Genitourology and renal Flashcards
Describe the nerves involved with the control of the bladder
- Parasympathetic nerve: pelvic nerve (S2-S4), involuntary control, contraction of detrusor, relaxation of internal sphincter
- Sympathetic nerve: hypogastric nerve (T11-L2), involuntary control, relaxation of detrusor, contraction of internal sphincter
- Somatic nerve: pudendal nerve (S2-S4), voluntary control, connection with Onuf’s nucleus, relaxation of external sphincter (skeletal muscle)
- Sensory nerve: afferent pelvic nerve, signals from detrusor muscle
Describe the nervous control centres involved with bladder control
- Cortex: voluntary initiation of voiding, sensation
- Pontine micturition centre/periaqueductal grey: co-ordination, completion of voiding, develops after potty-training
- Sacral micturition centre: S2-S4, controls reflex micturition
- Onuf’s nucleus: located in ventral horns of sacral spinal cord, controls guarding reflex
What is the guarding reflex of the bladder?
The avoidance of inappropriate voiding caused by the involuntary control of micturition
Stimulation of the hypogastric and pudendal nerve (from Onuf’s nucleus) resulting in detrusor relaxation and contraction of the external urethral sphincter
What is receptive relaxation?
Relaxation of the detrusor muscle as the volume of the bladder increases, so that the pressure remains low
How can LUTS be classified?
LUTS = lower urinary tract symptoms
Storage:
- frequency
- urgency
- nocturia
- incontinence
Voiding:
- poor flow (slow/splitting/spraying)
- hesitancy
- intermittency
- straining
- terminal dribble
Post-micturition:
- post-micturition dribble
- feeling of incomplete emptying
What are the types of incontinence?
Stress (sphincter weakness)
Urgency (overactive bladder)
Overflow
Mixed
Define urgency incontinence
Urgency incontinence or over active bladder is defined as urgency and frequency, with/without nocturia, when appearing in the absence of local pathology or metabolic factors
What are the causes of urgency incontinence?
Detrusor overactivity e.g.
- prostate enlargement
- from central inhibitory pathway malfunction
- sensitisation of peripheral afferent terminals in the bladder
- bladder muscle problem
- UTI
- organic brain damage (stroke, Parkinson’s, dementia)
What are the investigations needed for urgency incontinence?
Urodynamic study: shows detrusor overactivity - rise in detrusor pressure on filling
Urine dipstick
U&Es
What are the treatments for urgency incontinence?
- Behavioural therapy: frequency volume chart, avoid caffeine, alcohol, bladder training
- Antimuscarinics: decrease parasympathetic activity to improve frequency and urgency
- B3 agonists: increase sympathetic activity
- Botox: blocks neuromuscular junction for Ach release (parasympathetic activity)
- Sacral neuromodulation: insertion of electrode to S3 nerve root to modulate afferent signals from the bladder
- Surgery: bladder augmentation (cystoplasty)
Define stress incontinence
Leakage from an incompetent sphincter such as when the intra-abdominal pressures increase (when coughing/laughing)
What are the causes of stress incontinence
Pregnancy/birth trauma, neurogenic (e.g. faulty nerve supply to sphincter), congenital, iatrogenic (prostatectomy)
Risk factors: obesity/increasing age
What are the investigations needed for stress incontinence?
Examine for pelvic floor weakness/prolapse/masses
Urine dipstick
U&Es
What are the treatments of stress incontinence?
Pelvic floor physiotherapy (1st line)
Surgery (sling, urethral bulking, artificial sphincter)
Drugs: duloxetine (SNRI - increases contraction of external urethral sphincter)
Also: weight loss, fluid balance
Define unsafe bladder
One that puts the kidneys at risk of damage
What are the risk factors of an unsafe bladder?
Prolonged raised bladder pressure
Vesico-ureteric reflux
Chronic infection (residual urine/stones)
What are the causes of urinary retention?
Prostatic hyperplasia
Prolapse (e.g. uterine)
Pelvic mass (colon, ovarian, bladder cancers)
Faecal impaction
Urethral strictures
Infection (e.g. vulvovaginitis, prostatitis)
Drugs (e.g. anticholinergics)
Iatrogenic
Atonic/insensate bladder (non-obstructive: no contraction or sensation)
Congenital deformities
Describe the epidemiology of renal cancer
Mosley affects >50 y/o
More common in males
10 year survival = 52%
Increasing rates
90% are renal cell carcinomas
What are the risk factors for renal cancer?
Smoking
Obesity
Hypertension
Dialysis
Genetic syndromes
What are the signs/symptoms of renal cell carcinoma?
