Journal Reviews
Male LUTS: where do we stand?
Patients’ preferences and expectations depend on cultural, geographical, economic and national factors. Data from different countries should be interpreted with caution when applied to the individual patient. Patients rarely seek help for benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) unless urinary retention occurs,...
Urinary frequency and COVID-19: is there a missing link?
The current COVID pandemic has been a worldwide challenge for over a year. It can affect an individual in various ways. According to the World Health Organization, the classical signs are dry cough, fever and shortness of breath. In addition,...
Urinary diversion and infections
This article will be of interest to colleagues undertaking reconstructive surgery. Urinary diversions have been performed for decades. Common indications are muscle-invasive bladder cancer, neurological disorders, inflammatory conditions and congenital malformation. The diversions could be continent or non-continent. Complications due...
Chronic retention – all you need to know
Chronic retention – all you need to know Chronic urinary retention is a common presentation in elderly and frail patients. Two types should be recognised - low pressure chronic retention (LPCR) and high pressure chronic retention (HPCR). Acute-on-chronic retention occurs...
Urinary tract infections and antibiotics – the debate goes on
A large number of hospital patients and primary care patients suffer from recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) and urosepsis. Some of these patients end up in intensive care units with multi-organ failure. New draft guidance from the National Institute for...
Beware of the ambiguous testicular lump
In busy day-to-day practice, we are often faced with puzzling situations. A useful mnemonic is 4-T: torsion, trauma, tumour and tuberculosis (infections). This case review in the BMJ is about a 34-year-old man presenting to A&E with left testicular pain...
Endoscopic injection of bulking agent for recurrent paediatric epididymitis
Paediatric recurrent epididymitis is frequently observed in several urogenital conditions, and may result in deterioration of long-term fertility. The management of recurrent epididymitis is still a therapeutic challenge for paediatric urologists, and as yet there is no consensus for treatment....
Bladder debris on ultrasound as a predictor for positive urine culture
One of the common ultrasound findings in children who undergo renal tract evaluation is ‘debris in the bladder’. The aetiology of bladder debris is varied and the likelihood that urinary debris represents positive urine culture is debatable. The authors of...
Is surgical antibiotic prophylaxis necessary for paediatric orchiopexy?
With the rise of resistant organisms to most commonly used antibiotics, there is a plea for judicious use of antibiotics, especially for clean surgical procedures. Potential adverse events associated with antibiotic use include allergic reaction (including anaphylaxis), clostridium difficile infection,...
Non-antibiotic options for recurrent UTI
Recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) imposes a heavy burden on health services. By definition recurrent UTI is two infections in six months or three in one year. The annual incidence of single UTI is 30 per 1000 women. The Scottish...
Urologists beware!
This article recounts the story of a Californian urologist who was shot dead two decades later by a patient who was diagnosed with stricture of the urethra. The patient underwent surgery for urethral stricture in 1992 by a team (ironically,...
UTI Care – antibiotics or NSAIDs?
This is the cover story of a recent issue of the BMJ. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), antibiotic resistance is becoming a major economic and global problem. This is a randomised, double-blind study from 17 general practices in...
