Urology: Encyclopedia - Urology

Urology

Urology is the field of surgery that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. In men, the urinary system overlaps with the reproductive system, and in women the urinary tract opens into the vulva. In both sexes, the urinary and reproductive tracts are close together, and disorders of one often affect the other. The organs covered by urology include the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder , urethra , and the male reproductive organs ( testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate and penis).

The discipline combines management of "medical" (i.e., non-surgical) problems such as urinary infections, and "surgical" problems such as the correction of congenital abnormalities and the surgical management of cancers. Only around 20% of Urology patients actually require surgery.

Urologists are also involved in the assessment and treatment of incontinence. Urodynamics is the study of the pressure within the urinary system and Urologists often use diagnostic techniques such as flow cystometry or ambulatory urodynamic profiles to determine the best method of treatment for the patient. This could include medical prescription (e.g. oxybutinin or multiple alpha-blockers) or surgical intervention (e.g. urethral suspension/slings).

Other subfields of urology include urologic oncology, stone disease, voiding dysfunction, pediatric urology, sexual dysfunction and male infertility.

Urology is closely related to the medical fields of nephrology, andrology , gynecology and oncology.

See also

Links moved from medicine, to be sorted and explained:

• Prostatitis
• circumcision
• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Cystitis
• Prostate cancer
• Bladder stones
• Kidney stones
• Bladder cancer
• Development of the urinary and reproductive organs

Category: Urology

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Urology", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki