Prostate cancer mortality among elderly men after discontinuing organised screening

This study presents ground-breaking insights into discontinuing prostate cancer (PCa) screening in previously screened elderly men, aiming to mitigate the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment in the face of other-cause mortality. Examining men aged 70–74 who had undergone prostate specific...

Preoperative use of testosterone prior to distal hypospadias repair

Preoperative hormonal stimulation has been utilised for >50 years in hypospadias surgery. Surgeons utilise testosterone (T) to increase penile size and glans width to try and improve clinical outcomes. However, a paucity of reliable data supporting its use has limited...

SWL for renal stones – a new index

Shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) treatment is a common, non-invasive urology procedure used for kidney stones nearly every day throughout the UK. In this study the team evaluated factors affecting treatment success of SWL treatment. The prospective data were collected from 2013...

Preoperative testosterone for hypospadias

Hypospadias affects around 1 in 400 boys. Glans width (GW) of <14mm has been shown to be an independent risk factor for urethroplasty complications following hypospadias repair. Testosterone (T) administration in prepubertal males increases both penile length and circumference. Its...

A tale of two cities – hypospadias outcomes

As urologists, it is important to know our results. In terms of hypospadias surgery, which is commonly undertaken after the age of one year in the UK, long-term follow-up is required to fully acquire this knowledge. Long-term urinary outcomes and...

Parental psychological intervention improves outcomes for children with night wetting

Bed wetting is a common disorder that can potentially limit social interactions (e.g., sleepovers) and have emotional implications for both the child and their family. Here, Sa et al. from Brazil, hypothesised that involving parents in the treatment and providing...

Vitamin D and LUTS

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and vitamin D deficiency have been thought to be connected, but the association has been inconsistent. Vitamin D receptors have been identified in the bladder, prostate and pelvic floor muscles, and it has been linked...

Risk stratified approach to early intervention for renal colic

Existing guidance on this topic is based on older and smaller studies, and there remains variation in practice. This review of database outcomes of 1168 out of 3081 (38%) patients who underwent early intervention after presentation to nine Canadian emergency...

Testicular masses – can the testis be spared?

The standard practice for testicular masses confirmed on ultrasound has been to offer an inguinal orchidectomy, on the presumption that the mass represents testicular cancer. The growing use of scrotal ultrasound for various indications has led to an increase in...

Long-term risks of augmenting the bladder in spina bifida patients

Bladder augmentation is utilised to treat children with neuropathic bladders secondary to spina bifida that results in hostile urodynamics, renal deterioration and / or urinary incontinence. Whilst it is associated with an improved quality of life and low mortality, it...

Urological in-flight medical events

The future of air travel may seem uncertain at the present time, but up until the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 44,000 inflight medical emergencies occurred annually, averaging 1 in 604 flights. Some of you will have heard the heart-sink announcement “if...

Trade-offs between risks and benefits of localised prostate cancer treatments – the COMPARE study

We know little about the trade-offs men make when considering the oncological and functional outcomes of individual treatment options for localised prostate cancer, and decisions are often influenced by physician opinion. The likely compromised functional results are viewed as a...