Aim:URS is a very commonly used procedure for treatment of ureter stones. Increased hydrostatic pressure in the collecting system linked to fluids used during the procedure may cause harmful effects on the kidney. The aim of this study is to determine whether the URS procedure has a negative effect on the kidney by investigating NGAL, KIM-1, FABP and Cys C levels in urine.Material and Methods:This study included 30 patients undergoing ureterorenoscopy (URS) for ureter stones. Urine samples were collected 5 times; before the URS procedure (control) and at 1, 3, 5 and 12 hours following the procedure. NGAL, KIM-1, FBAP and Cys C levels were measured in urine and compared with the control values.Results:The NGAL levels in urine before the procedure and at 1, 3, 5 and 12 hours after the procedure were 34.59±35.34; 62.72±142.32; 47.15±104.48; 45.23±163.16 and 44.99±60.79ng/mL, respectively (p=0.001). Similarly, the urinary KIM-1, FABP and Cys C levels were found to increase compared to control values; however this increase did not reach statistical significance (p >0.05).Conclusions:After the URS procedure, there were important changes in NGAL, FABP, KIM-1 and Cys C levels. These changes reached statistical significance for NGAL, but did not reach significance for the other parameters. In conclusion, the URS procedure significantly affects the kidney; however, this effect disappears over time.

Introduction COVID-19 pandemic caused unprecedented restrictions in outpatient services and surgical practices in urology as in other medical branches as well as in all areas of life. Aim To investigate whether there have been variations in the presentations of male patients with sexual and reproductive health problems to the outpatient urology clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand the underlying factors for these variations, if any. Methods Male patients aged ≥18 years who presented to the outpatient urology clinics in 12 centers across Turkey from February 1, 2020 to June 1, 2020 were retrospectively evaluated. The patients were divided into two groups: those who presented to the outpatient clinic from February 1, 2020 to March 11, 2020 comprised the “pre-COVID-19 pandemic period” group, whereas those who presented to the outpatient clinic from March 12, 2020 to June 1, 2020 comprised the “COVID-19 pandemic period” group and compared with each other. Main Outcome Measures Number and diagnose of patients presented to urology outpatient clinics Results Andrological problems were detected in 721 of 4,955 male patients included in the study. During the COVID-19 pandemic period, there was a significant increase in andrological diagnosis in these patients compared with the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period [n=293 (17%) vs. n=428 (13.2%), p<0.001, respectively]. Similarly, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of patients diagnosed with male reproductive or sexual health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic period [n=107 (6.2%) vs. n=149 (4.6%), p=0.016 and n=186 (10.8%) vs. n=279 (8.6%), p=0.013, respectively]. The number of patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction during the pandemic was also significantly higher than the pre-COVID-19 pandemic period [n=150 (8.7%) vs. n=214 (6.6%), p=0.008]. Conclusion Presentations to the outpatient urology clinics due to andrological problems markedly increased during the pandemic period. Although these problems are of multifactorial origin, psychogenic factors are also considered to significantly trigger these problems.

Introduction Sepsis is an inflammatory reaction to bacteria involving the whole body and is a significant cause of mortality and economic costs. The purpose of this research was to determine whether tadalafil exhibits a preventive effect on sepsis in a septic model induced in rats with cecal ligation and puncture (CLP).Materials and Methods Rats were randomly separated into groups, 10 rats in each: (i) a sham (control) group, (ii) an untreated sepsis group, (iii) a sepsis group treated with 5mg/kg tadalafil and (iv) a sepsis group treated with 10mg/kg tadalafil. A polymicrobial sepsis model was induced in rats using CLP. Rats were sacrificed after 16h, and blood and kidney tissues were collected for biochemical and histopathological study.Results Levels of the inflammatory parameter IL-6 decreased significantly in the sepsis groups receiving tadalafil in comparison with the untreated sepsis group (p<0.05). In terms of histopathology, inflammation scores investigated in kidney tissues decreased significantly in the sepsis groups receiving tadalafil compared to the untreated sepsis group (p<0.05). In addition, levels of creatinine and cystatin C measured in septic rats receiving tadalafil were lower by a clear degree than in septic rats (p<0.05).Conclusion In this study, tadalafil exhibited a preventive effect for sepsis-related damage by suppressing inflammation in serum and kidney tissue of septic rats in a polymicrobial sepsis model induced with CLP.

Background The β3‐adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) is very important in the regulation of the human detrusor muscle function. The well‐known tryptophan64arginine polymorphism of the ADRB3 gene alters the response of the receptor to various stimuli, including adrenalin and noradrenalin, and may increase the susceptibility to develop overactive bladder (OAB). Therefore, this study was performed to determine whether ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism is associated with the pathophysiology of OAB syndrome. Methods The study group (n = 150) consists of 72 patients with OAB and 78 controls without OAB. Venous blood samples were taken from all participants to analyze the ADRB3 gene Trp64Arg polymorphism using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) assay. We compared the distribution of Trp64Arg polymorphism and symptom severity in both OAB and non‐OAB subjects using χ2 test and Mann–Whitney's U test, respectively. Results The frequency of the 64Arg variant (heterozygous plus homozygous) in OAB and non‐OAB subjects was 15.3% and 14.1%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the OAB and non‐OAB groups in regard to the distribution frequency of ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism. The total frequency (OAB + non‐OAB, 76 women and 74 men) of the Arg64 variant allele was 5.9% and 10.8% in women and in men, respectively. Although the frequency of the Arg64 variant was nearly twofold higher in men compared to women, the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions These results demonstrated that the ADRB3 Trp64Arg polymorphism is not significantly associated with OAB syndrome in a sample of Turkish OAB patients.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and histopathological results of adult unilateral cryptorchidism patients. Material and methods:Data from adult unilateral cryptorchidism patients that underwent orchiectomy in our clinic between between January 2004 and March 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into three groups as intra-abdominal, inguinal canal and superficial inguinal region according to the location of the undescended testes. Patients were also grouped according to their testicular volume (<4 cc, 4.1-12 cc, and >12 cc). Histopathology results of orchiectomy specimens were classified as follows: 1. Sertoli cells only, testicular atrophy and vanished testis (anorchia) 2. Hypospermatogenesis, and 3. Maturation arrest. Patients were grouped as normospermia, azoospermia and oligo/astheno/teratospermia groups according to semen analysis results. Correlations between testicular localization, testicular size, semen analysis and pathology results were evaluated. Incidental tumor detection rates were also calculated.Results: Two hundred and forty-four adult unilateral cryptorchidism patients underwent orchiectomy in our clinic. There was no a significant relationship between location of the testis and testicular pathology results (p= 0.707). Most common semen analysis results was normospermia in patients with high testicular volume group however azoospermia and oligoasthenospermia observed commonly in patients with low testicular volume group. There was a significant relationship between testicular volume and semen analysis results (p= 0.023). No significant relationship was observed between semen analysis and pathological results (p= 0.929). After an evaluation of all factors with possible effects on the semen analysis results, only testicular volume (p= 0.036) was found to have a significant impact. Only one case (0.4%) was incidentally diagnosed seminoma after a review of 233 patients with available histopathological results on record. Conclusion:Adult unilateral cryptorchidism has a minimal effect on male fertility or even this effect can be overlooked. Low detection rates of incidental germ cell tumors also make an orchiectomy decision questionable in such cases.