Sling procedures are common surgical operations to stop stress incontinence. This is a condition where urine leaks out when movements, such as coughing, laughing or sneezing put pressure on the bladder. Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles supporting the urethra (tube that carries the urine out of the body) become weak and the urethra no longer works well as a valve to keep the urine in the bladder. Sometimes this results from the effects of childbirth. Sling procedures provide support to the weakened muscles so the urethra won’t accidentally release urine when there is pressure on the bladder. Burch Procedure (colposuspension) In the Burch procedure, permanent stitches are placed on both sides of the urethra to give it more support. The Burch procedure is done under a general anaesthetic (you sleep throughout the procedure) and can be performed by laparoscopic surgery. Natural or Biological Tissue Sling A sling from your own abdominal wall or from biological material of animal origin is used to lift the urethra.

Prostate cancer can be treated with localised radiotherapy by implanting small radioactive seeds into the prostate gland. The seeds are implanted using needles inserted through the perineum (the area between the scrotum and anus) while under spinal or general anaesthetic. Discharge from hospital is usually within 24 hours and normal activities can probably be resumed within 2 or 3 days.

The foreskin (flap of skin that covers the tip of the penis) may be removed for cultural, religious or medical reasons.

Incisions (cuts) are made in the abdomen (stomach) to allow access to your bladder. The vagina is lifted and attached to the pelvis wall, allowing the bladder neck to be supported, thus correcting urine leakage.

A long, thin tube with a tiny camera attached (cystoscope) is inserted into the urinary opening and through the urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside of your body) to your bladder. This allows the urologist to view any abnormalities in your lower urinary tract and, if necessary, take a small tissue sample to look at under the microscope (biopsy).

Incisions (cuts) are made in the side of the body, between the ribs and hip, to allow removal of one or both kidneys.

A tube is inserted into the kidney to allow urine to drain out. The tube may drain into a bag on the outside of your body (on your back) or may drain inside your body into the bladder.

A small incision (cut) is made in the groin on the side of the undescended testicle and the testicle pulled down into the scrotum. Sometimes a small cut will need to be made in the scrotum as well.

Scrotal: a small incision (cut) is made in the front of the scrotum and the testicles removed. This greatly reduces the amount of testosterone produced in the body. Inguinal: an incision is made in the groin to remove a testicle that: is undescended from childhood, has wasted away (atrophied), or has a tumour.

A thin wire is inserted into your lower back and guided using x-ray imaging to your kidney. A small incision (cut) is then made on your back and a narrow tube is inserted and follows the guide wire to the kidney. The kidney stone(s) is then removed or broken up.

Incisions (cuts) are made in either the lower abdomen (stomach) or between the scrotum and the anus to allow removal of the enlarged parts of, or the entire, prostate gland.

A long, thin tube with a tiny camera attached (resectoscope) is inserted into the urinary opening, through the urethra and into the bladder. Instruments are passed through the resectoscope and the tumour removed.

A long, thin tube with a tiny camera attached (resectoscope) is inserted into the urinary opening of the penis and through the urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder to the outside of your body) to your bladder. The urologist is then able to view the prostate gland and, by passing an instrument through the resectoscope, is able to remove the part of the gland that has become enlarged.

An incision (cut) is made in the penis and the narrowed part of the urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside of your body) is removed and the urethra rejoined. In balloon urethroplasty, a thin tube with a balloon attached is inserted into the opening of the penis. When it reaches the narrowed part of the urethra, the balloon is inflated, thus widening the urethra.

An incision (cut) is made in the penis and the narrowed part of the urethra (the tube that carries urine to the outside of your body) is removed and the urethra rejoined. In balloon urethroplasty, a thin tube with a balloon attached is inserted into the opening of the penis. When it reaches the narrowed part of the urethra, the balloon is inflated, thus widening the urethra.

If a man decides he does not want to father children, he may choose to have a vasectomy which is a simple and effective method of sterilisation. During this surgical procedure, the vas deferens (the tubes carrying sperm from the testicles to the penis) are cut. A vasectomy can be carried out in a doctor's surgery and takes between 30 and 60 minutes.

This is an enlargement of the prostate gland. In BPH there may be difficulties in passing urine as the enlarged prostate can cause a blockage. Patients with BPH often notice an increased urge to empty the bladder, especially at night. Many men over 60 years of age have some BPH. There are many different treatment options available for people with BPH. Most commonly your doctor can prescribe tablets to improve urinary function.

