Voiding dysfunction after colpectomy and urethral lengthening in transgender men

BACKGROUND

Colpectomy is a frequent part of gender-affirming surgery in transgender men. Urologic complications with these procedures can complicate and delay further management. Aim: We reviewed the rate of postoperative voiding dysfunction after colpectomy with urethral lengthening in transgender men.

METHODS

We reviewed postoperative voiding in 47 transgender men (age, 19-50 years) who underwent colpectomy with urethral lengthening. Thirty-eight patients (81%) had undergone hysterectomy (36 total, 2 subtotal/supracervical) previously and 11 (23%) underwent concomitant hysterectomy or removal of the residual cervix (4 abdominal, 6 laparoscopic, 1 transvaginal). Colpectomy was done transvaginally by opening and developing laterally the vesicovaginal and rectovaginal spaces and then transecting the lateral vaginal attachments with bipolar vessel sealing. Urethral lengthening with an anterior vaginal flap was performed in the same procedure as colpectomy. A transurethral catheter was left in situ for 14 days postoperatively. Voiding dysfunction was defined as failure of spontaneous micturition after removal of the catheter at 14 days.

RESULTS

40/47 (85%) patients were able to void after catheter removal, 7 (15%) were not. Voiding dysfunction occurred in 3/11 (27%) patients undergoing concomitant hysterectomy or removal of a residual cervix and in 4/36 patients (11%) status post total hysterectomy. Voiding dysfunction persisted for a median of 3 months (2 days - 46 months).

CONCLUSIONS

In this series voiding dysfunction developed in 15% of transgender men undergoing colpectomy with urethral lengthening and appeared to be more common in patients undergoing concomitant hysterectomy or removal of a residual cervix than in those status post hysterectomy. Patients should be counseled accordingly.

Adiponectin is decreased in bipolar depression

Objectives: Bipolar disorder (BD) is often accompanied by medical comorbidities, which affect illness course and prognosis. Adipokines may not only be involved in the aetiopathogenetic mechanisms of these comorbidities; there might be an association between adipokines and the neuropsychiatric core features of BD such as mood disturbances and cognitive deficits.Methods: In this investigation, fasting blood samples from 120 individuals with BD (75 euthymic and 45 with mild depressive symptoms) and 68 control subjects were taken and adiponectin and leptin concentrations were analysed.Results: We found that, in female participants, adiponectin levels differed significantly between patients and controls indicating lower levels in individuals with BD, even after controlling for BMI (F(1,92) = 4.65, P = 0.034, partial η² = 0.05). After stratification by mood status we found a significant difference in adiponectin between controls, euthymic and depressive patients (F(2, 180) = 4.90, P = 0.008, partial η² = 0.05).Conclusions: This investigation confirms previous findings of an association between low adiponectin levels and depressive state in individuals with BD. Beyond its immediate effect on central nervous system function, adiponectin might interfere with pathophysiological mechanisms of BD and its somatic comorbidities via involvement in metabolic and inflammatory processes.

Branched-chain amino acids are associated with metabolic parameters in bipolar disorder

Objectives: An important aspect of bipolar disorder (BD) research is the identification of biomarkers pertaining to the somatic health state. The branched-chain essential amino acids (BCAAs), viz valine, leucine and isoleucine, have been proposed as biomarkers of an individual's health state, given their influence on protein synthesis and gluconeogenesis inhibition.Methods: BCAA levels of 141 euthymic/subsyndromal individuals with BD and 141 matched healthy controls (HC) were analysed by high-pressure lipid chromatography and correlated with clinical psychiatric, anthropometric and metabolic parameters.Results: BD and HC did not differ in valine and isoleucine, whereas leucine was significantly lower in BD. Furthermore, correlations were found between BCAAs and anthropometric and glucose metabolism data. All BCAAs correlated with lipid metabolism parameters in females. There were no associations between BCAAs and long-term clinical parameters of BD. A negative correlation was found between valine and Hamilton Depression-Scale, and Beck Depression Inventory II, in male individualsConclusions: Our results indicate the utility of BCAAs as biomarkers for the current state of health, also in BD. As BD individuals have a high risk for overweight/obesity, in association with comorbid medical conditions (e.g. cardiovascular diseases or insulin resistance), health state markers are urgently required. However, no illness-specific associations were found in this euthymic/subsyndromal BD group.

[The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in substance use disorders: A systematic review]

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic method that has been shown to be especially effective in traumatic disorders. Since the concept of an addiction memory has become widely accepted, the use of EMDR also in substance use disorders (SUD) treatment might count as a separate field. This review summarizes the current state of research on treatment effects EMDR in SUD. The literature search included the databases of PubMed and PsychInfo; four studies met the inclusion criteria. EMDR was found to be related to a decreased amount of craving, fear and depression and to an improvement of emotion regulation and management and self-esteem. Initial findings indicate a high therapeutic potential of EMDR in SUD treatment.