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Drugs in the pipeline from Astellas Pharma, Medivation, TesoRx, Strategic Science and Technologies, Cubist Pharmaceuticals, and SCA.

Most urologists turn to alpha-blockers as first-line treatment for BPH-related lower urinary tract symptoms, while transurethral resection of the prostate remains the most commonly used surgical modality, according to a recent survey.

The recently concluded AUA annual meeting in Orlando may not go down as one of the most memorable annual meetings in recent years. Nevertheless, it was noteworthy for some interesting news and lively debate on hot-button topics: the safety of certain urologic products, namely, testosterone and transvaginal mesh; new tests for prostate cancer; infection prevention and treatment; and use of an advanced prostate cancer agent in the pre-chemotherapy setting.

"Before the scribe, I spent 2 to 3 hours each evening and from 6 to 10 hours on a weekend catching up with notes in the computer. Now, I probably spend no more than an hour a day."

This study adds to the growing literature on the advantages of targeted prophylaxis and suggests that practicing urologists should strongly consider this approach.

Physician assistants (PAs) say their roles in urology have blossomed. But challenges remain. Many urologists, they say, are reluctant to allow PAs to practice their full scope. That resistance, according to PAs, tends to be based on urologists’ lack of understanding about what PAs do and don’t do. And it prevents PAs from accomplishing all they can for urologists and patients.

When compared with shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy is associated with fewer repeat treatments, according to a recent study from Duke University.

With tax season behind us, now is the perfect time to be proactive for the 2014 tax year. By taking steps this year, you can avoid the situation of sitting down with your accountant next year and finding that it’s too late to reduce your tax liability.

Testosterone replacement therapy may be considered for treatment of hypogonadism in carefully selected men who have undergone radical prostatectomy for low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer, according to researchers from New York University Medical Center, New York.

A new nomogram may help better predict the risk of disease progression in men who are being managed by active surveillance for low-risk prostate cancer.

It is hard to imagine a world without dogs. Since the beginning of civilization, from hunting to herding, dogs have literally been man's best friend. Now, canines are being enlisted to help with a major health problem of the modern age: prostate cancer detection.

A marker of collagen turnover proved to be the most predictive test for outcome after midurethral sling procedures, the authors of a multicenter study reported.

Men with intractable priapism obtained immediate pain relief with few complications after implantation of a malleable penile prosthesis, data from a small clinical series showed.

Targeted biopsy locations using cognitive magnetic resonance imaging targeting were more than twice as likely to show prostate cancer compared with transrectal ultrasound template biopsy, and cancers in these locations were twice as likely to be high grade, researchers from Washington University, St. Louis reported yesterday.

History taking in a child who presents with a first episode of nephrolithiasis should include determination of whether there are affected family members, because pediatric patients with a positive family history appear to be at risk for recurrent stones, according to research reported at the AUA annual meeting in Orlando, FL.

Data from the final analysis of the international, phase III PREVAIL study show that enzalutamide (XTANDI) added to androgen deprivation therapy at the time of progression provides meaningful clinical benefit for men with chemotherapy-naïve metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer, including those with visceral disease.

Professor John Fitzpatrick, MCh, an international leader in the field of urology, died suddenly Wednesday, May 14.

Repeated injections of onabotulinumtoxinA (onabotA [Botox]), 100 U, continue to provide benefit in patients with overactive bladder syndrome and urinary incontinence and without any new safety concerns, according to results of a pre-specified interim analysis in an open-label, 3-year extension study.

Sports-related high-grade renal injuries occurred more often in isolation from other abdominal organ injury and without associated hemodynamic instability as compared with nonsports renal trauma, a statewide review of traumatic renal injuries showed.

Local deficiency in neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin may be a contributing pathogenic factor for recurrent urinary tract infections in some children, according to research from Boston Children’s Hospital reported at the AUA annual meeting in Orlando, FL.

Rectal colonization with a fluoroquinolone-resistant organism identifies men who are at significantly increased risk for an infectious complication following prostate biopsy, according to the findings of a recent multi-institutional international collaborative study.

A study of contemporary trends in the management of upper tract calculi shows the approach to treatment is influenced by several provider-specific attributes and identifies a steady shift toward increasing use of ureteroscopy.

Stuart Holden, MD, has joined the UCLA faculty as a health sciences clinical professor in urology at the David Geffen School of Medicine. He was also appointed associate director of the UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology, according to a UCLA press release.

Continent urinary diversion and postoperative complications were found to be independent predictors of hospital readmission following radical cystectomy in an analysis from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Drivers or passengers involved in motor vehicle collisions have reduced rates of high-grade renal injury and nephrectomy when wearing protective devices, according to research presented at an AUA press briefing on Friday.

Lumenis Ltd. has announced the U.S. launch of the Lumenis Pulse 120H Holmium laser platform for a range of urologic applications.

Anterior urethral strictures associated with hypospadias repair or lichen sclerosus pose a surgical challenge, often necessitating a staged approach to repair, using oral mucosa grafts. In a Cleveland Clinic study presented yesterday, multistage urethroplasty with buccal mucosa led to a high rate of durable patency, associated with a low incidence of complications and revisions.

Analyses of morbidity and mortality after surgery for BPH show that the current major modalities are all safe, but also identify patient attributes associated with an increased risk of complications.

The Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 largely preserves the status quo for physicians and their Medicare patients, but many believe the health care model is ripe for disruptive innovation.

In this edition of "Coding Q&A," Ray Painter, MD, and Mark Painter also discuss the use of the –59 modifier when instilling mitomycin after TURBT, and whether you can charge for a establishing a treatment on the same day for a patient on whom you have just performed a cystoscopy.