Lateral QRS amplitude is independently associated with outcome after cardiac resynchronization therapy: Advancing patient selection?

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a cornerstone in the treatment of selected heart failure patients. However, a relevant proportion of patients do not show beneficial response. Identification of simple, additive, and outcome-relevant selection criteria may improve selection of patients.

Landmark Evolutions in Time and Indication for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Results from a Multicenter Retrospective Registry.

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has evolved into an established therapy for patients with chronic heart failure and a wide QRS complex. Data on long-term outcomes over time are scarce and the criteria for implantation remain a subject of investigation. An international, multicenter, retrospective registry includes 2275 patients who received CRT between 30 November 2000 and 31 December 2019, with a mean follow-up of 3.

Long-term outcome after upgrade to cardiac resynchronization therapy: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Aim: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is a cornerstone in the management of chronic heart failure in patients with a broad or paced QRS. However, data on long-term outcome after upgrade to CRT are scarce.

Methods And Results: This international, multicentre retrospective registry included 2275 patients who underwent a de novo or upgrade CRT implantation with a mean follow-up of 3.

Minimally Invasive Therapies for Benign Prostatic Obstruction: A Review of Currently Available Techniques Including Prostatic Artery Embolization, Water Vapor Thermal Therapy, Prostatic Urethral Lift, Temporary Implantable Nitinol Device and Aquablation.

A 66-years old male patient presents with lower urinary tract symptoms, mostly due to obstructive symptoms, and an enlarged prostate with 80 cm, with a broad-based median lobe, suggestive of benign prostatic obstruction (BPO). Trans-urethral resection of the prostate (TURP) was proposed. However, the patient desired to preserve ejaculatory function and was afraid of a potential negative impact on erectile function.

Stay cool! Special underwear for cyclic cooling significantly decreases scrotal skin temperature.

Introduction: Male reproductive health is rapidly declining during the past decades and it is well known that scrotal temperature is linked to male infertility.

Material And Methods: We performed a prospective data evaluation within a counterfactual analysis study design. Scrotal cooling was performed using Snowballs™ underwear, scrotal temperature was monitored using a wireless temperature sensor (SensorPush, Brooklyn, NY, 11215).

Radiotherapy or Surgery? Comparative, Qualitative Assessment of Online Patient Education Materials on Prostate Cancer.

As multiple different treatment options are available for prostate cancer (PCa) and YouTube is commonly used as a source for medical information, we performed a systematic and comparative assessment of available videos guiding patients on their choice for the optimal treatment. An independent search for surgical therapy or radiotherapy of PCa on YouTube was performed and the 40 most viewed videos of both groups were analyzed. The validated DISCERN questionnaire and PEMAT were utilized to evaluate their quality and misinformation.

Qualitative Assessment of Medical Information on YouTube: A Multilingual Comparison of Common Urological Conditions.

Introduction: Patients nowadays often search video-sharing platforms for online patient education materials. Since previous assessments of urological videos were limited to English, we systematically assessed the quality of videos on treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostate cancer (PCa), and urinary stone disease (USD) in 4 different languages on YouTube using validated instruments.

Methods: The search for videos on YouTube addressing treatment options of BPH, PCa, and USD was performed in October 2020 in -English, French, German, and Italian.

Aquablation versus holmium laser enucleation of the prostate in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in medium-to-large-sized prostates (ATHLETE): protocol of a prospective randomised trial.

Introduction: A novel method for the surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) called Aquablation has become commercially available. Previous studies have been able to show similar functional results when compared with transurethral resection of the prostate and a high efficacy has been demonstrated when this approach is applied to patients with a prostate size of 80-150 cm.Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is a well-established procedure in the surgical treatment of BPH in prostate glands larger than 30 mL and a first-line therapy in glands over 80 mL.

Urinary Stone Location with Ureteral Stents in Place: Always on the Move, and not Where you Would Expect.

Purpose: To assess migration of urinary stones with ureteral stents in place.

Materials And Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of stone characteristics and locations in patients treated with secondary retrograde intrarenal surgery for symptomatic urinary stones at our institution. We analyzed 393 patients with a median age of 53 years and a median stone size of 7 mm.

Reduction of stent-associated morbidity by minimizing stent material: a prospective, randomized, single-blind superiority trial assessing a customized 'suture stent'.

Objectives: To compare a customized 'suture stent' with a standard ureteric stent regarding stent-related symptoms, safety and efficacy.

Materials And Methods: Patients with urolithiasis located proximal to the iliac vessel crossing, requiring stenting in preparation for secondary ureterorenoscopy (URS) were randomized to standard ureteric stenting or a suture stent. Secondary ureterorenoscopy was performed 2-6 weeks later.

The German linguistic validation of the Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life questionnaire (WisQoL).

Purpose: WisQoL (Wisconsin Stone Quality of Life questionnaire) is a disease specific, health related quality of life measure designed for patients who form kidney stones. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a German version of WisQoL.

Methods: The German version of the WisQoL was developed following a standardized multistep process.

