Krambeck, Amy E.

Abstract Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) is an effective and commonly applied clinical treatment for human kidney stones. Yet the success of SWL is counterbalanced by the risk of retained fragments causing recurrent stone formation, which may require retreatment. This study has applied GeoBioMed experimental and analytical approaches to determine the size frequency distribution, fracture patterns, and reactive surface area of SWL-derived particles within the context of their original crystal growth structure (crystalline architecture) as revealed by confocal autofluorescence (CAF) and super-resolution autofluorescence (SRAF) microscopy. Multiple calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones were removed from a Mayo Clinic patient using standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and shock pulse lithotripsy (SPL). This produced approximately 4-12mm-diameter PCNL-derived fragments that were experimentally treated ex vivo with SWL to form hundreds of smaller particles. Fractures propagated through the crystalline architecture of PCNL-derived fragments in a variety of geometric orientations to form rectangular, pointed, concentrically spalled, and irregular SWL-derived particles. Size frequency distributions ranged from fine silt (4-8mm) to very fine pebbles (2-4mm), according to the Wentworth grain size scale, with a mean size of fine sand (125-250mm). Importantly, these SWL-derived particles are smaller than the 3-4mm-diameter detection limit of clinical microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) techniques and can be retained on internal kidney membrane surfaces. This creates clinically undetectable crystallization seed points with extremely high reactive surface areas, which dramatically enhance the multiple events of crystallization and dissolution (diagenetic phase transitions) that may lead to the high rates of CaOx kidney stone recurrence after SWL treatment.

Purpose of review To provide an overview of how surgical benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) procedures are compensated in the United States and the implications of the current reimbursement system on the care of patients. Recent findings The resource-based relative value care system is Medicare's current reimbursement model. There is strong evidence that the current system does not adequately account for complex care. Consequently, for BPH surgical procedures, treatment options best suited for complex patients are not adequately reimbursed which may have implications on healthcare delivery and outcomes. Summary Inadequate reimbursement for certain BPH procedures may disincentivize the care of complex patients. Procedures such a holmium laser enucleation of the prostate are well suited for complex patients but have a steep learning curve. The incentive to learn and offer such procedures to complex patients may be unfairly influenced by reimbursement levels, which in the end penalizes patients and the treatments available to them.

AbstractObjectiveThe objective of this study is to determine if Aquablation therapy can maintain its effectiveness in treating men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with large‐volume (80–150 cc) prostates at 3 years.Subjects and MethodsOne hundred one men with moderate‐to‐severe BPH symptoms and prostate volumes between 80 and 150 cc were enrolled in a prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter, international clinical trial in late 2017. Baseline, procedural, and follow‐up parameters were recorded at baseline and scheduled postoperative visits. IPSS, Qmax, and treatment failure are reported at 3 years.ResultsThe mean prostate volume was 107 cc (range 80–150). Mean IPSS improved from 23.2 at baseline to 6.5 at 3 years (16.3‐point improvement, p < 0.0001). Mean IPSS quality of life improved from 4.6 at baseline to 1.1 at 3 years (improvement of 3.4 points, p < 0.0001). Maximum urinary flow increased from 8.7 to 18.5 cc/s. At 3 year follow‐up, 6% of treated patients needed BPH medication and an additional 3% required surgical retreatment for LUTS.ConclusionsThree‐year follow‐up demonstrates a sustained symptom reduction response along with low irreversible complications to Aquablation in men with LUTS due to BPH and prostates of 80–150 cc. Current treatment options available for men with prostates of this size have similar efficacy outcomes but are burdened with high rates of irreversible complications. There are now numerous clinical studies with Aquablation used in various prostates sizes, and it should be offered as an option to men with LUTS due to BPH.

