Urology during a Crisis: A Management Algorithm

COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than a million people worldwide causing a public health crisis. Under these unique circumstances, urologists continue to provide essential healthcare services and support healthcare systems, by participating in the treatment of COVID-19(+) patients and sparing vital equipment and hospital beds. However, delivering medical care during the pandemic requires strategic planning for all surgical and outpatient activities. Proposed measures include rescheduling elective non-oncological surgeries and using a prioritization protocol for oncological surgeries according to hospital capacity. Following that, outpatient clinics could be partly replaced by telemedicine. Additionally, urologists should be trained in screening and treating patients with COVID-19 during their daily routine.  In order to efficiently provide their services, a management protocol for suspected or known COVID-19 urological patients should be implemented. Furthermore, preventive measures for the nosocomial dispersion of the virus and training on self-protective equipment is mandatory for all physicians. Finally, organizational planning for the best utilization of the staff is of utmost importance. Implementation and adaptation of the protocols according to local requirements and guidelines will ameliorate the quality of services and population's health status. Finally, enhancement of current practices will prepare health systems for future crisis.

Special strategies and management of urological diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic: initial experiences from a Medical Center of China

Although urological diseases are not directly related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), urologists need to make comprehensive plans for this disease. Urological conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and tumors are very common in elderly patients. This group of patients is often accompanied by underlying comorbidities or immune dysfunction. They are at higher risk of COVID-19 infection and they tend to have severe manifestations. Although fever can occur along with urological infections, it is actually one of the commonest symptoms of COVID-19; urologists must always maintain a high index of suspicion in their clinical practices. As a urological surgeon, how we can protect medical staff during surgery is a major concern. Our hospital had early adoption of a series of strict protective and control measures, and was able to avoid cross-infection and outbreak of COVID-19. This paper discusses the effective measures that can be useful when dealing with urological patients with COVID-19.

A systematic review on COVID-19: urological manifestations, viral RNA detection and special considerations in urological conditions

Purpose and objective

We performed a systematic review on COVID-19 and its potential urological manifestations.

Methods

A literature search was performed using combination of keywords (MeSH terms and free text words) relating to COVID-19, urology, faeces and stool on multiple databases. Primary outcomes were the urological manifestations of COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA detection in urine and stool samples. Meta-analyses were performed when there were two or more studies reporting on the same outcome. Special considerations in urological conditions that were relevant in the pandemic of COVID-19 were reported in a narrative manner.

Results

There were a total of 21 studies with 3714 COVID-19 patients, and urinary symptoms were absent in all of them. In patients with COVID-19, 7.58% (95% CI 3.30–13.54%) developed acute kidney injury with a mortality rate of 93.27% (95% CI 81.46–100%) amongst them. 5.74% (95% CI 2.88–9.44%) of COVID-19 patients had positive viral RNA in urine samples, but the duration of viral shedding in urine was unknown. 65.82% (95% CI 45.71–83.51%) of COVID-19 patients had positive viral RNA in stool samples, which were detected from 2 to 47 days from symptom onset. 31.6% of renal transplant recipients with COVID-19 required non-invasive ventilation, and the overall mortality rate was 15.4%.

Conclusions

Acute kidney injury leading to mortality is common amongst COVID-19 patients, likely as a result of direct viral toxicity. Viral RNA positivity was detected in both urine and stool samples, so precautions are needed when we perform transurethral or transrectal procedures.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00345-020-03246-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Urology in the Time of Coronavirus: Reduced Access to Urgent and Emergent Urological Care during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak in Italy

PURPOSE

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put a substantial burden on the Italian healthcare system, resulting in the restructuring of hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients. However, this has likely impacted access to care for patients experiencing other conditions. We aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on access to care for patients with urgent/emergent urological conditions throughout Italy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A questionnaire was sent to 33 urological units in the AGILE consortium, asking clinicians to report on the number of urgent/emergent urological patients seen and/or undergoing surgery over a 3-week period during the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak and a reference week prior to the outbreak. ANOVA and linear regression models were used to quantify these changes.

