Renal and urology Flashcards
What parameter is measured when determining if a patient has an AKI ?
Serum creatinine.
What are the NICE guidelines for the diagnosis of an AKI ?
- Rise in creatinine more than 25 micomol/L in 48 hours.
- Rise in creatinine more than 50 percent from baseline in 7 days
- Urine output < 0.5ml/kg/hr for more than 6 hours.
What are the risk factors for the development of an AKI ?
Consider in any patient that is suffering from an acute illness like infection or having a surgical operation.
- CKD
- HF
- Diabetes
- Liver disease
- Older age
- Cognitive impairment
- Nephrotoxic medications
- Use of a contrast medium like during CT scans
What are some examples of pre renal causes of AKI ?
-Usually due to inadequate blood supply to the kidneys.
- Hypo-tension, heart failure and dehydration.
What are some examples of renal causes of AKI ?
Intrinsic disease causes reduced filtration of the blood
- Glomerulonephritis, interstitial nephritis and tubular necrosis.
What are some examples of post renal causes of AKI ?
Usually caused by obstruction to the outflow of urine from the kidneys (obstructive neuropathy)
- Kidney stones, Tumour in abdomen/pelvis, enlarged prostate or prostate cancer
What will be present on U+E, lFT, urinalysis (cause) in AKI ?
Deranged Us and Es
Raised urea
Urinalysis will show different things depending on the cause of the AKI
- Infection - Leukocytes and nitrites
- Protein and blood - Acute nephritis/infection
Glucose - Diabetes, nephritis. - FBC - hyperkalaemia
How should patients with an AKI be managed (stepwise) ?
- The underlying cause should be treated (e.g kidney stones, obstruction, fluid resus)
- Stop renotoxic drugs
- Iv fluids
- Treat any complications
- Prevention - avoid renotoxic drugs in acutley unwell patients,
What drugs are renotoxic and can increase risk of AKI ?
NSAIDS/spirinolactone/Diuretics/gentamycin/ACE
What electrolyte abnormality can occur in an AKI and what can it cause ?
Hyperkalaemia, can cause arrhythmias and tall tented T waves on ECG.
How is hyperkalaemia with heart involvement treated ?
IV calcium gluconate.
Apart from hyperkalaemia, what are some of the other possible complications of AKI ?
- Hyperkalaemia - Tall tented T waves and treated with calcium gluconate.
- Fluid overload, HF and pul odema
- Metabolic acidosis
- Uraemia can lead to encephalopathy or pericarditis.
What are some of the indications for dialysis in an AKI ?
- Persistently high potassium that is refractory to medical treatment
- Severe acidosis (pH<7.2)
- Refractory pulmonary oedema
- Symptomatic uraemia (pericarditis, encephalopathy)
- Drug overdose (e.g. aspirin)
What is BPH ?
Caused by hyperplasia of the stromal and epithelial cells and presents with lower urinary tract symptoms.
What are the typical symptoms of BPH ?
- Hesitancy
- Weak flow
- Urgency
- Increased frequency
- Intermittency (stops/starts ect)
- Straining to pass urine
- Terminal dribbling
- Incomplete emptying
- Nocturia.
How would you assess a patient with suspected BPH ?
- PR
- Abdominal examination
- Urinary frequency volume chart (fluid intake and output)
- Urine dipstick (infection/haematuria)
- PSA for prostate cancer, depending on patient preference
How would a prostate feel in BPH ?
Normal character and feeling, enlarged.
What is PSA testing and why is it not always used ?
PSA testing is used to determine the presence of prostate cancer. Known to be very unreliable with a high rate of false positives (75) and false negatives (15 percent). It can be raised in a number of conditions other than malignancy
What conditions can PSA be raised in ?
- Prostate cancer
- BPH
- Prostatitis
- UTI
- Vigorous exercise like cycling
- Recent ejaculation or prostate stimulation.
What are the two methods (basic not names) of management of BpH.
One to reduce symptoms and another to reduce the size of the prostate.
What medication can be used for symptom control in BPH ?
Tamulosin to relax the smooth muscle
What is one of the notable side effects of tamulosin used to treat BPH ?
Can cause postural hypotension.
What medication can be used to reduce the size of the prostate in BPH ?
5-A reductase inhibitors like finasteride. Can take up to 6 months to treat
What are the notable side effects of finasteride in treating BPH ?
Sexual dysfunction due to reduced testosterone
What is the most common surgical option in the treatment of BPH ?
