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Scientist holding a petri dish
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Active with the American Urological Association, Dr. Sarat Sabharwal is a board-certified urologist who practices at Health Orlando in Florida. Among Dr. Sarat Sabharwal’s recent undertakings was a 2018 pilot study on “Using Temporary Prostatic Stents (TPS) to Eliminate Bacterial Colonization in Men with Chronic Indwelling Catheters (Cureus).”
The study points to TPS as an alternative to chronic urinary catheterization, which often results in increased mortality related to symptomatic infection and chronic bacterial colonization. The 22 enrolled males had their indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) removed and cultured as a way of identifying bacterial flora characteristics. In turn, they had five consecutive 30-day cycle TPS placed, with bacterial cultures obtained following the removal of each stent.
The result of the pilot study showed that TPS use effectively interrupted bacterial colonization cycles within men’s urinary tracts. This points to a potentially valuable approach in enabling the elimination of multi-drug-resistant organisms from the urinary tracts of patients living with urinary retention.
The study points to TPS as an alternative to chronic urinary catheterization, which often results in increased mortality related to symptomatic infection and chronic bacterial colonization. The 22 enrolled males had their indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) removed and cultured as a way of identifying bacterial flora characteristics. In turn, they had five consecutive 30-day cycle TPS placed, with bacterial cultures obtained following the removal of each stent.
The result of the pilot study showed that TPS use effectively interrupted bacterial colonization cycles within men’s urinary tracts. This points to a potentially valuable approach in enabling the elimination of multi-drug-resistant organisms from the urinary tracts of patients living with urinary retention.