RESULTS

Data from 27 urological centres in Italy showed a decrease from 956 patients/week seen just prior to the outbreak to 291 patients/week seen by the end of the study period. There was a difference in the number of patients with urgent/emergent urological disease seen within/during the different weeks (all p values < 0.05). A significant decrease in the number of patients presenting with haematuria, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, scrotal pain, renal colic, or trauma and urgent/emergent cases that required surgery was reported (all p values < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In Italy, during the COVID-19 outbreak there has been a decrease in patients seeking help for urgent/emergent urological conditions. Restructuring of hospitals and clinics is mandatory to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the healthcare system should continue to provide adequate levels of care also to patients with other conditions.

Considerations for Bedside Urologic Procedures in Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2

Objective

To provide guidance when performing bedside urologic procedures on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive patients and offer considerations to maximize the safety of the patients and providers, conserve supplies, and provide optimal management of urologic issues.

Methods

Urologic trainees and attending physicians at our institution, who are familiar with existing safety recommendations and guidelines regarding the care of infected patients, were queried regarding their experiences to determine an expert consensus on best practices for bedside procedures for SARS-CoV-2 positive patients.

Results

Our team developed the following general recommendations for urologic interventions on SARS-CoV-2 positive patients: maximize use of telehealth (even for inpatient consults), minimize in-room time, use personal protective equipment appropriately, enlist a colleague to assist, and acquire all supplies that may be needed and maintain them outside the room. Detailed recommendations were also developed for difficult urethral catheterization, bedside cystoscopy, incision and drainage of abscesses, and gross hematuria/clot irrigations.

Conclusion

As patients hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 infection are predominantly men over 50 years old, there are significant urologic challenges common in this population that have emerged with this pandemic. While there is tremendous variation in how different regions have been affected, the demographics of SARS-CoV-2 mean that urologists will continue to have a unique role in helping to manage these patients. Here, we summarize recommendations for bedside urologic interventions specific to SARS-CoV-2 positive patients based on experiences from a large metropolitan hospital system. Regulations and requirements may differ on an institutional basis, so these guidelines are intended to augment specific local protocols.

Urinary Tract Bleeding as a Rare Manifestation of Uterine Artery Pseudoaneurysm

Pseudoaneurysm of the uterine artery is a rare condition, which usually occurs after a traumatic birth, cesarean section, dilatation and curettage, and hysterectomy. This case is a 28-year-old female patient that presented with the chief complaint of severe urinary tract bleeding and hypovolemic shock. This patient underwent cesarean section 2 months before the first presentation. After the primary examination, the patient was sent to the hybrid operation room with the primary diagnosis of uterine artery pseudoaneurysm and coil embolization was done for treating the pseudoaneurysm. Considering continued bleeding, open surgery was performed and the internal iliac artery was ligated.

European Association of Urology Guidelines Office Rapid Reaction Group: An Organisation-wide Collaborative Effort to Adapt the European Association of Urology Guidelines Recommendations to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Era

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is unlike anything seen before by modern science-based medicine. Health systems across the world are struggling to manage it. Added to this struggle are the effects of social confinement and isolation. This brings into question whether the latest guidelines are relevant in this crisis. We aim to support urologists in this difficult situation by providing tools that can facilitate decision making, and to minimise the impact and risks for both patients and health professionals delivering urological care, whenever possible. We hope that the revised recommendations will assist urologist surgeons across the globe to guide the management of urological conditions during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Imaging findings of infectious and inflammatory diseases of the urinary system mimicking neoplastic diseases

Neoplastic diseases affecting the urinary organs are common, and diagnosis by imaging is usually straightforward. However, infectious/inflammatory processes also commonly affect these organs and can be mistaken for a neoplasm. Familiarity with these potential mimickers and awareness of their imaging presentations are key for correct diagnosis. We present the imaging findings of non-neoplastic infectious/inflammatory diseases that can mimic a neoplastic process.

