Mustafa Kirac

Repair of Hypospadiac Urethral Duplication with Dismembered Urethroplasty

Urethral duplication is a complex and rarely seen anomaly with three anatomic variants: epispadiac (dorsal), hypospadiac (ventral) and Y-type. Here we report an 11-year-old male patient with hypospadiac urethral duplication who presented with daytime urinary incontinence and dribbling, urethral stricture and possible obstructive uropathy. After endoscopic treatment of the stricture in the ventral (dominant) urethra, urethral reconstruction was done anastomosing the ventral (dominant) and dorsal (non-dominant atretic urethra) in a dismembered fashion.

Effects of dietary interventions on 24-hour urine parameters in patients with idiopathic recurrent calcium oxalate stones

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of dietary factors on 24‐hour urine parameters in patients with idiopathic recurrent calcium oxalate stones. A total of 108 of idiopathic recurrent calcium oxalate stones were included in the study. A 24‐hour urinalysis was performed and metabolic abnormalities were measured for all of the patients. All of the patients were given specialized diets for their 24‐hour urine abnormalities. At the end of first month, the same parameters were examined in another 24‐hour urinalysis. Hyperoxaluria, hypernatruria, and hypercalciuria were found in 84 (77%), 43 (39.8%), and 38 (35.5%) of the patients, respectively. The differences between the oxalate, sodium, volume, uric acid, and citrate parameters before and after the dietary intervention were significant (p < 0.05). The calcium parameters were not significantly different before and after the intervention. We found that oxalate, sodium, volume, uric acid, and citrate—but not calcium—abnormalities in patients with recurrent calcium oxalate stones can be corrected by diet. The metabolic profiles of idiopathic calcium oxalate stone patients should be evaluated and the appropriate dietary interventions should be implemented to decrease stone recurrence.

The effect of microsurgical varicocelectomy on semen parameters in men with non-obstructive azoospermia.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy on semen parameters in azoospermic men with clinical varicocele and to determine the predictive parameters of postoperative improvement. Methods: Twenty-three men with non-obstructive complete azoospermia and varicocele underwent subinguinal open microsurgical varicocele repair. The outcome was assessed in terms of improvement in semen parameters after surgical repair for varicocelectomy. Results: Bilateral varicocelectomy was performed on 15 patients and unilateral (left) varicocelectomy was performed on 8 patients. In the post-operative period, of the 23 patients, 7 (30.4%) had motile sperm in the ejaculate. The mean sperm concentration of these patients was 1.34 ± 2.6 × 106/ml and the mean total sperm motility was 37.5 ± 15.5%. Conclusion: Infertile men with non-obstructive azospermia can have improvement in semen analysis after subinguinal microsurgical repair of varicoceles. Motile sperm in ejaculate were detected after microsurgical varicocele repair.

The risk of arteriovenous fistula formation after en bloc stapling of the renal hilum during transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies.

Our aim was to evaluate the risk of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) formation after en bloc stapling of the renal hilum during transperitoneal laparoscopic nephrectomies (LNs). A retrospective review of 35 laparoscopic simple or radical nephrectomies or LNs was carried out. Patients were clinically followed up for renal hilar AVF formation, which could lead to new onset diastolic hypertension, abdominal murmur, and congestive heart failure. In addition, abdominal computed tomography and arteriography were carried out to diagnose renal hilar AVF formation during 6 to 20 months’ follow-up. No statistically significant differences were measured between the systolic and the diastolic blood pressures between the preoperative and the postoperative periods (P>0.005). Abdominal murmur and new-onset congestive heart failure were not detected in any of the patients on physical examination. Our results suggest that en bloc stapling of the renal hilum during LN procedures is safe and effective.

Predictive Significance of Preoperative Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio versus Platelet to Lymphocyte Ratio for Gleason score in Prostate Cancer Patients

Objective: Inflammation plays a critical role in the development and progression of cancer. The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are easily accessible basic inflammatory parameters. In this study, we aimed to analyze the association between the NLR, PLR, and the Gleason score in prostate cancer, which is main parameter used in the prostate cancer prognosis. Materials and Methods: A total of 173 patients with prostate cancer (mean age, 63±6.2 years) who underwent radical prostatectomy were included into this retrospective study. The NLR and PLR were derived from the complete blood cell count results from the preoperative period. Patients were divided into two groups, as the low grade prostate cancer (Gleason score≤7 [3+4]) and the high-grade prostate cancer (Gleason score≥7 [4+3]) group. A logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association. Results: A univariate logistic regression analysis showed that the Ln-prostate specific antigen (PSA) (1.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.01, 3.3] p=0.04), Ln-lymphocyte (0.38, 95% CI [0.15, 0.94] p=0.03), and Ln-NLR (1.9, 95% CI 1.9 [1.13, 3.38] p=0.01) levels were significantly associated with the high-grade Gleason score. However, the Ln-PLR levels revealed the association with marginal statistical significance (2.06, 95 % CI [0.95, 4.4] p=0.06). In multiple analyses, after adjusting the analysis for age, Ln-NLR (1.96, 95% CI [1.12, 3.42] p=0.01) and Ln-lymphocyte levels (0.38, 95% CI [0.15, 0.97] p=0.04) were still statistically significantly associated with high-grade prostate cancer. Conclusion: Higher NLR levels were significantly associated with high-grade prostate cancer. However, PLR levels were not a significant predictor of higher Gleason scores.

