The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on urological emergencies: a single-center experience.

PURPOSE: COVID-19 pandemic represents a novel challenge for healthcare systems, and it affects even the daily urological practice. Italy was the first country after China to experience a lock-down period. Our objective is to determine whether, during the COVID-19 period, there has been any modification in urological emergencies. METHODS: we retrospectively reviewed urgent urological consultations requested by the Emergency Department (ED) of Padua University Hospital in the 36-day period between February 22nd and March 30th, 2020 and compared them to the prior year cases within a similar time frame (February 24th to March 31st, 2019). Pediatric population (age < 15 years); surgical complications and traumas were excluded to avoid confounding from the reduction of activities during the lockdown. The number of daily consultations, the number of invasive procedures performed and admissions were evaluated, together with the predictors of admission were identified through multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: The final sample resulted in 107 consultations performed in 2020 and 266 in 2019. A higher number of daily consultations was performed during 2019 (7.33 vs 2.97, p < 0.001). Similarly, the number of daily-invasive procedures was higher in 2019 (p = 0.006), while there was no difference in the number of daily admissions (15 vs 12, p = 0.80). On multivariate analysis, the year (2020 vs 2019, OR 2.714, 95% CI 1.096-6.757, p = 0.0297) was a significant predictor of admission. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent urology practice was affected during COVID-19 pandemic with a remarkable reduction in urgent urological consultations; furthermore, a higher risk of admissions was observed in 2020. The consequences of a potentially delayed diagnosis remain to be determined.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Urological Emergencies: A Multicenter Experience on over 3,000 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: COVID-19 pandemic represents a dramatic challenge for healthcare systems worldwide, and it also affects daily urological practice. After China and Italy, Tessin (Switzerland) has been hit the hardest, due to its close proximity to Lombardy and the high number of frontier workers in the area. Our objective was to share with the scientific community how, during the COVID-19 period, there has been a huge modification in urological emergencies throughout all hospitals included in the Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale (EOC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed urgent urological consultations requested by the emergency department (ED) of the 4 public hospitals located in Tessin belonging to EOC in the 3-month period between February 15 and May 15, 2020, and compared them to the 2 previous years cases within the same time frame (February 15 to May 15, 2018 and 2019). The number of daily consultations, urgent invasive procedures performed, and admissions were evaluated. RESULTS: The final sample resulted in 594 consultations performed in 2020, 974 in 2018, and 974 in 2019. A higher number of daily consultations were performed during 2018 and 2019. The number of daily admissions dropped consistently during the COVID-19 pandemic (737 vs. 392). CONCLUSIONS: Our multicenter study aimed to quantify changes in urgent urological care in Tessin in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Urgent urology practice was dramatically affected with a remarkable reduction in urgent urological consultations, whereas a higher risk of admissions was observed in 2020, due to the severity of the patients.

Urological emergencies in a Nigerian teaching hospital: Epidemiology and treatment.

BACKGROUND: Urological emergencies constitute a significant part of emergency presentations in various referral centers. Data on the prevalence of these emergencies in West African sub-region are sparse. OBJECTIVE: The study is aimed at determining the pattern of urological emergencies in our center and is geared towards bridging the gap in knowledge of the epidemiology of urological emergencies in this sub-region as a means of achieving efficient use of scarce resources. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: It was a retrospective study of all urological emergency cases that presented over six years in a Federal University Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. Data were collected from emergency register and theatre logs. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 25. RESULTS: A total of 267 patients presented with urological emergencies during the period of study with 258 (96.6%) men and 9 (3.4%) women. The mean age of the patients was 50.6 ± 20.8 years. Urinary retention was the most common urological emergency accounting for 159 (59.6%) cases followed by Fournier's gangrene 23 (8.6%) and testicular torsion 23 (8.6%). Bladder and ureteral injuries accounted for 5 (55.6%) of the urological emergency presentations in women while both injuries accounted for only 4 (1.6%) in men (P = 0.000). Urethral catheterization was the most commonly performed procedure 139 (52.1%), followed by percutaneous suprapubic cystostomy (SPC) 31 (11.6%). CONCLUSION: Urological emergencies have varying presentations in both sexes. Urinary retention, and acute scrotum were the most common urological emergencies in our facility. This knowledge can be used in emergency preparedness planning which involves personnel training and resource allocation.