Introduction: Currently, there are multiple intracorporeal lithotripters available for use in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of two novel lithotripters: Trilogy and ShockPulse-SE. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective multi-institutional randomized trial comparing outcomes of PCNL using two novel lithotripters between February 2019 and June 2020. The study assessed objective measures of stone clearance time, stone clearance rate, device malfunction, stone-free rates, and complications. Device assessment was provided through immediate postoperative survey by primary surgeons. Results: There were 100 standard PCNLs completed using either a Trilogy or ShockPulse-SE lithotrite. Using quantitative Stone Analysis Software to estimate stone volume, the mean stone volume was calculated at 4.18 ± 4.79 and 3.86 ± 3.43 cm 3 for the Trilogy and ShockPulse-SE groups, respectively. Stone clearance rates were found to be 1.22 ± 1.67 and 0.77 ± 0.68 cm 3 /min for Trilogy vs ShockPulse-SE ( p = 0.0542). When comparing Trilogy to ShockPulse-SE in a multivariate analysis, total operative room time (104.4 ± 48.2 minutes vs 121.1 ± 59.2 minutes p = 0.126), rates of secondary procedures (17.65% vs 40.81%, p = 0.005), and device malfunctions (1.96% vs 34.69%, p < 0.001) were less, respectively. There was no difference in final stone-free rates between devices. Conclusion: Both the Trilogy and ShockPulse-SE lithotripters are highly efficient at removing large renal stones. In this study, we noted differences between the two devices including fewer device malfunctions when Trilogy device was utilized. Clinical Trial ID number: NCT03959683

Background Human kidney stones form via repeated events of mineral precipitation, partial dissolution, and reprecipitation, which are directly analogous to similar processes in other natural and manmade environments, where resident microbiomes strongly influence biomineralization. High-resolution microscopy and high-fidelity metagenomic (microscopy-to-omics) analyses, applicable to all forms of biomineralization, have been applied to assemble definitive evidence of in vivo microbiome entombment during urolithiasis. Methods Stone fragments were collected from a randomly chosen cohort of 20 patients using standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that 18 of these patients were calcium oxalate (CaOx) stone formers, whereas one patient formed each formed brushite and struvite stones. This apportionment is consistent with global stone mineralogy distributions. Stone fragments from seven of these 20 patients (five CaOx, one brushite, and one struvite) were thin sectioned and analyzed using brightfield (BF), polarization (POL), confocal, super-resolution autofluorescence (SRAF), and Raman techniques. DNA from remaining fragments, grouped according to each of the 20 patients, were analyzed with amplicon sequencing of 16S rRNA gene sequences (V1–V3, V3–V5) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS1, ITS2) regions. Results Bulk-entombed DNA was sequenced from stone fragments in 11 of the 18 patients who formed CaOx stones, and the patients who formed brushite and struvite stones. These analyses confirmed the presence of an entombed low-diversity community of bacteria and fungi, including Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes , Proteobacteria , and Aspergillus niger . Bacterial cells approximately 1 μm in diameter were also optically observed to be entombed and well preserved in amorphous hydroxyapatite spherules and fans of needle-like crystals of brushite and struvite. Conclusions These results indicate a microbiome is entombed during in vivo CaOx stone formation. Similar processes are implied for brushite and struvite stones. This evidence lays the groundwork for future in vitro and in vivo experimentation to determine how the microbiome may actively and/or passively influence kidney stone biomineralization.

Objective To present 6‐month safety and effectiveness data from a multicentre prospective study of aquablation in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) attributable to benign prostatic hyperplasia ( BPH ) with prostate volumes between 80 and 150 mL. Methods Between September and December 2017, 101 men with LUTS attributable to BPH were prospectively enrolled at 16 centres in Canada and the USA. Results The mean prostate volume was 107 mL. The mean length of hospital stay after the aquablation procedure was 1.6 days (range: same day to 6 days). The primary safety endpoint (Clavien–Dindo grade 2 or higher or any grade 1 event resulting in persistent disability) at 3 months occurred in 45.5% of men, which met the study design goal of < 65% ( P < 0.001). At 6 months, 22% of the patients had experienced a Clavien–Dindo grade 2, 14% a grade 3 and 5% a grade 4 adverse event. Bleeding complications requiring intervention and/or transfusion were recorded in eight patients prior to discharge and in six patients after discharge. The mean International Prostate Symptom Score improved from 23.2 ± 6.3 at baseline to 6.7 ± 5.1 at 3 months, meeting the study's primary efficacy endpoint goal ( P < 0.001). The maximum urinary flow rate increased from 8.7 to 18.8 mL/s ( P < 0.001) and post‐void residual urine volume decreased from 131 at baseline to 47 at 6 months ( P < 0.0001). At 6 months, prostate‐specific antigen concentration reduced from 7.1 ± 5.9 ng/mL at baseline to 4.0 ± 3.9 ng/mL, a 44% reduction. Conclusions Aquablation is safe and effective in treating men with larger prostates (80–150 mL), without significant increase in procedure or resection time.