TURP. Removal of the prostate via the urethra. The aim is to create a bigger space for urine to move through hence improving symptoms.
Major complications include sexual dysfunction, infection, retrograde ejaculation.
What are the other surgical options for treating BPH apart from TERP ?
- Transurethreal resection of the prostate TURP. Most common surgical management of BPH. Removal of part of the prostate via the urethra. The aim it to create a bigger space for urine to move through, therefore improving symptoms. Major complications include sexual dysfunction, infection, retrograde ejaculation.
- Transurethral electrovapourisation of the prostate TEVP
- Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate
- Open prostatectomy.
The creatinine is 200 mmol/L, compared to a baseline of 70 mmol/L. If this is mentioned in a exam question, what should you be considering in the answer ?
AKI
If a patient is presenting with symptoms of an AKI, but not a UTI, what should be the first line of investigation ?
Serum urea and creatinine
What does painless intermittent haematuria indicate in a male smoker ?
Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder
What is a uraemic tinge ?
Grey/blue colour to the skin
A patient is found with an AKI following a fall on the floor. What is the most likley cause of his AKi ?
Rhabdomyolysis. Myoglobin breakdown, is nephrotoxic.
What should you think in patients that present with a painless testis lump with no transillumination ?
Testicular tumour untill proven otherwise
What is the common epidemiology in patients with suspected testicular cancer ?
Common in younger men under 45, with the highest incidence between 15 and 35 years.
What type of testicular cancer does gynaecomastia indicate ?
Presentation of a rare tumour type called a leydig cell tumour
What are the risk factors for developing testicular cancer ?
- Undescended testes
- HIV
- PMHx of testicular cancer
- Caucasian
- Under 45
- Male infertility
- Family history
- Increased height.
What is the main presenting symptoms of testicular cancer ?
Painless lump on the testical.
Apart from a painless lump on the testicle, what are some of the other symptoms of testicular cancer ?
- Painless lump on the testicle. Can sometimes present with pain.
- Arise from the testis.
- Irregular
- Hard
- NO transillumination
- Non tender
- Non fluctuant.
What is the initial investigation in patients presenting with a painless scrotal lump ?
Scrotal USS
Then a staging CT scan.
What are the three tumour markers involved in identifying testicular cancer ?
- Alpha fetoprotein
- Beta hCg
- LDH
What type of tumour is alpha fetoprotein raised in ?
Raised in teratomas.
What type of tumour can beta hCg be raised in ?
Can be raised in teratomas and seminomas.
Choriocarcinomas.
What type of tumour can LDH be raised in ?
Very non specific tumour marker. Most common type of testicular cancer occuring in undescended testes in seminoma.
What are some common sites of metastasis in testicular cancer ?
- Lymphatics (make sure to undergo a lymphatic examination). Para aortic lymph nodes.
- Lungs
- Liver
- Brain
What are the stages of the royal marsden staging system (used in staging testicular cancer)
- Stage 1 – isolated to the testicle
- Stage 2 – spread to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes
- Stage 3 – spread to the lymph nodes above the diaphragm
- Stage 4 – metastasised to other organs
How is testicular cancer managed ?
Surgery to remove the affected testicle (radical orchidectomy) – a prosthesis can be inserted
Chemotherapy
Radiotherapy
Sperm banking to save sperm for future use, as treatment may cause infertility
What are some of the possible long term side effects of testicular cancer ?
- Infertility
- Hypogonadism
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Hearing loss
- Lasting kidney, liver or heart disease
- Increased risk of cancer in the future.
Prostate cancer is __________________ dependent ????
Androgen dependent and relies on androgen hormones to grow. Majority are adenocarcinomas.
What are some of the common sites of metastasis for the prostate cancer ?
Lymph nodes and the bones.
What are the risk factors for developing prostate cancer ?
- Increasing age
- Fhx
- Black African or Caribbean origin
- Tall stature
- Anabolic steroids.
How does prostate cancer present ?
Can be asymptomatic but may also present with LUTS
- Hesitancy
- Frequency
- Weak flow
- Terminal dribbling
- Nocturia
May be other symptoms such as haematuria, erectile dysfunction and symptoms of advanced disease or metastasis like weight loss, bone pain or cauda equina.
What is a PSA and why must patients be counselled on its use ?
PSA may lead to the early detection of prostate cancer and lead to effective treatment and prevent significant problems. PSA has a high rate of false positives (75) and false negatives (15 percent). PSA can be raised in the following conditions …..
