Halil Başar

Terazosin in the Treatment of Premature Ejaculation: A Short-term Follow-up

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of terazosine in patients with premature ejaculation and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), after excluding other sexual disorders and chronic prostatitis. Methods: A total of 90 patients with premature ejaculation and LUTS were enrolled to the study after excluding sexual disorders, prostatitis and benign prostatic hyperplasia. The patients were divided into two groups. Sixty patients in group 1 were treated with terazosine 5 mg daily for a month. Patients were followed monthly and questioned for their ejaculation problem. The results were classified as cure, improvement and ineffective. If patients showed improvement and ineffectiveness, the treatment was continued with 10 mg daily for the following month. Group 2 was included 30 patients, and placebo was applied for a month. At the end of this period, in patients who did not show any improvement, terazosine 10 mg was started. Results: In the treatment group, at the 1st month follow-up, 21 patients (35%) were cured, 20 (33.3%) showed improvement. In 19 (31.7%) patients, the treatment was ineffective. In group 2, 9 (30%) patients showed improvement and the rest had no-changes after one-month follow up. There was statistically significant difference between two groups (Pearson χ2 test=0.000). Later, terazosine 10 mg was given to the patients in group 2 and to the patients who showed improvement or unsuccessful result with terazosine 5 mg. With terazosine 10 mg, 10 (14.5%) patients were cured, 29 (42.2%) patients were improved. Finally, terazosine treatment in patients with premature ejaculation was found to be effective in 60 patients (66.7%).Conclusion: Alpha blockers seem to be physiological medical agents in the treatment of premature ejaculation since ejaculation is under sympathetic control. Moreover, these agents are effective in lower urinary tract and they should be used in patients with premature ejaculation and lower urinary tract symptoms.

Psychological trauma of circumcision in the phallic period could be avoided by using topical steroids

Objective:  The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy of topical steroids in the treatment of phimosis and evaluate patients using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual‐III‐Revised (DSM‐III‐R) test with the aim of eliminating castration anxiety of circumcision in the phallic period.

Sildenafil citrate for penile hemodynamic determination: an alternative to intracavernosal agents in Doppler ultrasound evaluation of erectile dysfunction

OBJECTIVES To suggest a new noninvasive method for penile Doppler ultrasound (PDU) evaluation of erectile dysfunction using oral sildenafil citrate as an erection induction agent. METHODS A total of 20 patients admitted with the complaint of erectile dysfunction were evaluated by the short form of the International Index of Erectile Function. A total score of less than 25 was accepted as erectile dysfunction and PDU was performed. The initial penile study consisted of PDU examination under visual sexual stimulation (VSS), and the peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and resistance index were recorded. Measurements of all the parameters were repeated on the same patients after intracavernosal papaverine, intracavernosal prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)), and oral sildenafil citrate administration, plus VSS. All patients had these four tests in the same order at weekly intervals. Sildenafil citrate was given orally 45 minutes before Doppler investigation, and patients had VSS during the waiting period. The patients were asked about their satisfaction and comfort after each test. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS The measurements with papaverine, PGE(1), and sildenafil citrate were significantly different from those after only VSS (P <0.008); however, the papaverine, PGE(1), and sildenafil citrate results were not different from each other according to the peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and resistance index measurements (P >0.008). Patients commented that although PGE(1) was the strongest erectogenic agent, sildenafil citrate was the most convenient. CONCLUSIONS Since the results of PDU with oral sildenafil citrate in association with VSS were not statistically different, we suggest a new noninvasive erection induction method for the purpose of PDU evaluation of erectile dysfunction.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Penile Metastases of Extragenitourinary Cancers

Background: The aim of present study is to evaluate the efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in different types of penile metastases. Materials and methods: In this report, we present three cases of penile metastases that have been developed secondary to extragenitourinary malignancies. Two of them did not have any primary malignancy history.Results: Penile biopsies were performed in all patients and metastatic penile tumours were found due to extragenitourinary malignancies. Penile MRI was performed before biopsies. The findings of MRI were correlated with histopathologic diagnosis. Moreover, penile MRI was found to be more sensitive in the evaluation of the lesions than ultrasonography.Conclusion: MRI can be accepted as a reliable non-invasive method for the evaluation of the extent of penile metastases and involvement of tunica albuginea or urethral.