Classic triad (only 10%):
- haematuria
- loin pain
- mass
*most cancer are found incidentally or with metastatic symptoms
*rarely presents with testicular varicocele (compression of left testicular vein from left renal vein)
What are the investigations needed for renal cell carcinoma?
Bloods: FBC, U&E, ESR
Urine dipstick and cytology
US of kidneys
CT renal protocol: diagnostic, staging
Biopsy: if unsure from scan
What are the treatments for renal cancer?
Active surveillance (for small tumours, asymptomatic, elderly)
Radiofrequency ablation or cryotherapy (only works on small tumours)
Partial/radical nephrectomy
Immunotherapy/chemotherapy - tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Describe the epidemiology of bladder cancer
Mostly affects >55 y/o
More common in men
10 year survival = 46%
Half are preventable
90% are transitional cell carcinomas
What are the risk factors for bladder cancer?
Smoking (45%)
Industrial exposure (dyes, rubber - aromatic amines)
Schistosomiasis (increases risk of squamous cell carcinoma)
What are the signs/symptoms of bladder cancer?
Haematuria - painless, visible in 85%
Lower urinary tract symptoms (voiding irritability)
Recurrent UTIs
What are the investigations needed for bladder cancer?
Bloods: FBC, U&E, PSA
Urine dipstick and microscopy
US
CT urogram (excretory phase)
Flexible cystoscopy + biopsy
What are the treatments for bladder cancer?
Transurethral resection of bladder tumour - TURBT (for non-muscle invasive, small tumours, diagnostic and therapeutic)
Intravesical therapy: mitomycin (reduces recurrence), BCG (reduces progression and recurrence)
Surgery: (muscle invasive or large tumours, left with stoma)
- cystoprostatectomy (bladder, prostate in men)
- anterior exenteration (bladder, uterus, ovaries in women)
Radiotherapy
Other than malignancy, what are the causes of haematuria?
Stones
Infection
Prostate (cancer or BPH)
Nephrological causes
Idiopathic
Describe the epidemiology of testicular cancer
Commonest malignancy in young men
Mostly affects 30-40 y/o
10 year survival = 91%
Most common type is seminoma
What are the risk factors of testicular cancer?
Cryptorchidism (undescended and abnormal testis)
Family history
HIV
Previous testicular cancer
Caucasian males
What are the signs/symptoms of testicular cancer?
Lump (commonly felt in self examination)
Associated pain
Urinary symptoms
Hydrocele (fluid within tunica vaginalis)
Metastatic symptoms (in chest/abdomen)
What are the investigations needed for testicular cancer?
US (same day)
Bloods: tumour markers = AFP, b-HCG, LDH
CXR if respiratory symptoms
CT: staging
What are the treatments for testicular cancer?
Radical inguinal orchidectomy
Neoadjuvant therapy: chemotherapy, radiotherapy
Retroperitoneal lymph node dissection
Sperm banking
Describe the epidemiology of prostate cancer
Most commonly diagnosed cancer in men
Mean age at diagnosis = 72
10 year survival rate = 97%
Present in 80% of men >80 in autopsy
Rising incidence
Higher risk with family history
Most commonly adenocarcinoma in peripheral prostate
What are the signs/symptoms of prostate cancer?
LUTS
- nocturia
- hesitation
- poor stream
- terminal dribble
Weight loss +/- bone pain (metastasis)
Hard irregular prostate on examination
What are the investigations needed for prostate cancer?
PSA (prostate specific antigen - responsible for liquefaction of semen, elevated in other causes)
Transrectal ultrasound + biopsy
CT/MRI (staging, using Gleason’s score)
Bone scan
What are the treatments for prostate cancer?
Surgery: radical prostatectomy
Radiotherapy
Observation: active monitoring/surveillance
Hormone therapy: treatment of metastases, palliative
Describe epididymo-orchitis
Inflammation of the epididymis and/or testis
Cause: chlamydia/N.gonorrhoea
Features: sudden-onset painful swelling, dysuria, fever
Treatment: antibiotics, analgesia, draining of abscesses
Describe hydrocele of the scrotum
Fluid within the tunica vaginalis
Cause: patent processes vaginalis, or testis trauma/tumour/infection
Treatment: usually resolves spontaneously, may need aspiration or surgery
Describe varicocele of the scrotum
Dilated blood vessels of pampiniform plexus
Features: visible as distended scrotal blood vessels that feels like ‘a bag of worms’, associated with subfertility
Treatment: surgery or embolisation
Describe testicular torsion
Common in 11-30 y/o but can be any age
Features: sudden acute pain, inflammation, tender, and warm testis
Treatment: needs prompt surgery to save testes (within 6h = 90-100% salvage rate)