Shock wave lithotripsy in patients requiring anticoagulation or antiplatelet agents

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) remains the only truly minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of upper tract nephrolithiasis. Recently, there has been a recent rise in the patients on antiplatelet agents. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to review the literature available regarding SWL in these high-risk patients requiring anti-coagulation therapy. Alternative therapies to SWL are also presented

Epidemiology of varicocele

Varicocele is a common problem in reproductive medicine practice. A varicocele is identified in 15% of healthy men and up to 35% of men with primary infertility. The exact pathophysiology of varicoceles is not very well understood, especially regarding its effect on male infertility. We have conducted a systematic review of studies evaluating the epidemiology of varicocele in the general population and in men presenting with infertility. In this article, we have identified some of the factors that can influence the epidemiological aspects of varicoceles. We also recognize that varicocele epidemiology remains incompletely understood, and there is a need for well-designed, large-scale studies to fully define the epidemiological aspects of this condition

Perceptions of testicular cancer and self-examination in the general population of Saudi Arabia

Background: Although testicular cancer (TC) is the most common malignancy in males between the ages of 18 and 50 years, little effort has been made to increase public awareness about TC and testicular self-examinations (TSEs). Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the level of awareness of TC and TSEs in the Saudi population. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using a structured questionnaire distributed online through social media platforms. The questionnaire consisted of 11 questions related to TC and TSE. All relevant data were moved into an Excel sheet, and data analyses were carried out using SPSS. Results: A total of 849 responses were received. The proportion of respondents who knew any information about TC was 26.5%, with media or the Internet being the most common sources of information (16.3%). In addition, 5.5% of respondents knew how to perform a TSE, although only 4% actually performed TSEs. The patient age group was an independent significant predictor of this knowledge, with a P = 0.031. Conclusions: These findings suggest that there is a low level of public awareness and knowledge of TC and TSE in Saudi Arabia, and further efforts should be focused on raising public awareness