Clinical significance of urinary obstruction in critically ill patients with urinary tract infections

Urinary obstruction may be a complicating factor in critically ill patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs) and requires efforts for identifying and controlling the infection source. However, its significance in clinical practice is uncertain. This retrospective study investigated the overall hospital courses of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) with UTIs from the emergency department.Baseline severity was assessed by the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score; outcomes included probability and inotropic-, ventilator-, renal replacement therapy (RRT)-, and ICU-free days and 28-day mortality.Of 122 patients with UTIs, 99 had abdominal computed tomography scans. Patients without computed tomography scans more frequently had quadriplegia and a urinary catheter than those without scans (P = .001 and .01). Urinary obstruction was identified in 40 patients who had higher SOFA scores and lactate levels (P = .01 and P < .001). The use and free days of inotropic drugs and ventilator did not differ between the groups. However, patients with obstruction were more likely to require RRT and had shorter durations of RRT-free days (odds ratio 3.8; P = .06 and estimate -3.0; P = .04). Durations of ICU-free days were shorter, but it disappeared after adjustment for initial SOFA scores (estimate -2.3; P = .15). Impact of the timing of urinary drainage on outcomes was evaluated, demonstrating that an intervention within 72 hours lengthened the duration of RRT-free days compared with that after 72 hours (estimate -6.0 days; P = .03). On the other hand, the study did not find the association between other outcomes including 28-day mortality and the timing of urinary drainage.Urinary obstruction can be a complicating factor, resulting in a higher probability of RRT implementation and shorter durations of RRT- and ICU-free days in critically ill patients with UTIs. Furthermore, delayed intervention for urinary drainage may result in longer durations of RRT. Efforts should be warranted to find the presence of urinary obstruction and to control infection source in critically ill patients with UTIs.

Increased Use of Blood Transfusions to Manage Urological Conditions during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to an extensive reorganization of the healthcare system in Italy, with significant deferment of the treatment of urology patients. We aimed to assess the impact of deferred treatment during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the need for blood transfusions in 3 Italian urology departments.

Methods

We reviewed hospital chart data on blood transfusions at the urology units of 3 academic centers in the north of Italy from March to April 2020. Data were compared with values from the same time frame in 2019 (March to April 2019).

Results

We observed significant reductions of the number of patients admitted to the urology units from March to April 2020 (373 vs. 119) and the number of performed surgeries (242 vs. 938) compared to 2019. Though, the number of transfused blood units was comparable between the 2 years (182 vs. 252), we found a greater mean number of blood units transfused per admission in 2020 (0.49 vs. 0.22; p < 0.0001). As a whole, the transfusion rate for hematuria was higher in 2020 than in 2019 (36 vs. 7.9%; p < 0.0001).

Discussion/Conclusion

The observed increased number of blood transfusions needed throughout the SARS-CoV-2 era could have had a negative impact on both patients and the healthcare system. It is possible to speculate that this is the consequence of a delayed diagnosis and deferred treatment of acute conditions.

Disease Overview of the Urinary Tract in Exotic Companion Mammals and Tips on Clinical Management

Diseases of the urinary tract are reviewed, covering infectious (bacterial, viral, parasitic), degenerative, congenital, metabolic, nutritional, neoplastic, obstructive, and toxic causes. Some clinical presentations and diagnostic procedures are described for ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats, chinchillas, hedgehogs, and sugar gliders, as well as therapies.

Review of the effect of 3D medical printing and virtual reality on urology training with ‘MedTRain3DModsim’ Erasmus + European Union Project

Background/aim

It is necessary to incorporate novel training modalities in medical education, especially in surgical fields, because of the limitations of cadaveric training. Traditional medical education has many drawbacks, such as residency working hour restrictions, patient safety conflicts with the learning needs, and the lack of hands-on workshops. The MedTRain3DModsim Project aimed to produce 3-dimensional (3D) medical printed models, simulations, and innovative applications for every level of medical training using novel worldwide technologies. It was aimed herein to improve the interdisciplinary and transnational approaches, and accumulate existing experience for medical education, postgraduate studies, and specialty training.

Materials and methods

This project focused on models of solid organs and the urinary system, including the kidney, prostate, ureter, and liver. With 3D medical printing, it is possible to produce a body part from inert materials in just a few hours with the standardization of medical 3D modeling.

