Useful information – Continence/urology glossary of terms | Page 1 of 1 Continence/urology glossary of terms Useful information Term Definition 5-Alpha reductase inhibitors A group of medication used in the management and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia to help shrink the prostate e.g. Finasteride or Dutasteride. Acute urinary retention Acute urinary retention happens suddenly, and the sufferer is unable to urinate even though they have a full bladder. Acute urinary retention usually causes severe pain. Alpha-blocker e.g. Tamsulosin A group of drugs used to treat men with symptoms of an enlarged prostate and deteriorating urinary flow. They do not shrink the prostate, but they relax the muscles of the prostate and bladder to aid bladder emptying. Atonic bladder An atonic bladder, also known as a flaccid or acontractile bladder, refers to a bladder muscle that does not fully contract, making it hard to pass urine. Balanitis Inflammation of the head of the penis. This is not usually serious, but it is advisable to seek advice from a GP. Benign prostatic hyperplasia Also referred to as BPH or BPE. A common condition in men as they get older in which the prostate gland is enlarged but not cancerous. Bladder diverticulum A pouch or pocket in the bladder wall that a person is either born with or they acquire later in life. Bladder neck stenosis Narrowing of the bladder neck. Bladder sacculations An increased size of one portion of the bladder, usually due to chronic overdistention. Bladder trabeculations Thickening of the bladder wall leading to impaired contraction. Brachytherapy A type of internal radiation therapy in which seeds, ribbons, or capsules containing a radiation source are placed in your body, in or near a tumour. It is a local treatment and treats only a specific part of your body, such as the prostate. Bulbar urethra The bulbar urethra is 3cm to 4cm long and it merges with the penile urethra, which lies in the corpus spongiosum. Chronic urinary retention Chronic urinary retention develops over time. Those with chronic urinary retention can urinate, but do not completely empty their bladder. Many people with chronic urinary retention do not know they have the condition because they may not necessarily experience any symptoms. CT scan A computerised tomography (CT) scan combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles around your body and creates cross-sectional images of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues inside the body. CT scan images provide more detailed information than plain X-rays. Cystectomy Surgical removal of the urinary bladder.
Term Definition Cystitis Inflammation of the bladder, usually caused by a bacterial infection. Cystocele A fallen or prolapsed bladder that occurs when ligaments that hold the bladder up and the muscle between a womanʼs vagina and bladder stretches or weakens. Cystogram A type of imaging scan that checks for urine leakage from the connection between your urethra (the tube that carries urine from your bladder to outside your body) and the bladder. Cystoscopy A procedure to look inside the bladder using a thin camera called a cystoscope and is inserted via the urethra Detrusor muscle The smooth muscle component of the urinary bladder that facilitates contraction of the bladder wall when passing urine. DRE (Digital Rectal Examination) A healthcare professional inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feels the rectum, anus, and prostate (in males) to check for anything abnormal. Dysuria Painful urination, discomfort, burning etc. Erectile Dysfunction (ED) The inability to get or maintain an erection firm enough to have sexual intercourse. Sometimes referred to as impotence. Gleason score The scale used to grade prostate cancer. Haematospermia The presence of blood in the semen. Haematuria The presence of blood in the urine, visible or non-visible (microscopic). Hesitancy Difficulty starting a stream/flow of urine. HOLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate) A procedure that uses a laser to remove prostate tissue that is blocking the urinary flow through the prostate. Hydrocele A swelling in the scrotum that occurs when fluid collects in the thin sheath surrounding the testicle. Hydronephrosis The swelling of the kidney caused by a build-up of urine. It happens when urine cannot drain out from the kidney to the bladder due to a blockage. Also caused by chronic urinary retention with a large residual volume causing back pressure. Hydroureter When the ureter between the kidney and the bladder gets bigger than normal due to a backup of urine. Hypospadias A birth defect in boys in which the opening of the urethra is not located at the tip of the penis. interstitial cystitis/ painful bladder syndrome A chronic condition causing bladder pressure, bladder pain and sometimes pelvic pain. The pain ranges from mild discomfort to severe. The condition is a part of a range of diseases known as painful bladder syndrome. IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) A questionnaire that allows the urologist to better understand the severity of someoneʼs urinary symptoms. Also includes a quality of life score. ISC (Intermittent Self-Catheterisation) A clean procedure whereby the patient passes a catheter into the urethra to help completely empty the bladder. ISD (Intermittent Self-Dilatation) Dilatation involves passing a lubricated catheter into the urethra to stop it from narrowing. Useful information – Continence/urology glossary of terms | Page 2 of 1
Term Definition LUTS (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms) Can be storage difficulties, such as daytime urinary urgency and nocturia, and/or voiding difficulties, such as urinary hesitancy, weak stream, straining, and prolonged voiding. Micturition Passing urine. Mitrofanoff A mitrofanoff is a tube created from the appendix or small intestine, which connects the bladder to the surface of the skin and the patient can selfcatheterise via their mitrofanoff. MRI scan Magnetic resonance imaging – a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiology of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves to generate images of the body organs. Nephrectomy A surgical procedure to remove all or part of the kidney. Nephrostomy A nephrostomy is a thin, plastic tube (catheter) that is inserted through the skin of the back, and into a kidney to relieve a build-up of urine in the kidney, usually due to a blockage. Nephroureterectomy A surgical procedure that removes your renal pelvis, kidney, entire ureter and bladder cuff. Neuropathic/Neurogenic bladder A bladder that doesnʼt empty or store urine properly due to a neurological condition or injury. Nocturia The act of getting up to void during the night. Nocturnal enuresis Involuntary urination while asleep, or bedwetting. Optical urethrotomy Telescopic inspection of the urethra and bladder including the incision of a stricture (narrowing caused by scar tissue) using a visual knife or laser. PAE (Prostate Artery Embolisation) This is a minimally invasive, non-surgical treatment option for prostate enlargement. PAE blocks off the blood flow to the small arteries supplying the prostate gland making the gland shrink and allowing a better flow of urine. Paraphimosis A common urological emergency that occurs in uncircumcised males when the foreskin becomes trapped behind the corona of the glans penis. Pelvic floor The pelvic floor muscles span the bottom of the pelvis and support the pelvic organs (bladder and bowel, and uterus (womb) in women). When pelvic floor muscles are weakened, they can create problems with bladder and bowel control. Pelvic floor/Kegal exercises Pelvic floor exercises strengthen the muscles around your bladder, bottom, and vagina or penis. