The effect of smoking and electronic cigarettes on rat testicles.

OBJECTIVE: After the negative effects of smoking on public health were proven, smoking cessation campaigns were initiated by health ministries and non-governmental organizations. Many drugs have been tried to reduce the addiction to smoking and the nicotine contained in it. Recently, e-cigarettes (EC) are widely used for smoking cessation efforts, although the effects and possible harms are not fully known. In our study, we planned to show the effect of cigarette and EC smoke on the male urogenital system. METHODS: Adult male wistar rats were exposed to cigarette and EC smoke in a specially designed glass bell jar. Urine cotinine levels, testicular weights, gonadosomatic index, sperm count and sperm motility, testicular histology, and biochemical findings were compared with the control group. RESULTS: In some rats in the cigarette and EC group, the seminiferous tubules were disorganized, and the germ cells and Sertoli cells were separated and shed. Stopped germ cell separation, cavity formation, necrosis, fibrosis, and atrophy were observed in severe cases. Higher PCO levels were found in the cigarette group compared to controls. Tissue homogenates levels of LPO were higher in both EC and cigarette groups compared to controls. No significant differences were observed between groups in terms of sperm motility and sperm count. CONCLUSION: Cigarette and EC liquid can increase oxidative stress as well as cause morphological changes in the testicle. To be a safe option in smoking cessation studies, its effect on people needs to be enlightened.

Case Report: Isolated Renal Hydatid Cyst in a Boy

Hydatic cyst is a crucial and prevalent parasitic disease in the developing countries in the Mediterranean region. Its diagnosis is sometimes problematic because of non-specific complaints and unavailability of any positive results in a routine laboratory analysis. Isolated renal hydatid cysts are very rare. In this study, a primary left renal hydatid cyst which was found in a 12-year-old boy was presented. He was referred by another hospital to our department with a flank pain and cystic mass in left kidney. Indirect haemagglutination test (IHA) for Echinococcus was negative. Nephrectomy was performed with the diagnosis of renal cyst hydatic. Renal cyst hydatid may present with various clinical findings ranging from asymptomatic clinical course to total loss in renal function. It will be beneficial to consider a renal hydatid cyst in patients with blurred flank pain, even if IHA is negative.

Microperc Versus Miniperc for Treatment of Renal Stones Smaller Than 2 cm in Pediatric Patients.

PURPOSE: Pediatric stone disease is an important clinical problem in pediatric urology practice. We aimed to compare mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (miniperc) and micro-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (microperc) in pediatric patients who underwent unsuccesful SWL procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A number of 43 pediatric patients, aged 17 years or younger, were treated with miniperc or microperc procedures due to renal calculi by a single surgeon. In group 1, there were 27 patients who underwent miniperc procedure. In group 2, 16 patients were treated by microperc. RESULTS: Mean age of the patients were 9.5 (3-17) years in group 1 and 7.9 (2-16) years in group 2 (P = .25). Stone burden was similar between the two groups. Mean operation duration was 74.1 (40-110) minutes in miniperc group and 37.2 (20-55) minutes in microperc group (P < .01). Patients who underwent microperc were discharged from clinic earlier. Hyperthermia without bacteraemia was observed in 2 children in the miniperc group and was treated by using a single dose of paracetamol and also 2 children in the same group needed blood transfusion. There was a tendency for low haemoglobin decrease in microperc group compared to miniperc (P > .05). CONCLUSION: The management of pediatric stone disease has evolved with improvements in techniques and minimalisation of surgical instruments and thus, it can be effectively and safely used in children by experienced surgeons. .

Giant malignant pheochromocytoma with palpable rib metastases.

Pheochromocytoma is a rare and usually benign neuroendocrine neoplasm. Only 10% of all these tumors are malignant and there are no definitive histological or cytological criteria of malignancy. Single malignancy criteria are the presence of advanced locoregional disease or metastases. We report a case, with a giant retroperitoneal tumor having multiple metastases including palpable rib metastases, who was diagnosed as a malignant pheochromocytoma. The patient was treated with surgery. The literature was reviewed to evaluate tumor features and current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for patients with metastatic or potentially malignant pheochromocytoma.

In-vitro effects of PDE5 inhibitor and statin treatment on the contractile responses of experimental MetS rabbit's cavernous smooth muscle.

OBJECTIVE: Hypercholesterolaemia promotes erectile dysfunction through increased superoxide formation and decreased nitric oxide bioactivity in cavernosal tissue. The role of nitric oxide on erectile function is well known. Statins have lipid lowering properties and can modulate endothelial nitric oxide bioavailability. Sildenafil, enhances smooth muscle relaxation in corpus cavernosum. We investigated in-vitro effects of sildenafil and rosuvastatin on nonadrenergic, non-cholinergic and nitric oxide mediated cavernosal smooth muscle relaxation in metabolic syndrome rabbits, since alterations in this pathway are recognised in diabetic and hypercholesterolemic erectile dysfunction. METHODS: Ten male rabbits were fed a standard diet as control group, fourty male rabbits were fed a hypercholesterolemic diet for 12 weeks. Hypercholesterolemic group were divided for without treatment, rosuvastatin treatment, sildenafil treatment, and rosuvastatin + sildenafil treatment (N = 10 per groups). RESULTS: Serum levels of cholesterol and glucose were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.05). After therapy no differences were found among the groups in relaxation responses to sodium nitroprusside. The relaxation responses to carbachol and EFS were significantly reduced in metabolic syndrome group to control group (p < 0.05), but there were no differences between the other groups and control group. There was a significantly lower in-vitro relaxation response in the metabolic syndrome rabbits than in controls and the others (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both agents improve in-vitro relaxation responses of erectile tissue from metabolic syndrome rabbits to endothelial non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic and nitric oxide. This finding supports to the results of other clinical studies with these drugs.

