Urinary tract
Acute pyelonephritis = infection of the kidney(s), usually caused by a germ (bacterium) that has travelled up through the urethra, bladder, and ureter(s) from outside the body.
Anuria = no urine output (or less than 100 ml/day).
Azoospermia = absence of sperm in the semen.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) = benign enlargement of the prostate gland.
Bladder = organ inside the pelvis that stores urine until it can be removed by urination (weeing).
Brachytherapy = a type of radiation therapy in which radioactive materials are placed in direct contact with the tissue being treated.
Chronic prostatitis = inflammation of the prostate gland, developing slowly and lasting a long time.
Cryosurgery = surgical technique that utilizes freezing tissue to remove unwanted portions.
Cryptorchidism = developmental defect characterized by failure of the testes to descend into the scrotum.
Cryotherapy = therapeutic use of cold to reduce discomfort.
Cystitis = urinary tract infection (UTI) in the bladder usually marked by painful urination.
Cystocele = condition where the bladder herniates into the vaginal canal. This usually results in stress incontinence.
Cystectomy = surgical removal of the bladder.
Cystoscopy = flexible telescope inserted into the urethra and into the bladder to determine abnormalities in the bladder and lower urinary tract.
Cystogram = x-ray of the bladder obtained by placing a catheter into the bladder and then filling the bladder with contrast material.
Enuresis = 0nvoluntary discharge of urine.
Erectile dysfunction (ED) = consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) = procedure that uses sound waves delivered inside a water bath to pulverise kidney stones painlessly inside the body.
Frequency = passing urine too frequently.
Haematuria = blood in the urine; may be macroscopic haematuria (blood that you can see) or microscopic haematuria (cannot see blood).
Hesitancy = when you go for a wee, having to wait until it starts.
Hydrocele = accumulation of serous fluid in a sac-like cavity adjacent to the testicle.
Hydronephrosis = dilation of the drainage system of the kidney because of an obstruction.
Hypospadias = congenital abnormality in which the urethra opens on the underside of the penis.
Impotence = consistent inability to sustain an erection sufficient for sexual intercourse.
Incontinence = loss of bladder control.
Interstitial cystitis = chronic inflammatory condition of the bladder. Symptoms include difficulty urinating, pain on urination, urinary urgency, and increased frequency of urination.
Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) = x-ray of the urinary tract where dye is injected to make urine visible on the x-ray and show any blockage in the urinary tract.
Kegel exercises = exercise to improve a woman’s ability to hold in her urine by tightening and then relaxing the muscles that hold urine in the bladder.
Kidneys = two bean-shaped organs that filter wastes from the blood. The kidneys are located near the middle of the back. They send urine to the bladder through tubes called ureters.
Kidney stone = stone that develops from crystals that form in the urine and build up on the inner surfaces of the kidney, in the renal pelvis, or in the ureters.
Laparoscopy = surgery using a laparoscope to visualise an internal organ through a small incision. Generally less invasive than traditional surgery.
Lithotripsy = procedure to break up kidney stones using ultrasonic shock waves.
Nephrectomy = removal of an entire kidney; partial nephrectomy means removal of part of the kidney.
Nephrolithiasis = kidney stones.
Nephrotic syndrome = a condition that causes the kidneys to leak a large amount of protein into the urine.
Neurogenic bladder = loss of bladder control caused by damage to the nerves controlling the bladder.
Nocturia = an increase in the nocturnal excretion of urine.
Oligo-anuria = urine output between 200 and 400 ml/day.
Oliguria = urine output less than 400 mL/day.
Orchiectomy = removal of a testicle.
Peyronie’s disease = plaque (hardened area) that forms on the penis, preventing that area from stretching. During erection, the penis bends in the direction of the plaque or the plaque may lead to indentation and shortening of the penis.
Polyuria = urine volume greater than 2.5 L/day.
Priapism = persistent painful erection of the penis, usually without desire and accompanied by pain and tenderness.
Prostate = in men, a walnut-shaped gland that surrounds the urethra at the neck of the bladder. The prostate supplies fluid that goes into semen.
Prostate specific antigen (PSA) = protein made only by the prostate gland. High levels of PSA in the blood may be a sign of prostate cancer.
Prostatectomy = surgical removal of the prostate gland.
Prostatitis = infection and/or inflammation of the prostate gland.
Proteinuria = presence of protein in the urine, indicating that the kidneys may not be working properly.
Pubovaginal sling = surgical procedure for treating urinary incontinence involving the placement of a sling made either of tissue obtained from the person undergoing the sling procedure or a synthetic material.
Pyuria = pus in the urine.
Radical perineal prostatectomy = removal of the entire prostate gland and the seminal vesicles through a perineal incision.
Renal calculi = kidney stone.
Renal pelvis = funnel shaped structure collecting urine from the kidney and delivering it to the ureter.
Renal transplant = an operation to place a healthy kidney from a living or deceased donor into a person with kidney failure (CKD5).
Seminal vesicle = paired accessory sex gland in the male located above the prostate and behind the bladder.
Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) = leakage of urine caused by actions such as coughing, laughing, sneezing, running, or lifting that places pressure on the bladder from inside the body. Stress urinary incontinence can result from either a fallen bladder or weak sphincter muscle.
Ureter = tube which drains urine from the kidney to the bladder.
Urine = pale yellow slightly liquid excreted by the kidneys, containing waste products and water removed from the blood.
Pelvi-ureteric junction (PUJ) = where ureter joins the renal pelvis.
Pelvi-ureteric junction (PUJ) obstruction = condition where blockage occurs at the junction where the ureter attaches to the kidney.
Urethra = tube which conducts urine from the bladder to the outside.
Ureteral calculus = kidney stone which has dropped down into the ureter.
Ureterocele = sacular dilation of the terminal portion of the ureter.
Urinary incontinence = involuntary loss of urine.
Urinary tract infection (UTI) = infection caused by bacteria that invade the urinary system and multiply.
Urodynamics = diagnostic test to examine bladder and urethral sphincter function.
Urolithiasis = stones in the urinary tract.
Varicocele = dilation (enlargement) of the veins along the spermatic cord (vas deferens).
Vas deferens = excretory duct of the testis that conveys sperm.
Vasectomy = surgical sterilisation performed in males where a segment of the vas deferens is removed.
Vasovasostomy = vasectomy reversal.
Vesicovaginal fistula = abnormal passage between the bladder and the vagina.
Last Reviewed on 6 June 2024