Kohler, T

Abstract Introduction Discrimination and sexual harassment within the workplace have a negative impact on well-being and productivity and are often underreported due to lack of comfortability in confronting the offender. Objective We aim to assess the prevalence of these abusive behaviors within a urology department and the impact of a dedicated training session on comfortability reporting/confronting discrimination and harassment. Methods Employees within a urology department at a single institution were invited to take a survey regarding discrimination and harassment both before and after a dedicated training session on reporting and confronting these behaviors. Statistical analyses were performed between pre- and post-survey groups, genders, and roles within the department. Results A total of 77 participants were included, 52 (67.5%) identified as female. Roles within the department included physician (25; 32.5%), advanced practice provider (11; 14.3%), nurse (20; 26%), and nonclinical staff (21, 27.2%). More women reported experiencing sexual harassment at least once a year compared to men (38.6% vs. 16.7%, p < 0.001). Patients were the most commonly reported offenders of abusive behaviors towards staff (p < 0.05) Fig. 1.A. The training demonstrated a positive impact in respondent comfort level with addressing gender discrimination (14.3% increase in comfort; p = 0.043) Fig. 1.B. Conclusions Specific training on strategies for addressing abusive behaviors can help employees feel empowered to confront gender discrimination by both patients and their peers. Disclosure No.

Abstract Introduction Penile prosthesis (PP) implantation is associated with high patient satisfaction and improved sexual quality of life in medically refractory erectile dysfunction (ED). Despite the current surgical advances and patients’ satisfactions after PP implantation, there has been paucity of data on reported partner satisfaction. We aimed to evaluate changes in partner satisfaction after PP placement. Objective We aimed to evaluate changes in partner satisfaction after PP placement. Methods We initiated a registry of patients undergoing surgery for placement of a PP. After consent, Perioperative study assessments and follow-ups were conducted. After surgery, patients were directed to fulfill a survey at 6 months and 12 months. Patients who fulfilled both items were included in the analysis. Results A total of 304 patients had a PP placement, of these 101 completed the survey. At 6 months, 62 patients (61.4%) reported a moderate to high partner’ satisfaction, and this positive response was sustained at 12-months (82.3%). 73.3% of partner’s reported no-pain after 6 months and this increased to 79.7% after 12 months. 67.3% of partners stated they would recommend the procedure to a friend or family at 6-months. This increased significantly to 84.8% at 12-months (p = 0.012). Conclusions Penile prosthesis placement is associated with high partner satisfaction rates, with a sustained positive perception over time when comparing 6 and 12-month follow-up outcomes. Further study is warranted to assess partner satisfaction after penile prosthesis implantation. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: COLOPLAST. Clarification: Industry funding only - investigator initiated and executed study.

Abstract Introduction Resistance training by recreational sportspeople in fitness settings has become increasingly popular worldwide, moreover an increasing landscape of social media (SM) influencers in bodybuilding have arisen since 2021, specially on short-duration videos (clips). Some Image enhancer drug users, including anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are known to mistrust medical health professionals and seek out information and advice from online sources. Objective we aimed to quantitatively assess the quality of social media videos as an information source for AAS usage in the general population. Methods A search was performed on the most popular short-clips social media platforms in the US (TikTok, YouTube) with the most searched terms for AAS. The first 50 results with any search term listed by relevance were selected in each platform. Video features (views, likes, subscribers) and video sources were collected. Each video included in the study was assessed using DISCERN score to quantify the source quality. Results A total of 100 videos were included and analyzed. Most videos (84%) were from non-health professionals (influencers/clip source/podcasts), only 7% of the videos came from a health educator/physician. Most videos were rated as “very poor” (85%) and “poor” (7%) According to the DISCERN classification, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) by both content creator type, and platform with the highest scores among physicians [37 (33-41)] and YouTube [19(17.7-30.2]. [Fig]. Conclusions Image-centric social media use is positively associated with the use of AAS. Despite the increasing number of information, the overall quality was poor. The misleading, inaccurate and incomplete information may pose a health risk to the viewers. Further efforts in health policies are strongly encouraged to assess this problem. Disclosure No.

