Aims: To perform a systematic review to assess and compare the efficacy and safety of all urethral bulking agents (UBAs) available for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women.Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guideline. A systematic search was conducted using the Ovid Medline, Embase and PubMed databases. Studies were included if they involved women who underwent either Bulkamid®, Macroplastique®, Durasphere®, Coaptite®, or Urolastic® injections for the treatment of SUI. A total of 583 articles were screened with 56 articles included. A qualitative analysis was performed.Results: The newer synthetic UBAs are not inferior to Contigen®, with variable mean success rates of 30%-80% in the short-term. Better long-term success rates were found with Bulkamid® (42%-70%), Coaptite® (60%-75%), and Macroplastique® (21%-80%) on qualitative review. Urinary tract infection rates were similar between bulking agents (4%-10.6%) although temporary acute urinary retention was more commonly associated with Coaptite® (mean: 34.2%), and de novo urgency in Durasphere® (mean: 24.7%). Significant complications such as migration into lymph nodes was reported with Dura-sphere®. Erosion was reported with Macroplastique®, Coaptite®, and Urolastic®, with a rate as high as 24.6% in one study of Urolastic®. Conclusion: Available data support the use of Bulkamid® and Macro-plastique®, which has shown a short-term efficacy of 30%-90% and 40%-85% respectively, and long-term efficacy of 42%-70%, and 21%-80%, respectively. Bulkamid® appears to have a more favorable safety profile, with no cases of erosion or migration of product associated with its use. Direct comparisons of UBAs have not been performed.

Background: A key metric of the research quality of medical conferences is the publication rate of abstracts. The study objective was to determine the publication rate of abstracts presented at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Congress (RACS ASC) and to examine for any predictive factors associated with publication. Methods: Abstracts presented at the RACS ASC from 2011 to 2013 were analysed. Abstract characteristics such as presentation format, study type, study design, study site, cohort size and author origin were recorded. Abstracts published were identified by a PubMed search using a strict algorithm. Univariate and multivariable logistic regressions were used to analyse for predictive factors of publication. Results: Overall, 1438 abstracts were presented and 423 abstracts (29%) were published. The median time to publication was 15.2 months (interquartile range: 8-26) with 110 in Australasian journals (26%). The median number of citations for published abstracts was 6 (interquartile range: 2-16). After multivariable analysis, publication was significantly associated with prospective study design (odds ratio (OR) = 1.34, P = 0.02), multicentre study site (OR = 1.43, P = 0.02), cohort size ≥100 (OR = 2.00, P < 0.001) and New Zealand author origin (OR = 1.50, P = 0.01). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that less than one-third of abstracts presented at the RACS ASC are subsequently published in a peer-reviewed journal. Factors significantly associated with journal publication include prospective studies, multicentre study, a larger cohort size and New Zealand author origin. Advances in surgery may progress from the preliminary findings of conference abstracts. However only after the rigorous peer review offered by journal publication should changes in decision-making of patient care occur.

Aims: This study aims to describe the effects of radical prostatectomy (RP) on bladder function by performing a systematic review of urodynamics study findings before and after RP. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guideline and registered on PROSPERO (CRD42020206844). A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase. Studies were included if they involved men who underwent RP and had urodynamics study performed preoperatively, postoperatively, or both. Studies that included only subgroups of patients based on symptoms were excluded. Three hundred and four articles were screened, with 20 articles included. A qualitative analysis was performed. Results: The rate of baseline bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) pre-RP was 19%-67%. All six studies with comparative data pre-and postoperatively demonstrated a decrease in the rate of patients with equivocal or clear obstruction. The baseline rates of detrusor overactivity (DO) varied widely from 11% to 61.2%. Six of eight studies with 6 months or more follow-up showed an improvement in the rates of DO ranging from 3.0% to 12.5%. The rate of de novo DO ranged from 0% to 54.5%. Four studies reported an increased rate of impaired bladder contractility and two of three studies showed a worsening rate of impaired bladder compliance following RP. This review is limited by the absence of level I/II studies. Conclusions: Urodynamics study shows that BOO is improved following RP in most patients. RP resolves DO in some patients and cause de novo DO in others. The net effect is a reduced overall rate of DO in most studies. Bladder compliance and contractility may be impaired after RP.

Periprostatic abscess is a rare complication of hydrogel spacers in radiotherapy for prostate cancer. We present the case of a 61-year-old man who developed this condition. Abdominopelvis CT scan revealed a 54×35×75 mm collection in the location of the SpaceOAR, for which ultrasound-guided transperineal percutaneous drainage of the periprostatic abscess was performed. The patient remains well with serial CT scans showing near resolution of the collection.

is a urethral bulking agent (UBA) commonly used in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). However, long-term clinical data are limited. The aim of this study was to describe outcomes associated with PAHG injections in women with SUI. The primary outcome was treatment success. Secondary outcomes included incontinence impact, urinary distress, pain under local anaesthesia, willingness to refer PAHG treatment to a friend, and adverse events.