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Directory of Authors from the Journal and their last article.

Bela DenesView Articles
Ben ChallacombeView Articles

Volume 19, Number 1Review Articles

Systematic Review of Open Versus Laparoscopic Versus Robot-assisted Nephroureterectomy

Systematic Review

Kamran AhmedEmma MullenBen Challacombe

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma is a relatively uncommon malignancy. The gold standard treatment for this type of neoplasm is an open radical nephroureterectomy with excision of the bladder cuff. This systematic review compares the perioperative and oncologic outcomes for the open surgical method with the alternative surgical management options of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy and robot-assisted nephroureterectomy (RANU). MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases were searched using a sensitive search strategy. Article inclusion was then assessed by review of abstracts and full papers were read if more detail was required. In all, 50 eligible studies were identified that looked at perioperative and oncologic outcomes. The range for estimated blood loss when examining observational studies was 296 to 696 mL for open nephroureterectomy (ONU), 130 to 479 mL for laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU), and 50 to 248 mL for RANU. The one randomized controlled trial identified reported estimated blood loss and length of stay results in which LNU was shown to be superior to ONU (P < .001). No statistical significance was found, however, following adjustment for confounding variables. Although statistically insignificant results were found when examining outcomes of RANU studies, they were promising and comparable with LNU and ONU with regard to oncologic outcomes. Results show that laparoscopic techniques are superior to ONU in perioperative results, and the longer-term oncologic outcomes look comparable. There is, however, a paucity of quality evidence regarding ONU, LNU, and RANU; data that address RANU outcomes are particularly scarce. As the robotic field within urology advances, it is hoped that this technique will be investigated further using gold standard research methods. [Rev Urol. 2017;19(1):32-43 doi: 10.3909/riu0691] © 2017 MedReviews®, LLC

Urothelial carcinomaRobot-assisted nephroureterectomyopen nephroureterectomyLaparoscopic nephroureterectomy

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

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

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

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