[Urological emergencies in two university hospitals in Douala: a retrospective study (2016-2020)]. / Les urgences urologiques dans deux hôpitaux universitaires de Douala: une étude rétrospective (2016-2020).

Introduction: urological emergencies are critical situations that require rapid response by a qualified urology health care professional. The purpose of this study was to highlight the profile of urological emergencies in two university hospitals in the city of Douala by assessing emergency management. Methods: we conducted a retrospective study of the urological emergencies in two reference hospitals in the city of Douala: the Laquintinie Hospital and the General Hospital. Files were collected over a period of 5 years (January 1st, 2016 to December 31st, 2020). All emergency consultations in the Emergency Unit as well as all clinical and therapeutic data from the on-call list during the study period were included. We excluded all emergencies (consultations during the study period) not recorded in the emergency registry. Results: we conducted a study of 364 patients with an average age of 43 ± 8.34 years; 92.58% (n=337) of patients were male. The most common urological emergencies included: urinary retention (45.05%, n=164), renal colic (15.33%, n=56) and haematuria (13.18%, n=48). The most common cause of urinary retention was prostate tumors, renal colic was mainly due to renal lithiasis (96.45%, n=159) and hematuria was due to tumor in 68.75% (n=33) of patients. Therapeutic management was based on urinary catheterization (39.01%, n=142), medical treatment was associated with monitoring (27.47%, n=100) and suprapubic cystostomy (10.71%, n=39). Conclusion: acute urinary retention due to prostate tumors is the most common urological emergency in the university hospitals in the city of Douala. Early and optimal management of prostate tumors is therefore essential.

Retrospective review of patients with testicular torsion in a University Hospital in Bahrain.

Introduction: Testicular torsion is a surgical emergency that, with delayed treatment, may be associated with loss of the testis. It commonly presents with sudden onset testicular pain, vague lower abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Management often requires emergent surgical scrotal exploration, detorsion, and fixation or removal of the affected testis. Materials and Methods: Retrospective review of all the patients in a hospital covering the Muharraq district in Bahrain presenting with testicular pain. Results: During the six-year period from 2015 to 2021, 48 patients with testicular torsion were managed, with a mean age of 18.4 (± 9.2) years. Most patients (54.7%) presented within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms. All 48 patients underwent a doppler ultrasound, which confirmed the presence of testicular torsion in 87.5% of patients, with a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 98.5%. Fourteen patients had non-viable testis on surgical exploration, with an average age of 16.6 (± 6.8) years and took an average of 13 to 24 hours to present to the emergency department after the start of pain. Most patients underwent scrotal ultrasound 60 minutes from the presentation to the emergency department and surgical exploration within 120 to 179 minutes. The rate of testicular torsion in patients who underwent diagnostic ultrasound at 60 minutes or more from presentation was 40%, compared to an overall rate of 29%. All detected cases of testicular torsion, except for one case, underwent bilateral fixation of the testes. Of those patients who underwent contralateral fixation, none presented with contralateral torsion, supporting the recommendation of contralateral fixation. Conclusion: Patients underwent comprehensive assessment of their complaint and emergent surgical intervention, including an ultrasound that did not delay the surgical intervention. We agree that clinical judgment is the primary tool for assessment of patients with acute scrotum and an adjunct emergent ultrasound does not significantly cause delays. We concur with the current recommendations for contralateral fixation and prompt surgical management as the anatomical anomaly is present bilaterally.

The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Urological Emergencies, 8 Months Results of a Multicenter Retrospective Study From Turkey.

