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The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a vaginal device (Continence Guard) on urine leakage and its impact on quality of life (QoL). Fifty-five women participated in a three month study using the Continence Guard. QoL was assessed by an incontinence specific questionnaire (IIQ), two incontinence specific questions and the generic SF-36 health questionnaire. A total of 41 (74.5%) women completed the study. Use of the vaginal device was associated with subjective cure in 11 women (27%) and improvement in 27 (66%). The mean 24-hour pad test leakage decreased significantly. QoL measured by the IIQ and the two incontinence specific questions showed highly significant improvements. The SF-36 questionnaire showed no significant changes. In conclusion treatment with the Continence Guard significantly decreases leakage and improves QoL in women with the symptom of urinary stress incontinence. The SF-36 questionnaire was not sensitive enough to detect alterations in QoL in patients with stress urinary incontinence.

The DAN-PSS-1 system, a self-administered quality-of-life questionnaire comprising 12 questions related to voiding problems and the perceived bother of each individual symptom, was compared to other extensively used score systems and furthermore included in different clinical situations so as to validate the system. The system was internally consistent (alpha cr = 0.73), the median test-retest reliability of answers to each question was 83.5% (range 0-99.7%). A high degree of construct validity demonstrated in the correlation with the Madsen-Iversen score system (rs = 0.51) and with the patients' answers to questions about how bothersome their symptoms were (rs = 0.71). The discriminant validity of the DAN-PSS-1 was excellent with an area under the ROC curve of 0.94. Finally, the DAN-PSS-1 was sensitive to changes following intervention, with scores decreasing 100% after transurethral prostatectomy and 65% after four months of treatment with an alpha-blocker. The DAN-PSS-1 is reliable, valid and responsive, and therefore can be recommended for assessing the severity of symptoms among patients presenting with lower urinary tract complaints suggestive of BPH and during follow-up.

A "minimal care" program for examination and treatment of urinary incontinence in an open access incontinence clinic was assessed. The first 300 women and 27 men consecutively investigated in the clinic are described. A reference program based on minimal relevant work-up and non-operative treatment as first line with use of minimal resources was followed. Of 171 evaluated women, 100 received non-operative treatment besides general advice on voiding/toilet pattern and appropriate incontinence appliances. Subjectively 69% felt cured or very much improved, 25% experienced improvement while 6% did not report benefit of the treatment. Objectively, diminished leakage was demonstrated by pad-weighing test. Similar results were found in the treated men. Our preliminary results demonstrate, that an open access, interdisciplinary clinic is patient-accepted and effective for the evaluation and treatment of urinary incontinence.

The efficacy and safety of treatment with finasteride 5 mg daily for 24 months was assessed in this multicentre double blind placebo-controlled study including 707 patients with moderately symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. Efficacy parameters were changes in voiding- and bladder storage symptoms assessed by a validated symptom score, changes in maximum urinary flow rate and changes in the prostate volume. In the finasteride patients, symptom score improved during the whole study with a significant difference between active treatment and placebo after 24 months (p < 0.01). Maximum flow rate increased in finasteride treated patients resulting in a difference between these and the placebo treated patients of 1.8 ml/s after 24 months (p < 0.01). Prostate volume was reduced by 19% in the finasteride treated patients versus an increase of 12% in the placebo treated patient group (p < 0.01). Finasteride was well tolerated. Patients receiving placebo progressed in symptoms after 16 months. Finasteride can halt the natural progression of moderately symptomatic BPH over a 24 month period.

Eight ureter lesions of the ureter occurred among 100 consecutive patients undergoing radical hysterectomy for cancer of the uterine cervix. The management of this problem is discussed, and treatment guidelines for the most commonly seen lesions are proposed. It is concluded that a more liberal use of ureteric stents or catheters should be considered so as to reduce the number of ureteric lesions occurring in connection with radical hysterectomy. Urological assistance should be sought for urological lesions recognized during or after such operations.

A questionnaire investigation to evaluate the results of surgery for penile angulation by plicature of tunica albuginea by Ebbehøj's method is presented. In 31 patients with congenital penile angulation, 24 (77%) were satisfied with the functional result and 20 (65%) with the cosmetic result of the operation. In 14 patients with Peyronie's disease, eight (57%) were satisfied with the functional result and six (43%) with the cosmetic result of the operation. This is in accordance with previously published surveys of the results of surgery using this method. However, a high prevalence of late sequelae was observed, especially penile shortening and pain. In conclusion, the method yields acceptable functional and cosmetic results and is easy to perform. However, optimal surgical technique is imperative to reduce the prevalence of late sequelae which also necessitate detailed preoperative information and restrictive indications for surgery.

The incidence of retention of urine in cases of postoperative epidural opioid analgesia varies from 15% to 90%. The extent to which this phenomenon depends upon the dosage employed has not been elucidated. The cause of postoperative retention of urine (PU) is probably a combination of the central and peripheral effect of the opiate involving altered autonomic activity. Increased sympathetic activity resulting from surgery may, similarly, be a pathogenetic factor. The current methods of treatment are prophylactic or symptomatic alpha-receptor blockade, naloxon in refractory doses or catheterization. Inhibition of per- and postoperatively increased sympathetic activity may possibly prevent PU. Carbacholine is not effective in the treatment of postoperative retention of urine. In animal experimental studies, kappa-receptor agonists have an analgesic effect without urodynamic side-effects but no clinical trials on man have hitherto been undertaken. When postoperative retention of urine occurs after epidural opioid treatment, clean intermittent catheterization or introduction of a thin suprapubic catheter are recommended.

Early experience of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) using a second generation lithotriptor (Siemens Lithostar) is reported. Two hundred and seven patients underwent 272 treatments for 291 stones. There were 259 renal calculi, including three staghorn calculi and 32 ureteric calculi. Treatments were performed under local analgesia (78%) or epidural or general anaesthesia (22%) when invasive procedures had to be done in connection with the treatment. Stone fragmentation was achieved with 2,487 +/- 1,262 shocks. The first month stone clearance rate was 43%, 24% had fragments less than 6 mm and 33% had residual stones. The same figures after three and six months were 57%, 23% and 20% and 71%, 23% and 6%, respectively. Septicaemia occurred in four patients and cardiac arrhythmia in 24 patients (12%); no serious intra- or perirenal heamatomas were registered. In 7% additional procedures were required, seven patients had residual stones removed at an open operation. The Lithostar is an effective second generation lithotriptor which can be used for renal, staghorn and ureteric calculi in situ in all three segments without stone manipulation prior to ESWL.

A prostate spiral developed in Denmark may be introduced with a special catheter under local anaesthesia under the guidance of transabdominal ultrasonic scanning. Forty-four consecutive patients with retention of urine were treated with the prostate spiral. Ultrasonic-guided introduction was successful in 33 patients (73%). Cystoscopy proved necessary for introduction of the spiral in six patients and, in two cases, it was introduced over a ureteric catheter. In four patients the spiral could not be introduced on account of pronounced curving of the prostatic urethra. On follow-up examination after six months, eight patients had died with spirals which functioned well. The spiral had been removed in 12 patients and, in six of these, the problems could be attributed to the spiral. Nineteen out of 21 patients with the spiral in situ had subjectively satisfactory miction. The median maximal flow was 9.4 ml/s (range 1.0-21.3 ml/s). Ultrasonically-guided introduction of the prostate spiral under local anaesthesia is an easy and rapid procedure. The spiral is a good alternative to urethral indwelling catheter, also during the waiting time before prostatectomy.

During a period of nine months, 50 men aged 21-75 years were investigated on account of erective dysfunction by means of a simple outpatient programme of investigation. Five patients could be discharged after the primary contact with history-taking and information about further investigation and treatment. Forty-five patients were submitted to the programme of investigation which consisted of measurement of penile blood pressure, Doppler investigation of the penile arteries and the papaverine test. After this, ten patients (20%) could be referred for sexological advice while five were discharged as they did not desire further treatment. Sixteen patients (32%) were taught self injection. Out of the six patients (12%) in whom arterial insufficiency was demonstrated, penile prostheses were introduced operatively in four. Venous leakage from the corpus cavernosum was demonstrated in seven patients (14%) by means of cavernosometry and cavernosography. Venous ligature was performed in five with good effect in two. Thus, specific treatment could be offered to 35 men (70%) with satisfactory therapeutic results in 22 (44%).