Journal Reviews
Cortical stimulation for voiding dysfunction in multiple sclerosis
Voiding dysfunction (VD) increases morbidity in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), and may be associated with urinary tract infections, stones and renal failure. Catheterisation is required when impaired hand function precludes self-catheterisation, which is associated with further morbidity. In this...
Refining management of non-visible haematuria
The optimal evaluation of non-visible haematuria (NVH) continues to be debated, with competing interests of avoidance underdiagnosis and the harms of over-testing. Current National Institute for Health & Care Excellent (NICE) guidance recommends referral for patients ≥60 years with NVH....
The urinary microbiome in IC/BPS: more complicated than we imagined
The concluding statement of this short review states, “the study of the urinary microbiome and its impact on urological disease, including IC/BPS, is in its infancy.” A lot has been said on this subject in recent years, but this, in...
A tale of two cities – hypospadias outcomes
As urologists, it is important to know our results. In terms of hypospadias surgery, which is commonly undertaken after the age of one year in the UK, long-term follow-up is required to fully acquire this knowledge. Long-term urinary outcomes and...
Fear and frustration among women with recurrent UTIs
The risk of a women developing a urinary tract infection in her lifetime is over 50%, approximately 25% of which become recurrent (rUTIs). This study examined the viewpoints of women with rUTIs through six focus groups at a tertiary centre...
Standard versus expanded cultures to diagnose UTIs in women
Clinicians are well aware of the limitations of the so-called Kass criteria applied to standard urine culture (SUC) techniques as well as the limitations of empiric antibiotic prescribing for symptoms that are known to overlap with chronic conditions such as...
Parental psychological intervention improves outcomes for children with night wetting
Bed wetting is a common disorder that can potentially limit social interactions (e.g., sleepovers) and have emotional implications for both the child and their family. Here, Sa et al. from Brazil, hypothesised that involving parents in the treatment and providing...
Inguinal vs. scrotal orchidopexy
Undescended testes occur in 1-3% of newborns; the prevalence is even higher in premature babies. Traditionally the surgical approach has been inguinal orchidopexy, involving two incisions – inguinal and scrotal. In 1989, Bianchi and Squire proposed single scrotal incision orchidopexy...
Homo digitalis during COVID-19?
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all aspects of our lives. We have seen huge changes in the health service, medical practice and hospital working. Many urology meetings – national and international – were cancelled and seminars and courses have become...
Cardiac failure and medical therapy for LUTS / BPH
Alpha blockers (AB), 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARI) and combination therapy are widely prescribed for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) considered consequent to prostatic enlargement and are the mainstay of first-line therapy. This retrospective interrogation of a large population-based dataset of...
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,...