Abstract Introduction Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a known precursor and sequelae to diagnosed cardiovascular disease (CVD). ED severity predicts CVD severity. AUA guidelines recommend evaluating serum lipids and using an ED diagnosis as an opportunity to discuss and address cardiovascular risk. Serum plasma ceramides are novel predictors of adverse cardiovascular events independent of traditional risk factors such as LDL and hsCRP levels. Ceramide levels improve with lifestyle modification. Objective We aimed to evaluate the utility of ceramide levels in ED patients utilizing self-reported erectile function results (IIEF-6). Methods We initiated ceramide testing in all patients with ED and Peyronie’s disease in late 2019 (in addition to lipids, Hgba1c, etc). We retrospectively analyzed ceramide levels from electronic records with IIEF-6 results. For the statistical analysis we dichotomized our cohort by ED symptom severity (moderate/severe ED: IIEF ≤17 vs. no/mild ED: IIEF ≥18) and ceramide levels by CV risk strata (moderate or higher >6). A Fisher exact test was performed. Results A total of 354 patients were reviewed, of these 253 (71.4%) had moderate ED or higher. A statistically significant difference in abnormal ceramide values was found in patients with mild to moderate symptoms severity or higher, and the odds of getting an abnormal ceramide test was increased based on the IIEF scoring alone (OR 2.3 [1.04– 5.12]; p value = 0.034) [Figure]. Conclusions Patients undergoing management for erectile dysfunction may benefit from serum ceramide testing and subsequent cardiac referral. In our cohort, men with moderate to severe ED were twice as likely to have actionable ceramide levels. Further study is warranted to optimize utility of ceramide in men with ED and potentially drive lifestyle change. Disclosure No.

Abstract Introduction The optimal irrigation solution with inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) remains controversial. Objective We sought to determine the impact of the type of fluid used for dipping and irrigation (D&I) on the risk of IPP infections. Methods This is a retrospective, consecutive cohort study that includes individuals who underwent initial Coloplast IPP insertion or revision between January 2021 and May 2024. Cases done from January 2021 to August 2022 (20 months) underwent Rifampin/Gentamycin for dipping and Vancomycin/Gentamycin for irrigation (Group 1), whereas those from October 2022 to May 2024 (20 months) utilized 0.05% chlorhexidine gluconate for both D & I (Group 2). Surgeon, operative time, age, diabetes mellitus (DM), perioperative level of HbA1C, history of acute urinary retention (AUR), positive urine culture, and oral antibiotic (AB) regimen at discharge were obtained. The rate of infection between the two study groups and the association of risk factors with developing infection were explored by t-test and chi-square analysis for continuous and discrete variables, respectively. P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results In comparison of two study groups, infection rate was significantly higher in group 2 at 2.5% (8/314) than group 1 which did not have any infection (0/280) (P = 0.008). There was no significant association between the study group and operative time (P = 0.45), DM (P = 0.29), HbA1C level (P = 0.20) and AUR (P = 0.87) or surgeon (Table 1). Notably, two clinical infections were from non-virulent organisms (Streptococcus Constellatus & Staphylococcus Lugdunensis). Two of three patients undergoing malleable salvage failed. Since no infection was observed in group1, infection risk predictors were only analyzed in group 2. The patients in group 2 were stratified based on their diabetes mellitus (DM) status, and analyses were conducted to investigate the effect of a positive DM history on the risk of infection. The results indicated that having DM significantly increased the risk of infection, with 75% (6/8) of patients with DM developing an infection compared to 26% (78/306) of those without DM (P = 0.006) (Table 2). Notably, three of eight infections occurred in patients discharged on Augmentin or cefdinir secondary to drug interaction warning (our typical post op prophylaxis is Bactrim or ciprofloxacin). Conclusions Type of antiseptic fluid for D&I and DM were associated with IPP infection following surgery in our patient cohort. Disclosure No.

