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Directory of Authors from the Journal and their last article.

Benjamin BreyerView Articles

Volume 21, Number 1Review Articles

Skin Grafting Applications in Urology

Treatment Review

Andrew J CohenGerman PatinoMicha Yin ZhengBenjamin Breyer

Skin grafting is a closure technique widely used in plastic surgery. Urologists may encounter patients with diseases that lead to severe tissue loss due to infection, trauma, burns, malignancy, skin maladies, or primary lymphedema. The development and study of skin harvesting techniques to manage tissue coverage of burns has allowed for great advances and the widening application of skin grafting. As such, there is a growing recognition and application of skin grafts within urology. The aim of surgical treatment and skin grafting within urology is to preserve genital function, improve quality of life, and restore cosmetic damage. In addition to basic technique, this article reviews specific surgical methods employed in reconstruction for patients with Fournier gangrene, buried penis, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Urologists must be aware of these techniques in order to provide adequate counseling for patients considering these operations and when encountering complications. [Rev Urol. 2019;21(1):8–14] © 2019 MedReviews®, LLC

Fournier gangreneSkin grafting techniquesburied penishidradenitis suppurativa

Benjamin H. LowentrittView Articles

Volume 23, Number 1Prostate Cancer

Specialty Networks Unveils Revised Advanced Prostate Cancer Clinical Guidelines

David MorrisBenjamin H. Lowentritt

In an ongoing effort to support independent urology practices’ work to provide first-class cancer care, Specialty Networks recently unveiled new, expanded clinical guidelines for advanced prostate cancer (PCa) treatment. (See the guidelines, packaged with this issue of Reviews in Urology.)

Prostatic neoplasmsNeoplasmpractice guidelinesclinical decision-making

Benjamin J DaviesView Articles

Volume 19, Number 2Review Articles

The Use of Intraoperative Cell Salvage in Urologic Oncology

Surgical Update

Andres F CorreaMatthew C FerroniTimothy D LyonBenjamin J DaviesMichael C Ost

Intraoperative cell salvage (IOCS) has been used in urologic surgery for over 20 years to manage intraoperative blood loss and effectively minimize the need for allogenic blood transfusion. Concerns about viability of transfused erythrocytes and potential dissemination of malignant cells have been addressed in the urologic literature. We present a comprehensive review of the use of IOCS in urologic oncologic surgery. IOCS has been shown to preserve the integrity of erythrocytes during processing and effectively provides cell filtration to mitigate the risk of tumor dissemination. Its use is associated with reduction in the overall need for allogenic blood transfusion, which clinically reduces the risk of hypersensitivity reactions and disease transmission, and may have important implications on overall oncologic outcomes. In the context of a variety of urologic malignancies, including prostate, urothelial, and renal cancer, the use of IOCS appears to be safe, without risk of tumor spread leading to metastatic disease or differences in cancer-specific and overall survival. IOCS has been shown to be an effective intraoperative blood management strategy that appears safe for use in urologic oncology surgery. The ability to reduce the need for additional allogenic blood transfusion may have significant impact on immune-mediated oncologic outcomes. [Rev Urol. 2017;19(2):89–96 doi: 10.3909/riu0721] © 2017 MedReviews®, LLC

Urologic oncologyCell salvagetransfusion

Benjamin M BruckerView Articles

Volume 18, Number 3Meeting Reviews

Highlights From the 2016 American Urological Association Annual Meeting

Benjamin M BruckerDean G AssimosEllen ShapiroAlan W PartinMichael B ChancellorStacy LoebJ Curtis NickelMichael A GorinMichael K Brawer

More than 2000 posters, abstracts, and videos were presented at the 2016 American Urological Association (AUA) Annual Meeting, held in San Diego, CA, from May 6 to 10, 2016. The editors of Reviews in Urology have culled an enormous volume of information from this premier source and present the findings that are most relevant to the practicing urologist. [Rev Urol. 2016;18(3):159-173 doi:10.3909/riu0717] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancerActive surveillanceDisorders of sexual developmentNephrolithiasisOveractive bladderMicrobiomeOnabotulinumtoxinAHemorrhagic cystitisInflammationFour kallikrein assayGenomic prostate score

