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The COVID-19 ‘frontlines’: a foundation doctor’s perspective

Staring through the fragmented stained glass of the Virgin Mary and her assorted angels, I reflected on the strangeness of the workplace I now found myself in and the irony of a workforce now working together more enthusiastically than ever...

An update on robotic surgery in urology

The early adoption of new technology has long been a trademark of urological surgeons. Like the introduction of the cystoscope, lasers and flexible endoscopy, the field of urology has witnessed a revolutionary transformation with the advent of robotic surgery. Robotic-assisted...

Establishing the Southwest Catheter Skills Course – a closed loop quality improvement project

The General Medical Council states that foundation year doctors should be able to carry out male and female urethral catheterisation safely under direct supervision [1]. A 2014 survey of medical students demonstrated that 40% and 64% had never performed male...

The scent of Ethiopia: a personal story – part 1

Background The year was 2004; I had just moved to the UK as a young house officer and finished my observership programme at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. I was inspired by greats like Patrick Duffy and Phillip Ransley,...

A guide for the assessment and management of post-obstructive diuresis

Acute urinary retention is a common condition encountered in the emergency situation and is initially managed by urethral catheterisation. This is often performed by nursing staff or junior doctors. Post-obstructive diuresis (POD) is a specific entity which may occur post...

The role of transperineal template biopsies in the diagnosis of prostate cancer

The case In 2002, Mr A, a 64-year-old software engineer, was referred by his GP for further investigation of a raised prostate specific antigen (PSA) of 6.2. His prostate felt benign. He underwent transrectal ultrasound guided (TRUS) prostate biopsies. This...

The expanding indications for ureteroscopy – ad maiora!

The management of urolithiasis is becoming a Herculean task for healthcare providers worldwide. The incidence of stone disease is rising, with predicted lifetime risk of 12% in males and 6% in females [1]. This rise relates to both improving imaging...

Frailty in urology – part 2

The first article in this series defined frailty and introduced the concept and importance of identifying patients living with frailty who undergo surgery, including those undergoing urological procedures. In the second part of this series we outline how to identify...

Cutting-edge or over-hyped? Evaluating the role of robotic surgery in the management of renal cell carcinoma

The quest for a minimally-invasive approach to major abdominal surgery finds its roots at the start of the previous century, when Georg Kelling first described the technique of ‘ceolioscopy’ to inspect intraabdominal organs in 1901 [1]. Since those early days,...