Flexible Ureterorenoscopy versus Mini-Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy for the Treatment of Renal Stones

PURPOSE To compare the pain status and stone free rates of flexible ureterorenoscopy (F-URS) versus mini-percutaneousnephrolithotomy (mini-PNL) for the treatment of 1-to 2-cm renal stones. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was retrospectively designed with match paired method. Between January 2013 and December 2016, 387 patients underwent stone surgery for renal stones, 45 patients underwent FURS and 45 patients underwent mini-PNL. 90 patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical procedures. Group 1 patients underwent F-URS, and Group 2 patients underwent mini-PNL. During the intraoperative andpostoperative periods, pain management for all patients was standardized. Pain scores were determined using a visual analogue scale (VAS) completed at 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively. The stone free status, hemoglobin levels, fluoroscopy time (FT), operation time (OT), hospitalization time (HT), return to work time (RWT), and complications were noted for each patient. RESULTS Of all patients, the mean age was 41.1 ± 12.1 years and the mean stone size was 13.9 ± 2.9 mm. The VAS scores were significantly higher in the mini-PNL group at 2, 6, 12 and 24 hours (P < .05). The stone-free status and complication rates were similar between the two groups (P > .05); however, the hemoglobin decreases and the fluoroscopy, operation, hospitalization and return to work times were higher in the mini-PNL group than in the F-URS group (P < .05). CONCLUSION F-URS is less painful than mini-PNL for the treatment of 1- to 2-cm renal stones. However, the stone free rate is similar between the two procedures while mini-PNL is superior in terms of fluoroscopy, operation, hospitalization and return to work duration. We think that F-URS is more comfortable and less painful than mini-PNL and achieves a similar stone free rate for the treatment of 1- to 2-cm renal stones.

Surgical management of urinary stones with abnormal kidney anatomy

In spite of the fact that urologic surgical techniques used by urologists are becoming more and more minimally invasive and easier because of developing technologies, surgical approaches for the urinary stones in kidneys with abnormal anatomy are still confusing. The objective of this article is to determine the treatment options in these kidneys. For this purpose, between 2005 and 2015, we retrospectively evaluated patients operated for urolithiasis with various congenital renal anomalies in five referral urology clinics in our country. Of the 178 patients (110 male, 60 female), 96 had horseshoe kidneys, 42 had pelvic ectopic kidneys (PEKs), and 40 had isolated rotation anomalies (IRAs) of the kidney. We evaluated the patients for stone‐free rate (SFR), mean operation time, mean hospitalization time, and complication rate. In horseshoe kidney, SFRs for retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) groups were 72.2% and 90%, respectively. In PEKs, these rates were 83.6% and 100% for RIRS and laparoscopic pyelolithotomy, respectively. SFRs in kidneys with IRA were 75% for RIRS and 83.3% for PNL. The mean operation time for RIRS and PNL groups in horseshoe kidney was 40.5 ± 11.2 minutes and 74.5 ± 19.3 minutes, respectively. In PEKs, these times were 52.1 ± 19.3 minutes and 53.1 ± 24.3 minutes for RIRS and laparoscopic pyelolithotomy, respectively. Mean operation time in kidneys with IRA was 48.7 ± 14.4 minutes for RIRS and 53.2 ± 11.3 minutes for PNL. Mean hospitalization times for RIRS and PNL groups in horseshoe kidneys were 1.4 ± 0.7 days and 2.2 ± 1.4 days, respectively. In PEKs, these times were 2.7 ± 1.8 days and 1.9 ± 0.4 days for RIRS and laparoscopic pyelolithotomy, respectively. Mean operation time in kidneys with IRA was 1.5 ± 0.9 days for RIRS and 1.8 ± 0.6 days for PNL. The results of our study showed that RIRS could be used in all of types of abnormal kidneys with small‐ and medium‐sized renal calculi safely and satisfactorily.

The use of titanium ligation clips in microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to evaluate the use of titanium ligation clips for dilated spermatic veins in microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this retrospective study, eighty-four men with clinical varicocele underwent microsurgical varicocele repair. The patients were divided into two groups according to the ligation materials used for the varicocelectomy (silk sutures vs. titanium clips). Group 1 included 43 patients; these patients underwent microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy with the titanium clips. The 41 patients included in Group 2 underwent microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy with silk sutures. Microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy was performed in all patients. The two study groups were compared in terms of intra-operative and postoperative parameters. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 28.6±4.6 years, and the mean follow-up was 12.3±2.7 months. The two groups exhibited comparable improvements in sperm motility and/or concentration: 79.1% and 82.9% in Group 1 and Group 2, respectively (p>0.05). The operation time in Group 1 (titanium clip) was significantly shorter than in Group 2 (silk sutures). None of the patients experienced any intra-operative complications. There were no significant differences between Group 1 and Group 2 with regard to postoperative recurrences, ligated veins, postoperative complications and hydrocele formation, hospitalization time, the requirement for postoperative analgesia or the time until the patient could return to work. CONCLUSION Titanium ligation clips can be used for the ligation of dilated vessels during microsurgical subinguinal varicocelectomy, and the operation time is significantly reduced with the use of titanium ligation clips.