The Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) held its annual Winter Meeting February 25 through February 27, 2021, virtually. The meeting included a robust assortment of presentations spanning a comprehensive Basic/Translational Science Program (co-chairs, Maryrose P. Sullivan, PhD and Larissa V. Rodriguez, MD, FPMRS) and an in-depth Clinical Program (co-chairs, David A. Ginsberg, MD and W. Stuart Reynolds, MD, MPH, FACS). Sandip P. Vasavada, MD, President of SUFU, presided over the meeting.

During the Basic and Translational Science Program, Martin C. Michel, MD gave a keynote lecture entitled “Therapeutic Targets for Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction.” Within overactive bladder (OAB) pharmacotherapy, he identified the greatest need as that of increased efficacy of therapies, particularly for urgency and nocturia. To improve efficacy gains, he advocated for identifying subsets of OAB patients with specific pathophysiology/biomarkers, with the goal of identifying treatments specifically addressing the master switches of such pathophysiology.

A. Lenore Ackerman, MD, PhD led a robust panel discussion entitled “Big Data in Benign Urological Disease.” Dr. Ackerman, along with her panelists, Rosalyn M. Adam, PhD, Catherine Putonti, PhD and Seth Hurley, PhD, vividly described the exciting tools urological scientists are accessing/harnessing. As these investigators unravel the mysteries behind benign urological disease, they are pushing the boundaries of discovery with the use of metagenomics, proteomics and metabolomics. Integration of multiomics data shows promise in continuing to elucidate molecular events within the bladder.

Joonbeom Kwon MD, PhD, of Daegu Fatima Hospital, South Korea, won the “Basic Science Essay Award” for work entitled “Anti-Fibrosis Treatment by Inhibition of VEGF, FGF, and PDGF Receptors Improves Bladder Wall Remodeling and Detrusor Overactivity in Association with Modulation of C-Fiber Afferent Activity in Mice with Spinal Cord Injury.” Conclusions found that anti-fibrosis treatment using nintedanib, which inhibits receptors of VEGF, FGF and PDGF, improved lower urinary tract dysfunction and bladder fibrosis in mice with spinal cord injury. Nintedanib-induced improvement of detrusor over activity was likely mediated by modulation of bladder C-fiber afferent activity.

Raymond Xu, MD won “Best Poster Award” for his work finding “Bladder Hydrodistension Does Not Significantly Change Gene Expression in the Bladder Mucosa: Validation of the Use of Samples from Non-hydrodistended Patients as Controls.”

Sundharamani Venkitapathi won “Best Poster Award” for work entitled “Role of Type 3 Fimbrae in Mediating K. Pneumoniae Attachment and Invasion to Host Bladder Epithelial Cells.”

During the Clinical Program, Amy Rosenman, MD provided her insights into “Hysteropexy: A Twenty-Year Experience.” She eloquently noted that, for the appropriately selected patient, uterine-sparing intervention should be a part of the discussion for surgical management of pelvic organ prolapse. She emphasized that some patients may not seek care at all if this is not considered.

Stephen R. Kraus, MD, MBA, FACS provided an update on the SUFU OAB Clinical Care Pathway (CCP). The SUFU OAB CCP is meant to be an easy-to-use companion to the AUA/SUFU guidelines, assisting providers with an enhanced ability to offer additional lines of therapy. A smart phone app, SUFU CCP “My Bladder,” meant to serve as a digital navigator, will be coming online soon; the app will include a bladder diary function, in addition to likely housing a voluntary patient registry as well.

Adrian Wagg, MB, BS, FRCP(Lond), FRCP (Edin), FHEA gave expert insight into the “Acute and Long-Term Impact of Anticholinergics.” He reported that antimuscarinic drugs are a heterogenous group, based on mode of delivery, formulation and pharmacokinetics, with these factors influencing risk of central nervous system adverse effects. While current data are focused on therapies, such as oxybutynin immediate release, with well-known central effects, more long-term evaluation/data are needed on drugs with favorable pharmacokinetic profiles.

Edward J. McGuire, MD, one of the founders of our specialty, passed away on February 16, 2021, at the age of 81. He was movingly eulogized during the meeting by J. Quentin Clemens, MD. Dr. McGuire taught us about the importance of low-pressure urine storage in preventing kidney damage, the usefulness of urodynamics, and the ability of slings and injections to treat stress urinary incontinence. Dr. Clemens noted he had an innate ability to see into the essence of things. His proudest accomplishment was his role as a teacher and mentor to his residents and fellows.

Tracey S. Wilson, MD, FACS, FPMRS led a panel discussion with Larissa V. Rodriguez, MD, FPMRS and Yahir Santiago-Lastra, MD, FPMRS, regarding bias and underrepresented minorities in FPMRS and Academic Medicine. Dr. Rodriguez noted evidence which demonstrates that diversity of thought and people leads to ideas that catalyze creativity and problem-solving; diversity leads to excellence. She highlighted unconscious/implicit bias as affecting interactions and decisions. Dr. Santiago-Lastra presented information finding that health disparity is really health inequity. When examining race as a risk factor, consider looking deeper into the social determinants of health. Dr. Wilson discussed being black in urology and the need for multi-level support of underrepresented minorities with pipeline programs (including early mentorship), recruitment and retention efforts.

Additional highlights of presented work include: Jennifer Locke, MD, won the “Clinical Essay Award” for work entitled “Characterizing the Cortical Pathways Underlying Visual Trigger Induced Urinary Urgency Incontinence by Functional MRI.” Claire C. Yang, MD won the “Top Podium Award” for her work examining “Early Chemodenervation of Detrusor After Spinal Cord Injury Can Reduce Bladder Fibrosis and Hypertrophy.” Dmitry Volkin, MD won the “Best Video Award” for his work entitled “Robotic Assisted Repair of Perineal Bladder Hernia.”

The 2021 SUFU award winners, representing our specialty and mission so very well, included: Eric S. Rovner, MD (Distinguished Service Award), Tamera G. Bavendam, MD, MS (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Una J. Lee MD, FPMRS (Zimskind Award). E. Ann Gormley, MD received the National Association For Continence – Continence Care Champion Award.

There were so many valuable and high-yield presentations during the SUFU Virtual Meeting 2021, it was impossible to encompass all of them in this report. That being said, many of the presentations from the 2021 Virtual Meeting are now archived on the SUFU website and available for on-demand viewing with SUFU membership (https://sufuorg.com/meetings/past/videos/2021presentations.aspx).