Accuracy of Prader orchidometer in measuring testicular volume

Background: Seminiferous tubules comprise 80‑90% of testicular mass. Thus, the testicular volume is believed to be an index of spermatogenesis. Therefore, accurate testicular volume is one way to assess testicular function.Objective: To determine the accuracy of Prader orchidometer for measuring the testicular volume by comparing the resultant measurement with the actual testicular volume in humans.Materials and Methods: The testicular volumes of 121 testes from 62 patients with prostate cancer (mean age 72.74 ± 9.38 years) were measured using Prader orchidometer before therapeutic bilateral orchidectomy. The actual testicular volumes were then determined by water displacement of the testis.Results: The mean testicular volume of the 121 testes was 10.60 ± 3.5 ml and13.26 ± 5.2 ml for water displacement and Prader orchidometer measurements, respectively. A strong correlation was found between the actual testicular volume and volumes obtained by Prader orchidometer (r = 0.926, P = 0.0001). The Prader orchidometer however, over‑estimated the mean actual testicular volume by 2.66 ± 2.37 ml (25.10%).Conclusion: The result of this study has shown that measuring the testicular volume by Prader orchidometer overestimates the actual testicular volume.Key words: Accuracy, prader orchidometer, testicular volum

Prostate cancer outcome in Burkina Faso

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>African-American black men race is one of non-modifiable risk factors confirmed for prostate cancer. Many studies have been done in USA among African- American population to evaluate prostate cancer disparities. Compared to the USA very few data are available for prostate cancer in Sub-Saharan African countries. The objective of this study was to describe incident prostate cancer (PC) diagnosis characteristics in Burkina Faso (West Africa).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a prospective non randomized patient’s cohort study of new prostate cancer cases diagnosed by histological analysis of transrectal prostate biopsies in Burkina Faso. Study participants included 166 patients recruited at the urology division of the university hospital of Ouagadougou. Age of the patients, clinical symptoms, digital rectal examination (DRE) result, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, histological characteristics and TNM classification were taking in account in this study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>166 transrectal prostate biopsies (TRPB) were performed based on high PSA level or abnormal DRE. The prostate cancer rate on those TRPB was 63, 8 % (n=106). The mean age of the patients was 71, 5 years (52 to 86). Urinary retention was the first clinical patterns of reference in our institution (55, 7 %, n = 59). Most patients, 56, 6 % (n = 60) had a serum PSA level over than 100 ng/ml. All the patients had adenocarcinoma on histological study of prostate biopsy cores. The majority of cases (54, 7 % n = 58) had Gleason score equal or higher than 7.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Prostate cancer is diagnosed at later stages in our country. Very high serum PSA level and poorly differentiated tumors are the two major characteristics of PC at the time of diagnosis.</p