ENDOUROLOGY

Endourology is a urology subspecialty concerned with minimally invasive techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of a host of urological conditions.

It involves the accessing of the urinary system, without incisions into the abdominal wall, using special instruments called endoscopes.

Endourology

Endoscopic access may be for either diagnostic or treatment purposes.

For diagnosis, instruments with optical fibres are utilized which provide direct imaging of the urinary system organs by the human eye with the interposition of a camera.

Examples of diagnostic endoscopic procedures are cystoscopy, ureteroscopy, and nephroscopy.

For treatment, instruments are used which enable access to the urinary system organs and the carrying out of invasive procedures.

Endourological surgical procedures include:

  • Transurethral resection of the prostate in saline (TURis) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia
  • Transurethral resection of a bladder tumor (TURBT) for treating superficial bladder tumors
  • Flexible ureterolithotripsy and pigtail catheter placement to treat ureteral stones
  • Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy for treating renal pelvic stones

A large proportion of the abovementioned surgical procedures can be performed without general anesthesia, using epidural anesthesia.