Citations

Abstract Introduction Microdenervation of the spermatic cord (MSCD) is an effective treatment modality for men with intractable scrotal content pain. For patients not interested in preserving fertility, some centers advocate ligation of the vas during denervation while others perfer stripping of the Vas deferens to preserve the vasal artery, hence preserving vasculature to testis and possibly decreasing post operative congestion pain. Objective This multicenter study analyzes outcomes of patients that underwent MSCD by either stripping or ligating the vas deferens. Methods A retrospective chart review of 85 patients who underwent MSCD from 2020–2023 was performed. Patients’ demographics including history of prior surgical procedures was recorded. Response to surgery was evaluated as either complete resolution of pain, partial resolution of pain or no improvement in pain. Results 85 patients underwent MSCD with a median (IQR) age of 36 (25.5–46.5) years and median duration of pain of 16 months. 37 patients underwent stripping of vas while 48 underwent ligation of vas during MSCD. Median follow up was 12 months. 21(43.5%) patients had prior inguinal scrotal surgery in ligation group compared to 5 (13.5%) in the stripping group p=0.003. The etiology of pain was similar between the groups. The response to MSCD between the 2 groups was similar (p=0.968), with similar post op complications (Table 1). Conclusions In men with intractable chronic scrotal content with no interest in preserving fertility, ligation or stripping of the vas deferens yields similar outcomes with regards to pain resolution. Both techniques are safe with no reports of any testicular atrophy. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Advisory board and speaker for Coloplast; consultant for Cynosure; advisory board and speaker for Halozyme; intellectual property with Masimo; advisory board for Promescent; consultant for Sprout; advisory board for Xialla.

Abstract Introduction Intracavernosal injection (ICI) therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED) carries a risk of corporal fibrosis, potentially making placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis more difficult. Prostate cancer treatment may also induce corporal fibrosis. Objective To assess whether a history of ICI or prostate cancer treatment is associated with complications following IPP placement. Methods A retrospective cohort study of primary IPP cases from 2016–2021 across 16 institutions. Patients were stratified by history of ICI and between-group differences in risk factors were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess for predictors of intraoperative complications, postoperative non-infectious complications and postoperative infection. Results A total of 2540 patients met inclusion criteria of which 781 (30.8%) had a history of ICI. Patients with a history of ICI tended to be older (mean 63 vs 64 years, p=0.002) and were more likely to have history of radical prostatectomy (21.0% vs. 32.1%, p<0.001) and/or radiation (5.51% vs 10.9%, p<0.001). On multivariable regression, a history of ICI, prostatectomy, and radiation were all significant predictors of intraoperative complications (OR 2.11, p=0.03; OR 2.27, p=0.03; OR 2.40, p=0.04, respectively). A history of ICI and patient age were predictors of non-infectious postoperative complications (OR 1.44, p=0.02, OR 1.02, p=0.004 respectively)). None of the variables were significant predictors of infection. Conclusions In men undergoing IPP placement, a history of ICI is associated with an increased risk of both intraoperative and postoperative, non-infectious complications. Prostate cancer treatment with radiation or surgery is independently associated with increased risk of intraoperative complications. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: D.O. has served as a consultant for Coloplast, Intuitive Surgical, and Fidelis. P.P. has served as a consultant for Coloplast, Boston Scientific, and Urofill. M.S. has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific and Coloplast. J.S. has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific and Coloplast. F.A.Y. has served as a consultant for Coloplast, Cynosure, Antares Pharma, Clarus Pharmaceuticals, and Acerus Pharma. M.S.G. has served as a consultant for Coloplast. The other authors disclose no conflicts.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this white paper is to educate health care professionals about the evolution of telemedicine (TM) and to propose a hybrid model that leverages the strengths of traditional in-person medicine as well as virtual medicine while maximizing the safety and quality of men’s sexual health care. Literature Search Strategy A literature search focused on the use of TM in urology and men’s health was performed through PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science (January 1, 2012–April 26, 2022). Keywords included all known permutations of the terminology used to refer to virtual health, care as well as the terminology used to refer to urologic diseases, issues specific to men’s health, and men’s sexual health concerns. Publications that emerged after the literature search that met this criterion also were incorporated. Opinion pieces, letters to the editor, meeting abstracts, and conference proceedings were excluded. Additional resources were retrieved, such as governmental technical reports, legislative updates and reviews, and blogs. This search strategy yielded 1684 records across databases after removal of duplicates. Abstracts from the retrieved records were reviewed for relevance. Relevant publications were defined as those that reported data on any aspect of TM use specific to urology, men’s health, and/or men’s sexual health. If relevance was unclear from the abstract, then the full text of the article was retrieved for a more detailed review. In addition, the published evidence-based practice guidelines relevant to care for erectile dysfunction, Peyronie’s disease, ejaculatory dysfunction, and hypogonadism were retrieved. The most common reasons for article exclusions were a focus on TM use in disciplines other than urology and the absence of data (ie, opinion pieces). After exclusions, a total of 91 publications remained and constituted the evidence base for this paper.

