Is catheter cause of subjectivity in sensations perceived during filling cystometry?

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the catheter on perceptions of filling. In our previous study, we demonstrated that some patients perceived sensations despite a lack of filling during cystometry. METHODS: The study included 45 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia. The average patient age was 57.9 years (range 48 to 79). Patients were draped to keep them from seeing their penis and the filling bag, pump, and screen process. In the first phase, the catheter was fixed to the penile skin without introducing it through the urethra, and the patient was told the test had begun. At the end of the first phase, the bladder was emptied. Before the second phase, an 8F urodynamic catheter was introduced, but during the test, nothing was infused. During the third phase, filling cystometry was performed with a 50-mL/min pump speed. The bladder was emptied after all three phases. The times that elapsed until each sensation was perceived, in seconds, were used to compare the sensations. RESULTS: In the first phase, 21 patients reported a first sensation, 10 reported first desire, and 4 reported normal desire, despite a lack of catheterization. No statistically significant difference was found between the mean first sensation/first desire, first sensation/normal desire, first desire/normal desire ratios of the patients who perceived sensations in the three phases and the strong desire/normal desire ratios of the patients in the second and third phases (P >0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: Although the perceptions were reported in the first and second phases, the catheter could not be the sole cause of the subjectivity.

General anesthesia does not affect the serum complexed and free prostate specific antigen levels.

PRINCIPLES: Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level is a widely used serum marker for diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. Although not well-defined, liver appears to be the most likely site of PSA metabolism. However, general anaesthesia usually changes hepatic blood flow, therefore it may affect the metabolism of PSA. In this study we investigated the affect of general anaesthesia on the serum total PSA, free PSA and free to total PSA levels. METHODS: 30 male patients who were hospitalised in the internal medicine clinic (non-surgery group) and 30 male patients who would undergo operation under general anaesthesia (15 for cholecystectomy and 15 for inguinal hernia repair) enrolled into the study. PSA measurement was done on the day of the hospitalisation (which was also the day of operation for surgery group), on the 24th hour following the first measurement and on the 21st day. Anaesthesia was standardized for all patients. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in serum total PSA (p >0.05), free PSA levels (p >0.05) and free to total PSA ratio (p >0.05) between the surgery and non-surgery groups. There were statistically significant decreases in the 24th hour total PSA levels (13.8% in surgery group, p <0.05, and 13.1% in non-surgery group, p <0.05) and in the free PSA levels (4.0% in surgery group, p <0.05, and 8.2% in non-surgery group, p <0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the free to total PSA ratios (p >0.05 and p >0.05, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Anaesthesia does not affect PSA levels alone. However, hospitalisation decreases total and free PSA levels, although it does not have an affect on free to total PSA ratio.

Can the outcome of transurethral resection of the prostate be predicted preoperatively?

OBJECTIVES: To establish a formula for predicting the outcome of transurethral resection of the prostate using noninvasive parameters of preoperative evaluation. METHODS: The data of 54 men with a mean age of 57 years (range 43 to 78) were retrospectively analyzed. The International Prostate Symptom Score, quality-of-life score of the International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire, maximal flow rate (Qmax) recorded during uroflowmetry, age, prostate volume calculated by transrectal ultrasonography, postvoid residual urine volume, and results of pressure-flow studies were evaluated to find a formula that would predict the outcome of transurethral resection of the prostate. The patients were evaluated by uroflowmetry, postvoid residual urine volume determination, and International Prostate Symptom Score questionnaire at 3 months postoperatively. Four different success criteria were investigated with the calculated equations. RESULTS: According to the discriminant analysis, two new scores were calculated as S(1) = (0.169 x age) - (0.0075 x Qmax) and S2 = (0.168 x age) - (0.095 x Qmax) - (0.007 x detrusor pressure at Qmax). For the four success criteria, the optimal cutoff, obtained from the receiver operating characteristic curves of S(1) and S(2), was 8.83 and 9.21, respectively. A statistically significant difference was not found between S1 and S2. The S1 formula had a sensitivity between 71.8% and 85.2%, specificity between 71.4% and 86.7%, and positive predictive value between 72.2% and 92.9% for the four different criteria using two simple variables (Qmax of uroflowmetry and age). CONCLUSIONS: Because urodynamic parameters did not add benefit to the formula consisting of age and Qmax of uroflowmetry with considerable sensitivity and specificity, performing urodynamic studies might not be useful for predicting the outcome of transurethral resection of the prostate.

