Journal Reviews
NICE backs laser for BPH
Benign prostatic hyperplasia affects 60% of men aged 60 or over. The medical technology division of the National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) has supported the GreenLight XPS laser system as a surgical tool. The specific indications are:...
Recurrent urinary tract infections in women
This review article defined women who had recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) as having either ≥ two episodes in the last six months or ≥ three episodes in the last 12 months. Using a number of databases, including the Cochrane...
Glans size is an independent risk factor for urethroplasty complications after hypospadias repair
In this analysis, prepubertal patients undergoing hypospadias repair over a four-year period had caliper measurement of glans width taken perioperatively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was carried out for complications while adjusting for patient age, meatus position or type of repair....
Liquid paraffin versus lidocaine
Topical anaesthetics have been used in urology since 1884, when Pease described using “cocaine in a sensitive urethra with charming results”. Since 1949, 2% lidocaine has been increasingly used intraurethrally for cystoscopy and other procedures. This article is a pilot...
Comparing NSAIDs with antibiotics in the treatment of uncomplicated UTIs in women
Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common presentation in primary care, however there is increasing concern regarding antibiotic use and resistant organisms. In this double-blind randomised German study, the authors seek to establish if ibuprofen 400mg three times a...
Reviewing the evidence for TNS in neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction
Tibial nerve stimulation (TNS) is a recognised minimally invasive treatment option for bladder overactivity and non-neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction. In this systematic review, the role TNS can play in the management of neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction is evaluated...
Smoking and urological health
European Urology Focus is a new sister journal to European Urology. It is peer-reviewed and will be published six times per year in electronic format. The first issue deals with smoking and urological diseases. It makes for very interesting reading...
Retention after Botox therapy in OAB
Treatment of overactive bladder (OAB) has a wide spectrum. The first step is lifestyle modifications, the second step is pharmacotherapy and the third line is intradetrusor injections with Botox®. This retrospective study is from Tennessee, USA in non-neurogenic and refractory...
Intermittent self-catheterisation
Intermittent self-catheterisation (ISC) is used in everyday practice for bladder dysfunction. This study from Southampton, UK presents a Cochrane review of different catheter designs, user satisfaction and incidence of urinary tract infection (UTI), etc. The following factors were looked at:...
MDT meetings in urogynaecology
This study aimed to assess the outcome of case discussion at a single unit’s urogynaecology multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings. This was a retrospective study of the MDT proformas of 106 patients who were discussed over a 14-month period. Various outcomes...
Nocturia: the debate goes on
This study is from Ghent, Belgium. Nocturia is one of the most bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms affecting both men and women. Key factors to consider in evaluating are nocturnal polyuria (NP) and reduced bladder capacity. NP with low osmolality...
Solifenacin and mirabegron are safe and effective in combination
Antimuscarinic agents remain the mainstay of medical management of bladder overactivity. Limited somewhat by their tolerability, the new agent mirabegron, a β3-adrenoreceptor agonist, has been approved as an alternative. There is little known however about the possible synergistic effects of...
