Implications of Alpha-gal Syndrome in Urologic Management.
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a tick-borne allergy to mammalian products with significant anaphylactic potential. Despite increasing prevalence, with an estimated 450,000 Americans affected, no resources/research address AGS in urologic care. We performed a narrative review of AGS pathophysiology/epidemiology and perioperative considerations and analyzed 239 urologic medications/materials for AGS safety. Animal-free options were available for 64% of analyzed products. Urologic oncology medications are the most heavily restricted; however, most indwelling materials (eg, stents, foleys) also lack readily available safety profiles. These findings highlight significant AGS-related risks across urologic subspecialties and underscore the need for perioperative planning, multidisciplinary collaboration, and policy reform.