Columbia Urology

Blake Jon Rego

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:26:50 -0500

Dear Dr. Benson,

I just wanted to take this moment to thank you for all that you did for me in regards to my surgery. As you can imagine, I found you at a particularly stressful time at my life. With only two semesters separating me from the real world, my mind was cluttered with the thought of making career decisions, GREs, graduate school admissions, job applications, and of course, finishing my degree. Life threw me a true curve ball in the form of a tumor on one of my kidneys to top off the things I had to think about. I then had to find a doctor in the New York area while all doctors that I, and my family, knew previously were in the Miami area.

However, it was at this time when I was fortunate enough to be introduced to you via your colleague Dr. Katz. From my first appointment with you, I felt confident that I was in good hands. From the pages of acclaim I read beforehand about your medical excellence, to your confident demeanor while reading about my case, my mind was put at a greater ease. Doctors I had spoken to before I stepped into your office described potential procedures to be technically very difficult (unless they did a full, rather than partial nephrectomy).

I understand that you normally don't deal with my insurance provider and that you went out of your way to help me. You took my case almost at charity. Words cannot express how much that meant to me (although I'll do my best in this note). I deeply appreciate what you did for my family and me and I hope someday I will be able to return the favor.

This experience was more than just a surgery to me, however. It opened my eyes to realize that there are truly remarkable people out there (like yourself) who genuinely care about humanity more than they do their financial gains. As far as I see it, you allowed me, a virtually perfect stranger to walk into your office before you gave me the world's premiere medical treatment. I will never forget that. You showed me that the "selfless act" is far more than an academic construct we learn about in our contemporary civilization component of our core curriculum. I have been given a first hand empirical example of this on a life changing scale. I will carry this experience with me as I move forward. I hope to someday do for someone else something similar that which you have done for me.

I would also like you to know that I am now (and have been for some months now) fully recovered from my surgery and enjoying my life. This past May I successfully graduated from Columbia with a degree in physics. After a breathtaking trip to Europe, I have started my new career in Boston, Massachusetts at a start up Software Company known as Tamale. As I embark on this new chapter in my life, I now truly appreciate what a peace of mind a clean bill of health affords me.

Thank you again for everything you have done for my family and me. From examining my case, to performing my surgery, I could not have asked for anything more. All the best to you and your family.

Respectfully Yours,
Blake Jon Rego

Investigators at the Children's Hospital of New York Announce a Breakthrough in Hypospadias Surgery

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:50:25 -0500

A group of investigators at the Children's Hospital of New York have reported a significant breakthrough in the management of patients undergoing hypospadias surgery at that institution. The group under the direction of Dr. Terry W. Hensle has looked at 64 patients undergoing distal hypospadias repair over a 3 year period. The investigators used short term postoperative catheterization removing the urethral stent less than 24 hours after the procedure with results which are comparable to if not better than series where the catheter was left in for a much longer period of time.

Dr. Hensle, who is The Given Foundation Professor of Urology at The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, described the change as significant in terms of patient care and postoperative management. The majority of patients undergoing a tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIP) repair have the catheter left in somewhere between 3 and 7 days. Dr. Chad Ritch, another one of the investigators, described the widespread acceptance on the part of parents having only short term catheterization for their child following this kind of surgery.

The group looked at overall success rate, including complications, and found that the overall group had a urethrocutaneous fistula rate of 6%, which is lower than most reported series where the catheter is left in for a much longer period of time. There was no evidence of other postoperative complications, such as postoperative meatal stenosis or bleeding. Dr. Hensle described the change in postoperative management as significant and the real benefit not only for the child, but for the parents undergoing this kind of stressful and often complicated postoperative care.

At present, all patients undergoing primary hypospadias repair will have short term catheterizations, unless there is some contraindication such as those having had previous urethral surgery or complex proximal primary hypospadias lesions. Further information can be obtained through the Division of Pediatric Urology at 212-305-8510 or by contacting Dr. Hensle directly by email at twhenslemd@aol.com.

Prostate Cancer Question Forum

Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:31:17 -0500

COLUMBIA UROLOGY MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY TEAM PRESENTS CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AT INTERNATIONAL MEETING

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:46:42 -0500

The Columbia Urology minimally invasive surgery team presented their latest research findings at the World Congress of Endourology meeting in Shanghai, China. Over 15 research presentations were made in front of an International audience.

Dr. Ketan K. Badani presented on the latest robotic surgery updates, and delivered the State-of-the-Art lecture on Long-term Outcomes of Robotic Prostatectomy. Dr. Jaime Landman moderated a live surgery on laparoscopic nephrectomy using single port access. Dr. Mantu Gupta held a panel on managment of challenging kidney stone cases.

COLUMBIA ROBOTIC SURGERY TEAM PRESENTS LATEST RESEARCH AT WORLD CONGRESS OF ENDOUROLOGY

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:39:10 -0500

The Columbia Robotic Surgery team led by Dr. Ketan Badani presented their latest research this month at the World Congress of Endourology in Shanghai, China. "We presented our finding on improved sexual function after robotic prostatectomy with use of PDE-5I therapy. In addition, we discussed the importance of age and pre-operative International prostate symptom score (IPSS) as strong predictors of early continence after surgery" says Dr. Badani.

5-Year Outcomes after Percutaneous Ablation of Obstructing Parapelvic Renal Cysts

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:09:35 -0500

Dr. Mantu Gupta and colleagues' article "Water under the Bridge: 5-Year Outcomes after Percutaneous Ablation of Obstructing Parapelvic Renal Cysts," was published in the October 2007 issue of Journal of Endourology.

Click here for an abstract of the article. (From the abstract, you can access the full article).

Evolution of Robotic Radical Prostatectomy

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:29:12 -0500

Dr. Ketan Badani and colleagues' article on the "Evolution of Robotic Radical Prostatectomy, an Assessment After 2766 Procedures," was published in the November 1, 2007 issue of Cancer, a journal of the American Cancer Society.

Click here for an abstract of the article. (From the abstract, you can access the full article).

Optimizing Robotic Renal Surgery

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 14:51:23 -0500

In a Journal of Endourology article, published in March of 2008, Columbia Urology's Dr. Ketan Badani and his co-authors discuss how the Lateral Camera Port Placement Technique helps surgeons improve their range of motion during robotic renal surgery.

Click here for an abstract of the article. (From the abstract, you can access the full article).