Objective:To report our technique that helps locate the guidewire into the ureter enabling safe dilatation during PCNL.Materials and Methods:Cases in which the guidewire failed to pass into the ureter following successful puncture of the desired calyx were subjected to this technique. A second guidewire was passed through the outer sheath of a 9 Fr. metallic dilator cannula, passed over the first guidewire. The cannula and outer sheath were removed, followed by percutaneous passage of a 6/7.5 Fr ureteroscope between the two guidewires, monitoring its progress through both the endoscopic and fluoroscopic monitors. Once the stone was visualized in the calyx a guidewire was passed through the working channel and maneuvered past the stone into the pelvis and ureter under direct endoscopic vision. This was followed by routine tract dilatation.Results:This technique was employed in 85 out of 675 cases of PCNL carried out at our institute between Jan 2010 to June 2014. The mean time required for our technique, calculated from the point of introduction of the ureteroscope untill the successful passage of the guidewire down into the ureter was 95 seconds. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications as a result of this technique. Guidewire could be successfully passed into the ureter in 82 out of 85 cases.Conclusions:Use of the ureteroscope introduced percutaneously through the puncture site in PCNL, is a safe and effective technique that helps in maneuvering the guidewire down into the ureter, which subsequently enables safe dilatation.

To compare the efficacy and safety of avanafil as compared with sildenafil in the management of patients with erectile dysfunction. Methods: It was a prospective, randomized, double-blind, two-arm, active-controlled, parallel, multicenter, non-inferiority clinical study carried out in patients with erectile dysfunction for at least 3 months and International Index of Erectile Function -Erectile Function domain score of <26 at enrolment. Results: A total of 220 patients were randomized to receive either avanafil tablets 100 mg or sildenafil tablets 50 mg in 1:1 ratio. After 4 weeks of treatment, 40.0% of patients in the avanafil group and 45.6% of patients in the sildenafil group required dose escalation to a high dose (avanafil 200 mg/sildenafil 100 mg). The difference in the mean change of International Index of Erectile Function -Erectile Function score from baseline in the two groups increased from week 4 (1.1, 95% confidence interval À0.2 to 2.5) to week 8 (1.4, 95% confidence interval 0.1-2.7) and week 12 (2.1, 95% confidence interval 0.8-3.5), showing non-inferiority at week 4, and superiority at week 8 and week 12. Avanafil showed a faster onset of action as shown by a significantly better response to modified Sexual Encounter Profile 1 in the avanafil group (84.8%) as compared with that in the sildenafil group (28.2%; P < 0.001). Both avanafil and sildenafil were well tolerated by all the patients in the study; the most common adverse event reported during the study was headache in both the groups. Conclusion: Avanafil is superior to sildenafil in improving the International Index of Erectile Function -Erectile Function domain score at the end of 12 weeks of treatment with the added advantage of faster onset of action.

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Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is one of the important options in the management of large (>2 cms) and complex renal calculi. Traditionally the prone position has been used to access the pelvicaliceal system as well as to remove renal calculi. Several modifications to this position have been suggested and reported by several urologists. We performed PCNL in an elderly female with a severe kyphoscoliosis by modifying the classical prone position.