Abstract Introduction Since FDA approval of Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum (CCH) for the treatment of Peyronie’s Disease (PD), there has been significant debate as to its role and comparable efficacy in relation to surgical therapies. We therefore sought to compare key outcomes between the two therapies. Objective To compare the satisfaction and adverse event profiles between surgery and CCH injections for the treatment of PD. Methods A randomized, controlled trial is ongoing. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either CCH + traction (RestoreX) + sildenafil (CCH) or penile surgery (plication and/or incision and grafting) + traction + sildenafil for PD (Surgery). Objective, standardized, and non-standardized assessments were obtained at baseline and 3, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months post-treatment. Key outcomes included differences in standardized questionnaires, penile curvature, penile length, subsequent interventions, and non-standardized questionnaire responses. Results A total of 40 men were randomized with 24-month data available in 29. Mean age was 54.7 years, PD duration 37.4 months (mo), composite curvature 73.1 degrees (deg), and penile length 12.7 cm. All baseline variables were similar between cohorts. Regarding primary outcomes, at 24-months post-treatment, CCH men were more likely to report being very satisfied with treatment (62% vs 25%, p < 0.05). For secondary outcomes, only questionnaire data were captured at two years without objective measurements obtained. No differences were noted between groups regarding subscales of the IIEF, PDQ, Beck’s Depression Inventory, or SEP-2, however CCH men had better SEP-3 positive responses (62% vs 19%, p = 0.02), indicating improved ability to maintain erections sufficient for intercourse. Surgery men reported higher subjective rates of length loss compared to CCH (81% vs 15%, p < 0.001) and curvature recurrence (56% vs 8%, p < 0.01), but similar rates with changes in sensation, indentation/hourglass, and erectile function. Both groups indicated similar willingness to undergo the therapy again. Interestingly, at 2-years, the majority of men in the Surgery arm said that their initial preference for treatment was surgery (56%), which decreased from a peak 86% at 1-year. However, in reviewing baseline information, 72% of Surgery men actually preferred CCH at study onset, highlighting a significant recall bias towards whatever treatment one actually ended up receiving. Conclusions Preliminary data suggests that when compared to surgery at 24-months, CCH men were more likely to be very satisfied with therapy, have greater subjective length improvements and lower curvature recurrence rates. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Endo Pharmaceuticals. Clarification: Industry funding only - investigator initiated and executed study. Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: PathRight Medical.

Abstract Introduction Age is often correlated with various medical conditions, including bother with the condition itself. Peyronie’s disease (PD) is a condition which is most often associated with men in their 50-60’s, however, it does affect younger men as well. Anecdotally, younger men with PD appear to be more bothered by their condition compared to older men. We therefore sought to evaluate whether there is a difference among older vs younger men as to the degree of bother linked to PD. Objective To evaluate age as a potential predictor of bother associated with PD. Methods A prospective database has been maintained of men seeking treatment for PD. Beginning in Feb 2020, we began implementing men routinely completed standardized intake questionnaires relating to PD, including the Peyronie’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ). The PDQ consists of 15 questions broken down into three key subdomains: psychological and physical, penile pain, and symptom bother. Men who had completed the PDQ questionnaire were evaluated to determine the correlation between various clinicopathologic variables and the PDQ-bother domain. Results A total of 645 men were seen for symptoms of PD and had PDQ questionnaire data available for review. Baseline demographics included a mean age was 51.8 years (SD 17.6), mean PD symptom duration 31.3 months (SD 65.3), estimated curve of 40.9 degrees (SD 26.8), and mean PDQ-Bother score 8.9 (SD 3.1 – Note: lower is better). Several clinicopathology variables were found to be associated with increased PDQ-bother scores, including age (younger = less bothered, parameter estimate -.0.03, p=0.03), the presence of indentation or hourglass (yes 9.4, no 8.4, p<0.05), pain (yes 9.3, no 8.5, p=0.16), PD preventing penetrative intercourse (yes 9.5, no 8.7, p=0.07), penile shortening (yes 9.3, no 8.7, p=0.10), subjective erectile dysfunction (yes 9.6, no 8.5, p<0.01), and subjective premature ejaculation (yes 9.8, no 8.4, p<0.01). Interestingly, several variables did not correlate, including the duration of relationship, frequency of intercourse, duration of symptoms, direction of curve, degree of curvature, partner pain with intercourse, or libido. Conclusions Several notable factors are associated with PD bother (as assessed by the PDQ-bother domain), and equally importantly, several factors are surprisingly not associated (e.g. curvature degree and direction). These factors provide useful information to the practicing clinician to help better identify men who may be at greater risk for bother associated with the condition. Disclosure No