Benjamin PressView Articles

Volume 20, Number 1Review Articles

Differentiating Molecular Risk Assessments for Prostate Cancer

Risk Assessment Review

Michael SchulsterMarc A BjurlinBenjamin Press

It is critically important to the evolving goals of prostate biopsy to find clinically significant cancer with lethal potential and avoid detection of indolent disease. Better tests and markers are required for improved detection of clinically significant prostate cancer and avoidance of biopsies in men with indolent disease. Currently, there are myriad alternative prostate cancer risk-assessment tests available derived from serum and urine that are designed to improve the specificity for detection of “significant” prostate cancer. Herein we discuss these tests and their clinical implications. [Rev Urol. 2018;20(1):12–18 doi: 10.3909/riu0787] © 2018 MedReviews, LLC®

Prostate cancerScreeningProstate-specific antigenBiomarkersPSA

Benjamin R LeeView Articles
Benjamin T ShurtleffView Articles
Benoit PeyronnetView Articles

Volume 20, Number 2Review Articles

Botulinum Toxin Use in Neurourology

Systematic Review

Benjamin M BruckerGregory VurtureBenoit PeyronnetXavier GaméVictor W Nitti

The use of botulinum toxin A (BTX-A) has revolutionized the treatment of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) over the past three decades. Initially, it was used as a sphincteric injection for detrusor sphincter dyssynergia but now is used mostly as intradetrusor injection to treat neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO). Its use is supported by high-level-of-evidence studies and it has become the gold-standard treatment for patients with NDO refractory to anticholinergics. Several novelties have emerged in the use of BTX-A in neurourology over the past few years. Although onabotulinumtoxinA (BOTOX®, Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA) remains the only BTX-A for which use is supported by large, multicenter, randomized, controlled trials (RCT), and is therefore the only one to be licensed in the United States and Europe, a second BTX-A, abobotulinumtoxinA (Dysport®, Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals, Basking Ridge, NJ), is also supported by high-level-of-evidence studies. Other innovations in the use of BTX-A in neurourology during the past few years include the BTX switch (from abobotulinumtoxinA to onabotulinumtoxinA or the opposite) as a rescue option for primary or secondary failures of intradetrusor BTX-A injection and refinements in intradetrusor injection techniques (number of injection sites, injection into the trigone). There is also a growing interest in long-term failure of BTX-A for NDO and their management, and a possible new indication for urethral sphincter injections. [Rev Urol. 2018;20(2):84–93 doi: 10.3909/riu0792] © 2018 MedReviews®, LLC

Botulinum toxinNeurogenic detrusor overactivitySphincterInjection

Bernadette MM ZwaansView Articles

Volume 18, Number 2Review Articles

Challenges and Opportunities in Radiation-induced Hemorrhagic Cystitis

Therapeutic Strategy Update

Michael B ChancellorBernadette MM ZwaansHeinz G NicolaiLaura E Lamb

As diagnosis and treatment of cancer is improving, medical and social issues related to cancer survivorship are becoming more prevalent. Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC), a rare but serious disease that may affect patients after pelvic radiation or systemic chemotherapy, has significant unmet medical needs. Although no definitive treatment is currently available, various interventions are employed for HC. Effects of nonsurgical treatments for HC are of modest success and studies aiming to control radiation-induced bladder symptoms are lacking. In this review, we present current and advanced therapeutic strategies for HC to help cancer survivors deal with long-term urologic health issues. [Rev Urol. 2016;18(2):57-65 doi: 10.3909/riu0700] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

Hemorrhagic cystitisRadiation-induced cystitisHematuriaCancer survivorship

Betsy D HopsonView Articles

Volume 19, Number 1Review Articles

Urinary Tract Stone Development in Patients With Myelodysplasia Subjected to Augmentation Cystoplasty

Management Update

Dean G AssimosCourtney L ShephardGuaqiao WangBetsy D HopsonErika B Bunt

Patients with myelodysplasia who have undergone augmentation cystoplasty are at risk for urinary tract stones. We sought to determine the incidence and risk factors for stone development in this population. The charts of 40 patients with myelodysplasia who have undergone augmentation cystoplasty were reviewed. None had a prior history of urinary tract stones. All patients were seen on an annual basis with plain abdominal imaging, renal ultrasonography, and laboratory testing. Statistical analysis included a multivariable bootstrap resampling method and Student’s t-test. Fifteen (37.5%) patients developed stones, 14 with bladder stones and 1 with a solitary renal stone, at a mean of 26.9 months after augmentation. Five (33.3%) developed recurrent bladder stones. The patient with a renal stone never developed a bladder stone. The mean follow-up for the stone formers was 117.2 months and for non–stone formers was 89.9 months. The stone incidence per year was 6.8%. Risk factors included a decline in serum chloride after augmentation (P = .02), female sex, younger age at time of augmentation, longer time period since augmentation, and bowel continence. A significant proportion of patients with myelodysplasia subjected to augmentation cystoplasty develop urinary tract stones, predominantly in the bladder. Dehydration may play a role in development of lower urinary tract stones as the decline in serum chloride suggests contraction alkalosis, which could lead to constipation and improved bowel continence. Therefore, improved hydration should be a goal in this cohort. [Rev Urol. 2017;19(1):11-15 doi: 10.3909/riu0741] © 2017 MedReviews®, LLC

