A comparative assessment of irrigation and drainage characteristics for commercially available urethral catheters.

Introduction: We aimed to investigate irrigation and drainage characteristics of commercially available urethral catheters and determined which catheter offers the best flow characteristics.

Material And Methods: Twelve different commercially available urethral catheters from three companies (Bard™, Rusch™ and Dover™) were investigated to compare their irrigation and drainage properties. Irrigation port, drainage port and overall cross-sectional areas for a 24Fr 3-way catheter was measured and compared.

Paratesticular myositis ossificans of the spermatic cord.

A 56-year-old man presented with a painless scrotal lump, enlarging over the preceding 1 month. The lump was roughly 1 cm in size, and located in his left hemiscrotum and separate from the testis. An ultrasound revealed an echogenic focus with dystrophic tissue calcification.

Incidence of Visible Hematuria Among Antithrombotic Agents: A Systematic Review of Over 175,000 Patients.

Objective: To determine the probability of visible hematuria with antithrombotic agents and to evaluate association of urologic etiology in antithrombotic-related hematuria.

Methods: Preferred Reporting Items in Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to conduct a systematic review using search engines PUBMED and SCOPUS with the terms "(hematuria) OR (haematuria) OR urinary bleeding)) AND ((anticoagulants) OR anticoagulation) OR noac) OR novel anticoagulants) OR antiplatelet) OR dabigatran) OR rivaroxaban) OR apixaban) OR warfarin) OR aspirin) OR heparin) OR dipyridamole)." Raw data were used to perform a pooled analysis.

Ascending cholangitis: rare presentation of a ruptured right-sided renal angiomyolipoma.

We report the case of a 46-year-old female who presented to the Emergency Department with acute, painful obstructive jaundice, with evidence of secondary ascending cholangitis. Surprisingly, imaging revealed the clinical picture to be caused not by hepatobiliary pathology, but by external compression of the biliary tree from a ruptured renal angiomyolipoma (AML) of the right kidney. The patient remained haemodynamically stable and conservative management saw resolution of biliary obstruction.

Quantitative Analysis of Technological Innovation in Urology.

Objective: To assess major areas of technological innovation in urology in the last 20 years using patent and publication data.

Methods: Patent and MEDLINE databases were searched between 1980 and 2012 electronically using the terms urology OR urological OR urologist AND "surgeon" OR "surgical" OR "surgery". The patent codes obtained were grouped in technology clusters, further analyzed with individual searches, and growth curves were plotted.

A prospective audit on the effect of training and educational workshops on the incidence of urethral catheterization injuries.

Introduction: The incidence of iatrogenic urethral catheterization (UC) injuries is approximately 0.3%. Resultant complications are associated with patient morbidity and unnecessary healthcare costs.

The impact of a structured clinical training course on interns' self-reported confidence with core clinical urology skills.

Background: Undergraduate training in core urology skills is lacking in many Irish training programmes.

Aims: Our aim was to assess newly qualified doctors' experience and confidence with core urological competencies.

Methods: A questionnaire survey covering exposure to urology and confidence with core clinical skills was circulated to all candidates.

An Unusual Case Of Urinary Bladder Arteriovenous Malformation.

A 45-year-old male presented with haematuria and urinary frequency. Computed Tomography (CT) urogram revealed gross thickening of the left bladder wall. Histology showed large vessels cuffed by eosinophonilic material suggestive of urinary bladder arteriovenous malformation (AVM).

Evaluating the cost of iatrogenic urethral catheterisation injuries.

Introduction: Technique is vital to prevent urethral trauma during urethral catheterisation (UC). Education programmes are helpful but are not compulsory and safe UC remains operator dependent. Traumatic UC is associated with increased morbidity, length of stay, resource utilisation and surgical intervention.

Dilemmas in diagnosis and natural history of renal oncocytoma and implications for management.

Introduction: Oncocytomas have traditionally been treated with surgical excision; however, their excellent long-term prognosis has popularized conservative and minimally invasive ablative techniques. We evaluated the evolving management and natural history of renal oncocytomas and investigated the relationship between radiological and histopathological diagnosis.

Methods: We performed a 17-year retrospective cohort study on all patients with a confirmed histopathological diagnosis of renal oncocytoma.

Risk Factors and Significance of Gentamicin Resistant Positive Urine Culture in Patients Undergoing Urological Surgery: A Short Report.

We assessed patients who had pre-operative urine that grew gentamicin-resistant bacteria but were given gentamicin prophylaxis because urine result was not available. Our aim was to identify postoperative-sepsis rates, risk factors to acquire resistant-bacteria, and to optimize our prophylactic regime. Total 4,933 pre-operative urine-samples were reviewed and those positive for or (n = 979) were analysed.