Prevalence of Primary Tethered Cord Syndrome Associated with Occult Spinal Dysraphism in Primary School Children in Turkey

The prevalence and associated factors of primary tethered cord syndrome (PTCS) in primary school children were investigated. A cross-sectional study was performed in four demographically different primary schools in Turkey. Demographic, familial and physical data were collected from 5,499 children based on enuresis as a predominant symptom and dermatologic and orthopedic signs as clues of occult spinal dysraphism. Statistical analysis and input of the data were carried out with the SPSS package program 10.00, and logistic regression analysis was used to identify discriminating factors between enuretic children with or without neurologic signs. Of 5,499 analyzed children, 422 (7.7%) had enuresis nocturna, and 19.9% of 422 children had also daytime incontinence. Sixteen of these 422 enuretic children (3.8%) had several dermatologic signs. Five of them had spina bifida on plain radiographies, and 4 of them had cord tethering on lumbar MRI. Fifteen of 422 enuretic children (3.7%) had gait disturbances and orthopedic anomalies without cutaneous manifestations. Six of 15 children had spina bifida on plain graphies and 2 of them had tethered cord syndrome on MRI. The general prevalence of PTCS was found to be 0.1% of 5,499 analyzed children and 1.4% of enuretic children. A good outcome after untethering was found in 83.0% in this series. Practitioners should be aware of these clues of occult spinal dysraphism and resort to further radiologic and neurosurgical assessment. Early surgical intervention may halt the progression of the neurologic deficits and stabilize or reverse symptoms.

Local anesthesia in transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: EMLA cream as a new alternative technique

Objectives. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the efficacy of eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) cream in transrectal-guided prostate biopsy and to compare its effect with that of other injectable anesthetic procedures. Material and methods. Eighty male patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels >4 ng/ml or who had prostate nodules on digital rectal examination were randomly divided into four groups. In Group 1 (controls), prostate biopsy was performed after application of a placebo cream. In Group 2, local surface anesthesia with EMLA cream was performed 15 min before biopsy. Periprosthetic nerve blockade was performed with 1% prilocaine and 1% lidocaine in Groups 3 and 4, respectively. Pain was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) after each core biopsy. In addition, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturations were recorded after each biopsy and then at 5-min intervals for 15 min. Results. Average VAS scores in Groups 1–4 were 5.5, 2.9, 2.4 and 2.2, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in VAS scores between the treatment groups and the placebo group (p=0.000). There were no statistically significant differences in VAS scores between the three treatment groups (p2–3=0.126, p2–4=0.303, p3–4=0.537). We detected no statistically significant differences between the groups based on the hemodynamic data (pMAP=0.899). Moreover, these measurements did not show statistically significant changes with time in any of the groups (p>0. 05). Conclusion. Intrarectal application of EMLA cream provides equal anesthesia to periprostatic nerve blockade with prilocaine and lidocaine.

Assessment of sapheno-femoral junction continence in patients with primary adolescent varicocoele

BackgroundAlthough there is much evidence supporting a relationship between primary varicocoele and venous incompetence of the saphenofemoral junction in adults, there is no evidence for such a relationship during adolescence. Because of the effect of age and future occupation (standing upright for long periods) on the aetiology, pathogenesis and frequency of varicose veins of the lower extremity and incompetence of saphenofemoral junctions in adulthood, a comparison during adolescence is appropriate.ObjectiveOn the basis of a close physiopathological and haemodynamic relationship between primary varicose veins and primary varicocoele, we decided to evaluate the competence of the saphenofemoral junctions in a selected group of adolescents affected by primary varicocoele and compare these results with age-matched healthy adolescents.Materials and methodsTwenty-five adolescents with primary varicocoele and 23 age-matched healthy controls were included in the study. In all cases physical examination and colour Doppler US was used to diagnose or exclude the presence of primary varicocoele and to evaluate the continence of the saphenofemoral junction.ResultsOn the right side, 10 of 25 varicocoele patients and on the left side 11 of 25 varicocoele patients had incompetence of the saphenofemoral junction. For the control patients the incidence was 2/23 on the right side and 4/23 on the left side. The difference is statistically significant.ConclustionsWe demonstrated high concurrence of varicocoele and valvular incompetence of the saphenofemoral junction in a particular adolescent group. We suggest clinical examination and US assessment of the saphenofemoral junctions of adolescents affected by varicocoele in order to detect the early diagnosis of venous insufficiency of the lower limbs among these patients.

