ABC of Urology: INTRODUCTION TO UROLOGY

Abstract

Urological surgery was one of the last surgical disciplines to become recognised as a separate specialty from general surgery in terms of training and practice. Urological disorders account for about one third of all surgical admissions to hospital. Such disorders are common in the community, and though few are life threatening, many may have a profound effect on the quality of life. #### Subspecialties in urology It is not surprising that specialisation within urology, as in all other medical and surgical disciplines, provides the best quality of care. The confidential inquiry into perioperative deaths (CEPOD) highlighted that prostatectomy, the operation performed most frequently by urologists, is associated with a significantly lower mortality and morbidity when performed by surgeons who carry out more than 50 such procedures a year. All urologists provide care to some extent in all the subspecialties of urology, but most will concentrate on one or two as specific interests. Urological surgical specialisation, however, only becomes fully effective with specialised urological nursing. Excised specimen of cancerous bladder showing large tumour mass. Problems of bladder outflow obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hypertrophy constitute about a third of urological practice. Other urodynamic disorders occur in patients with neurological disorders of many kinds. The management of patients with urinary incontinence is also included under this heading. Bladder tumours and prostate cancer are the two commonest malignant diseases presenting to urologists. Most urology departments run a haematuria service as many studies …