Current Opinion in Urology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to make a narrative review of the literature in search of all articles regarding thulium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet (YAG), thulium laser fiber (TFL) and holmium:YAG (Ho:YAG) for lithotripsy from 2020 to 2023. A selection of articles of special interest and best evidence was made in order to give a better perspective on their advantages and disadvantages. RECENT FINDINGS: New Ho:YAG technologies of as high power, high frequency and pulsed modulations have shown promising results for lithotripsy by reducing retropulsion with good ablation efficiency...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) continues as the gold standard for the surgical management of large renal stones. This short review is intended to highlight recent publications on PCNL of all tract sizes, from mini to standard. RECENT FINDINGS: Literature on PCNL in the last 2 years has focused on several main themes - decreasing complications, improving postoperative pain control, and new technology to improve outcomes. Mini-PCNL continues to prove effective and safe, with a new vacuum sheath showing promise of improving stone-free rates and decreasing infections...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The aim of this study was to summarize the available evidence on different PET imaging modalities for the staging of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer (BCa). We further discuss the use of PET/computed tomography (CT) and PET/MRI with different radiopharmaceuticals to characterize tumour biology for treatment guidance. RECENT FINDINGS: Available evidence supports the benefits of PET/CT in BCa staging due to its higher accuracy in the detection of nodal metastases compared with CT alone...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: There is a growing interest in nonantibiotic prevention strategies for recurrent urinary tract infections (rUTIs). Our objective is to provide a focused, pragmatic review of the latest evidence. RECENT FINDINGS: Vaginal estrogen is well tolerated and effective for preventing rUTI in postmenopausal women. Cranberry supplements at sufficient doses are effective in preventing uncomplicated rUTI. Methenamine, d-mannose, and increased hydration all have evidence to support their use, although the evidence is of somewhat variable quality...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria are challenging to treat because of limited treatment options and potential side effects of less frequently used anti-infectives. In the past few years, several new antimicrobial agents effective against MDR Gram-negatives have become available. This review focuses on the treatment options for complicated urinary tract infections (cUTIs) caused by MDR Gram-negatives. RECENT FINDINGS: The novel combinations, betalactam or carbapenem and betalactamase inhibitor, ceftazidime/avibactam and meropenem/vaborbactam, are effective for infections caused by KPC-carbapenemase-producing pathogens...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Prostate biopsy is commonly performed in men suspected to have prostate cancer. It has traditionally been performed using a transrectal approach, but transperineal prostate biopsy has been increasingly adopted in part because of its lower associated infectious risk. We review recent studies evaluating the rate of potentially life-threatening post-biopsy sepsis and potential preventive strategies. RECENT FINDINGS: After performing a comprehensive literature search, 926 records were screened and 17 studies published in 2021 or 2022 were found to be relevant...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To give an overview of the most relevant recent literature about urinary tract infections (UTI) after radical cystectomy and to discuss them in the context of new individualized therapy approaches and possible preventive measures. RECENT FINDINGS: UTI following radical cystectomy is a common complication associated with significant morbidity and readmission risk. Recent literature focuses on the identification of risk factors and the optimization of management...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Male infertility may be secondary to male genital tract infection (MGTI) in an estimated 15% of cases. In the absence of overt clinical signs, evaluation for MGTI beyond semen analysis is not well established. Therefore, we review the literature on the evaluation and management of MGTI in the setting of male infertility. RECENT FINDINGS: A set of international guidelines recommends semen culture and PCR testing, but the significance of positive results remains unclear...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Caliceal diverticula are relatively uncommon within urologic practice and may be difficult to diagnose and treat. We aim to highlight contemporary studies examining surgical interventions for patients with caliceal diverticula, with a focus on percutaneous intervention, and provide updated practical recommendations for the management of these patients. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies within the last 3 years examining surgical treatment options for caliceal diverticular calculi are limited...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The landscape of therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) has seen an unprecedented transformation with the emergence of combination therapies. This review summarizes the current findings from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the oncologic outcomes of mCRPC. RECENT FINDINGS: In the first-line, treatment-naïve setting, recent RCTs demonstrated the oncologic benefit of adding AKT inhibitors or poly (adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors to abiraterone in terms of radiographical progression-free survival...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Currently, kidney-sparing surgeries are considered the preferred approach in low-risk tumours and in selected high-risk patients. Therefore, accurate diagnosis of UTUC is crucial for further management. The purpose of this review is to summarize available methods facilitating the diagnosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). RECENT FINDINGS: Recent articles propose numerous techniques of UTUC diagnosis. In this review, imaging, as well as, urine-based and endoscopic methods have been described and assessed...