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles can help urinary incontinence, treat pelvic organ prolapse, and make sex better too. Everyone can benefit from doing pelvic floor exercises. Penile retraction A condition where the penis is of normal size, but is hidden and retracts under the skin of the abdomen, thigh, or scrotum. Peyronieʼs disease Peyronieʼs disease is a non-cancerous condition resulting from fibrous scar tissue that develops on the penis and causes curvature of the penis and painful erections Useful information – Continence/urology glossary of terms | Page 3 of 1
Term Definition Phimosis A condition of the penis that occurs in some adults and children who arenʼt circumcised. If you have phimosis, your foreskin canʼt be pulled back (retracted). Polyuria Polyuria is a condition where the body urinates more than usual and passes excessive or abnormally large amounts of urine each time you urinate. Prostate The prostate is a walnut-sized gland located between the bladder and the penis. The prostate is just in front of the rectum. It produces a fluid that mixes with sperm from the testicles to make semen. Prostatitis Inflammation (swelling) of the prostate gland. It can be very painful and distressing. PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) A protein produced by normal cells in the prostate gland, the levels of which can be checked with a simple blood test. Pyuria A condition defined by the increased presence of white blood cells in urine and can often look like pus. Radical prostatectomy Radical prostatectomy is an operation to remove the prostate gland and tissues surrounding it. This usually includes the seminal vesicles and some nearby lymph nodes. Radical prostatectomy can cure prostate cancer in men whose cancer is limited to the prostate gland. RARP (Robotic Assisted Radical Prostatectomy) A type of minimally invasive surgery which uses surgical robotic equipment to remove the entire prostate. Rectocele A type of prolapse where the supportive wall of tissue between a womanʼs rectum and vaginal wall weakens and can fall down into the vagina. Residual volume The volume of urine remaining in the bladder after passing urine. REZUM A minimally invasive transurethral water vapour therapy for benign prostatic enlargement using thermal energy. Sphincter A ring-shaped muscle that relaxes or tightens to open or close a passage or opening in the body. Stoma An opening on the abdomen that can be connected to either your digestive or urinary system to allow waste to be excreted. Suprapubic catheter A type of urinary catheter that is inserted through a hole in your tummy (abdomen) and then directly into your bladder. TCC (Transitional Cell Carcinoma) Common form of cancer cells in the bladder. Trigone A smooth triangular region of the internal urinary bladder comprising of the two ureteric orifices and the internal urethral orifice. TURBT (Trans-Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumour) The surgical removal of a bladder growth through a cystoscope. TURP (Trans-Urethral Resection of Prostate) Surgery to remove parts of the prostate gland through the penis. TWOC (Trial Without Catheter) The removal of a urinary catheter from the bladder for a trial period to see if the bladder can empty sufficiently without the catheter. Useful information – Continence/urology glossary of terms | Page 4 of 1
Term Definition Ureter The tube that carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder. There are two ureters, one from each kidney. Ureteric stent A thin, flexible plastic tube which is curled at both ends to avoid damaging the kidney and urinary bladder. The stent is placed so that its upper end is in the kidney and its lower end is in the urinary bladder to bypass a blockage. Ureteroscopy Usually used to address kidney stones, and involves the passage of a small telescope (ureteroscope) through the urethra and bladder and up the ureter to the point where the stone is located. Urethra The tube that allows urine to pass out of the body when we go to the toilet. Urethral catheter A flexible tube inserted through the urethra and up into the bladder to help drain urine from the body. Urethral dilatation Urethral dilatation is a procedure to stretch the urethra, the tube that carries urine from your bladder to outside of the body. Sometimes scar tissue narrows the urethra causing a urethral stricture. When the urethra is narrow, it is hard to pass urine. Urethral meatus Urine leaves the body through a hole at the end of the urethra. That hole from the inside to the outside is called the urethral meatus. Urethral stricture A urethral stricture involves scarring and tightening that narrows the tube that carries urine out of the body (urethra). A stricture restricts the flow of urine from the bladder and can cause a variety of medical problems in the urinary tract, including inflammation or infection. Urethroplasty The surgical repair of an injury or defect within the walls of the urethra. Urinalysis The testing of urine to detect likely infection or other abnormalities. Urinary sheath An external condom type device for men to help them manage their urinary incontinence. Urodynamics Tests for finding out how your bladder, sphincter (the muscle around the neck of your bladder) and the urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body) are working. These tests can help find out the cause of bladder problems such as incontinence, or difficulty in passing urine. Urostomy A urostomy is surgery that allows urine to leave your body without going through your bladder. It creates an opening called a stoma and the urine goes into a pouch worn on the outside of the body. UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) Infections of the urinary system, usually caused by a bacteria. Varicocele An enlargement of the veins within the loose bag of skin that holds the testicles (scrotum). Vasovasectomy Surgery where vasectomies are partially reversed. Vesicovaginal fistula An abnormal opening between the bladder and the vagina that results in continuous and unremitting urinary incontinence. Useful information – Continence/urology glossary of terms | Page 5 of 1
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