Lowering the Carbon Footprint Through Telehealth Vasectomy Consults: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Objective: This study aimed to quantify the impact of shifting in-person pre-vasectomy consultations to telehealth visits on travel time and carbon footprint reduction.

Materials And Methods: Utilizing retrospective chart analysis, we examined men who underwent vasectomy at our institution from November 15, 2020, to November 15, 2021. Using their home address, we estimated the distance and travel time with Google Maps direction services to our institution's outpatient urology clinic.

Patient Portal Engagement Affects Postvasectomy Semen Analysis Completion.

Objective: To identify factors that affect completion of postvasectomy semen analysis (PVSA) in men receiving telehealth prevasectomy counseling. Telehealth visits have become increasingly common for prevasectomy consultations. Prior studies have shown that men prefer telehealth vasectomy consultations over in-person options.

Outbreak of severe community-acquired bacterial infections among children in North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany), October to December 2022.

Purpose: In late 2022, a surge of severe S. pyogenes infections was reported in several European countries. This study assessed hospitalizations and disease severity of community-acquired bacterial infections with S.

Money Talks: The Shifting Effect of Limiting Monetary Incentives for Urology Resident Research.

Objective: To assess incentive changes on resident publication behavior. In 2020, we demonstrated the positive effect of an unlimited $1000 publishing incentive for Urology residents. Following this publication, institutional changes led to a limit of a single $1000 publishing incentive per resident per year.

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder medication use is associated with testosterone hypofunction-results from a national claims database analysis.

Male hypogonadism is not a risk associated with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) stimulant medications, but recent studies have explored this connection. Though the pathophysiologic connection remains unclear, we predicted that long-term use of ADHD stimulant medications could increase the risk of hypogonadism in post-pubertal males. Utilizing TriNetX, LLC Research Network data from January 2000 through December 2019, men older than 18 with ADHD receiving long-term stimulant medication (>36 monthly prescriptions) were selected for the study population.

Immune checkpoint inhibition and single fraction stereotactic radiosurgery in brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer: an international multicenter study of 395 patients.

Purpose: Approximately 80% of brain metastases originate from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are frequently utilized in this setting. However, concerns remain regarding the risk of radiation necrosis (RN) when SRS and ICI are administered concurrently.

Examining the Effect of ALK and EGFR Mutations on Survival Outcomes in Surgical Lung Brain Metastasis Patients.

In the context of the post-genomic era, where targeted oncological therapies like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are gaining prominence, this study investigates whether these therapies can enhance survival for lung carcinoma patients with specific genetic mutations-EGFR-amplified and ALK-rearranged mutations. Prior to this study, no research series had explored how these mutations influence patient survival in cases of surgical lung brain metastases (BMs). Through a multi-site retrospective analysis, the study examined patients who underwent surgical resection for BM arising from primary lung cancer at Emory University Hospital from January 2012 to May 2022.

New Artificial Intelligence ChatGPT Performs Poorly on the 2022 Self-assessment Study Program for Urology.

Introduction: Large language models have demonstrated impressive capabilities, but application to medicine remains unclear. We seek to evaluate the use of ChatGPT on the American Urological Association Self-assessment Study Program as an educational adjunct for urology trainees and practicing physicians.

Methods: One hundred fifty questions from the 2022 Self-assessment Study Program exam were screened, and those containing visual assets (n=15) were removed.

Buerger's Disease in the Testicle: A Case of Testicular Thromboangiitis Obliterans.

Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), otherwise known as Buerger's disease, is a rare, non-atherosclerotic inflammatory vasculopathy that typically affects small and medium-sized arteries of the distal extremities. Smoking is believed to be integral to the pathogenesis, as TAO primarily affects young male smokers. The disease is characterized by extremity pain secondary to ischemia that may progress to ulceration, gangrene, and amputation.

Early Career Publication Trajectory of Male Infertility Fellows During and After Fellowship.

Background: Improving evidence-based medicine through research contribution is an important aspect of fellowship training. Prior studies have investigated the research activity of urology fellows during and after fellowship. The main objective of this study was to specifically explore the publication productivity of male infertility fellows both during fellowship and in the first 5 years afterwards.

Online Health Information for Penile Prosthesis Implants Lacks Quality and Is Unreadable to the Average US Patient.

Background: Online health information (OHI) has become widely accessible and affects patient decisions regarding their healthcare. The purpose of this study was to assess the readability, quality, and accuracy of information available to patients online about penile prosthesis implants (PPIs).

Methods: We performed a Google search using the keywords "penile implant" and "penile prosthesis.

Concurrent Administration of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Single Fraction Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Melanoma, and Renal Cell Carcinoma Brain Metastases.

Purpose: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are highly effective treatments for brain metastases, particularly when these therapies are administered concurrently. However, there are limited data reporting the risk of radiation necrosis (RN) in this setting.

Methods And Materials: Patients with brain metastases from primary non-small cell lung cancer, renal cell carcinoma, or melanoma treated with SRS and ICI were considered.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for Koos grade IV vestibular schwannoma in patients ≥ 65 years old: a multi-institutional retrospective study.

Background: Surgery is the preferred treatment for large vestibular schwannomas (VS). Good tumor control and cranial nerve outcomes were described in selected Koos IV VS after single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), but outcomes in elderly patients have never been specifically studied. The aim of this study is to report clinical and radiological outcomes after single-session SRS for Koos IV VS in patients ≥ 65 years old.

Stereotactic radiosurgery and local control of brain metastases from triple-negative breast cancer.

Objective: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an effective treatment for intracranial metastatic disease, but its role in triple-negative breast cancer requires further study. Herein, the authors report overall survival (OS) and local tumor control in a multiinstitutional cohort with triple-negative breast cancer metastases treated with SRS.

Methods: Patients treated from 2010 to 2019 at 9 institutions were included in this retrospective study if they had biopsy-proven triple-negative breast cancer with intracranial metastatic lesions treated with SRS.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for Koos grade IV vestibular schwannoma: a multi-institutional study.

Objective: Though stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an established safe treatment for small- and medium-sized vestibular schwannomas (VSs), its role in the management of Koos grade IV VS is still unclear. In this retrospective multicenter study, the authors evaluated tumor control and the patient outcomes of primary, single-session SRS treatment for Koos grade IV VS.

Methods: This study included patients treated with primary, single-session SRS for Koos grade IV VS at 10 participating centers.

Artificial neural networks predict the need for permanent cerebrospinal fluid diversion following posterior fossa tumor resection.

Background: Resection of posterior fossa tumors (PFTs) can result in hydrocephalus that requires permanent cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion. Our goal was to prospectively validate a machine-learning model to predict postoperative hydrocephalus after PFT surgery requiring permanent CSF diversion.

Methods: We collected preoperative and postoperative variables on 518 patients that underwent PFT surgery at our center in a retrospective fashion to train several statistical classifiers to predict the need for permanent CSF diversion as a binary class.

Concurrent Administration of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Stereotactic Radiosurgery Is Well-Tolerated in Patients With Melanoma Brain Metastases: An International Multicenter Study of 203 Patients.

Background: Melanoma brain metastases are commonly treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, the toxicity of these 2 treatments is largely unknown when administered concurrently.

Objective: To evaluate the risk of radiation necrosis (RN) with concurrent and nonconcurrent SRS and ICIs.