Minimally invasive surgical therapies(MISTs)for lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS):promise or panacea?

The increasing importance of treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS),while avoiding side effects and maintaining sexual function,has allowed for the development of minimally invasive surgical therapies(MiSTs).Recently,the European Association of Urology guidelines reported a paradigm shift from the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH)to the management of nonneurogenic male LUTS.The aim of the present review was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the most commonly used MisTs:ablative techniques such as aquablation,prostatic artery embolization,water vapor energy,and transperineal prostate laser ablation,and nonablative techniques such as prostatic urethral lift and temporarily implanted nitinol device(iTIND).MiSTs are becoming a new promise,even if clinical trials with longer follow-up are still lacking.Most of them are still under investigation and,to date,only a few options have been given as a recommendation for use.They cannot be considered as standard of care and are not suitable for all patients.Advantages and disadvantages should be underlined,without forgetting our objective:treatment of LUTS and re-treatment avoidance.

Antioxidant treatment for oligoasthenoteratozoospermia and varicocele:a DBPC trial to evaluate the impact of age and body mass index

Oxidative stress is one of the main mechanisms responsible for male infertility.Various conditions such as varicocele,obesity,advanced age,and lifestyle can lead to an increase in reactive oxygen species,causing an oxidative imbalance in the reproductiveenvironment.Spermatozoa are sensitive to reactive oxygen species and require energy to carry out their main function of fertilizingthe egg.Excessive reactive oxygen species can affect sperm metabolism,leading to immobility,impaired acrosome reaction,and celldeath,thereby impairing reproductive success.This double-blind randomized study evaluated the effect of supplementation withL-carnitine,acetyl-L-carnitine,vitamins,and other nutrients on semen quality in 104 infertile patients with or without varicocele,while also investigating the impact of factors such as obesity and advanced age on treatment.Sperm concentration significantlyincreased in the supplemented group compared to the placebo group(P=0.0186).Total sperm count also significantly increasedin the supplemented group(P=0.0117),as did sperm motility(P=0.0120).The treatment had a positive effect on patients upto 35 years of age in terms of sperm concentration(P=0.0352),while a body mass index(BMI)above 25 kg m^(−2) had a negativeeffect on sperm concentration(P=0.0110).Results were not showing a net benefit in stratifying patients in accordance withtheir BMI since sperm quality increase was not affected by this parameter.In conclusion,antioxidant supplementation may bebeneficial for infertile patients and has a more positive effect on younger patients with a normal weight.

Clinical and prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging findings as predictors of general and clinically significant prostate cancer risk:A retrospective single-center study

Background:To evaluate the predictive values of Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2(PI-RADS v2),prostate-specific antigen(PSA)level,PSA density(PSAD),digital rectal examination findings,and prostate volume,individually and in combination,for the detection of prostate cancer(Pca)in biopsy-naïve patients.Methods:We retrospectively analyzed 630 patients who underwent transrectal systematic prostate biopsy following prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging.A standard 12-core biopsy procedure was performed.Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the significant predictors of clinically significant cancer but not Pca.Results:The median age,PSA level,and PSAD were 70 years,8.6 ng/mL,and 0.18 ng/mL/mL,respectively.A total of 374(59.4%)of 630 patients were biopsy-positive for Pca,and 241(64.4%)of 374 were diagnosed with clinically significant Pca(csPCa).The PI-RADS v2 score and PSAD were independent predictors of Pca and csPCa.The PI-RADS v2 score of 5 regardless of the PSAD value,or PI-RADS v2 score of 4 plus a PSAD of<0.3 ng/mL/mL,was associated with the highest csPCa detection rate(36.1%-82.1%).Instead,the PI-RADS v2 score of<3 and PSAD of<0.3 ng/mL/mL yielded the lowest risk of csPCa.Conclusion:The combination of the PI-RADS v2 score and PSAD could prove to be a helpful and reliable diagnostic tool before performing prostate biopsies.Patients with a PI-RADS v2 score of<3 and PSAD of<0.3 ng/mL/mL could potentially avoid a prostate biopsy.