New findings in localized and advanced prostate cancer: AUA 2011 review.

The 2011 American Urological Association (AUA) annual meeting took place in Washington, DC, USA, on May 14-19. It is the largest gathering of urologists in the world, providing unparalleled access to groundbreaking research, new guidelines and the latest advances in urologic medicine. The opportunity to exchange knowledge among urologists on a worldwide level was provided by participation of more than 80 countries in this scientific meeting.

A phase IV prospective evaluation of the safety and efficacy of extended release testosterone pellets for the treatment of male hypogonadism.

Introduction: Men with hypogonadism exhibit decreased serum testosterone levels and may experience a constellation of clinical symptoms, including decrease in muscle mass, loss of sexual desire, impotence, and infertility. While previous studies have shown that implantation of extended release testosterone pellets can provide therapeutic levels of testosterone over several months, additional data are needed to establish this approach as the standard of care for male hypogonadism.

Aim: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of testosterone pellets over 6 months as a treatment for male hypogonadism in a clinical practice setting.

The effect of changes in Medicare reimbursement on the practice of office and hospital-based endoscopic surgery for bladder cancer.

Background: Procedures performed in the office offer potential cost savings. Recent analyses suggest, however, that a fee-for-service system may incentivize subscale operations and, thus, contribute to excessive spending. The authors of this report sought to characterize changes in the practice of office-based and hospital-based endoscopic bladder surgery after 2005 increases in Medicare reimbursement.

Skin preparation for the prevention of surgical site infection: which agent is best?

Procedural and surgical site infections create difficult and complex clinical scenarios. A source for pathogens is often thought to be the skin surface, making skin preparation at the time of the procedure critical. The most common skin preparation agents used today include products containing iodophors or chlorhexidine gluconate.

Clomiphene citrate and enclomiphene for the treatment of hypogonadal androgen deficiency.

Hypogonadism has a number of important clinical consequences related to androgen deficiency and impaired spermatogenesis. The cause of this condition is multifactorial and can result from hypothalamic, pituitary or gonadal dysfunction as well as factors that affect hormonal signaling along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. While testosterone replacement is the most common treatment, it can paradoxically lead to infertility, and may be a less physiologic therapy for patients with secondary hypogonadism due to pituitary dysfunction.