How reliable are bladder perceptions during cystometry?

AIMS: Sensory input is important for bladder control in daily life. It has been reported that perceptions during cystometry are subjective. To help refine this subjectivity, objective and semi-objective tests (e.g., sensory thresholds of electrical stimulation) have been recommended by The International Continence Society. However, the reliability of such studies has not been established. This study was designed to evaluate the reliability of bladder perceptions during cystometry. METHODS: The study included 59 patients with urologic complaints. The average age of 40 male and 19 female patients was 58.1 years (range: 14-83). After insertion of an 8F double lumen catheter, patients were blinded to the pump and screen process. During Phase I nothing was infused. In Phase II, filling cystometry was performed with 50 ml/min pump speed and then the bladder was emptied. Phase III was performed with the same method used in Phase I. The time that each sensation was perceived, in seconds, was used to compare sensations. The bladder volume, at which sensations were perceived, was recorded at Phase II. RESULTS: Except for strong desire, there were no statistically significant differences between the mean times in seconds elapsed till sensations in Phases I and III, but they were different from those in Phase II. The time elapsed until strong desire was not different in each of the three phases. However, there was strong a correlation in the ratios of sensations to strong desire between Phase I and II (r = 1, P = 0.01), Phase I and III (r = 0.99, P = 0.01), and Phase II and III (r = 0.98, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Proprioception of the bladder filling during cystometry is subjective. This data shows that sensations noticed by the patient during filling cystometry may be related to stimuli other than bladder filling.

Periprostatic lidocaine infiltration and/or synthetic opioid (meperidine or tramadol) administration have no analgesic benefit during prostate biopsy. A prospective randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study comparing different methods.

OBJECTIVES: To examine in a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study the analgesic effect of periprostatic nerve block and/or intravenous synthetic opioid administration during a 12-core prostate biopsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were prospectively randomized to receive unilateral periprostatic lidocaine administration and/or intravenous synthetic opioid (meperidine or tramadol) administration. Placebo groups received sterile normal saline. Unilateral infiltration was performed and biopsy was begun on this side. The degree of pain was recorded using the visual analog scale/numeric analog scale (VAS/NAS) score before the procedure, during probe introduction into the rectum, during unilateral periprostatic nerve blockade, during the first 6-core biopsy and during the second 6-core biopsy, and 30 min after biopsy completion. RESULTS: Most of the patients had mild or moderate pain (VAS/NAS <6) during the actual biopsy procedure. However, no significant differences existed between the groups with regard to the pain scores at any time (p > 0.05). Compared with pain scores, no significant differences existed between the first 6-core (blocked side) and second 6-core biopsies (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Periprostatic lidocaine infiltration and/or intravenous synthetic opioid analgesics are not beneficial in significantly reducing pain during biopsy. We think that most of the patients do have pain during biopsy, however the intensity of pain is tolerable and does not require analgesics.

Inhibition of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase decreases long-term histologic damage in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of 3-aminobenzamide, an inhibitor of poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP), on the long-term histologic damage in testicular ischemia-reperfusion injury. PARP inhibitors have been used successfully to decrease ischemia-reperfusion injury in several organ systems. METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into four groups of 7 rats each. One group underwent 2 hours of testicular torsion; one received pretreatment with vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide) before detorsion; one received pretreatment with 3-aminobenzamide, an inhibitor of PARP, before detorsion; and one group underwent a sham operation. All rats underwent bilateral orchiectomy 60 days after the experiment. The mean seminiferous tubular diameter, germinal epithelial cell thickness, and mean testicular biopsy score were determined by histologic examination of each testis. RESULTS: Testicular torsion-detorsion caused a significant decrease in the mean seminiferous tubular diameter, germinal epithelial cell thickness, and mean testicular biopsy score in the ipsilateral testes (P <0.001), but not in the contralateral testes. The animals treated with 3-aminobenzamide had a statistically significant increase in these histologic parameters compared with the torsion-detorsion group (P <0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that PARP may have a role in the testicular damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion. Administering PARP inhibitors before reperfusion may have the potential to decrease the long-term histologic damage that occurs after testicular torsion.

