Current laser therapy options for endoscopic treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Endoscopic management via retrograde ureteroscopic laser ablation of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) has become the preferred treatment modality for low-risk tumors. The most popular ablative lasers over the past 15-20 years have been the holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG) and neodymium (Nd:YAG) lasers, but recently the thulium (Th:YAG) laser has emerged as a potential alternative. This review compares the mechanism of action, physiological properties and effects, and oncologic outcomes of Ho:YAG/Nd:YAG lasers versus the Th:YAG laser for UTUC treatment.

Psychosocial Burden of Verruca Vulgaris: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Although medically benign, common warts, or verruca vulgaris, may negatively affect emotional wellbeing and quality of life (QoL). The various treatment options, such as liquid nitrogen cryotherapy or Candida antigen injection, can be painful, and repeat trials for wart resolution can be burdensome. Because the psychosocial burden of verruca is likely underestimated, we surveyed adult patients diagnosed and treated with warts at a single academic institution in an urban setting to assess the reported effects on QoL and satisfaction with the different treatment modalities.

DermIA: Machine Learning to Improve Skin Cancer Screening.

This manuscript reviews DermIA, an online platform geared towards improving skin cancer surveillance. This mobile application allows users to capture images of suspicious lesions and have them evaluated using artificial intelligence technology on their mobile device. Users simply snap a picture of their skin lesion, which then allows the DermIA technology to analyze the image.

Evaluation of Surgical Improvement of Clinical Knowledge Ops (SICKO), an Interactive Training Platform.

Over the past two decades, there have been numerous attempts at using surgical simulation software for training purposes. There has been extensive prior success at using digital laparoscopic tools and virtual and augmented reality in strengthening specific surgical techniques, but clinical decision-making simulation has been limited to multiple choice question banks. Surgical Improvement of Clinical Knowledge Ops (SICKO) is a web-based educational application that takes users through various aspects of clinical decision-making in the field of surgery.

Use of the T-1470 LiteTouch™ Laser in the En Bloc Resection of an Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer.

Background: Endoscopic laser-ablative therapy of upper tract urothelial carcinoma offers kidney-sparing treatment for well-selected low-risk tumors. The traditional technique consists of tumor biopsy with flexible forceps or nitinol basket for pathologic assessment of stage and grade, followed by laser ablation of the tumor. In this case, we present the use of the new T-1470 LiteTouch™ laser for intraoperative tumor en bloc resection, affording both tissue acquisition and tumor ablation.