ABSTRACT
Background: Stone size is a key factor in the determination of the success of treatment modalities. Recently, there has been a great advancement in technology for minimally invasive management of urinary stones such as percutaneous nephrolithotomy, ureteroscopy, shockwave lithotripsy, and retrograde internal Surgery
Aim of the Study: to assess and compare the efficacy of retrograde intrarenal surgery [RIRS] in the treatment of kidney stones greater than 2 cm versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy [PCNL]
Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out for a total of 118 patients, of which 46 patients underwent RIRS while 72 patients underwent PCNL between May 2013 and May 2017
Results: The mean duration of operation was 96.39 +/- 41.11 min in the RIRS group and 69.51 +/- 19.3 min in the PCNL group [p<0.001]. Hospital stay was significantly shorter in the RIRS group [1.32 +/- 0.6 vs. 4.19 +/- 1.9 days] in the RIRS and PCNL groups respectively [p<0.001]. Stone-free rates after one session were 67.4% and 90.3% of the RIRS and PCNL groups, respectively. Blood transfusions were required in two patients in the PCNL group. Complication rates were generally higher in the PCNL group
Conclusion: The present study concluded that RIRS can be a successful substitute to PCNL in the treatment of kidney stones with a diameter of 2-4 cm particularly in patients with comorbidities
ABSTRACT
Over the past few decades, vitamin D was proposed to be highly influential on female fertility and reproductive health. Its role was extensively studied and evaluated specifically in females with polycystic ovarian syndrome
Objectives: the aim of this research was to study the correlation between vitamin D and fertility in general, and in polycystic ovarian syndrome-associated infertility in particular
Methods: we searched Cochrane Library and PubMed for articles addressing the impact and role of vitamin D in fertility issues in females with polycystic ovary disease. Specifically-related topics were carefully reviewed and analyzed to summarize their conclusive results
Results and Discussion: Vitamin D was lower in females with PCOS and vitamin D administration had increased its level, improved metabolic disturbance and shortened inter-menstrual intervals in those patients. Patients with high vitamin D levels had a better success rate of invitro fertilization. However, it did not affect the time to pregnancy in PCOS women
Conclusion: Vitamin D is beneficial for improving metabolic as well as reproductive functions in women with PCOS. It is also essential for successful in-vitro fertilization, and it is probably protective against endometriosis. However, results from different studies are contradictory, and still there is no solid evidence that there is a cause-effect relationship between vitamin D and fertility