Investigation of the Effect of Facet Joint Angle Characteristics on the Development of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis in Patients with Lumbar Canal Stenosis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to investigate facet tropism and its impact on the development of lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) in patients with LSCS. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bilateral facet joint angles at the L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 levels were measured on axial plane in the lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 82 patients aged between 32 and 75 with LSCS, and 82 healthy individuals aged between 30 and 66 without LSCS, who were considered as the normal group. RESULTS Both groups in our study consisted of both males and females. The mean age was 51.4 for patients with LSCS and 44.7 for the healthy group, with no signifi cant difference (p>0.05). A total of 984 facet joint angles were measured, with 164 patients at three intervertebral disc levels each. The presence of facet tropism was found to be a signifi cant risk factor in the LSCS group compared to the healthy group, with an increased risk of 2.125 times at L3-4, 3.389 times at L4-5, and 2.496 times at L5-S1 (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In our study, we determined that facet joint tropism is statistically signifi cant in patients with LSCS compared to the control group (p<0.05). We believe that facet tropism plays a predisposing role as a contributing factor in the etiology of LSCS. KEY WORDS: lumbar spinal stenosis, facet tropism, magnetic resonance imaging.

Protective effect of curcumin on priapism and ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify the oxidative stress effects of the ischemic priapism on cavernosal tissues and to assess the biochemical and histopathological effects of curcumin in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 26 adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups. Group 1 (Control, n = 8): only penectomy was performed and 3 ml blood samples were obtained from the vena cava inferior (VCI). Group 2 (ischemia-reperfusion group; n= 8): penectomy was performed after 1 hour ischemic priapism + 30 min reperfusion and 3 ml blood samples were obtained from the VCI. Group III (IR + CURC group, n = 10): 200 mg/kg/day curcumin per orally before surgery for 7 days + penectomy after 1 hour ischemic priapism + 30 min reperfusion and 3 ml blood samples from the VCI. Total oxidant status (TAS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and paraoxonase (PON1) levels were measured. Tissue samples were investigated and scored histopathologically in terms of bleeding, edema and necrosis. RESULTS: TOS levels were higher (p = 0.002), and TAS levels were lower (p = 0.001) in the IR group compared to the control group. As a result of curcumin treatment, TAS levels were increased (p = 0.003), and TOS levels were decreased (p = 0.004) in the IR + CURC group compared to the IR group. In the treatment group (IR + CURC) TAS and TOS levels were similar to levels in the control group. PON1 levels were increased with ischemia-reperfusion (p = 0.21) and decreased with curcumin treatment (p = 0.53), however these changes were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in the effects of curcumin on histopathological changes. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that curcumin has preventive effects on oxidative stress parameters against ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Relationship between hearing loss and sexual dysfunction.

OBJECTIVE: Deafness may be one of the factors that leads to a change in sexual function. This study aimed to assess sexual function, in particular erectile dysfunction, in male patients with hearing loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied two groups: (1) adult men with acquired, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss, and (2) healthy, adult, married men demonstrated to have normal hearing levels, as the control group. Sexual function was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Functions questionnaire, and quality of life using the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the groups regarding the International Index of Erectile Functions questionnaire results (p <0.001), both for each of the five questionnaire domain scores and for the total score. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that men with mild or moderate sensorineural hearing loss have poorer sexual health.

No evidence of depression, anxiety, and sexual dysfunction following penile fracture.

There is a gap in the literature about psychological status of patients following penile fracture surgery. We aimed to assess the long-term psychological status of penile fracture patients who have been treated by immediate surgical repair. A total of 32 patients with penile fracture have been treated surgically at our center. These 32 patients and 30 healthy control subjects were included in the study. All participants have completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Glombok-Rust Inventory of Satisfaction Scale (GRISS), and the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT). The mean age of patients was 30.4 years and the mean body mass index was 27.3 kg m(-2). Sexual intercourse was the most common cause of the fracture. Immediate surgical repair was performed in all cases using a circumferential subcoronal incision and none of the patients had urethral injury intraoperatively. All tears were unilateral with a mean size of 1.5 cm. Only two patients had superficial dorsal vein rupture. At the day of assessment, the mean time elapsed after penile trauma was 15.9±6.3 months (range: 6-23). Only three patients had complications due to penile fracture including minimal penile curvature, penile nodule, and penile pain during intercourse. The mean scores obtained from PEDT, HADS, and GRISS did not show any statistically significant difference between groups. Anxiety, depression, premature ejaculation, and sexual dyssatisfaction levels were similar in both penile fracture patients who underwent immediate surgical repair and healthy control subjects. Immediate surgical repair of corporal ruptures have not shown any harmful psychogenic sequelae on patients with penile fracture.

Relationship between penile size and somatometric parameters in 2276 healthy young men.

