The 70th Annual Meeting of the Societies for Pediatric Urology (SPU) will be held in conjunction with the AUA Annual Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana (May 14, 2022, Hilton New Orleans Riverside). We are looking forward to an exciting, in-person educational program of interest to all urologists!

Along with Associate Program Chair Dr. Gina Lockwood (University of Iowa), we have worked with SPU leadership and the AUA to produce an outstanding program. We have superb moderators and speakers from around the world. The Pediatric Program, in conjunction with the AUA, includes panel discussions and debates, podium presentations, moderated poster sessions and the distinguished Meredith Campbell Lecture and Duckett Lectures over the course of the weekend.

The SPU program on Saturday, May 14 from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. will include sessions on multiple urological conditions including neurogenic bladder, cryptorchidism, penile anomalies, robotics, oncology and megaureters. Mini debates will highlight controversies in pediatric urological care and raise important questions to the audience, allowing broad participation by attendees. We will review landmark papers in pediatric urology with special reflections from the authors themselves including Doug Canning (proximal hypospadias), Stephen Koff (valve bladder syndrome) and Paul Mitrofanoff (appendicovesicostomy). It will be a great honor to hear from these giants of pediatric urology! During the session, “When Should the Ball Drop? Consequences of Cryptorchidism,” we will discuss optimal timing of orchiopexy, malignancy and fertility associated with undescended testicles with a distinguished panel including pediatric urologists Drs. Bayne and Yu, and urologic oncologist Dr. Clint Cary. American Academy of Pediatrics medalist Dr. Anthony Caldamone will deliver the Meredith Campbell Lecture titled, “Peer Review, Open Access, Predatory Journalism and the Future of Scientific Communication.” The Pediatric Oncology Working Group will update us on Children’s Oncology Group trials and current standards of care for children with Wilms tumor. Dr. Herndon will update us on the exciting work of the SPU.

To kick off the pediatric portion of the meeting, the Society for Fetal Urology Meeting Case Presentation Session will take place on Thursday, May 12 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside. This meeting will consist of presentations of interesting cases with prenatal diagnoses.

A new course, “Your Essential Guide to Congenitalism and Transitional Care,” will be presented by the AUA in collaboration with the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons, SPU and the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine and Urogenital Reconstruction on Thursday, May 12 in the afternoon. This unique course will bring together 3 societies with overlapping interests. This novel collaboration will focus on the evaluation and management of common problems associated with congenital neuropathic bladder in peri-adolescent and adult life.

On Sunday, May 15 the SPU will combine with the AUA program during the morning Plenary Session for even more exciting and cutting-edge lectures and debates. Panel discussions and debates regarding regenerative medicine in pediatrics, renal and ureteral duplications, and ureterocele will be held in Great Hall A at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Dr. Christian Radmayr will present the esteemed European Association of Urology Lecture, “Is Endocrine Treatment for Undescended Testis of Any Benefit at All?” Finally, the John Duckett Memorial Lecture will be presented by Dr. David Joseph, honoring his exceptional contributions to pediatric urology. This will be followed by podium and moderated poster sessions of interest to general and pediatric urologists that will include abstract sessions on hypospadias, penile and scrotal surgery, and upper and lower urinary tract anomalies in the afternoon.

The SPU 70th Annual Meeting will surely be educational and thought provoking. We look forward to seeing all of you in the Big Easy this spring! Welcome back to the SPU and the AUA!