NephrolithiasisSpina bifidaNeurogenic bladderaugmentationcystoplasty

Bilal ChughtaiView Articles

Volume 13, Number 3Review Articles

Role of Inflammation in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Disease State Review

Steven A KaplanRichard LeeBilal ChughtaiAlexis E Te

Inflammation of the prostate may represent a mechanism for hyperplastic changes to occur in the prostate. There are a variety of growth factors and cytokines that may lead to a proinflammatory process within the prostate. There are several proposed mechanisms that lead to both the intrinsic and extrinsic basis of inflammation. Prostatic inflammation may represent an important factor in influencing prostatic growth and progression of symptoms. This article reviews the recent literature on inflammation leading to chronic prostatic diseases, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia. [Rev Urol. 2011;13(3):147-150 doi: 10.3909/riu0535] © 2011 MedReviews®, LLC

Benign prostatic hyperplasiaInflammationProstatitisProstatic cytokinesVitamin D

Bill AndrewsView Articles
Björn LöppenbergView Articles

Volume 18, Number 1Review Articles

Contemporary Role of the Decipher® Test in Prostate Cancer Management: Current Practice and Future Perspectives

Management Update

Deepansh DalelaBjörn LöppenbergAkshay SoodJesse SammonFiras Abdollah

We performed a systematic literature search to identify original articles and editorials about the Decipher® Prostate Cancer Test (GenomeDx Biosciences, San Diego, CA) to provide an overview of the current literature and its present role in urologic clinical practice. The Decipher test, which uses the expression of 22 selected RNA markers (from a total of over 1.4 million), showed a very high discrimination in predicting clinical metastasis (0.75-0.83) and cancer-specific mortality (0.78) in external validation studies, outperforming all routinely available clinicopathologic characteristics. Further, the timing of postoperative radiotherapy (adjuvant vs salvage) may be guided based on Decipher scores. The Decipher test was also the only independent predictor of clinical metastasis in patients with biochemical recurrence after surgery. The Decipher Genomic Resource Information Database (GRID) is a novel research tool that captures 1.4 million marker expressions per patient and may facilitate precision-guided, individualized care to patients with prostate cancer. In this era of precision medicine, Decipher, along with the Decipher GRID platform, is a promising genomic tool that may aid in managing prostate cancer patients throughout the continuum of care and delivering appropriate treatment at an individualized level. [Rev Urol. 2016;18(1):1-9 doi: 10.3909/riu0706] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancerDecipher® Prostate Cancer TestGenomic classifierNeoplasm recurrenceLocal/surgeryTreatment outcome

Blaine KristoView Articles
Bob DjavanView Articles
Bobby B NajariView Articles
Bobby NajariView Articles
Bogdan IlieView Articles

Volume 17, Number 1Original Research

Hemostasis During Urologic Surgery: Fibrin Sealant Compared With Absorbable Hemostat

David M. AlbalaJerome B RiebmanRichard KocharianBogdan IlieJohn AlbaneseJessica ShenLiza OvingtonJonathan Batiller

In the United States, fibrin sealants have been used to achieve hemostasis for nearly two decades. Although their clinical utility was first demonstrated in cardiac surgery, their effectiveness and safety have since been demonstrated to extend to a wide array of procedures. Fibrin sealants typically contain two components—fibrinogen and thrombin—that are combined and delivered simultaneously to a target bleeding site in order to achieve hemostasis. However, many commercial formulations contain other additional components, such as antifibrinolytic agents, that have been associated with adverse outcomes. This subanalysis compares the safety and effectiveness of a fibrin sealant versus an absorbable hemostat for achieving hemostasis during urologic procedures with mild to moderate bleeding. [Rev Urol. 2015;17(1):25-30 doi: 10.3909/ricm0647] © 2015 MedReviews®, LLC

BleedingHemostasisHemostaticsFibrin tissue adhesiveUrologic surgical proceduresSurgical technique

Brad J HoganView Articles

Volume 22, Number 4Review Articles

Application of Artificial Intelligence/Machine Vision & Learning for the Development of a Live Single-cell Phenotypic Biomarker Test to Predict Prostate Cancer Tumor Aggressiveness

