The study investigated whether there is a male reproductive system coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) phenomenon. Thirty participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study between April and May 2020. The participants were assigned in one of the three groups including COVID‐19 patients before and after treatment, and controls. Presence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) within the semen samples was investigated. Additionally, participant's demographics, semen parameters and serum sex hormone levels were compared between the groups. SARS‐CoV‐2 was not detected within the semen samples. Sperm morphology and serum sex hormone levels were significantly different between the groups. In the post hoc analysis, sperm morphology was significantly lower in the COVID‐19 patients. Patients before treatment had significantly lower serum FSH, LH and T levels than controls. However, patients after treatment had similar serum FSH, LH and T levels with controls and patients before treatment. In our opinion, COVID‐19 and its treatment had no specific deteriorative effect on male sexual health at a short‐time period. In the patients before treatment, decreased serum of T, FSH and LH levels was consistent with acute patient stress due to COVID‐19. Similarly, it seems that decreased sperm morphology was associated with the acute fever.

The purpose of this study was to determine differences in genotype distribution and allele frequency of urokinase and vitamin D receptor (VDR) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between first-stone formers, recurrent stone formers, and controls in a Caucasian population. A total of 86 first-stone formers, 78 recurrent stone formers, and 167 controls were included. Urokinase and VDR SNPs were tested by gene amplification followed by ApaL1 and Taq1 endonuclease digestion, respectively. Baseline variables, genotype, and allele frequencies were compared between the three groups, using descriptive statistics. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated to estimate the risk for recurrent urolithiasis associated with genotypes. We found that differences in the distribution of ApaL1 SNP and Taq1 SNP genotypes were statistically different between recurrent stone formers and first-stone formers, and between recurrent stone formers and controls. Allele frequency analysis showed that the T allele for ApaL1 SNP and the C allele for Taq1 SNP were significantly associated with recurrent urolithiasis. For Taq1 SNP, logistic regression analysis showed that the C/C genotype was associated with a more than threefold higher risk for recurrent urolithiasis. We conclude that ApaL1 and Taq1 SNPs of the urokinase and VDR genes are associated with recurrent urolithiasis in a Caucasian population.

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3D technology may be effective for use in urologic laparoscopic training programs of novice surgeons. It may also contribute to the skills of specialists and experts, shortening the surgical time, which may decrease the surgical morbidity.

Purpose:Studies about the anesthesia techniques during transrectal ultrasound guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-Bx) are usually focused on pain relief. Although patients' tolerance is an important issue in TRUS-Bx, cancer detection rate (CDR) must not be ignored. In this study, we compared the impact of intrarectal lidocaine gel anesthesia (IRLA) and periprostatic nerve blockade (PNB) techniques on CDR.Materials and Methods:A total of 422 patients underwent 10 core-TRUS-Bx because of elevated serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (>2.5ng/mL) and/or suspicious digital rectal examination findings. Patients were divided into two groups according to the applied anesthesia technique: IRLA group and PNB group. Age, serum PSA level, prostate volume, visual analogue scale (VAS) score and CDR were recorded and compared statistically with chi square and unpaired t-tests.Results:Of the patients 126/422 (29.9%) underwent TRUS-Bx by using IRLA whereas 296/422 (70.1 %) by PNB technique. The mean, age, serum PSA level and prostate volume were similar between the two groups. CDR was 19.8% and 25.4% in IRLA and PNB groups, respectively (p=0.001). The mean VAS score of the PNB group (1.84±0.89) was significantly lower than that for IRLA group (3.62±1.06) (p=0.001). Conclusions: Our results revealed that PNB is superior to IRLA in terms of CDR. Further studies are required to confirm our findings.

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Aims: We aimed to evaluate the durability and cost effectiveness of the latest digital flexible ureterescope by comparing it with the conventional fiberoptic one. Materials and Methods: Data of patients who underwent retrograde intrarenal surgery between January 2013 and December 2014 were collected. Fiberoptic Flex-X2 or digital Cobra vision flexible ureteroscopes were used for the procedures. The comparison of both ureteroscopes was performed in terms of patient and stone characteristics, operative outcomes, durability, and cost effectiveness. Results: A total of 105 patients were evaluated for the study. The patient and stone characteristics and operative outcomes were similar between the groups. Overall, 54 and 51 procedures were performed using Flex-X2 and Cobra vision, respectively, before they were sent for renovation. The purchase prices were USD 29,500 for Flex-X2 and USD 58,000 for Cobra vision. Costs of per case were determined as USD 549.29 for Flex-X2 and as USD 1,137.25 for Cobra vision. Per minute working time costs were USD 772.04 and 1,471.33 for Flex-X2 and Cobra vision respectively. Conclusions: The digital Cobra vision has high costs without any difference in durability as compared to Flex-X2. Moreover, it has no benefit over Flex-X2 in terms of surgical outcomes.

Data regarding the relation between premature ejaculation (PE) and post-circumcision mucosal cuff length are controversial. The aim of this study is to analyze the relation between post-circumcision mucosal cuff length/penile length ratio (MCR) and PE. After exclusion of patients with erectile dysfunction, penile deformity, history of penile surgery and severe lower urinary tract symptoms, 49 circumcised men with PE were included. The control group is constituted of 50 healthy volunteers with normal ejaculatory function. Self-estimated intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) and premature ejaculation profile (PEP) measures of all subjects were recorded, and the MCRs of patients and controls were compared. The mean age of PE patients and controls was 35.82 ± 7.73 (range 23-54) and 38.78 ± 13.42 (range 19-71) years, respectively (P=0.183). Although mucosal cuff length was not associated with either self-estimated IELT (r=-0.185, P=0.067) or PEP (r=-0.098, P=0.336), there was a negative correlation between MCR and self-estimated IELT (r=-0.205, P=0.0001) and PEP measures (r=-0.308, P=0.002). The length of the mucosal cuff after circumcision may have an impact on ejaculatory function. Surgeons should avoid leaving excessive amount of mucosa during circumcision.