Outcome determinants of urethroplasty in the management of inflammatory anterior urethral strictures

Published ArticleBackground. Limited data are available on outcomes of the surgical management of inflammatory urethral strictures secondary to infection, a major cause of stricture. Several shortcomings that need to be addressed have been identified in the past. Objective. To determine the impact of stricture length, position and degree of obliterative urethral lumen on the surgical outcomes of corrective procedures for inflammatory anterior urethral strictures. Methods. This retrospective analysis used the records of patients who presented with proven infective anterior urethral strictures at an academic hospital from 2007 to 2010. All patients were followed up after 48 months. Urethroplasty outcomes were analysed according to stricture location and length and effect of urethral obliteration. Results. The median age of the 174 patients in the study was 47 (range 21 - 86) years. Anastomotic urethroplasty was successful in 59/99 (59.6%) patients. Augmented anastomotic urethroplasty was successful in 11/15 (73.3%) patients. Dorsal onlay buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty was successful in 23/32 (71.9%) patients, significantly higher than in 2/9 (22.2%) patients who underwent ventral onlay buccal mucosa graft urethroplasty (p=0.017; hazard ratio 3.4; 95% confidence interval 1.29 - 9.40). The one-stage circular pedicled penile skin-flap urethroplasty was successful in 1/12 (8.3%) patients. Two-stage urethroplasty was successful in 5/7 (71.4%) patients. A primary component analysis of the 73 failed procedures showed that stricture length was the main contributor to failure (eigenvalue 1.79; 45%). Conclusions. Urethroplasty remains a challenge in inflammatory urethral strictures, where stricture length was the main reason for treatment failure

Effect of auditory subliminal stimulation on GSR

[No abstract available]Articl

Comparison of the effects of auditory subliminal stimulation and rational-emotive therapy, separately and combined, on self-concept.

The present study investigated the effects on self-concept of Rational-Emotive Therapy and auditory subliminal stimulation (separately and in combination) on 141 undergraduate students with self-concept problems. They were randomly assigned to one of four groups receiving either Rational-Emotive Therapy, subliminal stimulation, both, or a placebo treatment. Rational-Emotive Therapy significantly improved scores on all the dependent measures (cognition, self-concept, self-esteem, anxiety), except for behavior. Results for the subliminal stimulation group were similar to those of the placebo treatment except for a significant self-concept improvement and a decline in self-concept related irrational cognitions. The combined treatment yielded results similar to those of Rational-Emotive Therapy, with tentative indications of continued improvement in irrational cognitions and self-concept from posttest to follow-up.Articl

Marital or relationship stressors and parents' worries about children in the community of Kayamandi, Stellenbosch

This study investigated the frequency of selected marital or relationship stressors as well as the worries that parents have about children in the township community of Kayamandi, Stellenbosch. The sample comprised 240 residents, selected according to the principles of disproportional stratified sampling. Particularly evident from the results was the social roots of many of the problems concerned and the subsequent need for a systems approach to family enrichment. It was recommended that family and mental health practitioners should, inter alia, assist troubled families to contextualise their problems. Practitioners should also start to ensure that remedial and preventive programmes are being designed and implemented to act synergistically with broader reconstruction and development efforts.Articl