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Establishing a new TPPBx service during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 had a major impact on our hospital services from early in the pandemic, with almost three times as many patients being ventilated compared to the normal ITU capacity at the beginning of April. During the build-up to this point,...

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...

The medical management of LUTS/BPH – an update

For many years it has been recognised by both medical professionals and the general public that the development of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) is highly prevalent and is predominantly age-dependent. Medical professionals understand that in men this is often,...

What is the role of evidence-based medicine in urology?

The concept of ‘evidence-based medicine’ (EBM) was first developed in the early 1990s and was described as “the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of the current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients” by the recently...

‘One team’: our experience teaching catheter care and difficult urethral catheterisation to NHS Nightingale Hospital London volunteer staff members

The NHS Nightingale Hospital London was launched in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In mid-March 2020, the predicted scale of the pandemic was uncertain and there was concern that COVID-19 might overwhelm existing intensive care unit (ICU) capacity within weeks....

Renal calculi: the role of imaging in pregnancy

Nephrolithiasis is the most common cause of non-obstetric abdominal pain in pregnancy. Accurate diagnosis is imperative as stone related complications can lead to pre-eclampsia, urosepsis, and premature labour [1,2]. In the general population, non-contrast cross sectional imaging is recommended by...

Use of MRI in the evaluation of prostate cancer: part 1

Introduction Prostate cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in UK men, after lung cancer [1]. The incidence of prostate cancer in the UK has shown a rapid increase...

Radiological appearances of renal vascular anatomical variants

The purpose of this article is to explain and illustrate common renal vascular variants that can be depicted with imaging. Renal vessels commonly present a wide range of variations [1]; before major renal or vascular surgery is undertaken, accurate portrayal...

The process of medical innovation – evolving trends and future perspectives

In 2018 the United Kingdom Government spending on healthcare totalled almost £166 billion. Of this approximately 65% was attributed to providing curative or rehabilitation therapy, with health-related long-term care and provision of goods accounting for 25%. The remaining was accredited...

Introduction to prostate cryotherapy

Introduction Cryotherapy was first described by Dr James Arnott in 1850 where he used crushed ice and salt to get temperatures as low as -24oC, in the treatment of cervical and breast tumours [1]. The literature on prostatic cryotherapy dates...