The aim of this study was to determine the average penile length of a group of healthy, young Turkish men, and to investigate the relationship between penile length and somatometric parameters in the same group. The flaccid and stretched length and circumference of the penis was measured in a group of 2276 physically normal, young men. The correlation between penile length and weight, height and body mass index (BMI) of the participants was determined by Pearson's analysis. The mean age of the participants was 21.1 ± 3.1 (18-39) years. The mean flaccid, fully stretched and circumferential length of the participants' penises were 8.95 ± 1.04, 13.98 ± 1.58 and 8.89 ± 0.86 cm, respectively. There was a significant relationship between all of these variables (P<0.01). Although weak positive correlations were found between the mean circumference length and BMI, there were no correlations between both the flaccid and stretched lengths and BMI. The penile length must be known to be able to determine the abnormal penile sizes and to make convenient decisions in the counseling and/or treatment of people with short penis concerns. Our study provides mean penile lengths in a large sample of healthy, young Turkish men, and the penile dimensions were found to be weakly correlated with somatometric parameters.

Of mice and mutations: phenotypic effects of the diabetic db/db and ob/ob mutations on the skull and teeth of mice.

AIM: To compare the phenotypic appearance of the skull bones and teeth of wild type C57BL/6J mice with that of diabetic leptin-deficient (ob/ob) and diabetic leptin receptordeficient (db/db) mice used as models for diabetes. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Skulls were extracted from the carcasses of mice belonging to wild-type C57B/6J mice, db/db mice on a C57BLKS/J background, and ob/ob mice on a C57B/6J background. After removal of overlying tissue, the skulls and mandibles were then left to dehydrate and examined for phenotypic variations in structure and wear. RESULTS: Bone surfaces of the skulls of wild type mice had a whiter and smoother surface compared with a yellowish colour with a grainy texture in the two mutant strains. The frontal, parietal and occipital bones were translucent in the two mutant strains. Breakages of the zygomatic arches and mandibles were more common in the ob/ob and db/db mice than in the wild type mice. Half of the teeth of the db/db mice and 90% teeth of the ob/ob mice showed considerable wear compared with marginal wear in the wild type mice. CONCLUSIONS: These observations suggested that the teeth of the two diabetic mutant strains are exhibiting considerable signs of hypomineralization with increased fragility and decreased bone thickness.

Enamel mineral concentration in diabetic rodents.

AIM: This was to use x-ray microtomography (XMT), to assess the mineral composition and 3-D structure of enamel and bone in the teeth and skulls of diabetic rodents. METHODS: Three-dimensional images of the skull were reconstructed using computer generated false colour to highlight different levels of mineralization in bone and enamel. RESULTS: These showed that diabetic rodents exhibited more wear in their teeth. Deformities were observed in the alveolar process of the mandible and maxilla. Regions of extensive hypomineralization were found in the calvarial bone of skulls. The maximum mineral concentrations and the time constants for diabetic rodents were similar to the controls. The diabetic mice appeared to have random regions of hypomineralization and one diabetic rat had areas of hypoplasia in the mandibular incisors. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes may have a detrimental influence on the function of ameloblasts in laying down enamel.

Kabuki syndrome: oral and general features seen in a 2-year-old Chinese boy.

This report describes the case of a young Chinese boy with Kabuki syndrome (KS). KS is a congenital condition characterized by multiple anomalies, especially of the face, and is usually associated with mild to moderate mental retardation. The patient presented with the characteristic facial features of KS and some skeletal and neurological anomalies including a butterfly vertebrae with scoliosis, cerebral atrophy, and irregular dentition. Dental examination revealed screwdriver-shaped incisors and a high arched maxilla, features typical of patients with KS, as well as very poor oral hygiene and early childhood caries. This report includes discussion of the aetiology of KS as well as discussion of the long-term prognosis for this particular patient, and patients with KS in general, with consideration of associated dental and medical issues.

Defective enamel ultrastructure in diabetic rodents.

We investigated six different types of diabetic rodents. Four expressed a genetic obesity resulting in diabetes. One developed diabetes induced by a diet-dependent obesity, and one with genetic diabetes received anti-diabetic medication. The tooth samples were examined under a scanning electron microscope and with an energy dispersive microanalysis (EDX). The electron micrographs showed severe, varying degrees of damage within the six different diabetic animal types, such as irregular crystallite deposition and prism perforations in genetically obese animals compared to less-disordered prism structures in diet-dependent obesity. Anti-diabetic medication resulted in normal enamel ultrastructure. The EDX analysis revealed a reduction in the amount of calcium and phosphorus in all regions affected by diabetes. Based on these animal studies, we suggest that both juvenile diabetes type I (in infants) and adult diabetes type II (in pregnant mothers, affecting the developing foetus) may affect the normal development of teeth in humans.