What's Happening at Vista: March 2017 Edition

Vista Urology has been busy the past several months. Here is an update on their recent contributions and activities

Know Your Stats But Don't Be A Number

Dr. Potts recalls when she was in medical school, one of her professors emphasized the importance of treating patients rather than numbers. Because of this she wants to empower you so that you are NOT treated like a number!

Here is an excerpt from that news article:

"Years later, this lesson could not be more poignant, when the PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test was introduced as a screening test for prostate cancer. As I counseled so many about their PSA results and biopsied thousands more, “treat patients, not numbers!” echoed in my mind every single day. As early as 1996, every “simple” blood test I ordered, was a shared decision moment with my patients, and so was the choice to proceed with a biopsy. My primary purpose was to assuage fear, rather than to capitalize on it! Over the years I performed fewer prostate biopsies and also helped men become more comfortable with the option of active surveillance in lieu of surgery or radiation when prostate cancer was diagnosed.."

Read more about her passionate blog on our site by clicking here»

Dr Potts Radio Interview On Pelvic Messenger

On April 2, 2015 Dr. Potts was interviewed by the Pelvic Messenger, which is supported by the International Pelvic Pain Society and Beyond Basics Physical Therapy, and is devoted to promote diagnoses, recovery, and success in treating Chronic Pelvic Pain (CPP) conditions in men, women and children. Their mission statement is to provide educational talk radio shows on various chronic pelvic pain topics. In addition, they seek to provide hope and healing to individuals who suffer from pain related symptoms. Below is the radio interview with Dr. Potts.

Listen and read the details of this interview here»

Bladder Health Month Recap

November is Bladder Health Month. This past November Vista Urology added 6 topics to help its followers understand these conditions. Here is a recap of those topics for those who missed them:

1. 

   Urinary incontinence is defined as “an involuntary loss of urine that causes a social or hygienic problem”.  It is typically classified as being “stress”, “urge”, or “mixed”.  Stress incontinence implies loss of urine under physically stressful conditions—coughing, sneezing, lifting, and exercising.  It does NOT mean that you are stressed out (although wetting yourself at the gym can certainly be stressful).  Urge incontinence implies losing urine due to a sudden urge to void that cannot be suppressed or delayed.  Mixed incontinence means both types of leakage exist together. Read more about Urinary Incontinence here»

    

2. 

   No lower urinary tract symptom is more bothersome than nocturia (getting up at night to urinate).  And yet, family physicians, gynecologists, urologists, and other specialists consistently either ignore or mistreat nocturia.  Nocturia is not one disease but a single symptom that can result from a wide variety of underlying disorders.  A great deal of progress has been made in diagnosing the cause of nocturia but few patients seem to have benefitted from the new knowledge.Read more about Nocturia here»

    

3. 

   Bladder cancer, as most cancers, actually presents as a spectrum of disease ranging from extremely indolent cases to extremely aggressive, life-threatening cases.  Bladder cancer is strongly associated with tobacco use and with some other inflammatory states (chronic bladder stones, chronic bladder infection, long-term catheter use, etc.) and with exposure to certain toxins like textile dyes.  However, it does not appear to be associated with Bladder Pain Syndrome/Interstitial Cystitis or with Overactive Bladder. Read more about Bladder Cancer here»

    

4. 

   Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) affect all segments of the population but particularly plague adult women.  Most urinary tract infections are simple bladder infections and are usually easily treated.  However, serious urinary infections involving the kidneys can be life-threatening and even simple cystitis can cause a major loss of quality of life.  The causes, treatment, and prevention of infection vary depending on the age, sex, and medical condition of the particular patient.Read more about Urinary Tract Infections here»

    

5. 

   Interstitial Cystitis and Bladder Pain Syndrome are unrelated conditions. They occur in different patient populations, have different underlying physiologies, different prognoses, and different treatment algorithms.

   Bladder Pain Syndrome is only a syndrome, not a specific disease. It actually represents a variety of different disorders that all manifest similar symptoms (think about a brain tumors, migraines, and dehydration all causing headaches).  Successful treatment requires defining the phenotype of each patient.Read more about Interstitial Cystitis here»

    

6. 

   The term “Neurogenic Bladder” means that a person with lower urinary tract symptoms has a particular neurologic disorder which is logically felt to be the cause of the symptoms.  For example, a person who suffered a stroke ends up with urine leakage due to severe urgency or another patient with long-standing diabetes ends up requiring a catheter to empty the bladder.  While “neurogenic bladder” might appear to be a very specific, scientific term, it actually conveys very little useful information.  In the context of the examples above it is important to realize that severe stroke patients may have no urge at all and be completely unable to urinate and that the most common urinary tract abnormality with diabetes is overactive bladder, not retention.  Neurogenic bladder disorders cover a wide spectrum ranging from severe, progressive cases that may lead to kidney failure on one end, to relatively mild and stable dysfunction that rarely requires intervention on the other.  Each case is unique.Read more about Neurogenic Bladder here»

Dr Potts Lectured At Grant Family Medicine Conference and Family Reunion

Dr Potts was an invited lecturer to the Grant Family Medicine Conference and Family Reunion, in Columbus, Ohio. Her lecture was entitled, "Prostate Cancer Screening: What went wrong and what can we do about it?"

Dr Potts explained the history of misuse and overuse of PSA, the risks of biopsies and unnecessary treatments. However, she believes the USPSTF (United States Preventive Services Task Force) "D" recommendation, against all screening, went too far. The USPSTF concluded that screening had led to more harm than benefit. While this is true, it is equally disturbing that the few men who would genuinely benefit from screening and treatment are now not evaluated at all! In other words, because physicians mishandled screening and treatment, screening itself is being condemned?!

What Dr. Potts conveyed to the audience was a need for individualized, shared decision making. Her lecture went on to explain how to re-frame a more thoughtful approach. Dr Potts strongly recommended that PCP's be better at performing digital rectal exams and understanding how to improve interpretation of PSA's as well as newer markers such as PSA isoforms.She also discussed Risk Calcultors available as Apps, such as the Rotterdam. And briefly explained the current status of MRI and Fusion Biopsy.

Dr Payne Visits Niger & Burkina Faso

Dr Payne traveled on a 10 day trip to Niger and Burkina Faso with Worldwide Fistula Fund in November. He attended a board meeting and performed surgery in Niger, met with University Chief of Urology and the National Minister of Health in BF to discuss expanding operations into the country.

Read More & View Photos Of Dr. Paynes Visit To Niger & Burkina Faso Here»