Assessing the outcomes of subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy: pulling technique compared to the conventional method.

Introduction: The positive effect of varicocelectomy on sperm parameters (sperm morphology, concentration, motility) and fertility and pregnancy rates has been proven. Although various techniques have been defined for varicocele treatment, varicocelectomy with the pulling technique was first defined in 2017. The aim of this retrospective study is to compare the effectiveness and reliability of subinguinal microsurgical varicocelectomy with the "pulling" technique and conventional subinguinal varicocelectomy.

Efficacy and Safety of CT-P13 as First- and Second-Line Treatment in Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis.

CT-P13 is a biosimilar version of infliximab, a monoclonal antibody. In individuals with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), CT-P13 has been shown to be effective and to have a well-tolerated safety profile. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term drug persistence, safety, and efficacy of infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 in patients with AS undergoing first-line (1st-line) and later (≥2nd-line) treatment in clinical practice.

The effect of peritoneal flap fixation with curling technique on postoperative lymphocele formation in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Background: In robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), the peritoneal edges isolate the extended pelvic lymph node dissection bed from the peritoneal cavity. We studied the effect of peritoneal re-configuration through peritoneal flap fixation (PFF) with curling technique on lymphocele development.

Method: We included 2087 patients who underwent RARP between 2010 and 2022.

Predictive factors for difficult ureter in primary kidney stone patients before retrograde intrarenal surgery.

Introduction: Ureter may be resistant to insertion of ureteral access sheath (UAS) and/or semi-rigid ureterorenoscope because of the narrow ureter, 'difficult ureter' especially in primary retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) cases. We aimed to delineate the parameters that affect significantly the accessibility of the ipsilateral ureter of the stone-bearing patient side.

Material And Methods: The data of age, gender, body mass index, comorbidities, prior urinary tract infection, prior stone passage, stone burden, stone density, number of stones, stone localization, surgery side, the presence of hydronephrosis and need for double J (DJ) stent due to difficult ureter for all patients were reviewed.

Applications of Chitosan in Prevention and Treatment Strategies of Infectious Diseases.

Chitosan is the most commonly investigated functional cationic biopolymer in a wide range of medical applications due to its promising properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioadhesivity, as well as its numerous bioactive properties. Within the last three decades, chitosan and its derivatives have been investigated as biomaterials for drug and vaccine delivery systems, besides for their bioactive properties. Due to the functional groups in its structure, it is possible to tailor the delivery systems with desired properties.

Evaluation of homeobox protein B13 (HOXB13) gene G84E mutation in patients with prostate cancer.

Objectives: To comprehensively investigate the potential association between prostate cancer (PCa) and the G84E mutation within the Homeobox Protein B13 (HOXB13) gene among individuals of Turkish descent, our study aims to undertake a prospective examination.

Methods: We evaluated 300 patients (150 diagnosed with prostate cancer, 150 controls) who presented in our clinic. Data collected were prospectively examined.

The predictive ability of Mayo adhesive probability score for evaluating intraoperative bleeding in standard percutaneous nephrolithotomy in adult patients.

Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) score is one of the commonest tool to predict the adherence status of perirenal fat. The association between MAP score and intraoperative hemorrhage in patients undergoing micropercutaneous nephrolithotomy was comfirmed in a recent well designed study. We aimed to investigate if MAP score may predict the possibility for significant intraoperative bleeding in supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) performed with a 26 Fr rigid nephroscope.

Biological treatment in elderly and young patients with ankylosing spondylitis: TURKBIO real-life data results.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of age on disease activity and biological treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Patients And Methods: A total of 811 AS patients registered in the TURKBIO registry database between 2011 and 2019 were categorized according to their age at the time of entry into the registry and assigned to one of two groups: young patients, defined as <60 years of age (n=610), and those aged ≥60 years (n=201) were recorded as elderly patients. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics, along with disease activity markers and other follow-up parameters, as well as current and prior treatments, were electronically recorded during each visit using open-source software.

Evaluation of Adolescents' Awareness of Seat Belt Use and the Relationship with Risky Behaviors.

The one of the leading causes of adolescent morbidity and mortality worldwide is motor vehicle accidents (MVA). The use of seat belts significantly lowers MVA fatalities and injuries. The aim of this study is to investigate adolescent seat belt usage patterns and relation with risky behaviors.

Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS) predicts postoperative complications after radical cystectomy.

Introduction: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Estimation of Physiologic Ability and Surgical Stress (E-PASS) scoring system in predicting postoperative complications following radical cystectomy (RC).

Materials And Methods: In this single-center retrospective study, we analyzed data from patients who underwent open RC for muscle-invasive bladder cancer by a single surgeon between 2008 and 2023. Cases involving cystectomy for non-urothelial carcinoma or urinary diversion other than ileal conduit were excluded.

Assessing safety and efficacy of TNFi treatment in late onset ankylosing spondylitis: a TURKBIO registry study.

Clinical data on the use of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in late-onset ankylosing spondylitis (LoAS) are limited. The present study aimed to evaluate efficacy, safety, and treatment adherence associated with the initial use of TNFi therapy in biologic naive patients diagnosed with LoAS. Patients whose age of onset was ≥ 45 years and < 45 years were classified as having LoAS and YoAS, respectively, based on the age of symptom onset.

Body mass index does not affect response of rituximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the TURKBİO registry.

Background/aim: Adipose tissue produces several inflammatory mediators. Thus, obesity affects the disease course and the responses to the antirheumatic agents in inflammatory diseases. The aim of the study was to determine whether the body mass index (BMI) is involved in the response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Improving croup management at a pediatric emergency department.

Objectives: Over-testing and over-treatment are common in children with croup at pediatric emergency departments (PED). The objective of the study was to improve care for children with croup.

Methods: In this quality improvement (QI) initiative, all pediatric residents starting their rotation in the PED attended an informative presentation about croup and were provided reminders throughout their rotation.

Effectiveness of cocoon strategy vaccination on prevention of influenza-like illness in young infants.

During the initial half-year of their existence, infants cannot receive the influenza vaccine, yet they face the greatest susceptibility to severe influenza complications. In this study, we seek to determine whether influenza vaccination of maternal and household contacts is associated with a reduced risk of influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) in infants. This work was prospectively conducted during the influenza season.

The fate of clinically insignificant residual fragments following retrograde intrarenal surgery and factors affecting spontaneous passage.

The remaining stone fragments after retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) can lead to stone recurrence/regrowth, or stone-related events (SRE). We aimed to delineate the clinical circumstances that are decisive for spontaneous passage of clinical insignificant residual fragments (CIRF) (primary outcome) and define risk factors for stone recurrence/regrowth and their clinical manifestation (secondary outcome). A total of 115 patients who had CIRF following RIRS were included in this study.

The effect of percussion, diuresis and inversion therapy on RIRS success for lower renal pole stones.

Introduction: Inversion of the patient, forced diuresis after hydration, and mechanical percussion technique was developed for lower renal pole (LRP) stones with extracorporeal shock wave (ESWL). In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of percussion, diuresis and inversion (PDI) therapy on the success rates of retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for the LRP stones.

Material And Methods: 114 patients who underwent RIRS for LRP stones <2cm were included in this study.

The importance of periprostatic fat tissue thickness measured by preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in upstage prediction after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: We analyzed the surgical results of patients who were treated and followed up for prostate cancer in our clinic to predict the relationship between periprostatic adipose tissue and patients with and without pathologically upstaged disease.

Materials And Methods: The study included patients who had undergone robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and preoperative multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging between 18 February 2019 and 1 April 2022. The patients were divided into two groups, and the surgical and transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy pathology results were compared according to tumor grade and distribution in 124 patients who met the selection criteria.

Preperitoneal vas deferens infiltration in high-risk prostate cancer.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and the importance of preperitoneal vas deferens (VD) infiltration in high-risk prostate cancer (PCa).

Patients And Methods: In this prospectively designed study, we included 332 high-risk PCa patients with a Briganti score >5%, who were treated by robot-assisted radical prostatectomy between July 2017 and February 2022 at the Urology Department, SLK Kliniken Heilbronn. In addition to the standard histological analysis of the distal VD, which was attached to the prostate specimen, we analysed the infiltration status of preperitoneal VD in this cohort.

Development of a new scoring system predicting medical expulsive therapy success on 4-10 mm distal ureteral stones: medical expulsive therapy stone score (METSS).

Ureteral stone passage by using medical expulsive therapy (MET) are affected by numerous radiological and clinical parameters. We aimed to construct a scoring system, which would be based on clinical and computed tomography (CT)-derived data, to predict the success of the MET approach. 186 patients presenting to urology clinic or emergency department with unilateral single 4-10 mm distal ureteral stone and who had MET were included.

The Value of Prostate-Specific Antigen Density in Combination with Lesion Diameter for the Accuracy of Prostate Cancer Prediction in Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System 3 Prostate Lesions.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to investigate the value of prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD) and lesion diameter (LD) combination in prostate cancer (PCa) detection.

Methods: 181 patients who were detected to have prostate imaging-reporting and data system (PI-RADS) 3 lesions in mpMRI and underwent prostate biopsies were included in the study. Demographic, clinical, and pathological data of all patients were evaluated.

In vivo evaluation of new adjuvant systems based on combination of Salmonella Typhi porins with particulate systems: Liposomes versus polymeric particles.

Subunit vaccines that have weak immunogenic activity require adjuvant systems for enhancedcellular and long-acting humoral immune responses. Both lipid-based and polymeric-based particulate adjuvants have been widely investigated to induce the desired immune responses against the subunit vaccines. The adjuvant efficacy of these particulate adjuvants depends upon their physicochemical properties such as particle size, surface charge, shape and their composition.

Clinical predictors and significance of adherent periadrenal fat in laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Background: Adrenalectomy requires the anatomic preparation of the adrenal gland in the fat-rich retroperitoneal space. In the literature, it was shown that the retroperitoneal fat area affects surgical outcomes in laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA). Besides the quantity of retroperitoneal fat, its qualitative properties play hypothetically a significant role in the safety profile and perioperative parameters of LA.