Glossary and Definitions
0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
0-9
5-alpha reductase inhibitor – A medicine with inhibitory effects on the enzyme converting the weak ordinary testosterone to the very strong and potent testosterone DHT (dihydrotestosterone).
A
adenoma enucleation – The process of removing the obstructing prostatic adenomas with and "open" surgical procedure (that is not through the urethra).
AFP - alpha-fetoprotein – A blood test marker for testicular cancer/malignancy
alpha receptors – The sympathetic receptors of alpha-type. Alpha 1 receptors are specially abundant in the bladder neck and prostate.
anticholinergic medicines – Medicines (pharmacologic substances) decreasing or blocking the actions of the parasympathetic cholinergic.
autonomic nervous system – The automatic nervous system controling different body functions without knowledge of the patient.
B
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) – The most common word for an enlargement of the prostate. More exactly it means an increased number of cells within the prostate.
beta-3 adrenergic receptors – The sympathetic beta-receptor number 3. Specially abundant in the urinary bladder.
beta-HCG - beta-human chorionic gonadotropin – A blood test marker for testicular cancer/malignancy
bladder instability – A condition where the urinary bladder muscular activity is unstable including sudden contractions usually leading to urgency and maybe also urgency incontinence.
bladder scan – Ultrasound scanning of the urinary bladder. Used to control the volume of urine inside the bladder.
balanitis – Inflammation of the balanos (=the glans=outer part of the penis)
butolinum toxin – A neurotoxic substance used to block neural activity, for example urgency.
C
channel catheter – A catheter can have 1-3 different channels inside used for defferent purposes.
circumcision – the surgical removal af the foreskin
circumference – The length of a catheters circumference. Usually measured in Charriere or French.
corpora – The inside of the penis contains the the three corpora (bodies) where blood fills up during an erection.
corpus cavernosum – The inside of the penis where blood is located in an erection. A normal penis has two communicating corpus cavernosum.
constipation – Problems with the emptying or evacuation of stool from the bowel.
cystometry – An urodynamic investigation of the bladder during the filling phase.
D
detumescence – The process when blood is leaving the penis after en erection.
diverticulas – Pocket-like anatomical change in the bladder wall.
dorsal slit/cut – An easy surgical procedure to open up a tight foreskin by a cut of the tight area
dribbling – Loosing a small portion of urine directly after finishing the voiding phase.
dysuria – Pain or dyscomfort during micturition.
E
enuresis – Leakage of urine during sleep at nighttime.
epididymis – A structure on the side of the testicle containing a collection of ducts for the sperms to move through and mature
epididymitis – inflammation of the epididymis beside the testicle
external sphincter – The voluntary sphincter in control of the patients mind through the pudendal nerve.
F
finasteride – A substance used for inhibition of the 5 alpha reductase.
flow chart – An urodynamic investigation of the emptying/voiding phase of urination, same as mictogram.
Foley catheter – A catheter equipped with a balloon at the end for the catheter to stay inside the bladder without falling out.
frequency – Number of voiding times during a certain time period, usually a 24 hour period.
G
glans – The outer part of the penis underneath the foreskin
H
haematocele – Localised hematoma (blood having leaked out of the vessels) inside the scrotum, commonly caused by trauma
haematuria – Blood in the urine.
hesitancy – Problems starting up micturition.
hydrocele – Increased volume of fluid within the pocket surrounding the testicle
hydronephrosis – Dilatation of the upper urinary tract, could be caused by emptying problems.
I
incontinence – Leakage of urine.
inguinal hernia – An area in the inguinal reagion where the abdominal content protrudes due to weakness of the structures in the groin
intermittency – Micturition in portions or recurrent weak and stronger stream (variable stream).
irrigate – Flushing fluid through the system in order to clean up or wash out.
J
K
L
LD - lactate dehydrogenase – A blood test marker for testicular cancer/malignancy
LUTS – Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms.
lymphoma – A specific type of lymph system tumor
M
nausea – Feeling sick, being close to vomiting.
miction in portions – Urination one portion after another.
miction list – Patient self reported questionnaire including all urination times during usually two 24 hour periods. Includes time, volume, timed micuturition, leakage and drinking.
mictogram – An urodynamic investigation of the voiding phase, same as flow chart.
micturition – Urination, also known as voiding (see voiding) or uresis (see uresis). It is the release of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the urinary meatus outside the body.
mucosa – The inner lining of an organ or structure, in this case the inside of the urinary bladder.
muscarinic receptor number 3 – One of the five different parasympathetic muscarinic nervous receptors. Specially abundant in the bladder.
myeloma – A specific type of bone maroow tumour
N
nausea – Feeling sick, being close to vomiting.
nocturia – Frequency of urination at nighttime.
non-seminoma – A group of testicular tumour that are not of the seminoma type.