Results

The target groups of this project included medical students and residents, graduate students from engineering departments who needed medical education and surgical training, and medical researchers interested in health technology or clinical and surgical an atomy.

Conclusion

It was also intended to develop a novel imaging platform for education and training by reevaluating the existing data using new software and 3D modalities. Therefore, it was believed that our methodology could be implemented in all related medical fields.

[Multidisciplinary approach in urology. Research aspect]

Multidisciplinary studies in urology is becoming a new global trend which is associated with an emerging of omix technology, big data, the development of IT and other technologies. The concept of "multidisciplinary approach" as well as a brief historical analysis of the development of urologic science are discussed in the article, based on the international Scopus database. An example of a multidisciplinary approach implemented in the Science and Technology Park for Biomedicine of Sechenov University is given. The stages of the creation and implantation of the tissue-engineering urethral wall are described. For the successful development of urologic researches, the active involvement of specialists from various fields of knowledge is required. Such a combination of competencies has already allowed to solve problems of an extremely high level of complexity now, and not in the distant future.

[Multidisciplinary approach in urology. Clinical aspects]

A solving diagnostic and therapeutic problems in patients with various urologic diseases often requires a cooperation between different specialists which emphasizes the interdisciplinarity of our discipline. A number of clinical manifestations and diseases that urologists have to deal with and in which they definitely need a timely assistance from other specialists are described in the article. Determining the connecting links in the work of different specialists, we tried to recall the main " intersection points" and draw attention to the necessary cooperation.

Urological knowledge among primary health care physicians in Saudi Arabia

Objectives:

To evaluate the general knowledge among primary health care (PHC) physicians regarding the management of common urological problems in Saudi Arabia.

Methods:

This is an observational prospective study, where a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to practicing PHC physicians in the western region of Saudi Arabia on January 2017. The questionnaire consisted of 21-item questions, inquiring about demographics and general urological knowledge and skills. The management of common urological problems was assessed by case scenarios for specific urological condition, including urethral catheterization, definition and evaluation of hematuria, recognition of age-specific increase in prostatic specific antigen (PSA), and management of lower urinary tract symptoms.

Results:

A total of 148 questionnaires were distributed, with a response rate of 75.7%, where 112 respondents completed the questionnaires, including 54.3% residents, 39% general practitioners, and 5.4% specialists. Fifty-seven percent of respondents were males and 68% were Saudi practitioners. A higher number of respondents expressed that they were able to catheterize a male than female patient (56.5% versus 34.3%). Only 6.4% of respondents defined microscopic hematuria accurately. Knowledge about hematuria, serum prostate specific antigen and overactive bladder was low in all groups. Apart from hematuria, seeking urological consultations was less than 35% for all other disease entities.

Conclusion:

Urological knowledge among PHC physicians seems to be insufficient. Significant percentages of the participants were unable to catheterize a female patient, did not know the definition of hematuria; and whether to ask for urological consultations in cases of hematuria, increased PSA, and overactive bladder.

A prospective clinical, cost and environmental analysis of a clinician-led virtual urology clinic

INTRODUCTION

A virtual clinic is a form of telemedicine where contact between clinical teams and patients occur without face-to-face consultation. Our study aims to quantify the clinical, financial and environmental benefits of our virtual urology clinic.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We collected data prospectively from our weekly follow-up virtual clinic over a continuous four-month period between July and September 2017.

RESULTS

In total, we reviewed 409 patients. Following virtual clinic consultation, 68.5% of our patients were discharged from further follow-up. The majority of our patients (male 57.7%, female 55.5%) were of working age. The satisfaction scores were high, at 90.1%, and there were no reported adverse events as a result of using the virtual clinic. Our calculated cost savings were £18,744, with a predicted 12-month cost saving of £56,232. The creation of additional face-to-face clinic capacity has created an estimated 12-month increase in tariff generation for our unit of £72,072. In total, 4623 travel miles were avoided by patients using the virtual clinic, with an estimated avoided carbon footprint of 0.35-1.45 metric tonnes of CO2e, depending on mode of transport. Our predicted 12-month avoided carbon footprint is 1.04-4.04 metric tonnes of CO2e.

