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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...

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...

Clear cell urothelial carcinoma: a highly aggressive morphological variant in the bladder and upper urinary tract

Clear cell urothelial carcinoma (CCUC) is a rare morphological variant of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). It can occur anywhere along the urothelial tract and is characterised histologically by high grade carcinoma with an abundance of clear, glycogen-rich cytoplasm [1]. Alternative...

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...

Can we make LATE-presenting posterior urethral valves an EARLIER-treated condition?

What are posterior urethral valves? Posterior urethral valve (PUV) is the most common cause of congenital bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and renal failure in male children. They were first described by the Italian anatomist Giovanni Battista Morgagni back in the...

Stuttering (recurrent ischaemic) priapism

Stuttering (recurrent ischaemic) priapism (SP) is a rare urological condition. Affected men will often experience almost daily prolonged and painful sleep related erections (SRE). Interestingly, these men report normal erections during the day and whilst awake. These episodes are usually...

Inguino-scrotal sarcomas

A sarcoma is a malignant tumour that originates from mesenchymal cells such as adipose tissue, bone, cartilage and smooth muscle. Although these tumours histologically do not originate from the urogenital tract, urologists are often involved in their diagnosis and management...

Hard flaccid syndrome

Chronic pelvic pain is defined as pain present below the level of the umbilicus with a duration of more than six months [1,2]. Chronic pelvic pain syndromes (CPPS) are highly prevalent in Western society, affecting both males and females. Studies...

Management of calyceal diverticular stones using ultramini PCNL

Calyceal diverticulae are congenital smooth-walled, non-secretory urothelium-lined cavities within the renal parenchyma that communicate with calyceal fornix through a diverticular neck. They were first described by Rayer in Traitements des maladies des reins [1]. Calculi occur in approximately 9.5% to...

Testicular cancer: management of stage I seminoma

Introduction Testicular cancer is the most frequently occurring solid tumour in men between the ages of 15 and 34 years [1]. About 60% of cases are seminomas and approximately 70-80% of them have, at presentation, clinical stage I disease. This...

Can dogs smell prostate cancer?

For centuries we have known that man’s best friend has an exceptional sense of smell. ‘Sniffer’ dogs are found in a wide range of roles, including drug and explosive detection as part of airport security, helping emergency services locate survivors...