Features archive for 2023
New techniques in UTI diagnosis
Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common reason for seeking medical care in both primary and secondary settings. Half of women will have at least one episode of cystitis in their lifetime, and a third of them will have experienced...
Using cryopreserved prepubertal testis tissues – are we getting warmer?
The rising incidence of childhood cancer coupled with increasing survivorship means there is a growing population of childhood cancer survivors with unmet health needs. In the UK around 1 in 500 children and young people are survivors of childhood cancer....
Management of urological issues following genital gender affirmation surgery for individuals assigned female at birth
Gender incongruence arises when there is a mismatch between an individual’s gender identity and their sex assigned at birth. Genital gender affirmation surgery (GAS) is the final step of transition for transgender and non-binary individuals who experience gender incongruence. This...
GentleCath™ intermittent catheters
We know that Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the biggest issue for catheter users. In the United Kingdom, 14 million people suffer from continence problems1. Although hydrophilic coated catheters (2nd generation) brought benefits compared to uncoated catheters (1st generation), users...
The impact of menopause on bladder symptoms
The menopause is a natural process of ageing when the ovaries completely stop producing reproductive hormones (oestrogen and other sex steroids), and there are no monthly periods for 12 consecutive months. It normally occurs between the ages of 45-55 years...
Penile augmentation using injectable filler
Penile size is a major topic for many men and a source of anxiety throughout history. The common belief that a large penis is necessary to impress and satisfy their sexual partners has led to the notion that ‘bigger is...
An inconvenient truth: reflections on the NHS
“What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” The above is a quote attributed to Mark Twain from the 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, which follows Al...
Convatec Healthcare is changing
Forever Caring At Convatec, ‘forever caring’ is our promise to give patients and healthcare providers the support they need as we bring to life our vision of pioneering trusted medical solutions to improve the lives we touch. Existing complications of...
Giggle incontinence – not a laughing matter!
For many decades, the condition of giggle incontinence (enuresis risoria, giggle micturition) has remained a rare and poorly understood condition. Patients (90% female) present in their teens, with the history revealing an issue for many years. It is debilitating and...
Black men are more at risk from prostate cancer, but we won’t let it stay that way – an update from Prostate Cancer Research
- CHARITY FOCUS - Focusing on all of disease characteristics, societal factors, and better communication gives us real potential to fix a disparity that has persisted for too long. When it comes to health inequity, the numbers are stark. Black...
Botulinum toxin – from the sausage poison to urology
Botulinum toxin is the first biological toxin to be licensed for use in treating human disease and since its first therapeutic use in the early 1980s for strabismus has become widely used in the fields of ophthalmology, cosmetic surgery, migraine...
Sperm selection techniques in assisted reproductive technologies: state of the ART?
Infertility is the inability to achieve pregnancy following one year of regular, unprotected intercourse (in the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle). Infertility is a common problem that affects between 7 and 15% of couples worldwide, with male factor infertility...