Factors affecting complication rates of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children: results of a multi-institutional retrospective analysis by the Turkish pediatric urology society.

PURPOSE: We assessed factors affecting complication rates of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated data on 1,205 renal units in 1,157 children treated with percutaneous nephrolithotomy at 16 Turkish centers between 1991 and 2012. Of the patients 28.3% had a history of urolithiasis. Complications were evaluated according to the Satava classification system and modified Clavien grading system. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to determine predictive factors affecting complication rates. RESULTS: A total of 515 females and 642 males were studied. Mean ± SD patient age was 8.8 ± 4.7 years (range 4 months to 17 years). Mean ± SD stone size, operative time and postoperative hospital stay were 4.09 ± 4.06 cm(2), 93.5 ± 48.6 minutes and 5.1 ± 3.3 days, respectively. Postoperative stone-free rate was 81.6%. A total of 359 complications occurred in 334 renal units (27.7%). Complications were intraoperative in 118 cases and postoperative in 241. While univariate analysis revealed that stone history, positive urine culture, operative time, length of hospitalization, treatment success, punctured calyx and location of the stone significantly affected the complication rates (p <0.05), operative time, sheath size, mid calyceal puncture and partial staghorn formation were the statistically significant parameters affecting complication rates on multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous nephrolithotomy is the treatment of choice for most renal calculi in children. The technique is effective and safe in children, with a high success rate and a low rate of major complications. The significant factors identified should be considered by clinicians to decrease associated complication rates.

Effect of Strontium Chloride on Experimental Bladder Inflammation in Rat.

Introduction. Strontium salts are anti-irritants for chemically induced sensory irritation. Interstitial cystitis is a painful disease without definitive therapy. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of strontium in bladder with experimental interstitial cystitis model. Material and Methods. Rats' bladders in control group were instilled with NaCl. Second group was instilled with E. coli LPS. Third group was instilled with strontium. Fourth group was initially instilled with strontium and then LPS. Fifth group was instilled with LPS initially and then strontium. Urine of rats was collected at the beginning and end of the study. Results. Histamine and TNF-α changes were statistically significant in the second group but were not significant in the third group. When we compared the histamine levels of second via fourth and fifth groups the changes were statistically not significant. When we compared the TNF-α levels of second via fourth and fifth groups the changes were statistically significant. Conclusions. In our model, strontium did not make any significant changes in histopathology or histamine levels; however, it significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α. Given the role of TNF-α in the physiopathology of interstitial cystitis, these results suggested that further studies are required to evaluate the potential use of strontium in the management of interstitial cystitis.

Contractile responses of urinary bladder in an experimental model of chronic renal failure.

Chronic kidney disease is a public health problem with increasing prevalence caused by diabetes, hypertension and glomerulonephritis. Number of publications investigate the lower urinary tract dysfunction due to CKD is limited. There is a high incidence of bladder dysfunction of different degrees in patients with renal failure. Mechanism of the lower urinary tract dysfunction in these patients is not well known. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of CKD on detrusor function in a rat model of CKD. In our study, 20 Wistar Albino rats have been divided into two groups as CKD and control groups. To the experiment group, left partial nephrectomy and right nephrectomy have been applied. CKD confirmation has done with the BUN and creatinin values from the blood of the rats. The bladder strips were prepared from the CKD and control groups and its contractile responses were evaluated in-vitro. There wasn't a considerable difference with the contractile responses caused by carbachol, KCL. There was a considerable increase in the contractile responses caused by ATP, ADP and electrical field stimulation on the behalf of the CKD group. The present study demonstrated that isolated DSM of CKD group showed significantly increased contraction responses to purinergic agonists ADP, ATP and atropine resistant component in electrical field stimulation-induced contractions as compared to those of the control group. Bladder overactivity and reduced bladder volume in CKD patients might be due to the change in purinergic system.

Alterations in promoter methylation status of tumor suppressor HIC1, SFRP2, and DAPK1 genes in prostate carcinomas.

Hypermethylated genomic DNA is a common feature in tumoral tissues, although the prevalence of this modification remains poorly understood. We aimed to determine the frequency of five tumor suppressor (TS) genes in prostate cancer and the correlation between promoter hypermethylation of these genes and low and high grade of prostate carcinomas. A total of 30 prostate tumor specimens were investigated for promoter methylation status of TS hypermethylated in cancer 1 (HIC1), death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1), secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (SFRP2), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (p16), and O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) genes by using bisulfite modifying method. A high frequency of promoter hypermethylation was found in HIC1 (70.9%), SFRP2 (58.3%), and DAPK1 (33.3%) genes in tumor samples that were examined. The current data show high frequency of hypermethylation changes in HIC1, SFRP2, and DAPK1 genes in prostate carcinomas of high Gleason Score (GS).

