Evaluating the impact of a new clean intermittent self-catheterisation device: experiences of male patients.

Urinary incontinence is common and has many causes. A main one is urinary retention, and clean intermittent self-catheterisation is the gold standard for managing it. There are, however, complications associated with performing this, which affect patient experience, quality of life and compliance with the procedure.

A consensus statement on when to start clean intermittent self-catheterization: An untapped resource?

Background: Clean intermittent self-catheterisation (CISC or ISC) is used by patients/carers to empty the bladder if needed. Sometimes the urethral lumen leading out of the bladder is blocked; sometimes, the bladder (detrusor) muscle itself or the autonomic motor nerves innervating the bladder are damaged, resulting in a failure of the detrusor muscle to work, leading to a failure of the bladder being able to empty adequately. Prior consensus as to the indications and timing of CISC has yet to be provided.

Prevention and management of moisture-associated skin damage.

Disruption to the integrity of the skin can reduce patient wellbeing and quality of life. A major cause of skin breakdown is prolonged exposure to moisture, but this is often overlooked. When skin is wet, it becomes more susceptible to damage from friction and shearing forces, and skin flora can penetrate the disrupted barrier, causing further irritation and inflammation.

Developing a new one-stop urology diagnostics service.

A newly built NHS 'one-stop' urology diagnostics unit has been created to provide a genuinely patient-centred experience for all new patients presenting with urological symptoms. Patients across the region now receive not only their initial specialist consultation, but also all diagnostic investigations and a treatment plan during a single visit to the unit. The purpose-built service has reduced the patient diagnostic pathway from several visits over many weeks to a matter of hours.