Definition and symptoms of underactive bladder

Underactive bladder (UAB) is a symptom syndrome reflecting the urodynamic observation of detrusor underactivity (DU), a voiding contraction of reduced strength and/or duration, leading to prolonged or incomplete bladder emptying. An International Continence Society Working Group has described UAB as characterised by a slow urinary stream, hesitancy and straining to void, with or without a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying and dribbling, often with storage symptoms. Since DU often coexists with bladder outlet obstruction, or storage dysfunction (detrusor overactivity or incontinence), the exact contribution of the DU to the presenting complaints can be difficult to establish. The presence of voiding and post voiding lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is implicitly expected in UAB, but a reduced sensation of fullness is reported by some patients, and storage LUTS are also an important factor in many affected patients. These may result from a postvoid residual, but often they do not. The storage LUTS are often the key driver in leading the patient to seek healthcare input. Nocturia is particularly common and bothersome, but what the role of DU is in all the range of influences on nocturia has not been established. Qualitative research has established a broad impact on everyday life as a result of these symptoms. In general, people appear to manage the voiding LUTS relatively well, but the storage LUTS may be problematic

National audit of patient reported experience of radical cystectomy for bladder cancer pathways

Objective: The objective of this study was to measure and describe the national patient experience of radical cystectomy (RC) pathways in the UK using the validated Cystectomy‐Pathway Assessment Tool (C‐PAT). Patients and Methods: A cohort of 1081 patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer, between 1 January 2021 and 31 July 2022 at 33 UK cystectomy centres, returned completed C‐PAT responses. SPSS was employed for data summary statistics, including median, interquartile range, Mann Whitney U test or Chi‐square test with a 95% confidence interval to assess statistical significance between potentially associated variables. Open‐text responses in the C‐PAT tool were analysed and coded using NVivo software. Results: In this cohort, the greatest perceived delay in the RC pathway, reported by 19% of patients (n = 208), was at the GP consultation to first hospital referral stage with suspected bladder cancer. Around 10% of patients perceived delays at each of the other stages in their pathway. Cancer nurse specialist (CNS) contact was strongly associated with an improved patient experience (p < 0.001); however, 9.5% of patients reported that they were not assigned a cancer nurse specialist in their pathway. Overall, 96% (n = 1028) reported their experience of RC pathway care to be good or excellent. There were no significant differences in reported patient experience found between cystectomy centres. Conclusion: This audit demonstrates the feasibility of measuring patient experience of RC pathways at scale. The C‐PAT tool demonstrated utility in identifying specific pathway areas for quality improvement. Overall UK patients report a high quality pathway experience. A focus on improving the referral pathway between primary and secondary care is necessary

Synthetic sling or artificial urinary sphincter for men with urodynamic stress incontinence after prostate surgery: The MASTER non-inferiority RCT

