Urology is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the urinary tract system and the reproductive organs i.e., genital organs. Mind that it’s a common misconception that urology is only a men’s health field, that is, urologists treat all genders and ages.
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Organs that fall under the domain of urology include the kidneys, adrenal glands, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra, the pelvic floor, and the male reproductive organs, the latter including the testes, epididymis, vas deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis.
Medical management of the female reproductive organs is typically covered by the branch of medicine known as gynecology, but there is significant overlap where urologists do treat certain reproductive-related issues in women. Urologists are also trained to treat issues that involve the clitoris, vulva, and vaginal opening, particularly when these issues affect sexual or urinary function.
In any case, urology combines the management of non-surgical conditions, such as urinary tract infections and benign prostatic hyperplasia, with the management of surgical conditions such as bladder or prostate cancer, kidney stones, congenital abnormalities, traumatic injury, and stress incontinence.
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In addition, urologist also focus on healing or alleviating sexual dysfunctions, such as erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, low testosterone, Peyronie’s disease, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), low libido, arousal and orgasm disorders, and vaginismus, to name some sexual health issues, notably in those cases where the urinary and reproductive (genital) systems overlap.
There are many specializations and domains in urology, such as urologic surgery, urologic oncology and urologic oncological surgery, endourology and endourologic surgery, urogynecology and urogynecologic surgery, reconstructive urologic surgery, pediatric urology and pediatric urologic surgery, transplant urology (concerning transplantation of organs such as the kidneys, bladder tissue, ureters, and penises), and sexual medicine.
Some common urological procedures include vasectomy, vasectomy reversal, cystoscopy, prostate procedures, ureteroscopy (for kidney stones), lithotripsy, orchiopexy (repairing an undescended testicle), prosthesis, penile plication, penile implants, scrotoplasty, nephrectomy (removal of a kidney), and male circumcision.