Transurethral resection of the prostate--"now and then".

The number of transurethral resections of the prostate (TURP) performed each year is decreasing. The aim of this study was to assess a cohort of patients undergoing TURP and compare this to one twenty years earlier in terms of procedure, complications and outcomes. A retrospective comparative analysis of one hundred consecutive TURPs performed in 2010 was compared to one hundred cases performed in 1990.

Bricker versus Wallace anastomosis: A meta-analysis of ureteroenteric stricture rates after ileal conduit urinary diversion.

Introduction: Data comparing the incidence of ureteroenteric strictures for Bricker and Wallace anastomoses are limited. This study compares both anastomotic techniques in terms of ureteroenteric stricture rates after radical cystectomy and ileal conduit urinary diversion.

Methods: Electronic databases (Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane database) were searched for studies comparing Bricker and Wallace ureteroeneteric anastomoses for ileal conduit urinary diversion after radical cystectomy.

Primary clear cell carcinoma of the rete testis: 1st report.

Primary tumours of the rete testis, either benign or malignant, are very rare. Such lesions require careful scrutiny including immunohistochemical analysis to exclude malignant lesions such as mesothelioma or papillary serous carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of a primary clear cell carcinoma of the rete testis.

Radical prostatectomy in the presence of ongoing refractory ESBL Escherichia coli bacterial prostatitis.

A 44-year-old Indian national with a prostate-specific antigen of 5.4 ng/mL underwent 12-core transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies. Following this, he had three hospital admissions with severe urosepsis secondary to extended spectrum β lactamase (ESBL) producing Escherichia coli.

A patient reported outcome measure (PROM) assessing quality of care in the urology hospital outpatient setting.

A prospective blind PROM (patient reported outcome measure) study performed in our urology department examined the outpatient-clinic experience. 104 questionnaires were completed. 23 patients (22%) felt the waiting times for appointments was excessive.

A 30-year experience of Millin's retropubic prostatectomy: Has this classic operation derived by a President of the College in Ireland stood the test of time?

Introduction: In patients with large gland volume, open prostatectomy/adenoma enucleation remains a valuable surgical option in treating large obstructing prostates. We report our series of open prostatectomies spanning 32 years from a single institution.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent open prostatectomy between 1980 and 2012.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy in adult patients with spina bifida, severe spinal deformity and large renal stones.

Aims: To present our experience in patients with spina bifida with severe spinal abnormality undergoing percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) for large stone burden.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective review identified five spina bifida patients with abnormal spinal curvature who had a PCNL for large kidney stones. The mean age was 28 years.

Management of recalcitrant urethral strictures with self-dilatation balloon catheter.

Introduction: Urethral strictures constitute a significant clinical problem that often requires long-term management.

Objective: To report the long-term outcomes of adjuvant home self-urethral dilatation of recurrent urethral strictures using a balloon catheter.

Materials And Methods: Male patients (N = 11), performing self-dilatation with a balloon catheter (minimum 24 months) were assessed by patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) health questionnaire specific for post treatment assessment of men with urethral stricture disease.

The Distribution of PSA Age-Specific Profiles in Healthy Irish Men between 20 and 70.

Background. Ireland is estimated to have the highest European incidence rate of prostate cancer (Pca) in 2006 which will increase by 275% by 2025. This study aimed to determine PSA cutoff values in different age groups of healthy male patients without Pca.

Standardization of assay methods reduces variability of total PSA measurements: an Irish study.

Unlabelled: What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Today, numerous assays for PSA detection are available from various manufacturers. However, these various assays do not detect PSA equally and several studies have demonstrated variability between them. In order to harmonise PSA results and reduce the discrepancies, reference materials are available for assay calibration.

An 11-year analysis of the prevalent uropathogens and the changing pattern of Escherichia coli antibiotic resistance in 38,530 community urinary tract infections, Dublin 1999-2009.

Background: Knowledge of local antimicrobial resistance patterns is essential for evidence-based empirical antibiotic prescribing, and a cutoff point of 20% has been suggested as the level of resistance at which an agent should no longer be used empirically. We sought to identify the changing incidence of causative uropathogens over an 11-year period. We also examined the trends in antibiotic resistance encountered in both the pooled urine samples and those where the causative organism was Escherichia coli.

Prospective study of antibiotic prophylaxis for prostate biopsy involving >1100 men.

We aimed to compare infection rates for two 3-day antibiotic prophylaxis regimens for transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSgbp) and demonstrate local microbiological trends. In 2008, 558 men and, in 2009, 625 men had TRUSgpb. Regimen 1 (2008) comprised 400 mg Ofloxacin immediately before biopsy and 200 mg 12-hourly for 3 days.