ABSTRACT Introduction and Hypothesis: To compare complications and outcomes of complete supine percutaneous nephrolithotomy (csPCNL) with ultrasound guided and fluoroscopically guided procedure. Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial study from January 2009 to September 2010, 26 of 51 patients with renal stones underwent csPCNL with ultrasonographic guidance in all steps of the procedure (group A), and the other 25 patients underwent standard fluoroscopically guided csPCNL (group B). All of the patients underwent PCNL in the complete supine position. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS16 software. Results: Mean BMI was 28.14 in group A and 26.31 in group B (p=0.30). The mean stone burden was 26.48 and 30.44 in groups A and B, respectively (p=0.20). The stone free rate was 88.5% in group A and 75.5% in group B, that was no significant (p=0.16). Overall 2 patients (7.7%) in group A and 6 patients (24%) in group B had complications (p=0.11). Mean operative time in group A was 88.46 minutes, and in group B it was 79.58 minutes (p=0.39). Mean hospital stay was 69.70 and 61.79 hours in group A and B, respectively (p=0.22). There was no visceral injury in groups. Conclusions: This randomized study showed that totally ultrasonic had the same outcomes of fluoroscopically csPCNL. Ultrasonography can be an alternative rather than fluoroscopy in PCNL. We believe that more randomized studies are needed to allow endourologists to use sonography rather than fluoroscopy in order to avoid exposition to radiation.

Purpose: Urinary retention is one of the most common complications contributing to surgical procedures. Recent studies have shown the benefits of alpha-adrenergic blockers in preventing post-operative urinary retention (POUR). The aim of this prospective study was to compare the prophylactic effect of tamsulosin with placebo on postoperative urinary retention. Materials and Methods: In this randomized placebo controlled, clinical trial, 232 male patients aged 18 to 50 years old admitted to Razi University Hospital for varicocelectomy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, and scrotal surgery were randomly assigned to receive either three doses of 0.4mg tamsulosin (n = 118) or placebo (n = 114), 14 and 2 hours before, and 10 hours after surgery. Patients were closely monitored for the development of urinary retention 24 hours after surgical intervention. The primary endpoint was to investigate the effect of tamsulosin in prevention of post-operative urinary retention during the first 24 hours after surgical intervention. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS software version 18 and the P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: One hundred and eighteen patients were included in tamsulosin arm and 114 in placebo arm. POUR in patients who received tamsulosin was significantly lower than placebo, as 5.9% of the patients treated with tamsulosin and 21.1% placebo group, reported urinary retention following surgery (P = 0.001). No serious adverse effects were seen in both groups. Conclusions: This study suggests that short perioperative treatment with tamsulosin can reduce the incidence of urinary retention and the need for catheterization after varicocelectomy, inguinal herniorrhaphy, and scrotal surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate safety and efficacy of tadalafil on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in patients treated with standard medication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this case-controlled randomized clinical trial, from November 2008 to August 2009, 132 patients with obstructive and irritative urinary tract symptoms due to BPH, IPSS > 8, no indication for surgical intervention and that reached plateau levels of response to treatment were selected. These patients were randomly allocated in two groups (each containing 66 patients). The treatment group received standard treatment of BPH and tadalafil (10 mg nightly); the placebo group received only standard treatment of BPH. IPSS, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) and quality of life were assessed before and after a 3-month period of study. RESULTS: Before treatment, mean IPSS, Qmax and quality of life values in the treatment and placebo groups were 13.06 ± 4.37 and 13.66 ± 4.25, 8.92 ± 2.96 mL/s and 9.09 ± 2.91 mL/s, 2.93 ± 0.86 and 2.66 ± 0.78, respectively. After treatment, mean IPSS, Qmax, and quality of life values in treatment group were 7.66 ± 3.99, 9.99 ± 4.76 mL/s and 1.80 ± 0.98, respectively. These findings were compared to corresponding values of the placebo group (11.37 ± 3.64, 8.73 ± 2.22 mL/s and 2.19 ± 0.53, respectively): IPSS and quality of life were significantly different but Qmax didn't show a significant change. CONCLUSIONS: Tadalafil improves quality of life and urinary symptoms in patients with LUTS suggestive of BPH, but doesn't have any significant effect on Qmax. Therefore, this drug may be effectively used in combination with standard medical therapies for BPH.