ABSTRACT Introduction Vasectomy reversal (VR) is rarely covered by insurance, creating a market similar to cosmetic surgery with direct marketing to patients. While cost is an immediate concern for patients, surgeon training and experience are essential for a successful outcome. Patients considering VR are likely to seek information online regarding providers and the nature of the procedure. Objective In this study, we reviewed the characteristics of providers marketing VR online, as well as the comprehensiveness of their website content. Additionally, we sought to determine differences in VR practice patterns between academic and private practices. Methods We identified VR practices operating within the top 50 populous metropolitan areas in the USA. Practice websites were reviewed to obtain information such as educational background of providers, use of operating microscope, ability to perform vasoepididymostomy (VE), surgical volume, and out-of-pocket cost. Based on the information available from practice websites, providers were assigned a non-validated “REVERSAL score” out of 12, based on 8 domains (Risks disclosure; provider's Educational background; ability to perform VE; Expense disclosure; success Rate disclosure; Surgical volume disclosure; disclosure of Alternatives to VR; and Level of magnification used for VR) (Table). Descriptive statistics were used to compare the results between academic and private practices. Results 107 providers were identified (29 academic and 78 private). All but 2 were male, and similarly all but 2 had Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree. Review of practice websites allowed us to obtain complete information (REVERSAL score of 12) on only one provider (academic), with the majority (66%) of providers achieving REVERSAL score of ≤6. Providers with formal fellowship training in andrology, microsurgery, and/or infertility achieved higher REVERSAL scores compared to those without (6.9 ± 2.4 vs. 4.8 ± 2.4, p < 0.01). Academic providers were more likely to have completed pertinent fellowship training compared to private practice providers (97% vs. 44%, p < 0.05). Only 14% of academic providers disclosed procedure cost online, compared to 40% of private practice providers (p < 0.05). There was a trend toward increased use of online advertisements by private practice providers (22% vs. 10%, p = 0.07), and increased reference to literature success rates by academic providers (59% vs. 41%, p = 0.10). Among the 35 providers who disclosed pricing online, mean cost of VR was $5,990 ± 1,935. There was a non-significant trend toward increased cost with academic practices compared to private practices ($7,337 ± 1,103 vs. $5,765 ± 1,964, p = 0.09). There was significant reduction in cost when comparing non-urologists vs. urologists ($3,584 ± 1,554 vs. $6,591 ± 1,518, p < 0.01), and when comparing providers without pertinent fellowship training to those with ($5,405 ± 2,000 vs. $6,769 ± 1,590, p < 0.05). Conclusions There is significant lack of transparency in publicly available information from VR practices, both academic and private. Practices should implement measures to improve the dissemination of information to the general public, so that patients may more easily compare various providers. Disclosure Work supported by industry: no. A consultant, employee (part time or full time) or shareholder is among the authors (Coloplast, AMS).