Abstract Introduction The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (CPD) is an online retailer launched in January 2022 that sells generic prescription medications directly to consumers at cost of ingredients and manufacturing plus a fixed 15% margin in addition to a small pharmacy dispensing fee and shipping fee. GoodRx is an online tool which offers coupons redeemable at pharmacies for discounts on prescription medications. The combination of these two tools offers physicians a way to provide prescription medications to patients at lower costs, which may lead to improved medication adherence and lower medication expenditures nationally. Objective To compare the cost of various erectile dysfunction medications when purchased through retail pharmacies, reimbursed through Medicare, or obtained utilizing CPD and GoodRx. Methods A review of publicly available data from CPD and GoodRx was performed to obtain average retail and discounted prices for generic sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil. GoodRx prices were obtained using prices from Costco, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies in the most from populous zip code from each of the 3 most populous U.S. states: California, New York, and Texas. Prices were adjusted to account for dosage and prescribed quantity to estimate an average cost per dosage unit ($/adu). The Medicare Part D Drug Spending and Utilization data from 2021 were used to report the average spending per dosage unit and total expenditure for each of the listed medications. These data were compared to create an estimate of average national savings after use of CPD or GoodRx. Results Average spending per dosage unit for sildenafil, tadalafil, and vardenafil was less when GoodRx or CPD were used (0.28 $/adu, 0.31 $/adu, and 6.17 $/adu respectively), compared to Medicare pricing (2.14 $/adu, 8.08 $/adu, and 27.84 $/adu respectively) or retail pricing (0.52 $/adu, 2.82 $/adu, and 8.35 $/adu respectively). When adjusted for total dosage units, use of CPD over Medicare pricing for the three medications would result in a combined annual national saving of $149M. Use of either CPD or GoodRx compared to retail pricing would similarly result in a combined annual nation saving of $40M. Conclusions The utilization of CPD and GoodRx in the prescription of common erectile dysfunction medications may lead to significant reductions in pricing compared to retail and Medicare estimates. Knowledge of these prescription tools may lead to significant reductions in national expenditures on medications and decreased cost burden for patients seeking treatment. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Advisory board and speaker for Coloplast; consultant for Cynosure; advisory board and speaker for Halozyme; intellectual property with Masimo; advisory board for Promescent; consultant for Sprout; advisory board for Xialla.

