Bulent Kati

Protective Effect of Infliximab on Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Damage in Rat Kidney

Objective: To investigate the protective effect of infliximab on ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury of the rat kidney. Methods: Twenty-eight male Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups: sham-operated, I/R, I/R with infliximab administered before ischemia [I/R + infliximab (bi)], and I/R with infliximab administered before reperfusion [I/R + infliximab (br)]. After a right nephrectomy to produce damage, the left renal vessels were occluded for 60 min, followed by 24-h reperfusion in rats. Changes in the rat kidney were observed by measuring the tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and by evaluating hematoxylin–eosin (H&E)-stained and periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) sections. Results: The MDA and MPO levels in the I/R group were significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.05), and the SOD and GSH levels in the I/R + infliximab (bi) and I/R + infliximab (br) groups were significantly higher than in the I/R group (p < 0.05). However, histological examination revealed that the I/R + infliximab (bi) group and the I/R + infliximab (br) group had significantly fewer tubular changes and interstitial inflammatory cell infiltration than the I/R group. Conclusion: These results show that infliximab may protect against I/R injury in the rat I/R model.

A Rare Cause of Maternal Hydronephrosis: Y-Type Partial Duplicated Ureter

Gestational hydronephrosis is observed in 80-90% of the pregnancy due to the dilatation effect of progesterone hormone and the secondary to mechanical compression of the uterus1. The common causes of the maternal hydronephrosis can be listed as physiological hydroureteronephrosis of the pregnancy, urolithiasis and genitourinary system anomalies2. Ureteral duplication is a common anomaly, observed in approximately 1 in 125 people on autopsy series3. Duplicated systems have 2 complete ureters with separate insertions into the lower urinary tract in 40% of the patients. The others have a partially duplicated system named as Y configuration4. To our best knowledge, it is a very rare case presentation in the current literature about the maternal hydronephrosis which is caused by bifid Y-type ureter.

An Extremely Rare Case of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms: Floating Benign Mesenchymal Mass in Abdomen

A 48-year-old man admitted to the urology outpatient clinic with major symptoms of right-side pain and intermittent lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) such as low urine flow rate, dysuria, and frequency. Uroflowmetry showed low urine flow, and laboratory tests revealed no pathology. Ultrasound (US) showed a 7 cm calcific mass above the bladder and a kidney cyst with a diameter of 5.3 cm in the upper pole of the right kidney. Enhanced computed tomography confirmed the US findings. Laparoscopic transperitoneal renal cyst decortication was performed. There was no sign of additional tumors. An independent mass in the abdomen was diagnosed, and the mass was removed. Based on the pathology, the diagnosis was a benign mesenchymal calcific mass. This is the first report of LUTSs due to a free benign mesenchymal mass in the published literature.