urology Archives - Resource Library - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

The penicillamine challenge is a 48 hour test that is done to check for Wilson’s disease. Wilson’s disease is a rare, inherited condition in which the body cannot handle copper correctly, and needs medication to remove the excess copper from the body. Your consultant will discuss the test...

What is meatal stenosis? Meatal stenosis is the narrowing of the urethra (tube used to empty your bladder). This can cause pain and difficulties with passing wee, and infections. What causes meatal stenosis? Meatal stenosis can be caused by: inflammation of the foreskin infections of the urinary...

What is torsion of testicles? This is where the testicle (ball) twists on the cord it hangs on, like a conker on a string. The cord contains the blood supply and if it twists it causes the blood supply to stop. If the testicle is without blood supply for 6 hours it is severely affected…...

What is a cystoscopy? A cystoscopy is where your surgeon looks inside your bladder with a very tiny camera. They can see what it looks like and sometimes see if there is something wrong in your bladder. They can also give you some treatments for your bladder to help you with your problems. They...

Your child may have been prescribed macrogol for their constipation. Macrogol laxatives may be sold under a few different brand names such as Movicol, CosmoCol or Laxido. How do I give my child macrogol? Sachets are packed in pairs. Tear down the perforation, and pour 1 sachet into a cup. Pour in...

What is an MCUG? A micturating cystourethrogram (MCUG) is an X-ray scan that looks at the bladder, ureters (tubes that carry wee from the kidneys to the bladder), and urethra (wee tube leaving the bladder). We do the scan so that we can see what these structures look like and how the work. We...

A pyeloplasty (kidney pelvis reconstruction) is an operation we do when your child has a blockage between the pelvis (main drainage area) and the ureter (the tube that joins the kidney and the bladder). For more information, please visit this infoKID resource. How do I know if my child has...

What is urodynamics? Urodynamics is a test that gives us information about the layout or anatomy of the urinary tract but also gives us information about how it functions. It is a day procedure with no overnight stay. The test is in 2 parts: the filling and the emptying.  It has to be done...

What is vulvovaginitis? Vulvovaginitis is a common condition affecting girls between the ages of 2 and 7 years old, before starting puberty. It is inflammation of the vagina and vulva. Mild vulvovaginitis is common and some girls will have vulvovaginitis many times. In most cases vulvovaginitis is...

What are the instructions for wound care and catheter care at home? Try to keep the dressing as clean and dry as possible. Don’t worry if it becomes soiled or smelly this is unavoidable, especially as your child will be on antibiotics and so may develop diarrhoea. If your child doesn’t wear a...

What is a difference of sexual development? Some children are born with anatomy of their internal or external sex organs which doesn’t fit exactly into the category of girl or boy. Some of these differences can be mild such as hypospadias where the boys bits are a under-developed. Some of these...

You may be new to needing urology care or you might be new to the area. Urology is about looking after problems with the kidneys, ureters, bladders and genitals. You will find lots of useful links about the investigations and procedures we can do. Who is in the team? We are a mix of...

Kidney stones are quite uncommon in children compared to adults. The meat of the kidney produces pee (urine) which then passes into a funnel-shaped drainage sac called the pelvis. From here the pee flows downward to the bladder along a tube called the ureter. The pee is stored in the bladder and...

Who needs a catheter? Some people with bladder problems will need a catheter. The bladder is a balloon-like organ that holds pee. Some people aren’t able to empty their bladder properly. There are a few reasons why this might be, including problems that they were born with, surgery, and...

What is a vesicostomy? A vesicostomy is a procedure that lets pee drain from the bladder. A stoma (hole) is made from the skin of the abdomen to the bladder. This creates a way for the pee to drain out of. Keeping the bladder properly drained can help to stop infections, and keep the kidneys…...

What is bladder assessment? This is a test that helps us to see how well your bladder is working. Your bladder is like a balloon in your tummy that holds your pee. It is sometimes called a non-invasive bladder study, or NIBS. Why do I need it? If you have problems with your bladder such…...

What is a prepucioplasty? Prepucioplasty is an operation that is done when the foreskin is: too tight and causing problems abnormal and unlikely to stretch by itself It makes the foreskin opening larger so that the foreskin can go back easily. Why is prepucioplasty done? Nearly all foreskins start...

What is hypospadias? This is a condition where the urethra (hole where urine comes out) is not in the correct place. It is instead further down and on the underside of the penis. The type of hypospadias is described by where the opening is. The mildest type (glanular) is where the opening is on...