We offer expert advice on all urological conditions. Below is a diagam showing the male and female urinary tract.
Surgery for the Kidney
Urinary Stone Disease More information coming soon, please check back later.
Benign Conditions of the Kidney
More information coming soon, please check back later.
Cancer of the Kidney
Surgical treatment for kidney cancer involves the removal of the diseased segment of the kidney. Often due to the size of the tumour this requires removal of the whole kidney, although in some circumstances it is preferable or appropriate to remove only part of the kidney.
The Prostate Gland
The prostate is a gland found only in men that sits just below the bladder. It is about the size of a walnut. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis. The urethra passes through the prostate. Fluid produced by the prostate forms part of the semen when you ejaculate.
Benign Enlargement of the Prostate Gland
The prostate gland lies just beneath the bladder in men. It goes around the top of the urethra (the tube that passes urine from the bladder). It is normally about the size of a chestnut. The prostate helps to make semen but most semen is made by another gland nearby (the seminal vesicle). The prostate enlarges gradually after the age of 50. By the age of 70, about 8 in 10 men will have an enlarged prostate. It is therefore as normal to have a benign (non-cancerous) enlargement of the prostate in later life as it is to have grey hair or wrinkles. (Prostate cancer is a separate condition that is much less common and is not dealt with in this article).
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland. Prostatitis makes up almost a quarter of urology consultations so is an important disease for both patients and doctors, although similar symptoms can also be caused by other conditions which are non-inflammatory and these days also known as ‘pelvic pain syndrome.’ Prostatitis most commonly affects men between the ages of 30 and 50.
Prostate Assessment
The PSA test is a way of checking for prostate cancer. It means having a simple blood test usually taken from the arm. The benefit of the PSA test is that it could find a prostate cancer while it’s still small. It might then be possible to treat it before it grows and causes any problems. But before you decide whether you want the test, there are a few things you should think about.
Most prostate cancers grow very slowly and don’t cause any problems, particularly in men in their 70’s or 80’s. And it’s unusual to find a prostate cancer in men under the age of fifty though it does occur. The risk is higher in people with a family history and has been shown to be higher in African Americans.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate Cancer can affect 1 in 12 men in Scotland and is the most common cancer amongst men in Scotland. Whilst the number of people diagnosed with prostate cancer in Scotland has increased, so have survival rates, especially where there has been an early diagnosis. The following pages are aimed at providing an overview of what prostate cancer is, how it can be detected and what treatments are available.
The Bladder
The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that acts rather like a balloon in that it expands to collect and store urine. Urine is made up of water and waste products the body. It is produced in the kidneys and travels down to the bladder via tubes called ureters. When the bladder is full enough, or you feel the need to pass urine, the urine travels out of the bladder, and subsequently the body, via another tube called the urethra.
The Urethra
The urethra is the tube which connects the bladder with the outside of the body. The urethra allows urine to pass to the outside and, in men, allows passage of semen as well. The external urethral sphincter is a striated muscle which allows voluntary control over voiding (emptying the bladder).
In the female, the urethra is 3-5cm long. The urethral opening is just above the vaginal opening. In the male, the urethra is approximately 20cm long and opens at the end of the penis. Common Conditions Affecting Bladder and Urethra.
Urinary Incontinence in Men
A relatively common problem. One of the commonest causes of urinary incontinence in men is prostate cancer surgery and radiotherapy, as these treatment modalities can damage the muscle of the urethral sphincter leading to the development of stress urinary incontinence.
Men can also suffer from urge urinary incontinence. People with this condition complain of frequent urges to go to the toilet which can be very debilitating. In most cases it is due to bengin enlargement of the prostate, resulting in obstruction to the urethra (the water-pipe) and also causing problems with voiding and bladder emptying.
The After-dribble a common condition that affects men at any age, where few drops of urine leak after urinating, typically as the penis is replaced in pants then trousers get wet and stained. The urethra is not being emptied completely and few drops of urine pools in the urethra. The best way to deal with this common problem is by getting rid of these last few drops of urine with the fingers before the final shake!
Urinary Incontinence in Women
By definition, urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine, a very common problem that affects women twice as often as men. Although it is more common in older women, it’s not part of aging. Indeed, women of all ages are at risk for urinary incontinence, from athletes, women in child-bearing age, to women experiencing menopause and older.
A spectrum of complications associated with urinary incontinence; urinary tract infections, skin rashes and skin infection as a result of a continuously wet skin, and an impact on quality of life; can limit your social activities, or travelling needing to look out for toilets en-route, the inconvenience of pads, also work becomes more stressful because you’re frequently away from your desk or from meetings. Incontinence may affect your sleep thus you become tired and irritable. It also affects your personal life and even sexual relationship as you avoid intimacy because of the possible embarrassment from urine leakage.
The Overactive Bladder
Botulinum Toxin “BOTOX” Injection for Misbehaving Bladder
Botulinum toxin is used in patients with overactive bladder problems, who have failed to get satisfactory response from standard medical therapies (e.g. anticholinergic drugs). Prior to considering suitability for Botulinum Toxin injection therapy you will undergo urodynamic test first this is to ascertain the bladder condition and aid in counselling for the therapeurtic procedure.
Bladder Cancer
Information Coming Soon
Please check back later.
Urethral Stricture Disease
Information Coming Soon
Please check back later.
Family Planning for Men – Vasectomy
Vasectomy is a male form of contraception which is very safe. It is usually performed under either local anaesthesia or general anaesthesia. Prior to any planned vasectomy patients should be advised that they should consider other contraceptive means. Patients are also advised during a vasectomy consultation that there is a failure of the procedure which may be early failure, where motile sperm is found within the sperm test after surgery. In these instances the surgery would usually need to be re-done.
In other cases there is a spontaneous re-cannalisation where the sperm tubes can join up in possibly 1 : 2,500, but overall is a very safe technique. The other risks of surgery are bleeding, infection and bruising, which generally occurs in less than 5% of patients. On occasions it may take quite some time before the sperm disappears from the ejaculation, and this is a phenomenon known as ‘rare non-motile sperm’.
Patients are advised used to give a sperm test at 14 and 16 weeks following vasectomy. If the sperm tubes (vas deferens) are easily felt the procedure can be performed under local anaesthesia as a day case. In some cases where the sperm tubes are difficult to feel or the patient has needle-phobia, then the vasectomy can be performed under general anaesthetic.
Scrotal Lumps
Information coming soon, please check back later.
Testicular Cancer
Information coming soon, please check back later.
Join our mailing list and receive the latest news and information