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Objectives To evaluate the effect of learning curve on supine mini-percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNL) outcomes. Methods The aim of the study was to include a total of 75 patients. All of the patients were operated on by the same team, which had experience of at least 100 prone mini-PNL cases. The team was led by a surgeon who had observed 40 supine conventional PNL procedures (sheath size 24 Fr) over a period of 3 months at an endourology center with experience in supine PNL and surgeries were performed by the same primary surgeon. Patients were divided equally into 5 groups, as first 15 cases in Group 1, and final 15 in Group 5. Groups were compared according to preoperative characteristic, intraoperative result, complication rate, and success rate. Results The mean access time was 14 minutes in group 1. It decreased to mean of 10.3 minutes for cases 31 through 45, and afterward significant decrease occurred up to a mean of 6.5 minutes for cases 61 through 75 (P ≤.001). According to the Clavien-Dindo classification system, complications were assessed, and a decrease was observed from group 1 to group 5 (40%, 20%, 26.6%, 6.7%, and 13.3%, respectively). The stone free rate increased from the mean of 66.7% for the first two groups to 80% for group 3 and increase up to the 93.3% for group 4 and 5 (P = .128). Conclusion The present study showed that considering the decrease in access time and operation time 60 patients could be enough for surgical competency as well as the complications and stone-free rates reached satisfactory levels after 45 patients.

Auxiliary nephrolithometric scoring systems (NSSs) have been developed to predict complications and treatment success of conventional percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). However, to our knowledge, there is no study comparing these NSSs in patients undergoing miniPCNL. This study aimed to compare the NSSs in terms of their ability to predict miniPCNL-related complications and treatment success.The data of patients undergoing PCNL between September 2016 and May 2018 were retrospectively reviewed through the electronic medical record system, and 140 patients were included in our study. Stone-free status was evaluated using non-contrast computed tomography between 1 and 3 months after the procedure. PCNL was considered successful if the patient was completely stone free. The postsurgical complications were classified according to the modified Clavien-Dindo classification system.The Clinical Research Office of the Endourological Society (CROES) and STONE NSSs significantly predicted miniPCNL treatment success (p = 0.043, p = 0.018). However, the Guy's NSS did not significantly predict the treatment success (p = 0.415). Guy's, CROES and STONE NSSs were not found to significantly predict postsurgical complications (p = 0.584, p = 0.823, p = 0.189).To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first of its kind to investigate the ability of NSSs to predict treatment success and postsurgical complications in patients undergoing miniPCNL. The study found that STONE and CROES NSSs are independent parameters for predicting stone-free status after miniPCNL. In addition, our study found that none of the NSSs were useful in predicting postsurgical complications in patients undergoing miniPCNL.

The aim of this study aim is to clarify the relationship between Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) and severity of lower extremity ischemia by using Fontaine classification system.Patients who were diagnosed with lower extremity arterial disease were enrolled into the study. The Fontaine score of each patient was taken and all patients completed the validated Turkish version of OAB-V8 questionnaire. Body mass index, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol and fasting plasma glucose levels were measured. The patients were divided into two groups. Patients with OAB-V8 score above 8 were enrolled into group 1 and patients with OAB-V8 score under 8 were enrolled into group 2.At the end of study period, 181 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled into the study. Patients with OAB ? 8 score (n= 79) were compared with patients with OAB8 score (n= 102). The mean age and the mean BMI were significantly higher in patients with OAB ? 8 (P = .001 and P = .001, respectively). Also, HDL- cholesterol level was found significantly lower in group 1 patients (P= .001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that presence of Fontaine score ? class 2b, age ? 60 years, BMI ? 30 kg/m2 , and HDL-cholesterol levels60 mg/dL were predictive factors for OAB.The present study demonstrated that incidence of OAB is higher in patients with severe lower extremity ischemic symptoms, older age, high BMI, and lower HDL-cholesterol level.

Life expectancy has become longer, thus the number of elderly people who require treatment for nephrolithiasis has increased. We aimed to analyze the efficacy of flexible ureterorenoscopy (f-URS) and miniaturized percutaneous nephrolithotomy (mPNL) in the management of 10 and 30 mm renal stones in patients aged >60 years. In prospective non-randomized series, the data of patients who underwent f-URS or mPNL for kidney stones between July 2013 and July 2016 were analyzed. The procedure was accepted as successful if the patient was achieved complete stone clearance according to CT imaging between 1–3 months postoperatively. In total 60 patients and 58 patients were underwent f-URS and mPNL, respectively. The mean operation time, fluoroscopy time and hospitalization time were significantly shorter for the f-URS (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). According to Clavien classification system, complication rates were not significantly different between the groups (p = 0.673). The stone-free rate was 81.7% for the f-URS group and 77.6% for the mPNL group after a single-session procedure (p = 0.747). Calcium oxalate monohydrate stones were the most common stone type in both groups. In multivariate analysis, multiple stones localization was only independent factor to predict complications. Our study had showed that both f-URS and mPNL are effective treatment modalities for 10–30-mm renal stones in elderly patients. Additionally, presence of stones in multiple location was the only predictive factor for complication development. Keywords: Aged, Ureteroscopy, Nephrolithiasis, Lithotripsy, Nephrostomy

To evaluate patients, diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, according to patient specific parameters including hemoglobin level, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), body mass index (BMI) and cigarette smoking and to identify if any of these parameters matters in terms of recurrence prediction.231 patients who have undergone transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB) between January 2015 and January 2018 and diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) were included. Patient demographic characteristics including age, sex, BMI and cigarette smoking were assessed. Hemoglobin, creatinine and eGFR values were recorded. Follow-up was performed according to the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines' recommendations. Recurrence and progression during follow-up were recorded.231 patients were included in the study. Median patient BMI, Hb levels, and eGFR values were 26.51 kg/m2 (IQR 5.48), 14,2 g/dL (IQR 2.50), and 83.25 ml/min/1.73m2 (IQR 27.83), respectively. Among all patients, 105 (45%) were ex-smokers and 78 (33%) were current smokers, 41 had anemia (17.7%), 37 (16%) patients were obese; 104 (45%) had mildly impaired renal function and 34 (14.7%) had impaired renal function. During follow-up, 67 (29%) patients had disease recurrence and 21 (9.1%) had disease progression (9.1%). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed significant relationship between recurrence and obesity, impaired renal function and cigarette smoking.Recurrence is a commonly encountered unfortunate consequence of NMIBC, and obesity, renal failure, history of smoking and anemia seem to increase the rate of recurrence among bladder cancer patients.