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...

What are the long-term outcomes of TOT and TVT procedures?

This is a systematic review between 2000 and 2016 evaluating the efficacy and safety of midurethral sling (MUS) procedures in women. Studies were included if the follow-up data was five years or more. Objective cure rates showed no significant difference...

Clean catch urine from babies – the ‘quick wee method’

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in children and babies and can lead to urosepsis, renal scarring and chronic kidney disease. As per American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines, urine samples are a must in febrile / unwell infants even if...

Bedside teaching

All of us are involved in the teaching and training of under or postgraduate medical students and nurses. This article gives a patient’s perspective and thoughts on being an ‘interesting’ patient within a ward or clinic setting. Important points to...

Predictors of vaginal mesh exposure after mid-urethral sling placement

Vaginal mesh exposure following mid-urethral sling (MUS) insertion can be a difficult complication to treat. The aim of this study was to identify possible risk factors in patients who had unfortunately developed vaginal mesh exposure following MUS surgery. This was...

Renal fossa recurrence after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma

This paper is an analysis of 36 years of radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma in the Mayo Clinic (1970-2006). In particular, it contains an analysis of the risk of renal fossa recurrence after nephrectomy (partial nephrectomies are not included)...

Urology patient assessment – importance of holistic approach – new paradigm

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) seems to affect 30% of the general population above 65 and its presence has a wide range of significance. This is a prospective single centre study to look at MCI in adult urological patients above 18...

Should maximal urethral closure pressure be performed before mid-urethral sling surgery for stress incontinence?

Maximum urethral closure pressure (MUCP) is a means of trying to provide an objective assessment of urethral integrity. In some centres it is used as a tool to help predict outcomes after mid-urethral sling (MUS) placement. The authors propose that...

Radiological investigation of haematuria in 2016

This paper summarises the current evidence for and use of various imaging modalities for investigating haematuria. The following investigations are reviewed: Intravenous urogram (IVU) – the number of centres still using IVU is decreasing. IVU is cheaper and has less...

Sepsis and antibiotics: the debate goes on

Sepsis statistics are staggering around the world. The UK Sepsis Trust estimates that there are around 150,000 cases of sepsis in the UK every year and it kills 44,000 patients per year. There are many different definitions and criteria; in...