Features
The Re-humanising Revolution: Breaking the conspiracy of silence
Over the last few years, the mental and emotional wellbeing of those who work in medicine has come under scrutiny. The author introduces a new resource. Working in healthcare has always been stressful but never more so than today. In...
Post-prostatectomy incontinence
Urinary incontinence following prostate surgery (post-prostatectomy incontinence or PPI) is a significant complication that can have a profoundly negative impact on the quality of life of patients suffering with it. It may become a barrier to physical activity and social...
Intravesical GAG replacement therapies for bladder pain syndrome / interstitial cystitis – an update
The barrier function of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer of the urothelium was identified by Parsons in 1975, and intravesical therapies to treat chronic inflammatory conditions of the bladder were developed soon after. However, the active role of the urothelium in...
Benign prostatic hyperplasia: what are the benefits and harms of various surgical management options?
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is characterised by stromal and epithelial prostatic cell hyperplasia. The enlarged prostate may be associated with voiding and storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). These have been predominantly attributed to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO), assumed to...
Patient decision aids in the management of stress urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a common condition faced by up to 20-50% of women, which impairs quality of life and poses a significant socioeconomic burden to both the individual women involved and more widely to the NHS [1]. The overall cost...
Ketamine uropathy – an update
The first two case series that documented the association between urinary tract damage and recreational ketamine use were published 12 years ago [1,2]. Since then ketamine has maintained a controversial profile as an essential medication of expanding utility but with...
Mechanisms and prevention of catheterisation associated urethral injury (CAUI)
Urethral catheterisation is a common procedure performed by health professionals across different grades and specialties in a variety of clinical settings. An estimated 15-25% of hospitalised patients have a urinary catheter inserted during their inpatient stay and up to 13%...
The conservative assessment and treatment of mixed urinary and anal incontinence in women: a multidisciplinary approach
Mixed urinary incontinence Urinary incontinence (UI) is considered to be a highly prevalent condition; however, depending upon the definitions used, actual reported prevalence rates can vary significantly. The International Consultation on Incontinence (ICI) review [1], reported unadjusted prevalence estimates for...
Artificial penile pearls: what every Urologist should know!
Penile implants are inert objects placed beneath the skin of the penis through an incision. These are variously referred to as Yakuza beads, pearls, ball bearings, speed bumps, penile marbles, inserts, etc. The term ‘penile implant’ described here should not...
Mesh in urological surgery in the UK – background, reviews and current status
All UK urologists, unless they have been on a 10-year silent retreat, are by now aware of the controversy surrounding surgical use of mesh in general and urological / urogynaecological use of mesh for the surgical treatment of stress urinary...
Getting it Right First Time in urology: the implementation phase
The Getting it Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is the largest and most comprehensive initiative to improve the quality and efficiency of individual clinical services that the NHS has ever instigated. The programme falls under the auspices of NHS Improvement...
Urodynamics in review: stress urinary incontinence in women produced by the Urodynamics Committee of the ICS
Urodynamic studies (UDS) are the best tools to objectively assess the lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) of various aetiologies [1]. According to the general understanding and consensus of the medical community UDS should be performed only when they will change...