CONCLUSIONS

Our virtual clinic model has demonstrated a trifecta of positive outcomes, namely, clinical, financial and environmental benefits. The environmental importance and benefits of a virtual clinic should be promoted as a social enterprise value when engaging stakeholders in setting up such a urological service. We propose the adoption of our virtual clinic model in those urological units considering this method of telemedicine.

Interventional Therapies of the Urinary Tract

Minimally invasive interventional therapies are the new standard of care in veterinary medicine. In comparison with standard surgical procedures, they are associated with minimal tissue injury, leading to shorter, smoother recovery and decreasing the perioperative morbidity and mortality. A thorough understanding of the therapeutic options available is essential to properly educate and inform clients. Proper equipment, technical expertise, and experience are essential prerequisites to many of these procedures.

A comparison of metrics and performance characteristics of different search strategies for article retrieval for a systematic review of the global epidemiology of kidney and urinary diseases

BACKGROUND

Conducting a systematic review requires a comprehensive bibliographic search. Comparing different search strategies is essential for choosing those that cover all useful data sources. Our aim was to develop search strategies for article retrieval for a systematic review of the global epidemiology of kidney and urinary diseases, and evaluate their metrics and performance characteristics that could be useful for other systematic epidemiologic reviews.

METHODS

We described the methodological framework and analysed approaches applied in the previously conducted systematic review intended to obtain published data for global estimates of the kidney and urinary disease burden. We used several search strategies in PubMed and EMBASE, and compared several metrics: number needed to retrieve (NNR), number of extracted data rows, number of covered countries, and when appropriate, sensitivity, specificity, precision, and accuracy.

RESULTS

The initial search obtained 29,460 records from PubMed, and 4247 from EMBASE. After the revision, the full text of 381 and 14 articles respectively was obtained for data extraction (the percentage of useful records is 1.3% for PubMed, 0.3% for EMBASE). For PubMed we developed two search strategies and compared them with a 'gold standard' formed by merging their results: free word search strategy (FreeWoSS) was based on the search for keywords in all fields, and subject headings based search strategy (SuHeSS) used only MeSH-mapped conditions and countries names. SuHeSS excluded almost 15% of useful articles and data rows extracted from them, but had a lower NNR of 40 and higher specificity. FreeWoSS had better sensitivity and was able to cover the vast majority of articles and extracted data rows, but had a higher NNR of 65.

CONCLUSIONS

The sensitive FreeWoSS strategy provides more data for modelling, while the more specific SuHeSS strategy could be used when resources are limited. EMBASE has limited value for our systematic review.

Common genitourinary catheters: a systematic approach for the radiologist

Catheters are commonly used to treat and diagnose urinary tract abnormalities in the pediatric population. This pictorial essay reviews commonly placed genitourinary catheters imaged by radiography, fluoroscopy, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography (US). The purpose of the catheter, how the catheter is placed, and the imaging findings associated with appropriately positioned catheters as well as misplaced and displaced catheters are described. It is important for radiologists to recognize common genitourinary catheters, and be familiar with their normal and abnormal positions as displacement is often first recognized by diagnostic imaging.

[Outstanding contribution of german professors J. Israel (18481926) and M. Nitze (18481906) to clinical urology (to the 170th anniversary of their birth)]

The article describes the achievements of James Israel and Max Nitze, who were successfully developing European medicine for more than 30 years of their scientific and practical activities, enriching it with both experimental and large clinical experience. Their scientific and practical accomplishments greatly contributed to the development of modern urology. The author analyzes the fact that the history of medicine gives rich material not only for understanding evolution but also for the possibility to foresee its further development. The current state of clinical urology has been achieved by the progress of basic research in biology, physics, biochemistry, bacteriology, immunology, pharmacology. At the same time, the personality of the scientist-physician, his observation, non-standard view, the ability to see the opening perspectives, to bring up worthy successors and create a scientific and clinical school of urologists, is of utmost importance. The great German urologists J. Israel and M. Nitze had all these fundamental characteristics of a great scientist-physician.