Urology

When symptoms of the urinary tract occur, with special relevance to the finding of blood in the urine of smokers or ex-smokers (both men and women); when there are symptoms in the male genital tract and when men want to undergo screening (early diagnosis) for prostate cancer.

In addition, from the age of 45, men should periodically go for an analysis and medical check-up at the urologist, since it is from these ages when diseases such as prostate cancer, benign prostate obstruction begin to emerge. , sexual and scrotal problems.

In summary, visiting the urologist is essential to maintain the health of the urinary and reproductive system. If you have symptoms or simply want to have a check-up, do not hesitate to make an appointment with our urology specialists.

Although the social consideration of urology is that of a specialty that serves the male sex, women should also go to the urologist. First of all, women should visit the urologist for conditions of organs such as kidney, ureter, adrenal, bladder and urethra, which are common in men and women.

In addition, the urologist also treats diseases that exclusively affect women, such as pelvic organ prolapse (drooping of the bladder, rectum or uterus). Pelvic or lower abdominal pain may also be a reason for consultation, as it may be related to pelvic prolapses or pudendal nerve entrapment.

If you experience a considerable increase in the size of the testicle, it is advisable to consult a urologist quickly. In some cases, this increase may be due to serious malignant processes, such as tumors, or benign processes such as fluid accumulation (hydrocele) or inflammation (orchitis, orchi-epididymitis).

If you notice blood in your urine (hematuria), you should go to the urologist. Hematuria can come from the prostate, bladder, or kidneys. It is important to determine the cause, which may be an infection, a calculus (stone), or even a tumor. Sometimes bleeding is not visible and is only detected in a urinalysis (microhematuria), so this also needs to be evaluated.

In women, urine loss or urinary incontinence is the second most common cause of urological consultation after urinary infections. Urinary incontinence can be preceded by an intense urge to urinate that is difficult to control; this is what is known as urgency urinary incontinence. The symptoms improve and even disappear with correct medical treatment.

When urine losses occur without prior desire to urinate and are a consequence of situations that cause an increase in abdominal pressure such as coughing, physical exercise, laughter, etc., they are called stress urinary incontinence. In mild cases, treatment should be aimed at strengthening the pelvic floor muscles through exercise tables that the woman can do at home or with the help of specific rehabilitation programs. In cases of severe or moderate losses that do not respond to rehabilitation exercises, the definitive treatment is surgery. Suburethral suspension bands allow, through vaginal surgery and with a minimum hospital stay of hours, the definitive correction of urinary incontinence.

PSA is a protein that is produced in the prostate and circulates through the blood. It is produced in the prostate under normal conditions, but is produced in greater quantities when there is an inflammatory or tumor process in the prostate. PSA can be easily measured or quantified through a blood test, and in this way know if there is any alteration in the prostate gland.

It is advisable to perform this analysis starting at age 50, or starting at age 45 in patients with a family history of prostate cancer, since abnormally high levels of PSA or a too rapid increase over time can alert us to the existence of a prostate cancer.

The growth of the prostate after the age of 50 is a condition that predisposes the appearance of certain diseases, the most common being:
Prostatitis. It is an inflammation of the prostate gland that occurs due to an infection, generally of bacterial origin.
Benign Prostate Hyperplasia. It is nothing more than the growth of the prostate as age increases. It is very variable from one individual to another, but it usually compresses the urethra and changes when urinating begin to occur.

Prostate cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the prostate, a small, walnut-shaped gland that produces seminal fluid that nourishes and transports sperm.

It is the most common malignant tumor in men in the European Union, although it is very rare before the age of 50. Therapeutic advances in the field of surgery and radiotherapy mean that the current treatment of localized prostate cancer achieves a 10-year survival rate of almost 100%. Hence, the importance of an early diagnosis, in an asymptomatic patient, when the tumor is localized.

SYMPTOM
Prostate cancer may not cause signs or symptoms in its early stages.
Prostate cancer that is more advanced can cause signs and symptoms such as:

• trouble urinating
• Decreased force of urine flow
• Blood in the urine
• blood in semen
• Bone-ache
• weight loss without trying
• Erectile dysfunction

• Advanced age. The risk of having prostate cancer increases with age. It is more common after 50 years of age.
• Race. For reasons that have not yet been determined, African American men have a higher risk of prostate cancer than those of other races. In African Americans, prostate cancer is also more likely to be aggressive or advanced.
• Family background. If a close family member, such as a parent, brother, or son, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, your risk may be higher. Also, if you have a family history of genes that increase the risk for breast cancer (BRCA1 or BRCA2) or a significant family history of breast cancer, your risk for prostate cancer may be higher.

• If you have persistent or worrying symptoms, see a doctor.
• Diagnosis includes tests such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate biopsy.
• Treatment may vary depending on the stage and aggressiveness of the cancer, and includes options such as surgery (radical, laparoscopic or robotic prostectomy), radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and active surveillance.