Journal Reviews
Solifenacin for children and adolescents with overactive bladders
Solifenacin (VESIcare®) is the second-line anti-muscarinic medication of choice for my patients with overactive bladder (oxybutynin being my initial choice). However, currently, it remains unlicensed for use in children. Newgreen et al. have evaluated the long-term safety and efficacy of...
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...
Transfer to tertiary paediatric hospitals for patients with testicular torsion
Although this articles comes from a tertiary centre in Columbus, USA, there are similarities with the current controversies in the UK. The authors carried out a five-year retrospective review looking at the surgical transfer of 125 patients (mean age 13.4,...
Performance of non-invasive tests in diagnosing BOO in men with LUTS
A large proportion of urology involves the treatment of bladder outflow obstruction (BOO) in men. Yet BOO in men is very difficult to accurately quantify with the only regular non-invasive test being uroflowmetry. Pressure flow urodynamics may be considered the...
The role of acupuncture in managing overactive bladder
Overactive bladder (OAB) affects 17% of American men and women and represents a burden in terms of both quality of life and finances. Alternative therapies may be sought for this condition as there is a high drop-out rate with regards...
Mindfulness-based stress reduction as a novel treatment for IC/PBS
Interstitial cystitis / painful bladder syndrome (IC / PBS) is not fully understood and is associated with significant morbidity. The objective of this study was to provide initial data to evaluate mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) as a treatment for IC...
How successful is the transition to adult urology care in spina bifida?
These authors from Indianapolis, USA, aimed to assess rates and predictors of successful transition into adult care of spina bifida patients. They did this by a retrospective review of 77 patients discharged from a multidisciplinary paediatric clinic at a mean...
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...
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...
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...
