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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...

Penile cancer: a practical approach

Penile cancer is rare and accounts for less than 1% of all new cancer cases in males in the UK, with around 640 new cases diagnosed every year [1]. In England and Wales, the annual incidence is between 1.2 and...

Trials offering cytoreductive surgery for men with de novo synchronous metastatic prostate cancer

Life expectancy in men diagnosed with de novo synchronous metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) has risen to a median of 4.8 years with upfront systemic agents (such as docetaxel) in addition to standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) [1-3]. Within this...

Delivering a trainee-led Urolink educational programme – my experience in Tanzania

In May 2023, I travelled to Moshi, Tanzania, where I visited Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC) – a trip which was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) Urolink and with the support...

Kidney stones in pregnancy

Urolithiasis related complications are estimated to affect between 1:200 and 1:2000 pregnancies [1,2]. With around 825,000 conceptions in England and Wales in 2021 [3], this represents an uncommon but not rare occurrence. What is normally a straightforward pathway for a...

A guide to percutaneous nephrolithotomy

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) is now the gold standard approach to treating large renal stones. Since its development in the 1970s, it has undergone a series of refinements that could only have been possible with the symbiosis of both radiological and...

Prostatic fruit

In this series of articles, I am going to show you some of the exhibits contained in the Museum of Urology, hosted on the BAUS website (www.baus.org.uk). The topic for this month’s article was stimulated by two recent occurrences. The...

Dietary citrate substitution in urolithiasis patients

Stone formation is dependent on supersaturation of urinary salts and urinary crystal retention. Urinary promoters (protein aggregates, cell debris) and inhibitors (citrate, magnesium, urinary macromolecules such as glycosaminoglycans and proteins) are involved in the process of stone formation [1]. Hypocitraturia...

Fournier’s gangrene

Introduction Fournier’s gangrene (FG) is a rare but fulminant form of infective necrotising fasciitis affecting the perineum and external genitalia, which can rapidly progress along fascial planes. It most commonly affects men, but can occur in women and children, with...

Practical surgical management of chronic testicular pain

Chronic testicular pain (CTP) is defined as constant or intermittent, unilateral or bilateral testicular pain of more than three months’ duration, which significantly interferes with the daily activities of the patient prompting medical advice [1-4]. This condition is commonly seen...