The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction and potential risk factors that may impair sexual function in Turkish women.

OBJECTIVES: To detect the prevalence of sexual dysfunction, and also to investigate possible risk factors that may cause sexual dysfunction in the Turkish women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study consisted of 179 women between the ages of 18 and 66 years living in households from different sociocultural areas. The women were divided into 5 groups according to their ages: 18-27 years (n = 23), 28-37 years (n = 55), 38-47 years (n = 43), 48-57 years (n = 44) and 58-67 years (n = 14). Female sexual function was evaluated with a detailed 19-item questionnaire to assess desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was calculated for each domain and compared among the groups. In addition, demographic characteristics and medical risk factors were assessed in all women, and the findings were compared between the women with and without sexual dysfunction. RESULTS: Based on total sexual function score, 84 (46.9%) out of 179 women had sexual dysfunction. The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction was 21.7% in the ages of 18-27 years, 25.5% in the ages of 28-37 years, 53.5% in the ages of 38-47 years, 65.9% in the ages of 48-57 years and 92.9% in the ages of 58-67 years. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction for each domain also increased with age. To investigate various factors that may cause female sexual dysfunction, no significant differences were detected in smoking history (p = 0.14), marriage age (p = 0.7), the presence of previous pelvic surgery (p = 0.09), and contraception methods used (p = 0.31). However, sexual dysfunction was observed as significantly higher in the presence of older age (p = 0.001), lower educational level (p = 0.012), unemployment status (p = 0.017), chronic disease (p = 0.032), multiparity (p = 0.0027) and menopause status (p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain problems increases with age. In addition, the presence of a lower educational level, unemployment status, chronic diseases, multiparity and menopause status are important risk factors that may cause sexual dysfunction.

A comparison of four different alpha1-blockers in benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with and without diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the intensity of lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) with and without diabetes. We also determined whether alpha1-blockers improve subjective and objective symptoms similarly in these patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study subjects comprised 281 patients (60 with diabetes and 221 non-diabetics with clinically diagnosed BPH) who were treated with alpha1-blockers (doxazosin, terazosin, alfuzosin and tamsulosin). The international prostate symptom score (IPSS), bother score, maximum flow rate (Q(max)) and post-void residual urine volume (PVR) were determined at baseline and after treatment for a minimum of 6 months. RESULTS: Diabetic patients had a lower baseline Q(max) than non-diabetics (p < 0.001), while the IPSS, bother score and PVR did not differ significantly between the two groups. After treatment with alpha1-blockers, lower urinary tract symptoms improved significantly. The improvement rates of the IPSS and bother score were significantly higher in the diabetic patients than in the non-diabetics (p < 0.01). The relationship between the duration of diabetes and the effect of alpha1-blockers on IPSS, bother score, Q(max) and PVR was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The voiding function of the bladder may be more affected by diabetes than the storage function in patients with BPH. Treatment with alpha1-blockers appears to be useful for diabetic patients with BPH and its effectiveness is not altered by the duration of diabetes.