Abstract Introduction Radiation therapy (RT) can predispose the onset of corporal fibrosis and microvasculopathy. The impact of RT on intra-operative complications is not well described in the literature. Objective In this study, we assess intra-operative and post-operative outcomes among patients with or without prior history of RT following primary Inflatable Penile Prosthesis (IPP) implantation. Methods We performed a multicenter, retrospective analysis of men undergoing primary IPP placement between January 2015 and December 2022. A total of 3530 patients were identified, of which 3319 had no prior history of RT and 211 patients had history of RT. After 1:1 propensity score matching for all confounding variables, 211 patients with a history of RT were compared to 211 nonradiated patients for intra-operative and post-operative outcomes. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were used for statistical analysis for categorial and continuous variables respectively. For multivariable analysis, we used a forward stepwise model and included significant variables found on pre-operative characteristics of patients. Kaplan-Meier time to event analysis were compared with Mantel-Cox log-rank test. Results Patients with history of RT encountered more intra-operative complications (4.3% vs 0.9%, p=0.032); specifically, these men experienced more distal crossover events (1.9% vs 0, p=0.044). On multivariable analysis, history of prior RT (OR 5.29, 95% CI 1.07-26.3, p=0.041) and diabetes mellitus (OR 10.5, 95% CI 2.58-43.5, p=0.01) were associated with increased risk of intra-operative complications. History of obesity (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.01-0.91, p=0.040) reduced risk of intra-operative complications. There was no significant difference in early or late post-operative non-infectious complications between both groups and there was also no significant difference in risk of post-operative complications within 24 months on Kaplan Meier analysis (log rank p=0.9). Conclusions In this large multi-institutional cohort, history of RT is an independent predictor of intra-operative complications but not post-operative complications during primary IPP placement. These findings may help inform patient-specific counseling while guiding surgical planning to prevent untoward morbidity following surgery. Disclosure No.

Abstract Introduction Intracavernosal injection (ICI) therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED) carries a risk of corporal fibrosis, potentially making placement of an inflatable penile prosthesis more difficult. Prostate cancer treatment may also induce corporal fibrosis. Objective To assess whether a history of ICI or prostate cancer treatment is associated with complications following IPP placement. Methods A retrospective cohort study of primary IPP cases from 2016-2021 across 16 institutions. Patients were stratified by history of ICI and between-group differences in risk factors were assessed. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess for predictors of intraoperative complications, postoperative non-infectious complications and postoperative infection. Results A total of 2540 patients met inclusion criteria of which 781 (30.8%) had a history of ICI. Patients with a history of ICI tended to be older (mean 63 vs 64 years, p=0.002) and were more likely to have history of radical prostatectomy (21.0% vs. 32.1%, p<0.001) and/or radiation (5.51% vs 10.9%, p<0.001). On multivariable regression, a history of ICI, prostatectomy, and radiation were all significant predictors of intraoperative complications (OR 2.11, p=0.03; OR 2.27, p=0.03; OR 2.40, p=0.04, respectively). A history of ICI and patient age were predictors of non-infectious postoperative complications (OR 1.44, p=0.02, OR 1.02, p=0.004 respectively)). None of the variables were significant predictors of infection. Conclusions In men undergoing IPP placement, a history of ICI is associated with an increased risk of both intraoperative and postoperative, non-infectious complications. Prostate cancer treatment with radiation or surgery is independently associated with increased risk of intraoperative complications. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: D.O. has served as a consultant for Coloplast, Intuitive Surgical, and Fidelis. P.P. has served as a consultant for Coloplast, Boston Scientific, and Urofill. M.S. has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific and Coloplast. J.S. has served as a consultant for Boston Scientific and Coloplast. F.A.Y. has served as a consultant for Coloplast, Cynosure, Antares Pharma, Clarus Pharmaceuticals, and Acerus Pharma. M.S.G. has served as a consultant for Coloplast. The other authors disclose no conflicts.

