Urology - An Overview
Urology (aka: genitourinary surgery) is a surgical subspecialty that tackles a wide spectrum of diseases involving the male and female urinary tract, the male reproductive system, and the female pelvic floor. Urologists manage afflictions ranging from genitourinary malignancies (renal cell carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, transitional cell carcinoma, testicular carcinoma, etc. . .) and renal stones to congenital genitourinary defects, perineal reconstruction, and male infertility.
Although Urologists are surgeons, a significant part of the urologic practice also involves medical management of disease (i.e. no knife).
The American Urologic Association (AUA), the governing body for the specialty, divides Urology into seven subspecialties:
- Oncology: Surgical management of neoplasms involving the Adrenals, Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder, Prostate, Urethra, Testes, External Genitalia
- Calculi: Medical, endoscopic, extracorporeal, percutaneous, and surgical management of stones of the urinary tract.
- Female Urology: Medical and surgical management of incontinence and pelvic outlet relaxation disorders.
- Infertility: Medical and surgical treatment of male infertility.
- Pediatrics: Medical and surgical treatment of urological disease in the pediatric population.
- Transplant: Renal transplantation.
- Neurourology: Urodynamic evaluation of patients; medical and surgical management of voiding disorders and erectile dysfunction.
Below is a list of surgical procedures that are performed by urologists (visit the video library page):
| Kidney and Perinephrium | ||||||
| Partial nephrectomy | ||||||
| open | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| transperitoneal | ||||||
| retroperitoneoscopic | ||||||
| robotic | ||||||
| transperitoneal | ||||||
| retroperitoneoscopic | ||||||
| Nephrectomy | ||||||
| simple | ||||||
| donor | ||||||
| radical (with caval thrombectomy) | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| robotic | ||||||
| Nephroureterectomy | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| robotic | ||||||
| Renal transplantation | ||||||
| Renal arterial grafts | ||||||
| Splenorenal and hepatorenal arterial bypass procedures | ||||||
| Adrenalectomy | ||||||
| open | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| robotic | ||||||
| Pyeloplasty | ||||||
| Pyeloureteroplasty | ||||||
| Symphisiotomy of horseshoe kidney | ||||||
| Repair of lacerated kidney | ||||||
| Surgery for renal abscesses | ||||||
| Excision of renal cyst | ||||||
| Nephrostomy | ||||||
| Pyelostomy | ||||||
| Nephroscopy | ||||||
| Endopyelotomy | ||||||
| Pyelonephrolithotomy | ||||||
| Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy | ||||||
| Retroperitoneum and Ureter | ||||||
| Ureterocalicostomy | ||||||
| Ureterolithomoty | ||||||
| Psoas hitch | ||||||
| Boari flap | ||||||
| Ureterovesical anastomosis, reimplantation | ||||||
| Ureterocolic anastomosis | ||||||
| Ileoureteral substitution | ||||||
| Ureteroileal conduit | ||||||
| Ureteroureterostomy | ||||||
| Transureteroureterostomy | ||||||
| Ureterovaginal fistula repair | ||||||
| Repair of ureteral injuries/transections | ||||||
| Ureterectomy | ||||||
| Ureteral reimplantation | ||||||
| Megaureter repair | ||||||
| Ureteroscopy | ||||||
| basket extraction of stone | ||||||
| laser lithotripsy | ||||||
| ultrasound lithotripsy | ||||||
| electrohydraulic lithotripsy | ||||||
| ureteral stenting | ||||||
| Laparoscopic surgery of the ureter | ||||||
| Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection (RPLND) | ||||||
| open | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| Ureterolysis for retroperitoneal fibrosis | ||||||
| Intracorporeal Lithotripsy | ||||||
| Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) | ||||||
| Endoscopic management of ureteral strictures / fistulas | ||||||
| Lower tract surgery for ureterocele and duplication anomalies | ||||||
| Prune Belly Syndrome management | ||||||
| Bladder | ||||||
| Cystectomy | ||||||
| partial | ||||||
| radical: includes hysterectomy and anterior vaginectomy in female and prostatectomy in men | ||||||
| urinary diversion | ||||||
| ileal conduit | ||||||
| Indiana pouch | ||||||
| orthotopic continent diversion (e.g. Studer pouch) | ||||||
| Bladder extrophy repair | ||||||
| Excision of urachus and repair of bladder | ||||||
| Repair of ruptured bladder | ||||||
| Vesical diverticulectomy | ||||||
| Vesical fistula repair | ||||||
| Cystolithotomy / lithalopaxy | ||||||
| Closure of fistula | ||||||
| Cystoscopy | ||||||
| flexible | ||||||
| rigid | ||||||
| Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT) | ||||||
| Laser Treatment of Bladder Cancer | ||||||
| Augmentation cystoplasty | ||||||
| Sacral nerve stimulation | ||||||
| Urethra | ||||||
| Meatotomy and repair | ||||||
| Excision of stricture | ||||||
| Diverticulectomy | ||||||
| Excision of posterior urethral valves | ||||||
| Artificial urinary sphincter implant | ||||||
| Urethroplasty | ||||||
| Urethrectomy | ||||||
| Repair of urethral fistula | ||||||
| Repair of urethral diverticula | ||||||
| Peri-urethral collagen injection for incontinence | ||||||
| Fistula repair | ||||||
| Dilation of stricture | ||||||
| Biopsy | ||||||
| Endoscopy | ||||||
| Endoscopic Treatment of Urethral Strictures | ||||||
| Prostate and Seminal Vesicles | ||||||
| Radical Prostatectomy (radical procedure includes excision of seminal vesicles) | ||||||
| retropubic | ||||||
| perineal | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| robotic | ||||||
| Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection | ||||||
| open | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| Suprapubic Prostatectomy | ||||||
| Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) | ||||||
| Needle biopsy of the prostate | ||||||
| Ablation of prostatic tissue | ||||||
| RF Energy | ||||||
| Microwave | ||||||
| Laser | ||||||
| Ultrasound | ||||||
| Prostatic stenting | ||||||
| Testes | ||||||
| Orchiectomy | ||||||
| simple | ||||||
| radical | ||||||
| Orchiopexy (repair of congenital undescended testicle) | ||||||
| Herniorrhaphy | ||||||
| Hydrocelectomy | ||||||
| Varicocelectomy | ||||||
| open | ||||||
| laparoscopic | ||||||
| Spermatocelectomy | ||||||
| Vasectomy | ||||||
| Microscopic vasovasostomy | ||||||
| Microscopic vasoepididymostomy | ||||||
| Epididymal sperm retrival | ||||||
| Management of male factor infertility | ||||||
| Management of testicular torsion | ||||||
| External genitalia | ||||||
| Penectomy with inguinal lymphadenectomy | ||||||
| Surgery for priapism | ||||||
| Surgery for Peyronie's disease | ||||||
| Resection of Fournier's gangrene | ||||||
| Vascular surgery for treatment of impotence | ||||||
| Repair of penile fracture | ||||||
| Implantation of penile prosthesis for treatment of impotence | ||||||
| Hypospadias repair | ||||||
| Epispadias repair | ||||||
| Circumcision | ||||||
| Congenital urethral duplication management | ||||||
| Ambiguous genitalia management | ||||||
| Colovaginoplasty for vaginal recontruction | ||||||
| Pelvic floor | ||||||
| Urethrovesical suspension for stress incontinence | ||||||
| Burch colposuspension | ||||||
| Pubovaginal slings | ||||||
| Artificial sphyncter | ||||||
| Paravaginal repair | ||||||
| Cystocele repair | ||||||
| Rectocele repair | ||||||
| Enterocele repair | ||||||
| Laparoscopic surgery for stress incontinence | ||||||
| Periurethral injection for intrinsic sphincter dysfunction | ||||||
