Management of Forgotten Ureteral Stents: Relationship Between Indwelling Time and Required Treatment Approaches.

BACKGROUND: Double-J stents are widely used in urology practice, and removal of these stents can sometimes be forgotten. AIMS: To investigate whether indwelling time of double-J stent can predict which treatment modality is required for removal of the stent from the body. STUDY DESIGN: A multicentre, retrospective observational study. METHODS: The data of 57 patients who were treated for forgotten ureteral stents between January 2007 and December 2014 were evaluated retrospectively. Patients were classified into four groups according to indwelling time of the stents: 6-12 months, 13-24 months, 25-36 months, and <36 months. Encrustation and associated stone burden of the stents were evaluated with non-contrast stone protocol computerised tomography. RESULTS: Patients were classified according to their duration of the stent indwelling time. Simple cystoscopic stent retrieval was performed in 71.4% of patients in the 6-12 months group, 44% of patients in the 13-24 months group, 6.2% of patients in the 25-36 months group, and 11.1% of patients in the <36 months group. A percutaneous or open surgery was required in no patients with an indwelling time of double-J stent shorter than 30 months. CONCLUSION: Transurethral and/or percutaneous combined endo-urological approaches are usually sufficient for the removal of forgotten double-J stents. Transurethral procedures are sufficient for the treatment of patients with double-J stent indwelling times less than 30 months.

The relationship between mean platelet volume and other platelet indices with testicular artery blood flow and fertility: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between platelets (PLT) and platelets indices such as mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), and plateletcrit (PCT) as noninvasive biomarkers with testicular artery blood flow and fertility. METHODS: Fifty-seven healthy and fertile men with normal semen values and 52 patients with abnormal semen values were included in the study. The participants' PLT, MPV, PDW and PCT values were analyzed. Four different levels of the testicular artery, peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistive index (RI) were measured using color Doppler ultrasound. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in terms of platelet and platelet indices (MPV, PDW and PCT) between the fertile and infertile group. There were no between group differences in the RI values of the testicular- and intra-testicular artery. When all fertile and infertile participants were considered together, there was no statistically significant correlation between the parameters of the testicular artery blood flow (PSV, EDV and RI) and platelet and platelet indices (MPV, PDW and PCT) (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There is not statistically significant correlation between any of the following parameters: platelets and platelet indices such as MPV, PDW and PCT, RI of the testicular artery, and fertility.

The hounsfield unit value calculated with the aid of non-contrast computed tomography and its effect on the outcome of percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

To evaluate the effect of the Hounsfield unit (HU) value, calculated with the aid of non-contrast computed tomography, on the outcome of percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). Data for 83 patients evaluated in our clinic between November 2011 and February 2014 that had similar stone sizes, localizations, and radio opacities were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were grouped according to their HU value, in a low HU group (HU ≤ 1000) or a high HU group (HU > 1000). The two groups were compared based on their PCNL success rates, complications, duration of surgery, duration of fluoroscopy, and decrease in the hematocrit. There were no significant differences in terms of mean age, female-male ratio, or mean body mass index between the two groups (p > 0.05). The stone size and stone surface area did not differ significantly between the groups (p = 0.820 and p = 0.394, respectively). The unsuccessful PCNL rate and the prevalence of complications did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). The duration of surgery, duration of fluoroscopy, and decrease in the hematocrit were significantly greater in the high HU group compared to the low HU group (p < 0.001). Calculating the HU value using this imaging method may predict cases with longer surgery durations, longer fluoroscopy durations, and greater decreases in hematocrite levels, but this value is not related to the success rate of PCNL.