Diagnostic accuracy of physical examination compared with color Doppler ultrasound in the determination of varicocele diagnosis and grading: Impact of urologists' experience.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of palpable varicocele in infertile men with abnormal semen parameters is widely accepted, and physical examination (PE) remains a cornerstone for recommending varicocele repair. However, identification of clinical varicocele during PE can be challenging for both urology residents and consultants. OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of PE to color Doppler ultrasonography (CDU) for the diagnosis of varicocele in experienced and non-experienced examiners. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Diagnostic accuracy study involving 78 patients attending a university-based infertility unit. Patients underwent scrotal PE by both experienced (over 10 years experience in male infertility) and non-experienced urologists (senior residents), and were subjected to CDU. varicocele diagnosis and varicocele grading were compared between examiner groups and to CDU. Accuracy measures were evaluated, and interobserver agreement was estimated using unweighted kappa statistics. A subgroup analysis for normal and high body mass index (BMI) was also performed for the same variables. RESULTS: Accuracy of PE for varicocele diagnosis was 63.5% with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 75.5%. The specificity and PPV of PE were higher among experienced than non-experienced urologists (82.0% CI: 74.27-88.26 and 81.1% CI: 74.39-86.44% vs 67.2% CI: 58.33-75.22 and 70.6% CI: 64.52-76.08, respectively). Agreements on varicocele diagnosis (k: 0.625 vs 0.517) and grading (k: 0.548 vs 0.418) by PE were higher among experienced than non-experienced urologists. Differences between eutrophic and overweight/obese patients were also suggested. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: PE performed by infertility specialists identify patients with varicocele more precisely than non-specialists. However, PE alone has suboptimal accuracy for varicocele diagnosis. Our results indicate that PE should be followed by CDU to decrease the number of false positives and increase the diagnostic accuracy of varicocele diagnosis.

Positive rheotaxis extended drop: a one-step procedure to select and recover sperm with mature chromatin for intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel one-step ICSI approach to select sperm with better chromatin maturity than the conventional method. METHODS: This was a pilot diagnostic study, which prospectively recruited men during a 6-month period in a University-affiliated infertility centre. Forty consecutive semen samples were provided for analysis. The positive rheotaxis extended drop (PRED) was set up creating a pressure and viscosity gradient. Each semen sample was divided into four aliquots: one aliquot for density gradient centrifugation (DGC), two aliquots for PRED (fresh semen (PRED-FS) and processed semen (PRED-DGC)), and one aliquot as the control (FS). In PRED, a mean of 200 spermatozoa were collected consecutively without selection from the outlet reservoir. The aniline blue assay was used to assess chromatin immaturity. RESULTS: The mean channel length, measured from inlet to outlet, was 32.55 ± 0.86 mm, with a mean width of 1.04 ± 0.21 mm. In 82.5% of cases (33/40), at least 50 spermatozoa were captured between 15 and 30 min. Improved chromatin maturity after the DGC preparation and the PRED approach was observed in all samples. This was reflected by a mean reduction from 28.65 ± 8.97% uncondensed chromatin in the native ejaculates to 17.29 ± 7.72% in DGC and 0.89 ± 1.31% in the PRED approach (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The PRED method may improve the current ICSI technique by providing it with its own sperm selection process. ICSI would probably become an even more complete technique comprising selection, capture and injection of the male gamete.

Supracostal punctures in supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy are safe.

INTRODUCTION: The feasibility and safety of supracostal punctures in supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) are still controversial. In this study we aim to compare success and complication rates from prone and supine PCNL with at least one supracostal puncture. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed our electronic database for all supracostal PCNLs performed in our institution from February 2008 to September 2013. Patients were enrolled in the study if at least one supracostal puncture was required during surgery. Patients' demographics data, stone characteristics, intra and postoperative data, and success on first postoperative day CT were compared. RESULTS: A total of 132 procedures were included in the analysis. Twenty-eight PCNLs were performed in supine position (21.2%), while 104 were done in prone position (78.8%). Patient's demographics and distribution of stones based on Guy's Score were similar between groups. Mean operative time and blood transfusion rate were not statistically different. There was no significant difference in the success rate (63.5% prone versus 71.4% supine, p = 0.507). Major complication rate (Clavien ≥ 3) was 16.3% in the prone group versus 3.6% in the supine group (p = 0.119). CONCLUSIONS: Supracostal punctures are safe and feasible in supine PCNL. It does not add additional risks and might provide equivalent success rates when compared to prone PCNLs.