ABSTRACT Background Penile length loss and erectile dysfunction (ED) are common post-prostatectomy. Recent results from a randomized, controlled study (RCT) of RestoreX penile traction therapy (RxPTT) demonstrated preserved erectile function and penile length improvements in men post-prostatectomy. Objective To report outcomes of the open label phase (6-9 month time point) of the previously noted RCT comparing efficacy of RxPTT to control in men post-prostatectomy. Methods A randomized, controlled trial (NCT03500419) has been completed of 82 men post-prostatectomy. Men were randomized 1-month post-prostatectomy to no therapy (control, n=27) or RxPTT (n=55) for 5 months. Participants then entered an open label phase for 3 months. Assessments included stretched penile length (corona), standardized (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF]), and non-standardized questionnaires. Comparisons were performed of men who utilized traction at least 15 minutes daily for both phases to men who were originally control and continued with no treatment (as-treated analysis). Analyses were also performed of men who crossed over from control to >15 min daily (crossover to treatment) and those who were originally in the treatment group and continued with >15 min daily use during the open label phase (ongoing treatment). Results Of the 82 men enrolled (mean age 58.6), 55 had 6-month, and 42 had 9-month data available to review. Baseline characteristics (IIEF scores, penile length) were similar between cohorts. In the as-treated analysis (no treatment n=7, RxPTT x 8 months n=12, respectively), differences were as noted: IIEF-EFD (-8 vs -0.5, p=0.19), IIEF-OFD (-3 vs -2, p=0.86), IIEF-SD (-1 vs 0.5, p=0.09), IIEF-ISD (-3 vs -0.5, p=0.31), IIEF-OSD (-2 vs 0, p=0.29), penile length (-0.1 vs +1.8 cm, p<0.01), PDE5 use (86% vs 75%, p=0.57), intracavernosal injection use (86% vs 17%, p<0.01). Comparing men who did not use therapy at any time (n=7) to those who crossed over to RxPTT during the open label phase (n=8) demonstrated the following results: IIEF-EFD (-8 vs -6, p=0.49), IIEF-OFD (-3 vs -1, p=0.90), IIEF-SD (-1 vs 0, p=0.55), IIEF-ISD (-3 vs -1, p=0.45), IIEF-OSD (-2 vs -1, p=0.51), penile length (-0.1 vs +0.69 cm, p=0.39). Men who crossed over from RxPTT to no treatment (n=10) had relatively preserved improvements compared to those who continued with RxPTT during the open label phase (n=12) compared to baseline, respectively: IIEF-EFD (0 vs -0.5, p=0.95), IIEF-OFD (-3.5 vs -2, p=0.97), IIEF-SD (0 vs 0.5, p=0.18), IIEF-ISD (0 vs -0.5, p=0.87), IIEF-OSD (0 vs 0, p=0.66), penile length (+1.8 vs +1.8, p=0.99). Conclusions Although sample size and statistical power are limited, results from the open label phase confirm earlier findings of preserved sexual function and penile length in men treated with RxPTT compared to controls. Men who crossed over from controls to treatment experience benefits, although not as significant as those who were treated beginning at 1 month post-prostatectomy. Men who stopped therapy after 6 months demonstrated stable improvements from baseline, suggesting a preserved effect of RxPTT even after discontinuing use. If validated with external series, these findings would represent a significant advancement in the prevention of sexual dysfunction post-prostatectomy. Disclosure Work supported by industry: no.

ABSTRACT Introduction The significant overlap of risk factors for erectile dysfunction and venous thromboembolism (VTE) may disproportionally increase the risk of VTE in men undergoing inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) surgery. Owing to the absence of available literature, AUA and EAU perioperative VTE guidelines do not address VTE risk with IPP surgery and generally recommend against pharmacologic prophylaxis with outpatient surgery. The Caprini Score is a validated scoring system to estimate VTE risk in the perioperative period. Objective We sought to assess the risk of VTE by calculating Caprini Scores in men undergoing IPP surgery. Methods We retrospectively reviewed and calculated Caprini Scores for patients undergoing IPP surgery at our institution between July 2017 and June 2019. Results 215 patients undergoing IPP surgery were identified with a mean and median Caprini score of 5.96 (SD, 1.63) and 6 (IQR 5,7), respectively. 84% of the cohort was classified as high or highest risk for VTE (Figure 1). This is in part due to our cohort's mean age of 64, mean BMI of 31 and history of prostate cancer treatment as the cause of ED. Prior history of VTE (deep vein thrombosis(DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE)was identified in 17 (8%) patients with 5 (2%) have a history of both DVT and PE. Conclusions Men undergoing IPP surgery are high risk for VTE based on Caprini score assessment. VTE prophylaxis should be considered in men undergoing penile implant surgery. Before widespread application, long-term data is necessary to assess safety and efficacy of VTE prophylaxis in the IPP surgery population. Disclosure Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Senior author consultant for Coloplast