What causes bladder cancer is not always clear, but the risk of developing bladder cancer can be increased by smoking, getting older, long term bladder problems and unsafe exposure to aniline dyes which are used in some industries. Bladder tumours usually form in cells lining the bladder. Once a tumour begins to enlarge, it may stay in the lining or grow into the wall of the bladder. If untreated, the tumour may then grow into other structures such as lymph nodes. If the cancer enters the bloodstream it may spread to other areas of the body (metastasis). Often the first symptom noticed is blood in the urine, other symptoms such as needing to pass urine more often or feeling as if you need to go but can’t affect about 1/3 of people with early bladder cancer. As the tumour grows these symptoms affect more people. The first test to diagnose bladder cancer is usually a urine sample. Sometimes a tube will be inserted through the urethra and the bladder will be washed with liquid to try to wash out some cancer cells for diagnosis. If cancer is suspected, the next step is usually a cytoscopy (a tube to allow the doctor to look inside the bladder). If there is to be a tumour the doctor can take a small sample (biopsy) for testing. CT or MRI scans are also used to scan the body to see if the cancer has spread to other areas. Treatment depends on the size of the tumour and how much it has grown into the bladder wall. Surgery may be considered especially if the tumour is still small. The surgeon can insert a cytoscope through the urethra and cut out the tumour or burn it away. If the tumour has grown more deeply the surgeon may cut open the abdomen and remove some or the entire bladder (a partial or full cystectomy). If the whole bladder is removed an artificial bladder will be created on the inside or a urostomy bag on the outside. Radiotherapy (an x-ray beam) can be used as the main treatment in some people and in others may be used after surgery to remove any remaining cancer cells. In early cancer, drugs (chemotherapy) or another treatment called BCG may be placed directly into the bladder to kill cancer cells (intravesical treatment). Usually though, chemotherapy is used in the later stages where it can attack cancer cells throughout the body (not just the bladder) and help stop the cancer spreading.

This term means blood in the urine and may be the result of inflammation or other problems with your kidneys, blockages in your ureter, infection or other problems with your bladder or problems with your prostate.

This is when a patient’s kidneys are unable to remove wastes and excess fluid from the blood. Kidney failure is divided into two general categories, acute and chronic. Acute kidney failure occurs suddenly and may be the result of injury, loss of large amounts of blood, drugs or poisons. Kidneys may return to normal function if they are not too badly damaged. Chronic renal failure means kidney function has slowly worsened over a number of years and often the kidneys do not get better. When chronic renal failure has progressed to end stage renal disease (ESRD), it is considered irreversible or unable to be cured. Renal Replacement Therapy Renal replacement therapy is a treatment that removes wastes and excess fluid from the blood when patients’ kidneys are not able to do it on their own. It comes in a number of forms, both continuous and intermittent, involving filtration and dialysis. In acute renal failure, the dialysis may only be needed for a few days or weeks while the kidneys recover. In some cases long-term dialysis and or a kidney transplant may be needed.

This term refers to stones in the urinary system. They form in the kidneys but can be found anywhere in the urinary system. They vary in size and the amount of pain they cause. Many of these stones can pass through without help but some require medical intervention. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is the most frequently used procedure for the treatment of kidney stones. In ESWL, shock waves that are created outside the body travel through the skin and body tissues until they hit the denser stones. The stones break down into very small particles and are easily passed through the urinary tract in the urine.

Prostate cancer happens when cells in the prostate, a small gland in the male body, grow too fast and form a lump called a tumour. This cancer usually grows slowly and it may take a number of years to become detectable. Treatment options include active surveillance (keeping an eye on it), surgery, radiation, hormone treatment and chemotherapy. Read more about prostate cancer on the Healthify website.

This is the term used to describe inflammation of the prostate gland. Symptoms can include increased need to pass urine and pain on passing urine as well as perhaps lower back pain. Sometimes this inflammation is due to an infection and an antibiotic will be prescribed, otherwise pain relief medication may be prescribed.

This term means protein in the urine and may indicate that there is a problem with your kidneys.

Urinalysis is a test that examines the content of urine for abnormal substances such as protein or signs of infection. This test involves urinating into a special container and leaving the sample to be studied.

Urinary incontinence or loss of bladder control is the involuntary passage of urine (passing urine without meaning to). There are many causes and types of incontinence, and many treatment options. Treatments range from simple exercises to surgery. Women are affected by urinary incontinence more often than men.

Urinary retention, or abnormal holding of urine in the bladder, is a common urological problem. Possible causes of acute urinary retention (sudden inability to urinate) include a blockage in the urinary system, stress or nerve problems. Chronic urinary retention (some urine is always left in the bladder after emptying) may be caused by bladder muscle failure, nerve damage, or obstructions in the urinary tract. Treatment for urinary retention depends on the cause.

A UTI is caused by an infection in the urinary tract. Women get UTIs more often than men. UTIs are treated with antibiotics. Drinking lots of water also helps by flushing out the bacteria. If the infection is in the kidneys it is called pyelonephritis.

Urodynamic tests measure the storage of urine in the bladder and the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra. Your doctor may want to do an urodynamic test if you are having symptoms that suggest problems with the muscles or nerves of your lower urinary system and pelvis.