Disseminated tuberculosis with lymphatic, splenic and scrotal abscesses: a case report

IntroductionDisseminated tuberculosis can involve several organs and clinically present with a potpourri of signs and symptoms. Early diagnosis and timely initiation of proper treatment are of great importance in preventing the later complications of the disease.Case presentationWe report a case with disseminated tuberculosis who exhibited a wide spectrum of extrapulmonary involvement. The present case had lung and lymph node tuberculosis with abscess formation and remained undiagnosed for two years. Thereafter, multiple splenic abscesses developed that necessitated splenectomy, and at the final stage, he presented with scrotal abscesses.ConclusionThis paper highlights the diverse clinical appearances of disseminated tuberculosis and the significant importance of early diagnosis and treatment.

Significance of p57(Kip2) down-regulation in oncogenesis of bladder carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study.

Aims and Background Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors have important roles in the oncogenesis of various tumors including urothelial cancer. The aim of this study was to establish the importance of p57Kip2, a unique cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, in the oncogenesis of bladder carcinoma. This article also focused on another cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p27Kip1, and telomerase enzyme and examined the relationship between these proteins. Material and Methods Thirty-one patients with urothelial carcinomas of the bladder and 7 cases with normal urinary bladder mucosa were included in the study. Immunohistochemical study was performed by monoclonal antibodies of p27Kip1, p57Kip2, and the telomerase subunit (hTERT). All immunohistochemical preparations were evaluated by an immunohistochemical histological score. Results p57Kip2 and p27Kip1 expression were seen in all of the cases of normal mucosa. In carcinoma cases, 8 of 31 (25.8%) showed p57Kip2 nuclear positivity and 20 of 31 (64.5%) expressed nuclear p27Kip1. HSCOREs of carcinoma cases showed lower scores of nuclear p57Kip2 and p27Kip1 than normal mucosa, but only HSCOREs of nuclear p57Kip2 (P = 0 001) showed statistical significance. Despite unknown significance, cytoplasmic p57Kip2 and p27Kip1 were also evaluated. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that carcinomas expressed higher HSCOREs of hTERT than normal mucosa, and there was a significant difference (P = 0.026) between muscle invasive carcinomas and normal mucosa. Conclusions The data showed that p57Kip2 down-regulation along with p27Kip1 is a well-established feature of urothelial carcinoma. Probably, this down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors supports the proliferation phase of oncogenesis. In the study, we also showed that hTERT expression was up-regulated in higher stages of urothelial carcinoma.

The efficacy of sildenafil in different etiologies of erectile dysfunction.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sildenafil and success of treatment in particular etiological causes in erectile dysfunction lasting more than 3 months. Material and methods: A total of 141 patients between 27 and 78 years old without any cardiac compromise, despite controversial, which precludes sildenafil (Viagra®) treatment, were included in this study. All patients had only International Index of Erectile Capacity Form (IIEF) for pre-treatment evaluation and 50 mg sildenafil was started. Patients were assessed monthly for 6 months thereafter. Erectile capacity changes were questioned by IIEF on each follow-up and 100 mg sildenafil was given in patients without a response and monthly follow-up was scheduled. All patients had SMA-12, hormonal analyses and penile colour Doppler ultrasonography during the treatment course. The difference between IIEF score of each patient was displayed by Paired-ttest and p-values less than 0.05 was applied as significant. Results: The average beginning IIEF score of 141 patients was11.80 ± 0.47 [6–22], and increased to 20.70 ± 0.62[6–30] after a month of 50 mg sildenafil treatment. The mean increase was 75.4% and found to be significant (p= 0.000, p < 0.05). The average IIEF scores were recorded as 22.57 ± 0.69 after 3, and 22.12 ± 0.24 after 6 months. There was no difference between these values and 2nd month controls (p3 month = 0.5675,p6 month = 0.6138, p > 0.05). A positive response was recorded in 102 patients (72.3%) and 39(27.7%) patients were unresponsive. Doubled doses of sildenafil (100 mg) was effective in additional 17 patients. After overall treatment, 119 (84.4%) patients had benefit from sildenafil. Penile Doppler ultrasonography displayed arterial insufficiency in 79 (56.03%), veno-occlusive dysfunction in 14 (9.93%), mixt vascular pathology in 14 (9.93%) patients. Normal ultrasonographic findings in 32 patients (22.7%) were classified as psychogenic dysfunction. Among the organic causes, sildenafil was found to be most effective in arterial insufficiency group. Conclusion: Sildenafil is a successful management modality in erectile dysfunction with minimal pre-treatment evaluation. As far as etiological causes concerned, sildenafil was found to be most effective in arterial insufficiency group and psychogenic group. The efficacy of sildenafil treatment has not been changed with the treatment time, since IIEF scores were stable during follow-up controls.