Fiona C. Burkhard, MD, Author at Grand Rounds in Urology

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD

Bern University

Bern, Switzerland

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD, is Chairwoman for Female Urology, Reconstructive Urology and Neurourology and Extraordinaria Ad Personam for Functional Urology at Bern University in Switzerland. Dr. Burkhard’s research interests include neuro-urology, bladder reconstruction, urodynamics, incontinence, and molecular mechanisms of the lower urinary tract. In collaboration with Prof. K. Monastyrskaia and funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, her research over the past decade has focused on the molecular mechanisms of bladder dysfunction and potential clinical application.

Dr. Burkhard earned her medical degree from the University of Zurich in Switzerland. She then completed a residency in Urology at Bern University in Switzerland. Dr. Burckhard completed a fellowship in Female Urology and Voiding Dysfunction at Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas. She is the first female urologist to be a member of the scientific office of the European Association of Urology, and was invited to join the incontinence guidelines group for the association.

Dr. Burkhard is a Co-Founder and Clinical Advisor of URODEA.. She is an active researcher, and in collaboration with the urogenital engineering group headed by Dr. F. Clavica, designed an in vitro urinary tract mimicking normal urinary tract function as a testing platform for ureteral stents. Dr. Burckhard is currently involved with an interdisciplinary randomized clinical trial in collaboration with Ass. Prof. C. Thurnheer-Zürcher (Dept. of Infectious Diseases) and Prof. P. Wüthrich (Dept. of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine), which focuses on optimizing perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in major urological surgery. She has authored and co-authored over 230 publications featured in the International Urogynecology Journal, BMC Urology, JAMA Network Open, International Journal of Medical Sciences, and Computers in Biology and Medicine.

Talks by Fiona C. Burkhard, MD

The Making of the Ileal Orthotopic Bladder Substitute with an Afferent Tubular Segment: In Memory of Prof. Urs Studer

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD | Oct 2024

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD, presented “The Making of the Ileal Orthotopic Bladder Substitute with an...

Management of Late Complications after Continent Urinary Diversion: Case Presentations

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD | Oct 2024

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD, presents an in-depth analysis of the management of late complications following continent urinary diversion, using case presentations to illustrate key challenges and approaches.

In this 18-minute talk, Dr. Burkhard discusses the most common late complications, including metabolic disturbances, stone formation, and stricture development. Her case presentations vividly demonstrate how these complications can manifest in diverse ways. She provides detailed accounts of surgical and non-surgical treatment options.

Orthotopic Bladder Substitutes in Females: Why We Should Do It

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD | Jun 2024

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD, explores the benefits of orthoptic reconstruction and nerve-sparing cystectomies for female patients. She begins by outlining factors involved in the decline of orthoptic reconstruction as a whole, including the popularity of non-nerve-sparing cystectomies over continent diversion surgeries.

Dr. Burkhard challenges the perceived superiority of non-nerve-sparing cystectomies over continent diversion surgeries. She presents multiple studies which support that cystectomies had inferior or comparable outcomes to diversion in terms of functional outcomes and urethral involvement.

Dr. Burkhard examines the differences in optimizing results for male versus female bladder cancer patients. She examines the data supporting the importance of nerve-sparing surgeries for female patients in preserving continence.

Dr. Burkhard concludes by examining the benefits of using orthoptic bladder substitutes in preserving female sexual function and preventing pelvic organ prolapse. She notes that organ-sparing cystectomies allow for female patients to become pregnant post-surgery, and that they have a lower impact on patient body image than ileal conduits.

Management of Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction: Surgical Options with Reference to the Guidelines

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD | May 2024

Fiona C. Burkhard, MD, discusses the surgical management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD). Dr. Burkhard begins with an overview of the prevalence of NLUTD, its patterns related to spinal cord injury (SCI), and treatment goals. She summarizes guidelines from the European Association of Urology (EAU), the American Urological Association (AUA) and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) regarding the surgical management of NLUTD.

Dr. Burkhard then describes clam ileocystoplasty, and shares data on the procedures’ success in stabilizing renal function and preventing anatomical deterioration. She cautions that lifelong follow-up is essential. Dr. Burkhard shares quality-of-life (QoL) data showing improvement after augmentation.

She addresses additional EAU, AUA, and SUFU guidelines on urinary diversion, before highlighting data on sex differences in bladder management, symptoms, and satisfaction after SCI. Dr. Burkhard addresses reflux prevention, bladder outlet, and catheterization issues.

Dr. Burkhard summarizes her lecture by emphasizing that, while variations exist in the grading of recommendations, overall recommendations for treatment are similar across guidelines. She reiterates the importance of the patient’s perspective and lifelong follow-up in highlighting the advantages of surgical management.