This Week's Faculty Profile - Jeffrey Schiff, MD

This week's faculty profile is on Jeffrey Schiff, MD.  Dr. Schiff graduated from SUNY-Downstate Urology residency and is currently an Assistant Professor in Urology and the Director of Adult Urology at University Hospital-Brooklyn.

Describe Your Clinical Practice:  "I treat all adult urologic conditions including cancers of the genitourinary tract.  Prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer are included in the scope of my practice as well as many Urologic issues that affect quality of life such as BPH, impotence, kidney stones, male infertility, and urinary incontinence."

Residency:  Urology, SUNY-Downstate Health Sciences Center,  Brooklyn, NY

Medical School:  Tufts University School of Medicine,  Medford/Somerville, MA

Undergraduate:  University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana,  Urbana, IL

Clinical Interests:  Kidney Stone Disease, BPH, Prostate Cancer, Kidney Cancer, Bladder Cancer, Urinary Tract Infections, Incontinence, Elevated PSA, Hematuria, Prostatitis, Impotence, Male Hypogonadism, Interstitial Cystitis, Male Infertility

To make an appointment with Dr. Schiff, call (718) 270-2554

NOTES - Natural Orifice Transgastric Endoscopic Surgery

Now being utilized throughout the world for a variety of surgical procedures, Natural Orifice Transgastric endoscopic surgery is starting to emerge as an option for renal surgery when other approaches are not feasible.

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Cancer Screening in the Elderly Population on the Rise

A new study from the University of Connecticut published in this month's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine states that the elderly population is being more extensively screened for breast, colorectal, prostate, and cervical cancer.  The US Preventative Services Task Force, the same organization that recently spoke out decidedly against PSA in the use for prostate cancer screening, currently recommends that those 75 years or over should not be routinely screened for these diseases, and informed use of testing should be employed for this population of patients.  Although most medical screening tests are relatively cheap, easy, and accessbile, these factors do not justify using them, unless they overall make a difference in patient quality of life or survival.  Any Urologist who has seen an octogenarian for a PSA of 4.6 can attest to that.  To decide if a any medical screening test is necessitated should ultimately be determined by an informed physician who has the means to act judiciously, no matter what the result.

Illegal Kidney Transplants on the Rise in Egypt

The Coalition for Organ Failure Solutions published a report today outlining the shocking number of illegal kidney transplants performed in Egypt.  In addition to the near 1000 licensed kidney transplantations, approximately 100-200 unlicensed transplants are performed every year.  The reports state that Sudanese refugees are targeted for these procedures, even more shocking the report includes video testimonies, ultrasound reports, and medical records indicting those involved.  Learn more about the story here.  Doctors have organized a group to spread awareness and prevent future illegal organ transplantations from occuring.

FDA Approves Topical Oxybutynin for OAB

In Pharma News today the FDA approved an 3% topical once daily dose of oxybutynin gel, 84mg, to those who suffer from overactive bladder.  OAB is essentially urinary urgency and frequency without any other associated condition and can be accompanied by urinary incontinence in some cases.  Oxybutynin can be used to effectively treat this condition, which affects millions of people worldwide and has been shown to affect about 16% of adult men and women.  Learn more about overactive bladder here. 

NY Section Annual Meeting

We wish all the program leadership the best in Paris & Normandy, France at the 2011 meeting of the New York Section of the AUA!