder Cancer: The Next Step Towards Real-time Histologic Grading

BACKGROUND Cystoscopy enables the visualisation of suspicious bladder lesions but lacks the ability to provide real-time histopathologic information. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a probe-based optical technique that can provide real-time microscopic images. This high-resolution optical imaging technique may enable real-time tumour grading during cystoscopy. OBJECTIVE To validate and adapt CLE criteria for bladder cancer diagnosis and grading. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Prospectively, 73 patients scheduled for transurethral resection of bladder tumour(s) were included. CLE imaging was performed intraoperatively prior to en bloc resection. Histopathology was the reference standard for comparison. INTERVENTION Cystoscopic CLE imaging. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Three independent observers evaluated the CLE images to classify tumours as low- or high-grade urothelial carcinoma (UC), or benign lesions. Interobserver agreement was calculated with Fleiss kappa analysis and diagnostic accuracy with 2×2 tables. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS Histopathology of 66 lesions (53 patients) revealed 25 low-grade UCs, 27 high-grade UCs, and 14 benign lesions. For low-grade UC, most common features were papillary configuration (100%), distinct cell borders (81%), presence of fibrovascular stalks (79%), cohesiveness of cells (77%), organised cell pattern (76%), and monomorphic cells (67%). A concordance between CLE-based classification and histopathology was found in 19 cases (76%). For high-grade UC, pleomorphic cells (77%), indistinct cell borders (77%), papillary configuration (67%), and disorganised cell pattern (60%) were the most common features. A concordance with histopathology was found in 19 cases (70%). In benign lesions, the most prevalent features were disorganised cell pattern (57%) and pleomorphic cells (52%), and a concordance with histopathology was found in four cases (29%). CONCLUSIONS The CLE criteria enable identification of UC. CLE features correlate to histopathologic features that may enable real-time tumour grading. However, flat lesions remain difficult to classify. PATIENT SUMMARY Confocal laser endomicroscopy may enable real-time cancer differentiation during cystoscopy, which is important for prognosis and disease management.

V12-02 CONFOCAL LASER ENDOMICROSCOPY FOR BLADDER CANCER DIAGNOSIS: HOW TO DO IT & OUR PRELIMINARY RESULTS

tumor identification and characterization. Given their respective strengths and complementary characteristics, we postulate that combining wide-field (PDD and NBI) with microscopic (CLE) imaging technologies will further enhance TURBT. Towards that goal, we report our preliminary experience with multimodal enhanced cystoscopy. METHODS: The study received IRB approval. PDD was performed using hexaminolevulinate (Photocure) in combination with blue light cystoscope (Storz). NBI (Olympus) was performed with an NBIenabled camera head attached to the standard resectoscope. Probebased CLE was performed with fluorescein as the contrast agent along with 2.6 or 0.85 mm endomicroscopes (Cellvizio, Mauna Kea Technologies). Following TURBT with PDD or NBI, the resection bed was imaged with CLE. Imaging features of the resection bed were characterized by 3 urologists and achieved consensus. RESULTS: To date, 10 subjects have undergone multimodal imaging. No adverse events were noted due to the combination of instruments or imaging agents used. Confocal imaging features of the resection bed including elastin fibers (network of thin, interwoven strands), muscle fibers (sheets of straight, connected columns) and perivesical fat (collection of dark, round globules) were observed. Muscularis propria was present in the resected tissue on pathology assessment, confirming adequate resection. Patients are currently undergoing follow-up for cancer recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: We report real-time microscopic inspection of the resection bed to assess for adequate depth of resection with CLE in combination with the macroscopic imaging technologies PDD and NBI. Further studies are needed to determine if multimodal enhanced cystoscopy results in improved TURBT with adequate depth and margins of resection and decreased recurrence rate, which may eventually translate to a decreased need for repeat TURBT.