Lane S. Palmer

Hernias and Hydroceles

Inguinoscrotal abnormalities in children are best understood by understanding the embryology of testicular descent and the failure of the processus vaginalis to properly obliterate. The inguinal hernia, communicating hydrocele, hydrocele of the spermatic cord, and scrotal hydrocele should be differentiated based on a history and physical examination in most cases, with selective use of ultrasonography. The urgency to surgically correct these entities depends on the nature of the hernia or hydrocele and the likelihood of incarceration or spontaneous resolution. Open standard herniorrhaphy remains the most common surgical approach, and concurrent transinguinal laparoscopy allows quick and accurate inspection of the contralateral internal inguinal ring and the need for bilateral repair of an inguinal hernia.

Barriers to use of semen analysis in the adolescent with a varicocele: Survey of patient, parental, and practitioner attitudes.

BACKGROUND The American Society for Reproductive Medicine Practice Committee recommends obtaining a semen analysis (SA) in pediatric patients presenting with a varicocele in the absence of significant testicular atrophy. Among infertile adults with a varicocele, surgery is indicated in the presence of abnormal semen analysis regardless of testicular atrophy. Despite these two statements, semen analysis is not widely utilized by pediatric urologists in the USA managing a patient with a varicocele. OBJECTIVE We explored the attitudes of patients, parents, and practitioners toward SA to identify potential barriers to the use of SA in the evaluation of the adolescent varicocele. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a survey of Society for Pediatric Urology members regarding their management of adolescent varicoceles, with focus on the utilization of SA. The survey consisted of 14 multiple choice questions and two open-ended questions regarding use of SA in practice, barriers to its use, indications for varicocelectomy, and demographics. We also surveyed patients presenting for initial evaluation of a varicocele, as well as their parents, regarding their knowledge about SA and their attitude towards obtaining it. Statistical analysis was performed (p < 0.05 significant). RESULTS The practitioner survey response rate was 53% (168). Only 13.1% routinely incorporated SA in their practice, with 48% of all responders having some degree of discomfort asking for a SA. Of practitioners who cited discomfort, 90% never order a SA for patients with varicoceles. From the 46% of physicians who ordered a SA, we noted significant practice variability (see Figure). The patient/parent survey demonstrated that this population was uncomfortable with the notion of obtaining a SA, with most patients/parents citing lack of knowledge about SA as the main barrier. Patient and parent knowledge was found to correlate. DISCUSSION This study uniquely addresses an issue that has not been discussed in the adolescent varicocele literature to date. It can increase awareness of the option of incorporating SA data in management of the adolescent who presents with a varicocele. CONCLUSION Recognizing and then breaking through the barriers to obtaining a SA, would improve patient care, providing a direct assessment of the impact of a varicocele on fertility potential and thus best determining which patients require surveillance versus surgical intervention. This study suggested that the barriers to SA are surmountable.

Evaluation and Targeted Therapy of Voiding Dysfunction in Children.

Significant strides have been made over the past two decades in more precisely evaluating and managing children with voiding complaints. A thorough history should offer insight into the possible causes for the presenting complaints and this should be supplemented by physical examination, urine studies, and select imaging. Uroflowmetry and external sphincter electromyography with measurement of postvoid residual urine should allow for accurate diagnosis using categories offered by the International Childrens Continence Society. This ability to make an accurate diagnosis should naturally lead to the use of treatment options (urotherapy, pharmacotherapy, biofeedback, and neuromodulation) that specifically target the responsible cause of the complaints rather than simply their symptoms.

Tunneled Buccal Mucosa Tube Grafts for Repair of Proximal Hypospadias

PURPOSE Buccal mucosa is the favored graft material for patients with long urethral defects and a paucity of skin. Since 2007, we have used the novel tunneled buccal mucosa tube graft urethroplasty technique in these patients. We describe this operative technique and report our surgical and functional outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 2007 and 2013, 37 males with proximal hypospadias underwent tunneled buccal mucosa tube graft urethroplasty. After the penile shaft was optimized at a prior stage a free buccal graft was tubularized and tunneled under the intact ventral shaft skin and into the glans. We retrospectively reviewed all charts to report our results. We assessed uroflowmetry and bladder ultrasound for post-void residual urine. RESULTS The overall complications rate in 34 patients with more than 1-year followup was 32% (11), including fistula in 5, proximal stricture in 4 and meatal stenosis in 2. In the first 10 patients a total of 7 complications (70%) developed but there were only 4 complications in the next 24 (16%). Surgeon experience was the only significant predictor of complications (p = 0.003). We obtained uroflow and post-void residual urine data on 13 of 37 patients, of whom 9 achieved a normal flow pattern and post-void residual urine, and 4 had a blunted flow pattern. CONCLUSIONS The novel technique of the tunneled buccal mucosa tube graft in patients with proximal hypospadias represents a good alternative for a long urethroplasty in patients with a paucity of skin. After the learning curve plateaus the rate and degree of complications decrease. Furthermore, voiding function is adequate, as assessed by uroflow studies and post-void residual urine measurement.

