Journal Reviews
Botox® instillation into the bladder
Patients with refractory overactive bladder (OAB) may be offered OnabotulinumtoxinA (Botox®) as one of the third-line options. Given the invasive nature of requiring cystoscopy, injections via a needle and local anaesthesia, it would be simpler, more convenient and more accessible...
Prodromal period of Fournier’s gangrene
Necrotising soft tissue infections of the genitalia (NSTIG), commonly known as Fournier’s gangrene, is a rare but important surgical emergency associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It is estimated that every six hours of delay in surgical debridement leads to...
Keep an eye on Viagra™
Many of the side-effects and contra-indications of sildenafil and other phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE 5) inhibitors for erectile dysfunction have become well known to doctors and pharmacists over the years. This study from the United States collected case reports of adverse...
Hypospadias – how long should follow-up be?
The optimal duration of follow-up following childhood hypospadias repair (to detect complications) is ill-defined. Several surgeons recommend it to include assessment during puberty. Some may worry that ‘rapid penile growth’, ‘erectile forces’ and ‘sexual activity’ could potentially stress previously successful...
Save the orchid
In many urological cancers there is currently more and more inclination for organ-preserving surgery but in patients with germ cell tumours (GCT), radical orchidectomy remains the gold standard. Can we somehow save the testes? This study aims to summarise published...
Outcomes of sarcomatoid differentiation in urothelial carcinoma
Sarcomatoid differentiation is a rare variant of urothelial carcinoma (UC) seen in 0.6% of cases. Its response to neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has not been well reported. The authors have done a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing cystectomy between 1995 and...
PIRADS-3 lesions and clinically significant prostate cancer – what are we missing?
The use of pre-biopsy MRI has definitely enhanced our decision making in managing patients with suspected prostate cancer (PCa). There is still uncertainty around the outcomes for patients with PIRADS-3 lesions, with a small but definite risk of missing clinically...
Intravesical cytosine arabinoside + Mitomycin C for bladder cancer – is it beneficial?
Mitomycin C (MMC) is often used as an intravesical therapy for low / intermediate risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of MMC + cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). Ara-C was...
Prostate biopsies without antibiotic cover – are we there yet?
Transperineal (TP) prostate biopsies are widely replacing the traditional transrectal route due to definite evidence of reduced infective complications. TP biopsies are usually performed with a single dose of antibiotic pre-procedure in most centres. In this article the authors attempt...
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...
Is outpatient robotic surgery feasible in children?
Minimally invasive surgery has helped to achieve shorter hospitalisations, reduce postoperative pain and analgesia requirements and provides better cosmetic results. Robotic urological outpatient surgery has been examined in recent times in the adult population; here Neheman et al. look at...
Preoperative testosterone for hypospadias
Hypospadias affects around 1 in 400 boys. Glans width (GW) of <14mm has been shown to be an independent risk factor for urethroplasty complications following hypospadias repair. Testosterone (T) administration in prepubertal males increases both penile length and circumference. Its...