False positives may lead to further investigations including invasive prostate biopsies which can have complications and may be unnecessary. May also lead to a unnecessary diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.
False negatives may lead to false reassurance.
What other conditions can cause an isolated rise in PSA ?
- Prostate cancer
- BPH
- Prostatitis
- UTI
- Vigorous excersise
- Recent ejaculation or prostate stimulation.
What does a benign prostate feel like ?
smooth, symmetrical and slightly soft with a central sulcus.
What does a prostate in BPH feel like ?
General enlargement
What does a prostate in prostatitis feel like ?
May feel enlarged, asymmetrical and warm
What does a cancerous prostate feel like ?
Firm, hard, asymmetrical, craggy or irregular with loss of the central sulcus. May be a hard nodule. Any features in primary care may require a 2WW.
What is the first line imaging investigation for localised prostate cancer ?
Multiparametric MRI
What is the likert scale ?
Used to diagnose prostate cancer
1 – very low suspicion
- 2 – low suspicion
- 3 – equivocal
- 4 – probable cancer
- 5 – definite cancer
Used after multiparametric MRI
When is a prostate biopsy conducted ?
Depends on likert scale and is usually done on a score 3 or above and clinical suspicion (examination and psa levels).
Why are multiple needles and multiple different sites used in prostate biopsy ?
- Risk of false negatives if the biopsy misses the cancerous area. Multiple needles are used to take samples from different areas of the prostate.
- MRI scan results can guide the biopsy to decide the best target for the needles
What are the two methods of biopsy in prostate cancer ?
- Transrectal USS guided biopsy - involves an ultrasound probe inserted into the rectum, providing a good indication of the size and the shape of the prostate.
- Transperineal biopsy - Needles inserted through the perineum and it is usually under local anaesthetic.
What are some of the possible complications or prostate biopsy ?
Pain, bleeding, infection, urinary retention and erectile dysfunction.
How is an isotope bone scan used in prostate cancer ?
Due to the high risk of metastasis. Can be used to look for bony metastasis. A radioactive isotope can be given by IV injection followed by a short wait. Metastatic bone lesions take up the isotope.
What does a PIRADS score of more than indicate ?
Need for biopsy as there is a high index of suspicion for prostate cancer
What is the Gleason grading system ?
Based on the histology from the prostate biopsies. Specific to prostate cancer and helps to determine the most appropriate treatment options.
What is the gleason grading system made up of ?
Used in prostate cancer
The Gleason score will be made up oftwo numbersadded together for the total score (for example, 3 + 4 = 7):
- The first number is the grade of the most prevalent pattern in the biopsy
- The second number is the grade of the second most prevalent pattern in the biopsy
What are the three sub categories of the gleason grading system and what do they indicate ?
- 6 is considered low risk
- 7 is intermediate risk (3 + 4 is lower risk than 4 + 3)
- 8 or above is deemed to be high risk
- TNM staging system can also be used in the staging of prostate cancer
An 89 year old gentleman presents with weight loss, back pain and frequency. A digital rectal exam is suspicious therefore he is referred to urology under a two week wait referral criteria. A urologist diagnoses high-grade prostate cancer after investigations. What scoring criteria is likely to have been used to make this diagnosis?
Gleason scoring system
What is smoking and painless haematuria consistent with ?
Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
What type of cancer are die workers likley to get ?
Transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder
What are the risk factors for bladder cancer ?
- smoking
- increased age
- Aromatic amines like used to make dye and rubber. Also cigarettes
- schistosomaiasis causes Scc of the bladder in countries with a high prevalence of infection.
What is the most common type of bladder cancer and what are the risk factors for development ?
- transitional cell.
- smoking, aromatic amines and dyes
What are the risk factors for scc of the bladder ?
- Higher in areas of schistosomiasis infection
- Long term catheterisation
What is the key symptom of bladder cancer ?
Painless haematuria
Bladder cancer until
proven otherwise.
What are some of the systemic features of bladder cancer ?
General B symptoms like weight loss and night sweats
What are some of the common local features of bladder cancers ?
- Painless haematuria
- UTI
- Hydronephrosis
What are some of the common sites of metastasis for bladder cancer ?
Lungs
Liver
Bone
What are some of the imaging modalities for suspected bladder cancer ?
