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Reflections on 20 years as an Army Reserve doctor: live a life less ordinary

It seems a very short time ago that my predecessor recruited me into my regiment as a surgical senior house officer during a varicose vein operation in a cottage hospital in Stroud, informing me that I would be only the...

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...

‘No Deal’ Brexit – how might it impact urological practice in the UK?

On 29 March 2017, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, formally starting the two-year period for talks with the European Union (EU) in which to reach a...

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...

The management of renal calculi – Pt 1

Renal calculi can be managed according to four treatment options: conservative management, extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL), flexible ureterorenoscopy (FURS) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). This is the first in a two-part series in Urology News (Part 2 available here) that will...

Surgical treatment of LUTS secondary to BPH

For the vast majority of patients an initial trial of medical therapy for the management of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is indicated [1]. In a substantial minority of cases however, a surgical intervention...

The bilious solution of Monsieurs Calmette et Guérin

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). This month’s history story was inspired by a question from one of my...

Use of bone windows in urological CT

Introduction Unenhanced computed tomography of kidneys, ureter and bladder (CTKUB) is the recommended gold standard investigation in patients with acute renal colic. CT urography is now a commonly used technique in the investigation of haematuria, for surgical planning and for...

Suprapubic catheterisation – a core surgical trainee’s perspective

Suprapubic catheters (SPCs) are in widespread usage in medical practice and this review will focus on the pre-assessment, indications, methods and complications that are associated with the insertion of an SPC. Although suprapubic catheter insertions may be done electively or...

The bulbocavernosus reflex

Despite its first discovery predating the early-1940s, clinical application of the bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) has been limited to date. The BCR traditionally involves contraction of the bulbo- and ischiocavernosus pelvic floor muscles, often referred to as the ‘bulbocavernosus muscle’, in...