Objectives: We aimed to reveal the change of urological emergencies during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period of the previous year. Methods: The number of admissions to the emergency department (ED), admissions to the urology outpatient clinic, emergency urological consultations, and urological and emergency urological surgeries during the periods April-November-2019 and April-November-2020 were recorded. The data of the COVID-19 period were compared with the previous year. Results: While the number of admissions to the urological outpatient clinic was 160,447 during the COVID period, it was 351,809 during the non-COVID period. The number of admissions to the ED decreased from 3.2 million to 2.4. The number of admissions to the urology outpatient clinic significantly decreased by 54% during the pandemic (p=0.001). Percutaneous cystostomy performed due to acute urinary obstruction decreased by 27.96%, double J stent, nephrostomy decreased by 16.61%, and ureterorenoscopy decreased by 12.26%. Urogenital trauma also decreased. On the contrary, surgical procedures performed due to penile fracture, gross hematuria, Fournier gangrene, and testicular torsion increased. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant decrease was observed in non-COVID patients' admissions to the emergency and urology department, and in urologic surgeries.

[Urological emergencies in a regional hospital in Senegal: a 20-month retrospective study]. / Le profil des urgences urologiques dans un hôpital régional au Sénégal: étude rétrospective de 20 mois.

Introduction: urological emergencies are diverse and varied, and are frequently encountered in urological practices. The purpose of this work was to study the epidemiological features and management of urological emergencies at the regional hospital of Kolda, Senegal. Methods: we conducted a retrospective and descriptive study collecting data from the medical records of all patients admitted as a urological emergency for 20 months (January 2020 and August 31, 2021). Results: urological emergencies accounted for 3.6% of admissions to the Emergency Department and for 20.4% of urological consultations. The average age of patients was 51.9 ± 21.5 years, ranging from 1 to 98 years. Urinary retention was the most common urological emergency, observed in 249 cases (57.3%), followed by urogenital infections 89 (20.5%). Renal colic affected 48 (11%) of patients. Emergency management was based on urinary catheterization, which was performed in 193 patients (44.3%). The most common surgical procedures were suprapubic catheterization (42 patients; 51.9%) and emergency scrotal exploration (15 patients; 18.6%). Conclusion: in our context, urological emergencies are dominated by urinary retention due to prostatic disorders and urethral stenosis. Traumatic emergencies are uncommon.

A Spectrum of Urological Emergency Reported at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital: An Experience.

INTRODUCTION: A substantial number of urology admissions constitute of emergency cases and sizeable proportion are urology emergency referral cases. There have been few studies conducted on this aspect but there lie geographical variations in the presentations of urological emergencies. Hence, this study was conducted to analyse various urological emergency presentations and their interventions. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the proportion of urological emergencies and analyse the different type of urological emergencies with the required management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A hospital based observational descriptive study was undertaken in our institution over a period of one year. RESULTS: A total of 11,139 cases were admitted in the urology department; of which a significant percentage (21.05%) was from emergency room. Majority of cross references came from the Department of Medicine (22.59 %). Renal colic (24.2%) happened to be the most common presentation in emergency room followed by acute urinary retention (14.7%). Among referred cases, hematuria was the leading presentation with 17.75% followed by traumatic catheterization (11.97%). Most common urological intervention in referred cases was supra pubic catheterization (27.20%) while it was percutaneous nephrostomy (32.78%) in directly admitted cases. CONCLUSION: Urological emergencies constitute a significant proportion of total urology admissions (27.18%). The most common non-traumatic injury was renal colic whereas traumatic was traumatic catheterization in our study. Most common surgical intervention in direct admitted emergency cases was percutaneous nephrostomy whereassuprapubic catheterization in within hospital emergency referral cases.

Fournier gangrene.

Fournier gangrene is a rapidly progressive necrotizing infection of the perineal and genital fascia, often polymicrobial. Severity is increased in older patients, diabetics and the immunocompromised. As in this case, the disease can have an indolent onset. Early recognition and aggressive treatment is important.