NYP/Weill Cornell Urologists Present At 2007 AUA Conference

Main Category: Urology / Nephrology
Also Included In: Erectile Dysfunction / Premature Ejaculation;  Sexual Health / STDs;  Conferences
Article Date: 21 May 2007 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center urologists are presenting exciting new research at the 2007 American Urological Association (AUA) Conference in Anaheim, May 19 - May 24. Among the most significant presentations are the following:

Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome Lead to Erectile Dysfunction -- An AUA Press Highlight
POD43, May 22, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Increasing evidence has identified urinary tract symptoms or sexual dysfunction as a reflection of overall health. Drs. Steven Kaplan and Alexis Te, director of the Brady Prostate Center at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell, have found that obese men and men with metabolic syndrome -- a group of conditions that often occur together, including obesity, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and high triglycerides, which can lead to cardiovascular disease -- have higher incidences of urological erectile dysfunction. The study explores how lifestyle can affect the risk of other, previously unlinked, urological problems.

Vasectomy Reversal More Effective Than Assisted Reproductive Techniques
POD50, May 23, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Vasectomy reversal may be more successful than assisted -reproductive techniques, such as sperm retrieval, for men who have had a vasectomy, but later decide to have children with their partner. Dr. Richard Lee will present findings of this study -- of which Dr. Peter Schlegel, Weill Cornell urology chair, is senior author -- during a podium session on Wednesday morning.

Dr. Lee is also presenting research (MP03, May 19, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.) on the treatment of men who have the most severe forms of male infertility. This study shows that in this circumstance, sperm retrieval with In Vitro Fertilization Therapy (IVF) is the most successful and cost-effective treatment for these infertile men.

Special Robotic Procedure Preserves Continence and Sexual Function in Prostate Removal (See below for presentations and times)

The fear of incontinence is often a key factor in a patient's decision for or against prostatectomy. Dr. Ashutosh Tewari, director of Robotic Prostatectomy and Outcomes Research, and Dr. E. Darracott Vaughan, emeritus chairman of the Department of Urology and The James J. Colt Professor of Urology, have developed a procedure that takes only an additional two to five minutes to rebuild the anatomy of a prostatectomy patient to improve urinary continence. "We reconstruct the major anatomical players controlling urinary continence," says Dr. Tewari. "The technique entails no extra cost and very little added time in the operating room, although surgeons would have to be trained, of course."

Dr. Tewari will be presenting his research (MP20, May 21, 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.) showing that after 16 weeks following surgery, 95 percent of the 50 patients who received the new procedure achieved full continence, according to findings published in a recent issue of the journal Urology.

Robotic surgery has also been shown to improve another common side effect of prostatectomy -- erectile dysfunction. Dr. Tewari will be presenting a video (VID06, May 22, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) and poster (MP01, May 19, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.) demonstrating the use of robotic surgery to spare nerves controlling erection, in addition to a live demonstration of robotic prostatectomy, transmitted live from NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital to the conference in Anaheim, Calif.

Robotic Surgery for Bladder Removal
POD10, May 20, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Robotic prostatectomy has been well demonstrated, but now, Dr. Douglas Scherr, clinical director of Urologic Oncology, extends the use of robotic surgery for cancerous bladder removal. Dr. Scherr has shown that use of a robot for cystectomy -- bladder removal -- is safe and shortens the required period of hospitalization as well as overall patient recovery time when compared with traditional surgical methods.

Osteoporosis in Young Men
MP62, May 23, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Osteoporosis -- a skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength, due to low bone density, and leading to a high risk of bone fracture -- is most commonly found in older women. But Dr. Darius Paduch has identified a subset of young men with low levels of testosterone at high risk for the disorder.

Forty percent of the male study group under the age of 40 and with infertility and sexual dysfunction were found to have abnormal bone density. Six percent of the study group already had diagnosable osteoporosis. Dr. Paduch believes that his research demonstrates the importance of doctors testing testosterone levels, and in the case of low levels of the hormone, subsequently checking bone density levels. Doing so may help to identify those at risk for osteoporosis before the disorder has progressed.

Experts Available for Commentary on Breaking News and Other Stories at AUA Conference

NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell experts are available for commentary on the following topics and breaking news (see AUA Press Kit for specifics) at the 2007 American Urological Association (AUA) Meeting in Anaheim:

-- Changes in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer
-- Statins and urology
-- Tissue engineering and urology
-- Erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms
-- General urology
-- Bladder health
-- Infertility
-- Kidney health
-- Prostate health
-- Sexual health
-- Pediatric urology

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital
425 East 61st St., Fl. 7
New York, NY 10021
United States
http://www.nyp.org