The impact of late presentation of posterior urethral valves on bladder and renal function.

PURPOSE: We retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with late presentation of PUVs, and compared bladder and renal function to that in patients with an early diagnosis of PUVs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 36 males (mean age at diagnosis 8.8 years, range 5 to 14) with late presentation of PUVs who were treated at our institution between 1986 and 2004. Of these patients 20 had undergone urodynamic evaluation during followup (mean age 10.65 years, range 5 to 23). We chose as controls 19 age matched children with PUVs who were diagnosed and treated before age 5 years and underwent urodynamic evaluation during followup (mean age at urodynamic evaluation 8.52 years, range 6 to 15). Urodynamic parameters were compared between the 2 patient groups. Renal function in the late presenting cases was also compared to controls. RESULTS: The most common symptoms at presentation were diurnal enuresis (17 patients, 47.2%) poor stream (7, 19.4%) and urinary retention (5, 13.9%). Overall, urodynamic bladder abnormalities were detected in 17 of 20 patients (85%), detrusor overactivity in 3 (15%), significant post-void residual in 9 (45%) and bladder capacity greater than expected for age in 9 (45%). No significant difference in bladder capacity, compliance or post-void residual was demonstrated between the late presenting and control groups. Only detrusor overactivity was significantly lower in the late presenting group (p = 0.013). After a mean followup of 67.03 months age specific creatinine levels were increased in 13 of 27 patients (48.1%), including 7 (25.9%) with ESRD. Renal function was significantly impaired in the late presenting group compared to controls (48.1% vs 13.7%, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We found a significantly lower rate of detrusor overactivity (15%) in patients with late presenting PUVs. Comparison of urodynamic parameters between the early and late presenting groups did not reveal any significant difference. This similar pattern of bladder dysfunction, independent of age at relief of obstruction, may indicate a common pathophysiological etiology for bladder dysfunction in all patients with PUVs. Also, renal function was significantly impaired in the late presenting group in this series.

Lower urinary tract reconstruction in ectopic ureteroceles.

OBJECTIVES: The management of ectopic ureteroceles is a challenging entity in pediatric urology. In our study, we aimed to determine the outcome after lower urinary tract reconstruction in ectopic ureteroceles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18 (12 girls, 6 boys) children with ectopic ureteroceles, treated between 1993 and 2003 by complete reconstruction, were enrolled in the study and their records were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Ureterocele was found to be unilateral in 16 and bilateral in 2 children. Four patients had been previously managed by endoscopic interventions and 1 patient underwent partial nephrectomy. Ureterocelectomy was performed on 20 renal units, and of these 20 renal units, 9 underwent heminephroureterectomy, 1 ureterectomy, and 3 (with single system ureteroceles) nephroureterectomy. Seven (35%) renal units with adequate function underwent ureteral reimplantations. After a mean follow-up of 5.4 years (range 4 months to 9.5 years), no patient required a second procedure. Contralateral reflux that developed in 2 children after surgical treatment resolved spontaneously after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: In the management of ectopic ureterocele, lower urinary tract reconstruction is an effective treatment alternative. According to the functional status of the renal parenchyma involved, the surgical procedure was limited to the lower urinary tract in 35% of the cases.

Failed orchiopexy.

INTRODUCTION: Failure after orchiopexy or cryptorchidism after inguinal surgery are not so rarely encountered conditions. Reoperative orchiopexies are technically demanding procedures. In our study, we aimed to examine the causes of failures and outcomes of reorchiopexies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1993 and 2003, a total of 28 children who underwent reoperative orchiopexy were included into the study. Undescended testes was detected as unilateral in 24 and bilateral in 4 cases. The mean age of patients at the time of second operation was 6.8 years. The mean period of time between the first and the second operations was 3.2 (1-13 years) years. RESULTS: The first operations were orchiopexies in all patients. After the first operations, 15 testes were found to be localized at the high scrotal position, 8 at the level of the external ring and 9 within the inguinal canal. Overall, reorchiopexies were performed on 32 testes in 28 patients. During the second operation, patent processus vaginalis was detected in 11 (34.4%), and unsuccessful hernia repair in 9 (28.1%) cases. After reorchiopexies, two testes with preoperative inguinal location could only be brought to high scrotal position and in another case orchiectomy was performed to an atrophic testis. Overall, after a mean follow-up period of 3.8 (1-7 years) years following the second operations, 29 (93.5%) testes were scrotal without evidence of atrophy. CONCLUSION: In our series, inadequate repair of inguinal hernia or patent processus vaginalis, as noted in 62.5% of the cases, was determined as an important factor leading to failure after surgical treatment of undescended testis. Adequate dissection and correction of inguinal hernia increase the success rate after orchiopexies.