Abstract Introduction High medication costs for vaginal estrogen may create a barrier for patients seeking treatment for numerous urinary and vaginal symptoms and lead to poor medication adherence. The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (CPD) and GoodRx tools offer patients a method to purchase prescription medications at a discount, which may lead to improved medication adherence and decreased national expenditures on such medications. Objective To compare the pricing of vaginal estrogen as advertised by retail pharmacies, Medicare, and discount listings through CPD and GoodRx. Methods A review of publicly available data from CPD and GoodRx was performed to obtain listed retail and discounted prices for Estrace (topical), Vagifem (tablet), and Premarin (topical). GoodRx prices were obtained using prices from Costco, CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies in the most from populous zip code from each of the 3 most populous U.S. states: California, New York, and Texas. Prices were adjusted to account for dosage and prescribed quantity to estimate an average cost per dosage unit ($/adu). The Medicare Part D Drug Spending and Utilization data from 2021 were used to report the average spending per dosage unit and total expenditure for each of the listed medications. These data were compared to create an estimate of average national savings after use of CPD and/or GoodRx. Results Average spending per dosage unit for Estrace, Vagifem, and Premarin was lesser when discount tools were used (0.50 $/adu, 3.75 $/adu, and 4.30 $/adu respectively), compared to Medicare pricing (6.14 $/adu, 20.95 $/adu, and 10.10 $/adu respectively) or retail pricing (3.14 $/adu, 10.19 $/adu, and 5.43 $/adu respectively). When adjusted for total dosage units, use of CPD over Medicare pricing for the three medications would result in a combined annual national saving of $64.2M. Use of either CPD or GoodRx compared to retail pricing would similarly result in a combined annual national saving of $39.2M. Conclusions The utilization of CPD and GoodRx in the prescription of vaginal estrogen led to a substantial national average cost savings when compared to retail and Medicare pricing. CPD and GoodRx may offer a way to decrease the cost burden for patients seeking treatment for urinary and vaginal symptoms and significantly reduce national expenditures on medications. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Advisory board and speaker for Coloplast; consultant for Cynosure; advisory board and speaker for Halozyme; intellectual property with Masimo; advisory board for Promescent; consultant for Sprout; advisory board for Xialla.

Abstract Introduction Microdenervation of the spermatic cord (MSCD) is an effective treatment modality for men with intractable scrotal content pain. For patients not interested in preserving fertility, some centers advocate ligation of the vas during denervation while others perfer stripping of the Vas deferens to preserve the vasal artery, hence preserving vasculature to testis and possibly decreasing post operative congestion pain. Objective This multicenter study analyzes outcomes of patients that underwent MSCD by either stripping or ligating the vas deferens Methods A retrospective chart review of 85 patients who underwent MSCD from 2020-2023 was performed. Patients’ demographics including history of prior surgical procedures was recorded. Response to surgery was evaluated as either complete resolution of pain, partial resolution of pain or no improvement in pain. Results 85 patients underwent MSCD with a median (IQR) age of 36 (25.5-46.5) years and median duration of pain of 16 months. 37 patients underwent stripping of vas while 48 underwent ligation of vas during MSCD. Median follow up was 12 months. 21(43.5%) patients had prior inguinal scrotal surgery in ligation group compared to 5 (13.5%) in the stripping group p=0.003. The etiology of pain was similar between the groups. The response to MSCD between the 2 groups was similar (p=0.968), with similar post op complications (Table 1). Conclusions In men with intractable chronic scrotal content with no interest in preserving fertility, ligation or stripping of the vas deferens yields similar outcomes with regards to pain resolution. Both techniques are safe with no reports of any testicular atrophy. Disclosure No.