Ultrasonographic Assessment of Testicular Viability Using Heterogeneity Levels in Torsed Testicles

Purpose: Gross testicular heterogeneity on ultrasound has been associated with testis loss following testicular torsion in children. We aimed to quantify the extent of temporal heterogeneity associated with testis loss in testicular torsion cases using a noninvasive technique to determine a HI (heterogeneity index) on ultrasound images. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively studied the records of patients who presented with acute scrotal pain to the Pediatric Emergency Department over a 6‐year period. Ultrasound images of the affected testis and the unaffected contralateral testis were examined using a proprietary program to determine the extent of heterogeneity of each image. The difference between the HI of the torsed testis and that of the contralateral normal testis was termed &Dgr;HI. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was performed to determine the &Dgr;HI threshold for nonviability. Results: Among 529 patients who presented with acute scrotal pain 147 had testicular torsion based on surgical findings. Of these 147 patients 110 (74.8%) were found to have a viable testis while 37 (25.2%) had a nonviable testis. Using the &Dgr;HI cutoff of 0.394 or greater for nonviability, sensitivity and specificity were 100% and 94.5%, respectively. Positive and negative predictive values were 86% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that a quantifiable temporal gradation of heterogeneity exists and the heterogeneity index can be used as an objective parameter to determine the viability of a torsed testicle. By developing the technology to measure the heterogeneity index in real time, we could potentially identify which patients with testicular torsion have a nonviable testicle and, thus, would not require immediate surgical exploration.

Robotic surgery in pediatric urology

While robotic surgery has shown clear utility and advantages in the adult population, its role in pediatrics remains controversial. Pediatric-sized robotic instruments and equipment are not readily available yet, so certain modifications can be made in order to make robotic surgery successful in children. While the cost of robotic surgery remains high compared to open procedures, patients experience greater satisfaction and quality of life with robotic surgery. Robotic pyeloplasty is a standard of care in older children, and has even been performed in infants and re-do surgery. Other robotic procedures performed in children include heminephroureterectomy, ureteroureterostomy, ureteral reimplantation, urachal cyst excision, bladder diverticulectomy, and bladder reconstructive procedures such as augmentation, appendicovesicostomy, antegrade continence enema, bladder neck reconstruction and sling, as well as other procedures. Robotic surgery has also been used in oncologic cases such as partial nephrectomy and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection. Future improvements in technology with production of pediatric-sized robotic instruments, along with increases in robotic-trained pediatric urologists and surgeon experience along eachs learning curve, will help to further advance the field of robotic surgery in pediatric urology.

Bladder ganglioneuroma in a 5-year-old girl presenting with a urinary tract infection and hematuria: case report and review of the literature.

Ganglioneuromas are rare benign tumors arising from neural crest cells of the autonomic nervous system. These tumors may rarely localize to the bladder, and few cases have been reported in the adult literature. To date, however, bladder ganglioneuromas have not been reported in the pediatric literature. We report the case of a 5-year-old girl who presented with hematuria and a urinary tract infection and on workup was found to have a large bladder mass. Transurethral resection and pathologic examination revealed the mass to be a ganglioneuroma. The case is presented followed by a brief review of the literature.

Male and female aphallia associated with severe urinary tract dysplasia

INTRODUCTION Aphallia is exceedingly rare (1/30 million births). Previous reports have provided limited detail on associated urinary tract findings. OBJECTIVE We reviewed urinary tract anomalies in two boys with aphallia (patients 1 and 2) and a girl with urinary tract dysplasia, a similar external appearance and lack of corporal tissue (patient 3), also consistent with aphallia. CASE REPORTS (FIGURE) Patients 1 and 2 both had a 46XY karyotype, bilateral descended testes in well-formed scrotums, and posterior skin tags containing rudimentary urethras. Patient 1 had a focal area of urethral narrowing; a posterior bladder diverticulum, which drained a ureter; bilateral grade 5 vesicoureteral reflux, with a right partial renal duplication; and hydronephrosis of all moieties. Patient 2 had posterior urethral valves and a bladder diverticulum. Right ureterovesical junction obstruction required a tapered reimplant and later conversion to right-to-left transureteroureterostomy. Patient 3 had a 46XX karyotype and fused, well-formed labia majora. A posterior skin tag was associated with a stenotic urogenital sinus, beyond which were a vagina posteriorly and a right refluxing ureter anteriorly. The left ureter was absent, and a miniscule pouch represented a maldeveloped or absent bladder. Laparoscopy revealed ovaries and normal Müllerian structures. Bilateral renal dysplasia necessitated renal transplant and the creation of an ileocecal neobladder and Mitrofanoff channel. Corporal tissue was diminutive or absent in all. DISCUSSION We see from these three patients that corporal tissue absence can occur in both male and female patients. We propose that the term aphallia can apply to both sexes, as it is the absence of corporal tissue that defines this condition. This is the only report to include and characterize findings in both male and female aphallia patients. Labioscrotal folds develop with a smooth appearance, and, posteriorly, a urethral orifice or Urogenital (UG) sinus with skin tag may be seen. Obstruction at the level of the urethra was common. Severe urinary tract dysplasia was seen in all, a finding not consistently seen or characterized in previous reports. CONCLUSION In girls with severe urinary tract dysplasia and characteristic genital ambiguity, aphallia should be considered. Co-occurrence of aphallia and severe urinary tract dysplasia warrants further urinary tract imaging in all aphallia patients, including voiding cystourethrography, renal bladder ultrasound, and serum creatinine level. Urinary tract reconstruction may be performed without hampering future penile reconstruction, due to modern phallic reconstructive techniques.

Cost-effectiveness of antimicrobial prophylaxis for children in the RIVUR trial

PurposeWe evaluated the cost-effectiveness of antimicrobial prophylaxis to prevent recurrent UTIs in children with vesicoureteral reflux based on the RIVUR trial.Materials and methodsA decision tree model compared strategies of antimicrobial prophylaxis vs. placebo in children with reflux using results from the RIVUR trial. Risk reduction was 50% based on intention to treat analysis. Costs were based on Medicare reimbursement and data in literature. The model incorporated costs of medications, imaging and complications such as pyelonephritis, likelihood of surgery and loss of work. One- and two-way sensitivity analyses were performed evaluating the effect of changing variables on the cost-effectiveness of antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing recurrent UTIs.ResultsMean costs were higher for treatment vs. placebo at

Influential Factors in Pursuit of Pediatric Urology Fellowship Training

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