Ileal conduit

This is a channel created using a segment of bowel to divert urine away from the bladder and out through the skin into a bag. It is often performed in association with removal of the bladder (cysectomy) for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Immunotherapy

This involves treatment that stimulates or restores the ability of the immune system to fight cancer and other diseases. In urology immunotherapy can be used to treat superficial bladder cancer and advanced renal cancer.

Impotence

Impotence (also called erectile dysfunction) is the persistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection of the penis sufficient for sexual intercourse.

Incontinence

This is the involuntary loss of urine.

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Kidney

The kidneys are a pair of bean shaped organs approximately 12cm in length sitting either side of the spine at the level of the lumbar vertabra. They have many functions including removal of waste products from the body, production of urine and are important in the regulation of the body’s salt and water levels.

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Laser

Light amplification by the stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) enables light energy to be concentrated at a specific site allowing delivery of high energy to the target site (for example the Greenlight PV system for the treatment of benign prostate enlargement, for more information visit www.greenlightbph.co.uk).

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS)

LUTS is a descriptive term which includes the classical prostate symptoms of poor flow, hesitancy, frequency of urination and getting up in the night. LUTS can also be caused by other complaints unrelated to problems as a result of prostate enlargement (women can have troublesome LUTS and have no prostate).

Baseline symptoms can be measured using a symptom score which you may be asked to complete during investigation (the score ranging from 0 to 35).

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