AUTHOR REPLY

Abstract

The editorial comment provides an excellent summary of the major take away points we hoped to portray in this retrospective review. Specifically, in our practice patients with IC/PBS and Hunner's lesions often experience delay to lesion targeted therapy which is most beneficial for them. This delay occurs at multiple management points along the IC/PBS management pathway. Initially, it happens at the time of diagnosis as AUA guidelines do not recommend cystoscopy until patients have failed multiple conservative treatments and thus patients with Hunner's lesions are not identified until much later. Another delay occurs after cystoscopy is done, pathology is found to be benign, and no further lesion targeted treatments are offered. Finally, we demonstrate that ¾ of the patients will need repeated treatments for their lesions and should be offered this when clinical symptoms recur or worsen.