Original Research

David M. AlbalaGrannum R SantJonathan S VarsanikMichael S ManakMatthew J WhitfieldBrad J HoganWendell R SuCJ JiangAshok C Chander

To assess the usefulness and applications of machine vision (MV) and machine learning (ML) techniques that have been used to develop a single cell–based phenotypic (live and fixed biomarkers) platform that correlates with tumor biological aggressiveness and risk stratification, 100 fresh prostate samples were acquired, and areas of prostate cancer were determined by post-surgery pathology reports logged by an independent pathologist. The prostate samples were dissociated into single-cell suspensions in the presence of an extracellular matrix formulation. These samples were analyzed via live-cell microscopy. Dynamic and fixed phenotypic biomarkers per cell were quantified using objective MV software and ML algorithms. The predictive nature of the ML algorithms was developed in two stages. First, random forest (RF) algorithms were developed using 70% of the samples. The developed algorithms were then tested for their predictive performance using the blinded test dataset that contained 30% of the samples in the second stage. Based on the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis, thresholds were set to maximize both sensitivity and specificity. We determined the sensitivity and specificity of the assay by comparing the algorithm-generated predictions with adverse pathologic features in the radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. Using MV and ML algorithms, the biomarkers predictive of adverse pathology at RP were ranked and a prostate cancer patient risk stratification test was developed that distinguishes patients based on surgical adverse pathology features. The ability to identify and track large numbers of individual cells over the length of the microscopy experimental monitoring cycles, in an automated way, created a large biomarker dataset of primary biomarkers. This biomarker dataset was then interrogated with ML algorithms used to correlate with post-surgical adverse pathology findings. Algorithms were generated that predicted adverse pathology with >0.85 sensitivity and specificity and an AUC (area under the curve) of >0.85. Phenotypic biomarkers provide cellular and molecular details that are informative for predicting post-surgical adverse pathologies when considering tumor biopsy samples. Artificial intelligence ML-based approaches for cancer risk stratification are emerging as important and powerful tools to compliment current measures of risk stratification. These techniques have capabilities to address tumor heterogeneity and the molecular complexity of prostate cancer. Specifically, the phenotypic test is a novel example of leveraging biomarkers and advances in MV and ML for developing a powerful prognostic and risk-stratification tool for prostate cancer patients. [Rev Urol. 2020;22(4):159–167] © 2021 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancerArtificial intelligencePhenotypic biomarkersMachine visionMachine learning

Bradley D FiglerView Articles

Volume 18, Number 4Review Articles

Barriers to Accessing Urethroplasty

Treatment Update

David O SussmanGordon A BrownMichael J ConsoloKirin K SyedChristopher RobisonJacob McFaddenDavid I ShalowitzBradley D Figler

Urethroplasty is an effective treatment for men with anterior urethral strictures, but is utilized less frequently than ineffective treatments such as internal urethrotomy. We sought to identify provider-level barriers to urethroplasty. An anonymous online survey was emailed to all Mid-Atlantic American Urological Association members. Six scenarios in which urethroplasty was the most appropriate treatment were presented. Primary outcome was recommendation for urethroplasty in ≥ three clinical scenarios. Other factors measured include practice zip code, urethroplasty training, and proximity to a urethroplasty surgeon. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors associated with increased likelihood of urethroplasty recommendation. Of 670 members emailed, 109 (16%) completed the survey. Final analysis included 88 respondents. Mean years in practice was 17.2. Most respondents received formal training in urethroplasty: 43 (49%) in residency, 5 (6%) in fellowship, and 10 (11%) in both; 48 respondents (55%) had a urethroplasty surgeon in their practice, whereas 18 (20%) had a urethroplasty surgeon within 45 minutes of his or her primary practice location. The only covariate that was associated with an increased likelihood of recommending urethroplasty in ≥ three scenarios was formal urethroplasty training. Most members (68%) reported no barriers to referring patients for urethroplasty; the most common barriers cited were long distance to urethroplasty surgeon (n = 13, 15%) and concern about complications (n = 8, 9%). Urethroplasty continues to be underutilized in men with anterior urethral strictures, potentially due to lack of knowledge dissemination and access to a urethroplasty surgeon. Appropriate urethroplasty utilization may increase with greater exposure to urethroplasty in training. [Rev Urol. 2016;18(4):188-193 doi: 10.3909/riu0731] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

UrethroplastyUrethral stricturesBarriersPhysician practice patterns