Mesothelioma of the tunica vaginalis testis: A case report.

Primary mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis testis are very rare malignant tumors. They are generally associated with exposure to asbestos. They may manifest as hydrocele, testis tumor, inguinal hernia, or epididymitis. After differential diagnosis, treatment is primarily surgical. Adjuvant therapeutic methods for mesotheliomas of the tunica vaginalis testis, with their high mortality, are controversial. Here, we present a mesothelioma case derived from tunica vaginalis testis acting as long-term pyocele with no known asbestos exposure.

SCUBE1: a promising biomarker in renal cell cancer.

PURPOSE: To investigate the efficacy of signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE-1) as a novel biomarker of renal tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 48 individuals were included in the study. The patient group (Group-1) consisted of 23 subjects diagnosed with renal tumor, and the control group (Group-2) of 25 healthy individuals. Patients diagnosed with renal tumor received surgical treatment consisting of radical or partial nephrectomy. Blood specimens were collected following overnight fasting. Signal peptide-CUB-EGF domain-containing protein 1 (SCUBE-1), soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) levels were measured from plasma samples. Patients in groups 1 and 2 were compared in terms of these biochemical parameters. RESULTS: The 23-member renal tumor group was made up of 17 (73.91%) male and 6 (26.08%) female patients with a mean age of 58.5±15.7 years (range 25 to 80). The 24-member healthy control group was made up of 16 (64%) male and 9 (36%) female subjects with a mean age of 52.4±9.12 years (range 40 to 67). Analysis revealed significant elevation in SCUBE-1 levels in the renal tumor group (p=0.005). No significant differences were detected between the groups with regard to CA IX or suPAR measurements (p=0.062 vs. p=0.176). CONCLUSIONS: SCUBE-1 appears to represent a promising biomarker in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with renal tumor.

The possible protective effects of dipyridamole on ischemic reperfusion injury of priapism.

PURPOSE: To investigate the protective effects against ischemia reperfusion injury of dipyridamole in a model of induced priapism in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups, control, P/R, P/R+DMSO and P/R+D. 3ml blood specimens were collected from vena cava inferior in order to determine serum MDA, IMA, TAS, TOS and OSI values, and penile tissue was taken for histopathological examination in control group. Priapism was induced in P/R group. After 1h, priapism was concluded and 30 min reperfusion was performed. In P/R+DMSO group 1ml/kg DMSO was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before reperfusion, while in P/R+D group 10mg/kg dipyridamole was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before reperfusion. Blood and penis specimens were collected after the end of 30 min reperfusion period. Sinusoidal area (µm2), tears in tunica albuginea and injury parameters in sinusoidal endothelium of penis were investigated. RESULTS: Histopathological examination revealed no significant changes in term of sinusoidal area. A decrease in tears was observed in P/R+D group compared to P/R group (p<0.05). Endothelial injury decreased in P/R+D group compared to P/R group (p>0.05). There were no significant differences in MDA and IMA values between groups. A significant increase in TOS and OSI values was observed in P/R+D group compared to P/R group. A significant decrease in TAS levels was observed in P/R+D group compared to the P/R group. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of dipyridamole before reperfusion in ischemic priapism model has a potential protective effect against histopathological injury of the penis.

Investigation of tyrphostin AG 556 for testicular torsion-induced ischemia reperfusion injury in rat.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of tyrphostin AG 556, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in an experimental model of testicular ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twenty-four adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 6): sham, torsion/detorsion (T/D), T/D + dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) (vehicle group), and T/D + DMSO + tyrphostin AG 556. Testicular torsion was achieved by rotating the left testis 720° clockwise for 4 h. Thirty minutes before detorsion, 3 mg/kg tyrphostin AG 556 was injected transperitoneally in the AG 556 group and DMSO was injected transperitoneally in the DMSO group. After 2 h of reperfusion arterial blood samples were collected for biochemical analysis for malondialdehyde (MDA), ischemia modified albumin (IMA), SCUBE1 (signal peptide-CUB [complement C1r/C1s, Uegf, and Bmp1] and EGF [epidermal growth factor] like domain-containing protein 1), total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and oxidative stress index (OSI) parameters, and ipsilateral orchiectomies were performed for histopathological examination based on the semi-quantitative Johnsen's mean testicular biopsy score (MTBS) in all groups. RESULTS: Tyrphostin AG 556 exhibited a protective effect against I/R injury in testicular torsion. Of the biochemical parameters evaluated as a result of testicular I/R, IMA, MDA, and TOS levels were significantly elevated. There was no significant difference in terms of these biochemical parameters between the sham and AG 556 groups. Significant histopathological injury was determined by comparing the T/D and sham groups. According to histopathological injury scores, significant differences were determined between T/D and AG 556 groups and between AG 556 and sham groups. AG 556 had a superior improving effect on Johnsen's scores than DMSO. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the use of tyrphostin AG 556 prior to testicular reperfusion has a protective effect against testicular I/R injury.

Severe Penile Curvature following Otis Urethrotomy.

Urethral stricture is a common urological pathology with a high recurrence rate after treatment. Urethral manipulations are among its main causes. In this paper, urethral stricture developed secondary to urethral catheterization and was treated with cold-knife internal urethrotomy and the Otis urethrotomy procedure. During the follow-up period, severe ventral penile curvature preventing sexual intercourse developed due to fibrosis of the corpus spongiosum and tunica albuginea of the penis. This ventral penile curvature was corrected with a separate operation using a tunica vaginalis flap harvested from the left scrotum.

Postcircumcisional ischemia of the glans penis treated with pentoxifylline.

Ischemia of the glans penis is a rare postcircumcision complication. We describe a four-year-old boy developing ischemia of the glans penis 48 h after circumcision. The ischemia completely resolved following treatment with iv pentoxifylline (PTX) for six days, and the patient was discharged without any problems. PTX treatment should be kept in mind as an alternative treatment modality in ischemia of the glans penis which is a serious potential post-circumcision complication.