To analyze the pattern of speaker activity related to both flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) during plenary sessions at the main (endo)urological international meetings over the last 10 years.
We reviewed the meeting programs of the main endourological international meetings (EAU, AUA, WCE, and SIU) during 2011-2019. We detected all invited speakers at plenary sessions regarding fURS or PCNL. The proportion of fURS and PCNL talks was evaluated yearly during the study period. In order to analyze plenary session speaker composition, we estimated and compared the mean number of talks per speaker according to surgical technique. We also analyzed possible differences in age distribution according to the topic of the talk as well as the presence of young (i.e., < 45 years) speakers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
During the last 10 years, a total of 498 plenary talks were found. Of those, 260 (52.2%), 211 (42.4%), and 27 (5.4%) discussed PCNL, fURS, or both, respectively. PCNL was more frequently discussed at the beginning and the end of the study period. Mean [SD] number of talks per speaker was higher for PCNL (2.9 [3.4] vs 1.6 [1.4], p < 0.001), meaning that a wider variety of speakers was invited to give fURS talks. Speakers discussing fURS were younger (median [interquartile range, IQR] age 48 [44-56] vs 52 [47-60] years, p < 0.001), and a higher proportion of young speakers was observed in the fURS group (26% vs 15% p < 0.001). PCNL speakers were more commonly discussing fURS than fURS speakers discussing PCNL (23% vs 17%, p = 0.43).
We found a wider variety of speakers at fURS plenary sessions as compared to PCNL ones. It is easier and quicker to become an internationally recognized expert in the field of fURS rather than PCNL. PCNL speakers were able to master fURS more frequently than the other way around.
World journal of urology. 2022 Nov 29 [Epub ahead of print]
Eugenio Ventimiglia, Francesca Quadrini, Felipe Pauchard, Luca Villa, Luigi Candela, Silvia Proietti, Guido Giusti, Amelia Pietropaolo, Bhaskar K Somani, Ioannis Kartalas Goumas, Andrea Salonia, Steeve Doizi, Olivier Traxer
Groupe de Recherche Clinique sur la Lithiase Urinaire, Hôpital Tenon, Sorbonne Université, GRC n°20, 75020, Paris, France., Department of Urology, Ausl Bologna-Ospedale Maggiore Carlo Alberto Pizzardi, Bologna, Italy., Department of Urology, Hospital Carlos Van Buren, Valparaiso, Chile., Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI-Urological Research Institute, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, 20132, Milan, Italy., Service d'Urologie, Assistance-Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Tenon, Sorbonne Université, 4 rue de la Chine, 75020, Paris, France., Department of Urology, European Training Center in Endourology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy., Department of Urology, University Hospital Southampton NHS Trust, Southampton, UK., Department of Urology, Istituto Clinico Beato Matteo, Vigevano, Italy., Groupe de Recherche Clinique sur la Lithiase Urinaire, Hôpital Tenon, Sorbonne Université, GRC n°20, 75020, Paris, France. .