V08_No_4_Final_New.pdf


Urology for People

335Urology Journal   Vol 8   No 4   Autumn 2011

What’s Up in Urology Journal, Autumn 2011?

Urology for People is a section in the Urology Journal for providing people 
with a summary of what is published in this journal and describing 
urological entities in a simple language.

Important Note. The findings in medical papers are usually not directly 
applicable in clinical practice and patients should consult their physicians 
before any utilization of the results of medical studies.

Urol J. 2011;8:335.
www.uj.unrc.ir

EPISPADIAS
Epispadias is a rare congenital defect of the penis, 
in which the urethra ends in an opening on the 
upper aspect of the penis. However, it is possible 
for the urethra to be open along the entire length 
of the penis. The problem can also include 
the urethra, bladder, and large intestine. The 
prevalence of epispadias is 1 in 117 000 newborn 
boys and 1 in 484 000 newborn girls. The 
condition is usually diagnosed at birth or shortly 
thereafter. In females, the mons pubis is often 
deficient; the clitoris is bifid with divergent labia 
superiorly. The goals of surgical procedures are 
to correct the curvature, reconstruct the missing 
portion of the urethra, and restore the normal 
aspect of the external genitalia.

Surgical repair is usually successful at achieving 
continence.

See page 328 for full-text article

VARICOCELE
Varicocele is a dilatation of the veins within 
the scrotum, the loose bag of the skin that 
holds man’s testicles. A varicocele is similar to 
a varicose vein that can occur in the leg. It is a 
fairly common condition, affecting 15% of men 
overall and 40% of men with known infertility. 
Varicoceles occur most often in the left testicle. 
The varicocele occurs when the valves within 
the veins along the spermatic cord do not work 
properly. Varicoceles develop slowly and may 
not have any symptoms. Symptoms can include 
enlarged, twisted veins in the scrotum, painless 
testicle lump, scrotal swelling, or bulge within the 
scrotum, and infertility. The sudden appearance 
of a varicocele in an older man may be caused 
by a kidney tumor, which can block blood flow 
to a vein. Treatment is by varicocelectomy, 
the surgical correction of a varicocele, which is 
performed on an outpatient basis.

See page 298 for full-text article