Tubularized incised plate urethroplasty repair in adult hypospadias patients. Are results similar to those reported in the pediatric age group? A prospective study

AbstractObjectiveMost studies published in the literature report on the results of tubularized incised plate urethroplasty (TIPU) for hypospadias repair in children. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the results of TIPU repair in adults.Patients and methodsThe records of 60 adult patients with primary hypospadias treated with TIPU between April 2009 and May 2012 were reviewed. All the procedures were done by the same surgeon under similar conditions and using the same kind of instruments and suture material. On clinical examination, the meatal location, as well as the presence/absence of chordee and penile torsion was assessed. The quality of the spongiosum and the width of the urethral plate were evaluated intraoperatively. The postoperative complications and results were recorded and the data were analyzed.ResultsThe patients’ age ranged from 16 to 27 years with a mean of 21 years. Out of the 60 cases, 43 (72%) had distal penile, 7 (11%) mid-penile and 10 (17%) proximal hypospadias. Penile torsion was present in 10 (17%) cases with 80% having a torsion ≤45° and 20% having a torsion of 45–90°. Ventral chordee ranging from 30° to 90° was present in 14 (23%) cases. Chordee correction was possible by penile de-gloving in 4 (29%) patients (2 with distal and 2 with mid-penile hypospadias), by further mobilization of the urethral plate with the corpus spongiosum in 3 (21%) and by proximal urethral mobilization in another 6 (42%) patients with proximal hypospadias. One (7%) patient also required tunica albuginea plication. The urethral plate was wide in 22 (37%), average in 26 (43%) and narrow in 12 (20%) patients. Fifty percent of the patients with a narrow urethral plate developed complications, compared to 15% of the patients whose urethral plate had an average width and none of the patients with a wide urethral plate. The spongiosum was well developed in 38 (63%) patients, while in 11 (18%) patients each the spongiosum was moderately and poorly developed. The complication rates were significantly higher (55%) in patients with a poorly developed spongiosum as compared to those with a well-developed spongiosum. The overall complication rate was 17% including fistula in 10% of the patients (2 patients with mid-penile and 4 patients with proximal hypospadias). Meatal stenosis was found in 4 patients with distal hypospadias (7%) who responded well to meatal dilatation. The fistula cases required surgical repair with a success rate of 100%. Mean hospitalization and follow-up were 9 days and 6–24 (median 37) months, respectively.ConclusionsComplications encountered in the present study were urethral fistula and meatal stenosis with a higher incidence in patients with proximal hypospadias than reported in the literature. The important factors for the outcome of TIPU were the severity of hypospadias, the degree of curvature and the development of the spongiosum and urethral plate. Proximal hypospadias with a poor urethral plate and severe curvature in adults is not suitable for TIPU. In such cases, single-stage flap urethroplasty or two-stage buccal mucosal urethroplasty should be considered instead

Factors associated with stillbirth in selected countries of South Asia : a systematic review of observational studies

Background: Despite having the high rate of stillbirth in most of the countries of South Asia, there is a lack of synthesized evidence based on factors associated with stillbirth. This study systematically synthesizes the evidence on factors associated with stillbirth in the four selected countries of South Asia. Methods: This review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies that examined factors associated with stillbirth in South Asia were searched using five major electronic search databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, and Scopus, published between January 2000 and December 2019. In the meta-analysis, significant heterogeneity was detected among studies (I2 >50%), and hence a random effect model was used. Results: A total of 20 studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled rate of stillbirth from the studies in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan was 25.15 per 1000 births. Pregnancy complications, maternal health conditions, fetal complications, lack of antenatal care, and lower Socio Economic Status (SES) were the most common factors associated with stillbirth in countries of South Asia. Conclusion: This study confirmed that stillbirth in selected countries of South Asia remains high. To reduce stillbirth, a greater focus needs to be on timely management of preterm labor, maternal hypertension, and provision of financial support for quality antenatal and delivery care. The interventions should be targeted for women living in remote areas, who are less educated and those with low SES

Resilience of refugees displaced in the developing world: a qualitative analysis of strengths and struggles of urban refugees in Nepal

BACKGROUND: Mental health and psychosocial wellbeing are key concerns in displaced populations. Despite urban refugees constituting more than half of the world's refugees, minimal attention has been paid to their psychosocial wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to assess coping behaviour and aspects of resilience amongst refugees in Kathmandu, Nepal. METHODS: This study examined the experiences of 16 Pakistani and 8 Somali urban refugees in Kathmandu, Nepal through in-depth individual interviews, focus groups, and Photovoice methodology. Such qualitative approaches enabled us to broadly discuss themes such as personal experiences of being a refugee in Kathmandu, perceived causes of psychosocial distress, and strategies and resources for coping. Thematic network analysis was used in this study to systematically interpret and code the data. RESULTS: Our findings highlight that urban refugees' active coping efforts, notwithstanding significant adversity and resulting distress, are most frequently through primary relationships. Informed by Axel Honneth's theory on the struggle for recognition, findings suggest that coping is a function beyond the individual and involves the ability to negotiate recognition. This negotiation involves not only primary relationships, but also the legal order and other social networks such as family and friends. Honneth's work was used because of its emphasis on the importance of legal recognition and larger structural factors in facilitating daily coping. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding how urban refugees cope by negotiating access to various forms of recognition in the absence of legal-recognition will enable organisations working with them to leverage such strengths and develop relevant programmes. In particular, building on these existing resources will lead to culturally compelling and sustainable care for these populations

RNA Oxidation Adducts 8-OHG and 8-OHA Change with Aβ42 Levels in Late-Stage Alzheimer's Disease

While research supports amyloid-β (Aβ) as the etiologic agent of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the mechanism of action remains unclear. Evidence indicates that adducts of RNA caused by oxidation also represent an early phenomenon in AD. It is currently unknown what type of influence these two observations have on each other, if any. We quantified five RNA adducts by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy across five brain regions from AD cases and age-matched controls. We then used a reductive directed analysis to compare the RNA adducts to common indices of AD neuropathology and various pools of Aβ. Using data from four disease-affected brain regions (Brodmann's Area 9, hippocampus, inferior parietal lobule, and the superior and middle temporal gyri), we found that the RNA adduct 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OHG) decreased, while 8-hydroxyadenine (8-OHA) increased in AD. The cerebellum, which is generally spared in AD, did not show disease related changes, and no RNA adducts correlated with the number of plaques or tangles. Multiple regression analysis revealed that SDS-soluble Aβ42 was the best predictor of changes in 8-OHG, while formic acid-soluble Aβ42 was the best predictor of changes in 8-OHA. This study indicates that although there is a connection between AD related neuropathology and RNA oxidation, this relationship is not straightforward