O
obstruction – A hinder for the flow of urine.
orchidectomy – the surgical procedure when removing a testicle, usually together with the epididymis and part of the sprematic cord
orchitis – Inflammation of a testicle, inflammation can be non-infectious but is more commonly due to infection of virus or bacteria
overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) – A complex of storage symptoms: urgency, frequency and sometimes nocturia and urgency incontinence without any obvious known cause.
overflow incontinence – Leakage of urine when the bladder is full of urine and overflows. It happens when the pressure within the bladder is higher than the pressure within the urethra and sphincter mechanisms. The volumes of the leakage are usually quite small while it only happens when the pressure is high.
P
palliative – All kinds of therapy in order to help a patient to feel better and survive longer without being curative.
paraphimosis – When a tight foreskin gets stuck and swollen on the shaft of the penis.
parasympathetic nervous system – One of the two parts of the autonomic nervous systems. This systems receptors are called cholinergic and are of muscarinic or nicotinergic type.
PDE5 inhibitors – Phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors causing an increase in the relaxing substance nitric oxide.
Penile body – The penis or the inside of the penis.
penile fracture – the diagnosis when the inside of the penis (commonly the corpus cavernosum capsule) has broken due to trauma
phimosis – Tight foreskin.
post-micturition dribbling (also known as post-void dribbling) – Loosing/leaking a small portion of urine directly after finishing the voiding phase.
post-micturition symptom – Symptoms directly after the voiding phase of urination.
priapism – The diagnosis when a patients gets a prolonged erection.
prolonged micturition – An increased length of time to empty the bladder.
pudendal nerve – A nerve coming from the lower part of the spinal cord (the sacral part) controling parts of the lower urinary tract, for example the voluntary external sphincter.
Q
R
resection – "Carving out" tissue.
residual urine – The amount of urine still left in the bladder after having finished urination/voiding.
S
scrotum – the skin pocket containing the two testicles, the two epididymis and the two sprematic cords
seminoma – A specific type of testicular cancer
SNRI – Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors. A group of substances decreasing the reuptake of serotonin and noradrenalin at the nerve endings.
somatic nervous system – The nervous system which can be controlled by the mind of the patient.
spermatocele – A kind of benign tumor of the epididymis, usually a cyst containing sperms and fluid
sphincter – An anatomical structure able to seal the urinary tract from leaking urine.
straining (also known as straining micturition or the Valsalva manoeuver) – Compressing the abdominal muscles to increase pressure over the bladder to empty.
suprapubic catheter – A catheter going trough the abdomen above the pubic bone directly into the bladder, ie not going through the urethra.
sympathetic nervous system – One of the two parts of the autonomic nervous systems. This systems receptors are called adrenergic and of alpha or beta type.
T
the international prostate symptoms score (IPSS) – Patient self reported questionnaire yielding a score on different emptying and storage symptoms from the lower urinary tract and its effect on quality of life.
TURP – Trans Urethral Resection of the Prostate. Performing a resection of the prostate through the urethra.
U
uresis (also known as voiding or micturition) – The release of urine from the urinary bladder through the urethra to the urinary meatus outside the body.
urgency – The sudden and strong feeling that one has to empty the urinary bladder.
urinary retention – The inability to empty the urinary bladder, could be chronic or acute.
urodynamics – The science of investigating the physiology of the lower urinary tract.
urology – The clinical science of diseases within the female and male genitourinary system. Anatomically it includes diseases in the upper urinary tract like the kidneys and ureters, the lower urinary tract like the urinary bladder and urethra, and the male inner and outer genitals like the prostate, testicles and the epididymis.
V
vasectomy – The term we use for sterilisation of a man. The exact meaning is however the "removal of the vas deferens" where the sperms are transported from the testicles/epididymis to the inner gentialia (vesicula seminalis and prostate). In a surgical sterilisation we only remove a small piece of the vas.
Valsalva manoeuver (also known as straining or straining micturition) – The procees of "helping" the urinary bladder by straining of the abdominal muscles.
varicocele – A swelling arround the testicle due to increased numbers of and increased size of veins (transporting blood back into the body from the scrotum)