BACKGROUND: Stress urinary incontinence is common in men after prostate surgery and can be difficult to improve. Implantation of an artificial urinary sphincter is the most common surgical procedure for persistent stress urinary incontinence, but it requires specialist surgical skills, and revisions may be necessary. In addition, the sphincter is relatively expensive and its operation requires adequate patient dexterity. New surgical approaches include the male synthetic sling, which is emerging as a possible alternative. However, robust comparable data, derived from randomised controlled trials, on the relative safety and efficacy of the male synthetic sling and the artificial urinary sphincter are lacking. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the male synthetic sling with those of the artificial urinary sphincter surgery in men with persistent stress urinary incontinence after prostate surgery. DESIGN: This was a multicentre, non-inferiority randomised controlled trial, with a parallel non-randomised cohort and embedded qualitative component. Randomised controlled trial allocation was carried out by remote web-based randomisation (1 : 1), minimised on previous prostate surgery (radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection of the prostate), radiotherapy (or not, in relation to prostate surgery) and centre. Surgeons and participants were not blind to the treatment received. Non-randomised cohort allocation was participant and/or surgeon preference. SETTING: The trial was set in 28 UK urological centres in the NHS. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were men with urodynamic stress incontinence after prostate surgery for whom surgery was deemed appropriate. Exclusion criteria included previous sling or artificial urinary sphincter surgery, unresolved bladder neck contracture or urethral stricture after prostate surgery, and an inability to give informed consent or complete trial documentation. INTERVENTIONS: We compared male synthetic sling with artificial urinary sphincter. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The clinical primary outcome measure was men's reports of continence (assessed from questions 3 and 4 of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form) at 12 months post randomisation (with a non-inferiority margin of 15%). The primary economic outcome was cost-effectiveness (assessed as the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year at 24 months post randomisation). RESULTS: In total, 380 men were included in the randomised controlled trial (n = 190 in each group), and 99 out of 100 men were included in the non-randomised cohort. In terms of continence, the male sling was non-inferior to the artificial urinary sphincter (intention-to-treat estimated absolute risk difference -0.034, 95% confidence interval -0.117 to 0.048; non-inferiority p = 0.003), indicating a lower success rate in those randomised to receive a sling, but with a confidence interval excluding the non-inferiority margin of -15%. In both groups, treatment resulted in a reduction in incontinence symptoms (as measured by the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form). Between baseline and 12 months' follow-up, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form score fell from 16.1 to 8.7 in the male sling group and from 16.4 to 7.5 in the artificial urinary sphincter group (mean difference for the time point at 12 months 1.30, 95% confidence interval 0.11 to 2.49; p = 0.032). The number of serious adverse events was small (male sling group, n = 8; artificial urinary sphincter group, n = 15; one man in the artificial urinary sphincter group experienced three serious adverse events). Quality-of-life scores improved and satisfaction was high in both groups. Secondary outcomes that showed statistically significant differences favoured the artificial urinary sphincter over the male sling. Outcomes of the non-randomised cohort were similar. The male sling cost less than the artificial sphincter but was associated with a smaller quality-adjusted life-year gain. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for male slings compared with an artificial urinary sphincter suggests that there is a cost saving of £425,870 for each quality-adjusted life-year lost. The probability that slings would be cost-effective at a £30,000 willingness-to-pay threshold for a quality-adjusted life-year was 99%. LIMITATIONS: Follow-up beyond 24 months is not available. More specific surgical/device-related pain outcomes were not included. CONCLUSIONS: Continence rates improved from baseline, with the male sling non-inferior to the artificial urinary sphincter. Symptoms and quality of life significantly improved in both groups. Men were generally satisfied with both procedures. Overall, secondary and post hoc analyses favoured the artificial urinary sphincter over the male sling. FUTURE WORK: Participant reports of any further surgery, satisfaction and quality of life at 5-year follow-up will inform longer-term outcomes. Administration of an additional pain questionnaire would provide further information on pain levels after both surgeries. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial is registered as ISRCTN49212975. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 26, No. 36. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information

Joint practice guidelines for radionuclide lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel node localization in oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Involvement of the cervical lymph nodes is the most important prognostic factor for patients with oral/oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and the decision whether to electively treat patients with clinically negative necks remains a controversial topic. Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) provides a minimally invasive method of determining the disease status of the cervical node basin, without the need for a formal neck dissection. This technique potentially improves the accuracy of histological nodal staging and avoids over-treating three-quarters of this patient population, minimizing associated morbidity. The technique has been validated for patients with OSCC, and larger-scale studies are in progress to determine its exact role in the management of this patient population. This article was designed to outline the current best practice guidelines for the provision of SNB in patients with early-stage OSCC, and to provide a framework for the currently evolving recommendations for its use. These guidelines were prepared by a multidisciplinary surgical/nuclear medicine/pathology expert panel under the joint auspices of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Oncology Committee and the Sentinel European Node Trial Committee

The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaires (ICIQ): An update on status and direction

Aims: In its 22nd year, the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ) project continues to promote its primary objective; the development and dissemination of patient completed questionnaires for the standardized, high-quality assessment of urinary, bowel, and vaginal symptoms. The paper gives an update on the ICIQ in the context of current scientific developments of PROM design and regulatory requirements, and plans are outlined for its future direction. Methods: An online library of all questionnaires, including over 300 translations has been launched to facilitate access through a semi-automated registration system. The ICIQ project continues to update its protocol to meet current scientific standards and incorporate methodological advances within PROM development. Results: Nineteen psychometrically validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are published for use in clinical practice and research, including amongst others, a bladder diary, male and female lower urinary tract symptoms, long term catheter, pad use, and bowel symptom questionnaires. The original ICIQ-UI Short Form for the assessment of urinary incontinence continues to be the most internationally used questionnaire and has been translated into over 60 languages. New questionnaires which are under development include the ICIQ-Underactive Bladder and ICIQ-Satisfaction. We anticipate the new website and online library will further facilitate the ease of dissemination and availability of the questionnaires for clinical practice and research. Conclusion: The ICIQ continues to successfully achieve its primary objective. Going forward, a greater focus on promoting routine clinical use and the potential for electronic integration into databases and medical records is envisaged