- Ct urogram (contrast is injected into a vein which is then filtered by the kidney and excreted )
- Flex or rigid sig and biopsy
- Ct bone isotope scan or MRI to stage malignancy
What are some of the 2ww guidelines for bladder cancer ?
Aged over 45 with unexplained visible haematuria, either without a UTI or persisting after treatment for a UTI
Aged over 60 with microscopic haematuria (not visible but positive on a urine dipstick) PLUS:
Dysuria or;
Raised white blood cells on a full blood count
What are guidelines for non urgent referral 2ww guidelines ?
Non urgent referral in patients over 60 with recurrent unexplained UTI.
What imaging method can be used to visualise bladder cancers and stage them ?
Cytoscopy.
What qualifies for non invasive bladder cancer via the TNM staging system ?
- Tis/carcinoma in situ: cancer cells only affect the urothelium and are flat
- Ta: cancer only affecting the urothelium and projecting into the bladder
- T1: cancer invading the connective tissue layer beyond the urothelium, but not the muscle layer
What is the gold standard of treatment for non invasive bladder cancer ?
TURBT - trans urethral resection of the bladder cancer
Chemotherapy can be used alongside the TURBT either during or after
What other modality of treatment can be used in treating non invasive bladder malignancy (other than TRUS) ?
BcG (immunotherapy) - Usually in intermediate grade cancer.
What is the gold standard of treatment of patients with metastatic lymph node spread bladder cancer (T2-T4) e.g local bladder cancer with muscle invasion?
Cystectomy with urinary diversion.
T2N0M0 likely to be the staging of tumour. Unlikley to be offered if metastatic or nodular spread.
Unlikely to be considered if the patient has significant co-morbidity.
Radiotherapy and chemotherapy can be trialled before radical cystectomy.
What is the single biggest risk factor for the development of bladder cancer ?
Smoking
What are the first line investigations for patients before histologist investigations in bladder cancer ?
Ct urogram and flexible cystoscopy.
What are some common causes of CKD ?
- Diabetics
- Age
- Glomerulonephritis
- PkD
- Medications like NSAIDS, PPI, lithium
- Hypertension
What is the common causes of CKD ?
Diabetic neuropathy
How does diabeties cause CKD ?
Diabetic neuropathy can cause microalbuminuria. Progression can lead to nephropathy and CKD.
All patients over the age of 12 should undergo regular UACR testing to screen for microalbuminuria.
What levels of UACR indicate microalbuminuria ?
Over 2.5 in men and over 3.5 in women.
How should diabetics presenting with CKD as a result of diabetic nephropathy be managed ?
ACE inhib
What is frothy urine a sign of ?
- Protein in the urine and kidney injury.
- Nephrotic syndrome
What are some risk factors for CKD ?
- Old age
- hypertension
- Diabetes
- Smoking
- Use of nephritic medications.
What are some examples of nephrotoxic medications ?
- NSAIDS
- Lithium
- spirnolactone
- Some antibiotics
How does CKD present ?
Often asymptomatic but can present with
- Pruritus
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Oedema
- Muscle cramps
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Pallor
- Hypertension.
What criteria leads to a diagnosis of CKD ?
eGFR < 60 on two blood tests three months apart or proteinuria.
Proteinuria via UACR > 3
What imaging can be used in diagnosing and investigating CKD ?
eGFR more than 60
When is renal biopsy indicated in chronic renal disease ?
In order to diagnose patients. Indicated in patients with progressive worsening of symptoms and symptomatic CKD.
What are some of the possible complications of CKD ?
- Anaemia
- Renal bone disease
- CV disease
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Dialysis related problems.
What criteria in context of CKD indicates the need for specialist refferal ?
- eGFR < 30
- ACR ≥ 70 mg/mmol
- Accelerated progression defined as a decrease in eGFR of 15or25%or15 ml/min in 1 year
- Uncontrolled hypertension despite ≥ 4 anti-hypertensives
How is CKD managed overall ?
Slow the progression of the disease, reduce CV risk, reduce risk of complications and treating complications.
How is disease progression managed in CKD ?
Optimise diabetic and hypertensive control. Treat pyelonephritis
How are CV risk factors managed in CKD ?
Exercise, weight control, special electrolyte dietary control and atorvastatin 20mg for primary prevention of CV disease.
How is metabolic acidosis treated in CKD ?
IV sodium bicarbonate
How is anaemia treated in CKD ?
EPO - CKD reduces the amount of EPO. Make sure they have no iron deficiency anaemia, if they do treat with iron first.