Abstract Introduction Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) placement is associated with high postoperative patient satisfaction. Patients often express concerns about postoperative penile length. There is scant evidence in the literature of clinical and surgical factors that predict IPP length. Objective To evaluate predictors of cylinder length for men undergoing primary IPP placement in a large multicenter cohort. Methods Patients undergoing primary IPP placement for treatment of erectile dysfunction at 16 high-volume implant centers were included. All patients had preoperative demographics, surgical characteristics, and device length retrospectively collected at their respective institutions and combined for analysis. Descriptive statistics were reported for the full group. Univariate analysis was utilized to isolate variables significantly associated with device length and all variables reaching p<0.1 were included in linear regression modeling. Results 3,953 men underwent primary IPP placement. The mean age was 61.8±10.4 years and BMI was 29.8±4.2 kg/m2. The mean total device length was 20.6±2.1cm. 1291 (32.7%) had diabetes mellitus, 641 (16.2%) were smokers, 705 (17.8%) had a prior radical prostatectomy, 195 (4.9%) had prior radiation, 549 (13.9%) had Peyronie’s disease, and 884 (22.4%) had a history of intracavernosal injections. In univariate analysis, BMI (B=0.05, 95%CI 0.04 to 0.07, p<0.001), a history of Peyronie’s disease (20.4 vs 20.6cm, p=0.02), and use of intracavernosal injection (20.7 v 20.9cm, p=0.02) were predictors of shorter total device length. Use of rear tip extenders (20.7 v 20.0cm, p<0.001), penoscrotal approach (21.0 v 20.3, p<0.001), and single corporal dilation (20.8 v 20.4cm, p<0.001) were associated with longer length. In multivariable analysis, a history of Peyronie’s disease (B=-0.29, 95%CI -0.47 to -0.11, p=0.002) and greater BMI (B=0.05, 95%CI 0.03 to 0.07, p<0.001) were predictors of shorter total device length. Independent predictors of longer device length were penoscrotal approach (B=-0.85, 95%CI -1.03 to -0.65, p<0.001), rear tip extender use (B=1.00, 95%CI 0.84 to 1.17, p<0.001), and single corporal dilation (B=-0.5, 95%CI -0.67 to -0.34, p<0.001). Conclusions In this series, Peyronie’s disease and greater BMI are independent predictors of shorter IPP device length, while use of rear tip extenders, single corporal dilation, and penoscrotal approach are independent predictors of longer device length. These results are important in counseling patients regarding expectations of postoperative length. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Intuitive Surgical, Fidelis, Urofill, Boston Scientific, Endo Pharma, Coloplast, Cynosure, Antares Pharma, Clarus Pharmaceuticals, Acerus Pharma

Abstract Introduction Predictors of intraoperative corporal perforation and delayed cylinder complications in inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) placement have not been well-delineated in the literature. Inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) can offer high satisfaction rates of patients, but this procedure is not without complications that can be encountered intraoperatively and postoperatively. Particularly, predictors of intraoperative corporal perforation and delayed cylinder complications in IPP placement have not been well-delineated in the literature. Objective We evaluated our retrospective multi-institutional database of IPP surgeries performed by expert implant surgeons to identify risk factors that are predictive of the development of these non-infectious complications. Methods IPP cases performed by sixteen international implanters from 2016-2021 were identified. All primary and revision cases were included. Salvage cases for infection were excluded. Demographic characteristics, intraoperative variables, and postoperative outcomes were assessed. Poor corporal integrity (PCI) was defined as intraoperative corporal complications (proximal and/or distal perforation of the corpora, corporal crossover) or postoperative corporal complications (cylinder erosion, extrusion, impending erosion, or deformity). Risk factor analysis and multivariate analysis were performed to identify predictors of PCI. Results A total of 5406 IPP cases across 16 separate institutions were assessed. There were 163 (3.0%, mean age 64) cases of PCI. Of the 156 complications that occurred, 101 (64.7%) occurred intraoperatively, while 55 (35.3%) occurred postoperatively. The rates of diabetes (p=0.669), vascular disease (p=0.054), and history of intracavernosal injections (p=0.111) all had no statistically significant effect on corporal integrity. Patients with PCI tended to have hypertension (p=0.045), current smoking (p=0.03), history of IPP infection (p<0.001), and history of shunt for priapism (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, predictors of PCI include hypertension (OR 1.64 (1.09-2.47), p=0.018), history of IPP infection (OR 4.41 (2.52-7.84), p<0.001), and age (OR 1.02 (1.00-1.04), p=0.027). Obesity was found to be protective (OR 0.63 (0.42-0.95), p=0.027). Conclusions Our multicenter analysis found that hypertension, current smoking, history of IPP infection and age were risk factors for complications associated with poor corporal integrity. Recognizing these risk factors preoperatively can allow for improved patient-specific counseling and changes in surgical strategy to potentially prevent these complications. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Coloplast and Boston Scientific.