Urology Today

Optimizing In-Office Management for BPH, by the Numbers

Ricardo R. Gonzalez, MD, outlines an algorithm to determine optimal in-office BPH treatment options for both patient and practice. Dr. Gonzalez begins by categorizing BPH treatment options by risk and benefit, ranging from non-invasive to open surgical options.

While categorizing BPH treatment options, Dr. Gonzales gives examples of optimal treatment options based on patient presentation and priorities. He walks through the algorithm based on different patient priorities, emphasizing that a systemic approach to BPH treatment is necessary to pair the correct treatment with individual patients.

Read More

Loops, Lasers, Robots, Staples, and Steam: What to Offer for BPH Today and Tomorrow?

Ricardo R. Gonzalez, MD, presents current and emerging novel treatment options for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). He begins by establishing appropriate categorization of Minimally Invasive Surgical Therapies (MIST) versus Surgical (OR) treatment options for BPH, and the patient criteria for each.

Dr. Gonzalez then presents current FDA-approved MIST options for BPH, including steam-based treatments, devices, and implant options, and FDA-approved OR options, including water-based ablation treatments. He then presents patient examples of the presented treatment options, discussing the pros and cons of each option for the patient.

Dr. Gonzalez then discusses emerging treatment options for BPH which have not yet been approved by the FDA. He discusses nitinol prostate stents as an emerging MIST option, and laparoscopic shunting to decrease testosterone around the prostate as an emerging OR option.

Read More

Focal and Salvage Therapies for Prostate Cancer: What’s Worth It and What’s Not?

Peter A. Pinto, MD, examines the current state of focal and salvage therapies for the treatment of prostate cancer, and offers his insights into which therapies are worth pursuing. He begins by addressing various kinds of salvage therapy, acknowledging that salvage therapy is a response to failed focal, radiation, or surgical therapy, and specifying that this presentation will focus on salvage therapy after failed radiation therapy.

Dr. Pinto explains that focal ablation therapy, whole gland ablation therapy, and surgical therapy are the most common salvage therapies after a radiation therapy failure. He recommends using an MRI-based biopsy method over more traditional methods to maximize accuracy in identifying lesions.

Dr. Pinto then recommends focal ablation over whole gland ablation as a salvage therapy after failed radiation therapy due to the high morbidity associated with whole gland ablation. Dr. Pinto concludes by listing the many ablation options for salvage therapy, and presents studies which examined the pros and cons of each option, offering his insights on each study.

Read More

Urology Today

The Urology Today conference will keep urologists, urologic oncologists, and other healthcare providers educated on the most pertinent issues in urology practices. Areas of focus include urologic oncology, men’s health and reconstruction, female urology, pediatric urology, kidney stones and related conditions, and methods of providing the best care amidst the required logistics of the business side of medicine.

Read More