Safe duration of silicon catheter replacement in urological patients

Objectives: This study compared the infection rates, degree of encrustation, symptoms, and complications in patients regarding the duration of urethral catheterisation (three weeks, six weeks, and eight weeks). Design: A cross-sectional study with stratified simple random sampling Setting: Urology Unit, Korle Bu Teaching Hospital Participants: One hundred and thirty-seven male patients with long-term urinary catheters Interventions: Participants were grouped into 3 weeks, 6 weeks, and 8 weeks duration of catheter replacementsPrimary outcomes measures: Symptoms due to the urinary catheters, urinalysis, urine and catheter tip cultures, sensitivity, and catheter encrustations were assessed. Results: Eighty-six patients had a primary diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), 35 had urethral strictures,13 had prostate cancer, two had BPH and urethral strictures, and one participant had bladder cancer. There was no difference in the symptoms the participants in the different groups experienced due to the urinary catheters (p > 0.05). The frequency of occurrence of complications (pyuria, p = 0.784; blocked catheter, p=0.097; urethral bleeding, p=0.148; epididymo-orchitis, p=0.769 and bladder spasms, p=1.000) showed no differences in the three groups. There was no statistical difference in the urinalysis for the three groups (p>0.05) and the degree of encrustations (3 weeks: 0.03 ± 0.06, 6 weeks: 0.11±0.27 and eight weeks: 0.12 ±0.27) with p=0.065. Conclusions: In this study, the duration of urinary catheterisation using silicone Foley's catheters did not influence the complication and symptom rates; hence silicon catheters can be placed in situ for up to 8 weeks before replacement instead of the traditional three-weekly change.

Penetrating Scrotal Injury: Two Unusual Case Reports in Children and Brief Review of Literature

Introduction:Scrotal trauma is a rare surgical emergency that accounts for less than 1% of all traumatic injuries. They are more prevalent in 15-40 years age group. Blunt scrotal trauma contributes to about 80% of all scrotal injuries whilst penetrating scrotal injuries constitute the remaining 20%. Penetrating scrotal injuries are however, more rare in children but can result from bicycle handlebars, falls with impalement, and animal bites. Case Reports: We did a retrospective review of our records over a 7-year period for penetrating scrotal injuries and report two (2) cases involving 13-year old and 14-year old males who sustained injuries from a tree branch and an iron rod respectively after falling from heights. Discussion:Penetrating scrotal trauma can present with complex injury patterns involving the testes and other surrounding structures, and all invariably need urgent scrotal exploration Consequently, both of our cases had immediate surgical exploration with conservative debridement of non-viable tissue and surprisingly both were spared any testicular injury. Conclusion:Penetrating scrotal trauma may spare the testis and the scrotal contents despite the gravity of the injury.