Voiding impairment after prostate biopsy: does tamsulosin treatment before biopsy decrease this morbidity?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy with voiding impairment and to investigate whether tamsulosin treatment given before prostate biopsy could improve voiding impairment after the procedure. METHODS: The study included 66 consecutive patients who underwent TRUS-guided 12-core prostate biopsy and were prospectively randomized. Of the patients, 33 were treated with tamsulosin (0.4 mg daily) beginning the day before the biopsy procedure for 30 days. The remaining 33 patients underwent TRUS-guided prostate biopsy only with no tamsulosin treatment and served as the control group. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and maximal flow rate (Qmax) were recorded in all patients before the procedure and on postbiopsy days 7 and 30. All patients were followed up and questioned about difficulty voiding and acute urinary retention after the procedure. RESULTS: No difference was found in the mean IPSS and Qmax before biopsy between the two groups (P >0.05). Acute urinary retention after the biopsy procedure developed in 1 patient in the tamsulosin group and 3 patients in the control group. The rate of voiding difficulty on postprocedure day 7 was significantly lower in the tamsulosin group (9.09%) than in the control group (42.42%), a statistically significant difference (P <0.001). In the tamsulosin group, the IPSS was significantly decreased on postbiopsy days 7 and 30 compared with the baseline value (P <0.05 and P <0.001, respectively), and Qmax was significantly elevated on postbiopsy day 30 (P <0.01). In the control group, the IPSS was significantly greater (P <0.05) and the Qmax was significantly lower (P <0.001) on postbiopsy day 7 compared with the baseline value. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study show that TRUS-guided prostate biopsy leads to transient voiding impairment, and therefore, the alpha(1)-blocker tamsulosin before biopsy and for a brief interval afterward may decrease this morbidity.

Botulinum toxin type A may improve bladder function in a rat chemical cystitis model.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of botulinum toxin type A on bladder function and histology in a rat chemical cystitis model. The study included 41 female Sprague-Dawley rats with chemical cystitis induced by intravesical instillation of hydrochloric acid. The acid instillation was repeated monthly to maintain chronic inflammation. The treatment group (n=21) received 2-3 units of botulinum toxin type A injected into the bladder detrusor at the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions, and the control group (n=20) underwent saline injection into the bladder detrusor at the same positions. Urodynamic studies were performed in all rats before the treatment and at death. The rats were killed at 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month and 2 months after treatment. The bladders were removed and examined histologically for mast cells and inflammatory changes. The cystometric findings showed that, at the beginning and end of the experiment, the increases in the maximum bladder capacity and compliance were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P=0.000 and P=0.025, respectively). The histological studies revealed similar mast cell counts and leukocyte infiltration for the treatment and control groups. In conclusion, in this rat chemical cystitis model, botulinum toxin type A injected into the bladder detrusor led to a functional improvement. Thus, botulinum toxin type A injection may be an alternative, minimally invasive choice to other surgical treatment options in the treatment of a chronic inflammatory condition to improve deteriorated bladder function.

Diagnosis of pediatric varicoceles by physical examination and ultrasonography and measurement of the testicular volume: using the prader orchidometer versus ultrasonography.

INTRODUCTION: The differentiation of unilateral versus bilateral varicoceles and testicular volume measurements are important in determining the need for adolescent varicocele surgery and also in following patients after varicocelectomy. The aim of this study was to prospectively compare the findings of physical examination and color Doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of pediatric varicoceles and to compare the findings using the Prader orchidometer and scrotal ultrasonography in the measurement of testicular volumes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study included 68 boys with varicoceles, ranging in age from 8 to 19 years. Varicoceles were diagnosed using both physical examination and scrotal color Doppler ultrasonography. The testicular volumes of 136 testicles were measured using the Prader orchidometer and scrotal ultrasonography. A difference of more than 10% or 2 ml in each testicular volume was considered significant. RESULTS: The mean age of the boys was 13.5 +/- 2.3 years. On physical examination, a left unilateral varicocele was diagnosed in 46 boys (67.6%). The other 22 boys (32.4%) had bilateral varicoceles. Color Doppler ultrasonography detected bilateral varicoceles in 4 of the 46 boys (8.7%) who were diagnosed by physical examination as having only left unilateral varicoceles (grade 3 in 3 patients and grade 2 in 1 patient). A different of more than 10% or 2 ml in testicular volume using the Prader orchidometer versus scrotal ultrasonography was detected in 3 out of 136 testicles (2.2%). The correlation between ultrasonography and Prader orchidometer results in the measurement of testicular volumes was statistically highly significantly consistent using the intraclass correlation test (r = 0.997 and p < 0.001 for the left testis; r = 0.998 and p < 0.001 for the right testis). CONCLUSIONS: Although the management of subclinical varicoceles remains controversial, these data show that color Doppler ultrasonography may be necessary in the diagnosis of bilateral varicoceles, especially in boys with high-grade left varicoceles. In contrast, scrotal ultrasonography, if considered the gold standard, did not show superiority over the Prader orchidometer in measuring testicular volumes.

