Urology
UROLOGY
Urology is a part of health care that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract (kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra). It also deals with the male organs that are able to make babies (penis, testes, scrotum, prostate, etc.). Since health problems in these body parts can happen to anyone, urologic health is important.
Urology is known as a surgical specialty. Besides surgery, a urologist is a doctor with wisdom in internal medicine, paediatrics, gynaecology, and other parts of health care. This is because a urologist encounters a wide range of clinical problems. The scope of urology is big, and the American Urological Association has named seven subspecialties:
- Pediatric Urology (children’s urology)
- Urologic Oncology (urologic cancers)
- Renal (kidney) Transplant
- Male Infertility
- Calculi (urinary tract stones)
- Female Urology
- Neurourology (nervous system control of genitourinary organs)
Types of urology
neurourology, which focuses on urinary problems due to conditions of the nervous system. pediatric urology, which focuses on urinary problems in children. urologic oncology, which focuses on cancers of the urinary system, including the bladder, kidneys, prostate, and testicles.
Urological problems
Urologic diseases or conditions include urinary tract infections, kidney stones, bladder control problems, and prostate problems, among others. Some urologic conditions last only a short time, while others are long-lasting.
Urologic Diseases
The urinary tract is your body’s drainage system for removing urine. Urine is composed of waste and water. The urinary tract includes your kidneys, ureters, and bladder. To urinate normally, the urinary tract needs to work together in the correct order.
What is a urologist?
A urologist is a medical specialist who undergoes training in diseases of the male and female urinary systems, as well as the male reproductive system. Due to the variety of clinical problems encountered, urologists must have a wide range of knowledge regarding internal medicine, gynaecology, paediatrics and other specialties. Urologists are also trained as surgeons and offer patients surgical options for many urologic health conditions. In order to be certified by the American Board of Urology, urologists must fulfill specified educational and examination requirements.
While they often collaborate on patient care, a urologist is different from a nephrologist. Nephrology is a separate field of medicine that specifically focuses on kidney function and disease. While a urologist treats patients for kidney stones or kidney cancer, offering surgical options, a nephrologist treats patients who have diabetes. Nephrology is a non-surgical field, which means that nephrologists are not surgeons.
Urology treatments
- Frequent urinary tract infections.
- Inability to control urination (urinary incontinence).
- Blood in the urine (hematuria).
- Conditions of the male reproductive system, including benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH, or enlarged prostate).
- Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder).
Inpatient
- Nephrectomy: A surgical removal of a kidney.
- Pyeloplasty: The surgical reconstruction of the renal pelvis (a part of the kidney) to drain and decompress the kidney. In nearly all cases, the goal of the surgery is to relieve a uretero-pelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction.
- Ureteral reimplants: The original ureter is surgically re-positioned or reimplanted in the bladder wall. The end of the ureter is surrounded by bladder muscle in this new position, which prevents urine from backing up (refluxing) toward the bladder.
- Ureteral stent placement: A thin tube inserted into the ureter to prevent or treat obstruction of the urine flow from the kidney.