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: This review provides a summary of recent developments in classification of renal oncocytic neoplasms that were incorporated in the fifth edition WHO classification of renal tumors, released in 2022. RECENT FINDINGS: Besides the distinct entities of renal oncocytoma and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, the WHO now acknowledges a heterogeneous group of oncocytic tumors of the kidney that can be reported as 'oncocytic renal neoplasms of low malignant potential'...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Transurethral resection of bladder cancer (TURBT) is in its standard form an inherently imperfect technique. Fluorescence-guided photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) represents one way to improve the outcome by enhancing tumour detection. Fluorescence has been used in connection with bladder cancer since the 1970s, with a number of studies being published since then. However, the method is still not recommended as a standard part of TURBT mainly because of the limited level of evidence of concerned studies, questionable cost-effectiveness and even contradictory results...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Surgery for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (TT) remains one of the most complex surgeries performed with high rates of associated complications and perioperative mortality. Surgical techniques and neoadjuvant therapies have an important role to play in improving outcomes. This review provides a narrative analysis of recent literature on patients with RCC and TT. RECENT FINDINGS: Several imaging techniques are emerging that may improve diagnostic staging of tumor thrombus level...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Salvage radical prostatectomy (sRP) is underutilized because of fear of historical high rates of peri-operative morbidities. However, there has been significant improvements in complication rates as well as oncologic outcomes in the recent years. RECENT FINDINGS: Complication rates have significantly declined for both open and robotic approach in the past decade. Rectal injury is now reported around 2%, which is down from 30% in the historic series...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This short review is intended to highlight the potential role of inflammation as a key pathological driver, rather than a mere consequence, of nephrolithiasis. Although there is clearly a strong likelihood that the relationship is bidirectional, and that kidney stone-triggered inflammation can establish a vicious cycle of tissue injury and stone formation. RECENT FINDINGS: These consist of data from both recent preclinical and clinical studies demonstrating the importance of inflammation in models of stone disease and in kidney tissue from patients with nephrolithiasis, and as a potential driver of disease recurrence and a suitable treatment target...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Shortages in intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy represent a challenge in the management of high-risk nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC). This study aimed to review the efficacy and safety of intravesical gemcitabine (GEM) and docetaxel (DOCE) for BCG-naive and unresponsive HR-NMIBC. RECENT FINDINGS: We identified six studies eligible for quantitative analysis through a systematic search according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recently, several trials as well as registry-data analyses investigating the role of robot-assisted radical cystectomy with extra or intracorporal urinary diversion were completed and follow up matured. This review aims to comment on the current evidence-based findings and interpret the future role of the robotic approach as a part of the treatment of bladder cancer. RECENT FINDINGS: Numerous trials and registry-data analyses revealed no significant differences in progression-free and overall survival after open radical cystectomy or robot-assisted radical cystectomy irrespective of urinary diversion...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) followed by pathology investigation of the obtained specimens is the initial step in the management of urinary bladder cancer (UBC). By following the basic principles of oncological surgery, en-bloc resection of bladder tumour (ERBT) aims to overcome the limitations associated with conventional transurethral resection, and to improve the quality of pathological specimens for a better decision making. The current bulk of evidence provides controversial results regarding the superiority of one technique over the other...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Cytoreductive nephrectomy has had a variable role in the management of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) through the different systemic therapy eras. Initially felt to be beneficial with interferon, the utility of cytoreductive nephrectomy was called into question in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) era. However, with the advent of immunotherapy for metastatic RCC, the role of cytoreductive nephrectomy continues to be debated. This study sought to evaluate the recent literature and discuss cytoreductive nephrectomy within the context of an improved systemic therapy era...