Effect of administration mode (patient vs physician) and patient's educational level on the Turkish version of the International Prostate Symptom Score.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) when administered by the physician to when self-administered by the patient. The effect of the patient's educational level on the IPSS was also evaluated. METHODS: One hundred and seven previously untreated patients with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) completed the Turkish version of the International Prostate Symptom Score (Turkish I-PSS) and quality of life (QOL) questionnaires during a single office visit, first on their own and then with an interviewing physician. The patients were categorized into three groups according to their educational levels. Paired t-tests were performed to compare the total IPSS (tIPSS) and QOL results between the two testing modes. IPSS and QOL scores resulting from both modes were compared using a kappa test. Differences between the physician-assisted and self-administered scores among the different educational groups were further compared using a one-way anova test and Post Hoc Multiple Comparisons. To compare the objective effectiveness of tIPSS and QOL between the two testing modes, we selected the positive actual state, which was maximum urine flow (Qmax) of 15 mL/s or less and constructed receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves for all patients. This estimation was constructed for each educational level. RESULTS: There were no statistical differences in IPSS and QOL values obtained by the patients or physicians (P > 0.05). The ROC areas for tIPSS were 0.94 and 0.93, and the ROC areas for QOL scores were 0.97 and 0.91 for information obtained by physicians and patients, respectively. When IPSS answers and QOL scores were evaluated separately, consistency was found across both modes of administration. However, there were lower levels of consistency in answers to IPSS questions 2, 5 and 6 (P = 0.59;0.42; 0.52, respectively). There was no significant difference among the aforementioned data in the educational groups. CONCLUSION: Although the total IPSS and QOL scores were not affected by the different modes of administration, we recommend that the physicians should evaluate answers to questions 2, 5 and 6 carefully. The present study demonstrates that the educational level did not affect the IPSS and QOL when administered either by the physician or the patient.

The effect of varicocele repair on testicular volume in children and adolescents with varicocele.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect of varicocele repair on testicular volume according to age in children and adolescents and review the long-term results of varicocele surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 39 boys 11 to 19 years old with clinical palpable varicocele who underwent varicocele surgery with at least 1 year of postoperative followup. Preoperative and postoperative testicular volumes were monitored and measured with an ellipsoid Prader orchidometer. Physical examination findings (testicular volumes and testicular consistency) in all boys, and serum hormone values and semen parameters in 16 adolescents were recorded and compared before and after surgery. RESULTS: Left unilateral varicocelectomy was done in 29 boys (74%) and bilateral varicocelectomy in 10 (26%). While no postoperative hematoma, infection or testicular atrophy was observed, 1 boy (2.5%) had varicocele recurrence and 2 boys (5.1%) had minimal hydroceles that required no intervention. Significant increases were observed in postoperative sperm concentration (p = 0.01), total motile sperm count (p = 0.009), testis volume (p = 0.000) and serum testosterone level (p = 0.014). All 15 boys with preoperative soft testis had normal testicular consistency postoperatively. Of the 19 boys with preoperative testicular atrophy 10 (53%) did regain normal testicular growth, while 9 (47%) retained testicular volume loss after surgery. When comparing preoperative to postoperative increase in testicular volume according to age in all boys, the mean was statistically significantly higher in boys younger than 14 years (left testis p = 0.037, right testis p = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Testicular consistency achieved normal firmness after varicocelectomy in all boys with preoperative soft testis. While there was catch-up growth in comparison to the contralateral testis, testicular consistency improved but testicular volumes may not increase significantly after varicocele repair at ages older than 14 years. However, in these adolescents postoperative semen parameters and serum hormone values may significantly improve regardless of testicular volume. Therefore, boys with varicocele and their families should be fully informed in light of these findings.