Tuolinjalan jyrsintäkiinnittimien suunnittelu

Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli suunnitella robotilla tehtävään kappaleenkäsittelyyn soveltuvat automaattiset jyrsintäkiinnikkeet epäsymmetrisen puusta valmistettavan tuolinjalan jyrsintään. Työ toteutettiin Savon ammatti- ja aikuisopiston puualan tiloihin rakennetussa RFID-tekniikan opetus- ja testausympäristössä. Suunnitteluvaiheessa pyrittiin hyödyntämään olemassa olevien laitteiden ja koneiden, kuten CNC-jyrsimen ja kappaleenkäsittelyrobotin ominaisuuksia jyrsintäkiinnittimien valmistuksessa. Opinnäytetyössä käytiin läpi työkappaleen, jyrsimen ja robotin asettamia vaatimuksia ja niiden huomiointia kiinnittimien suunnittelussa ja pohdittiin RFID-sirun integroinnin mahdollisuuksia työkappaleen työkierron ohjauksessa. Kiinnittimien suunnitteluun käytettiin Autodesk Inventor 3D -suunnitteluohjelmaa, jolla luotiin työn tuloksena syntyneet työkappaleen dimensioiden ja työstövaatimusten perusteella suunnitellut kiinnittimien tietokonemallit. Tietokonemallien pohjalta rakennettiin jyrsintään ja automaattiseen kappaleenvaihtoon soveltuvat jyrsintäkiinnittimet, joiden avulla tuolinjalkojen valmistus onnistuu miehittämättömään tuotantoon soveltuvassa solussa.The objective of this final year project was to design mechanical clamps which would be suitable for being used with a CNC milling machine. The clamps were designed according to the dimensions and design principles of a particular chair leg which is part of the Sakky-chair assembly. The project was commissioned by Savo Vocational Colleges and it is part of the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) project. The design process was started by researching old manual clamps used for attaching the chair leg blank to the milling table. These manual clamps were used as design examples in the beginning of the process. The clamps were designed using Autodesk Inventor 3D CAD software. The clamps were designed to the testing phase and will be manufactured over the coming months. The new automatically controlled clamps were designed to be operated by using negative pressure that is available through the vacuum cups of the milling machines. Handling the blanks and the milled chair legs was designed to be carried out using the available material handling robot. The implementation of RFID tags for transferring milling and handling information in the blanks will be investigated. In order to get the clamp design to work, some minor tweaks to the final design might be necessary. These necessary design tweaks are mostly due to some small dimensional differences between different chair leg blanks used

International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Satisfaction: psychometric testing of a new patient-reported outcome measure for the evaluation of satisfaction after urological surgery

Objectives: To evaluate the psychometric properties of a new patient-reported outcome measure (PROM), the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Satisfaction (ICIQ-S), to assess satisfaction after urological surgery. Subjects/Patients and Methods: Following item development, the developmental ICIQ-S (dICIQ-S) was used within in a randomised control trial comparing two types of surgery for male prostatic obstruction at 1.5, 3, and 12months after surgery. Reliability was assessed by Cronbach’s α and construct validity by the correlation of scores with concurrently administered PROMs of known validity: ICIQ-Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), International Prostate Symptom Score, and the ICIQ-LUTS Quality of Life. Results: A total of 410 men were included in the trial. Missing data was generally low for the dICIQ-S [mean (range) 1.6

The role of community pharmacy in the promotion of continence care : a systematic review

Objectives Community pharmacies are convenient healthcare settings which provide a wide range of services in addition to medicine supply. Continence care is an area where there is an opportunity for the implementation of new innovations to improve clinical and service outcomes. The objective was to systematically evaluate evidence for the effectiveness, safety, acceptability and key determinants of interventions for the promotion and implementation of continence care in the community pharmacy setting. Methods The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews database (PROSPERO: CRD42022322558). The databases Medline, Embase, PsycINFO and CINAHL were searched and supplemented by grey literature searches, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses checklist. In total, 338 titles and abstracts were screened, 20 studies underwent full-text screening and four studies met the inclusion criteria and underwent quality assessment. The results are reported narratively due to the heterogeneity of study designs. Results There was some evidence for the effectiveness of interventions, resulting in increased provision of consumer self-help advice and materials, referrals to other care providers, and an increase in staff knowledge and confidence in continence care. Evidence was inconclusive for clinical outcomes due to small sample sizes and poor follow-up rates. Acceptability of interventions to both pharmacy staff and consumers was generally positive with some frustrations with reimbursement procedures and time constraints. Facilitators of a successful pharmacy-based continence service are likely to include staff training, high-quality self-care resources, increased public awareness, and the establishment of effective referral pathways and appropriate reimbursement (of service providers). Conclusions There is a paucity of evidence regarding the contribution of the community pharmacy sector to continence care. The development of a new pharmacy bladder and bowel service should involve patients, healthcare professionals and policy stakeholders to address the potential barriers and build upon the facilitators identified by this review. Patient summary We identified research that had explored how community pharmacy (chemist) personnel might support people with continence problems (e.g. bladder and bowel leakage). Only four studies were identified, however, they reported that training for pharmacy personnel and providing self-help advice about continence can be successful and was well-received by patients