Outcome groups and a practical tool to predict success of shock wave lithotripsy in daily clinical routine.

Purpose: To improve outcome prediction of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) by development of a model based on easily available clinical and radiographical predictors and suitable for daily clinical use.

Materials And Methods: We evaluated predictive factors for SWL success in 517 consecutive patients suffering from urinary calculi who underwent SWL between 2010 and 2018. Analyses included descriptive statistics, receiver operating characteristic statistics and logistic regression.

Radiation Exposure During Prostatic Artery Embolisation: A Systematic Review and Calculation of Associated Risks.

Although evidence supporting the efficacy and safety of prostatic artery embolisation (PAE) is increasing, potential associated risks of ionising radiation in this context remain largely unknown. We systematically reviewed reports on radiation exposure (RE) during PAE in the literature and estimated the risk RE poses using a Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm. Of 842 studies screened, 22 were included.

Initial Diagnosis and Detection of Very Late Local Recurrence of a Ductal Prostate Cancer due to a Ureteral Stone.

We report the case of a 74-year-old patient in whom a ductal prostate cancer was incidentally endoscopically diagnosed in the course of ureteral stenting due to a left distal ureteral stone. The initial PSA was 0.8 g/l and the digital rectal examination was not suspicious.

Information on surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia on YouTube is highly biased and misleading.

Objectives: To assess the quality of videos on the surgical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (LUTS/BPH) available on YouTube, given that such video-sharing platforms are frequently used as sources of patient information and the therapeutic landscape of LUTS/BPH has evolved substantially during recent years.

Materials And Methods: A systematic search for videos on YouTube addressing treatment options for LUTS/BPH was performed in May 2019. Measures assessed included basic data (e.

Detection of microbial colonization of the urinary tract of patients prior to secondary ureterorenoscopy is highly variable between different types of assessment: results of a prospective observational study.

This study compares the findings of different detection methods for microorganisms in patients with ureteral stents undergoing secondary ureterorenoscopy including the use of a novel validated examination pipeline for biofilms on ureteral stents. Of the included 94 patients, 21.3% showed bacteriuria in preoperative urine cultures.

Readability Assessment of Commonly Used German Urological Questionnaires.

Purpose: We intended to assess the readability of the German versions of commonly used urological questionnaires and identify questions that are potentially demanding for patients.

Materials And Methods: The Guidelines of the European Association of Urology were analyzed for recommended questionnaires. Readability of the German versions of these questionnaires including their respective single-items was analyzed using established readability assessment tools.

Improving Patient Education Materials: A Practical Algorithm from Development to Validation.

Objectives: To generate an algorithm for systematic development and validation of written patient information in accordance with well-established and validated psychometric and statistical methods that can be applied to different fields of medicine.

Methods: A literature search was carried out in PubMed and Google Scholar. Methods were selected and combined to an algorithm.

Spoilt for Choice: A Survey of Current Practices of Surgical Urinary Stone Treatment and Adherence to Evidence-Based Guidelines among Swiss Urologists.

Introduction: Urologists have to master a variety of techniques to be able to offer the most appropriate surgical stone treatment for each individual patient. Therefore, we performed a survey among board-certified Swiss urologists to assess the availability of the different surgical methods, the current practices of surgical treatment of urolithiasis and the adherence to evidence-based guideline recommendations in Switzerland.

Methods: A 14-question survey assessed the working environment, equipment, perioperative settings and decision trees for specific stone scenarios.

Symptoms Associated With Long-term Double-J Ureteral Stenting and Influence of Biofilms.

Objective: To assess the symptoms associated with long-term Double-J ureteral stenting including the influence of biofilms on ureteral stents.

Methods: Patients with long-term (>8 weeks) uni- or bilateral ureteral stents completed the Ureteral Stent Symptoms Questionnaire (USSQ) at the day of stent exchange. Repeated assessment of patients was possible to allow for analysis of intraindividual changes.

Shared Decision-Making for Patients with Advanced Urological Malignancies: Evaluation of a Joint Urological-Oncological Clinic Model.

Background: To provide rapid evaluation of patients with advanced urological malignancies, a joint urological-oncological clinic was initiated at our institution in January 2015. We present the first 3-year evaluation of this joint urological-oncological clinic in Switzerland.

Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of the characteristics and treatment of all patients reviewed at the joint clinic between January 2015 and December 2017.

Encrustations on ureteral stents from patients without urinary tract infection reveal distinct urotypes and a low bacterial load.

Background: Current knowledge of the urinary tract microbiome is limited to urine analysis and analysis of biofilms formed on Foley catheters. Bacterial biofilms on ureteral stents have rarely been investigated, and no cultivation-independent data are available on the microbiome of the encrustations on the stents.

Results: The typical encrustations of organic and inorganic urine-derived material, including microbial biofilms formed during 3-6 weeks on ureteral stents in patients treated for kidney and ureteral stones, and without reported urinary tract infection at the time of stent insertion, were analysed.