Short version

Plain English Pages

Shorter sentences. Defined terms. The same care information, easier to read.

What is this? Some pages on Urology NSW go into a lot of detail. The pages listed below are plain English versions, written for people who want a shorter, simpler read first.

Each short version page links back to the full detailed page if you want more. None of these pages replace medical advice from your own doctor or specialist. Always speak to a qualified health professional about your own situation.

Seventy plain English pages so far, grouped below. More will be added over time.

Prostate cancer: getting started

Prostate cancer What it is, how it is found, what treatments exist Diagnosis at the GP How prostate cancer is first looked for in the community Dealing with a new diagnosis What to expect in the first consultations and how decisions are made

Prostate cancer: the tests

Diagnosis: the overview PSA, MRI, biopsy and what each test means PSA testing The blood test and the rectal examination, in plain English Multiparametric MRI A specialist MRI scan of the prostate Prostate biopsy How tissue samples are taken and what happens next Transperineal biopsy A biopsy that avoids the bowel, often combined with MRI Biopsy grading The Gleason score explained without the jargon Staging the cancer T stage, lymph nodes, and the TNM system

Prostate cancer: the treatments

Treatment options: the overview The five main families of treatment Active surveillance Careful monitoring as an alternative to immediate treatment Surgery options Open, keyhole and robot-assisted surgery compared Robotic prostatectomy Removing the prostate using the da Vinci robot Radiotherapy External beam radiation explained in plain English HDR brachytherapy Wires that deliver radiation from inside the prostate Seed radiotherapy Small radioactive seeds placed inside the prostate Hormone therapy How it works, when it is used, and the side effects Chemotherapy When it is used, who supervises it, what to expect Experimental treatments HIFU and cryotherapy: what is known and what is uncertain

Prostate cancer: after treatment and prevention

Sexual rehabilitation Recovering erections after prostate surgery Nomograms Online calculators that estimate outcomes from your numbers Diet and prevention What is good for your heart is good for your prostate

Enlarged prostate (BPH): getting started

Enlarged prostate (BPH) What it is and how it is treated, in plain English Assessment Symptom scoring, flow tests, and the bladder ultrasound Lifestyle and medications The three families of medications, and when none is needed Non-invasive options An overview of the day-case alternatives to surgery

Enlarged prostate (BPH): the procedures

Surgery options The main procedures compared at a glance TURP The classic prostate operation, in plain English Laser prostate surgery Holmium and Greenlight laser overview Holmium laser (HoLEP) A laser keyhole alternative for any prostate size Greenlight laser Vaporising the prostate with very little bleeding Rezum (steam therapy) Water vapour treatment for an enlarged prostate iTind A temporary device to reshape the prostate channel UroLift Tiny implants that hold the prostate lobes apart Microwave therapy Heat treatment under sedation, no general anaesthetic TUNA Radiofrequency heat through small needles Open prostatectomy A traditional open operation, now rarely needed

Robotic surgery (in detail)

Robotic surgery How keyhole surgery with a robot works, in plain English Why robotic prostatectomy? The case for robotic over open surgery, with the caveats The da Vinci robot What actually happens during a robotic prostate operation Checking edges in surgery Frozen section pathology while you are still on the table Male anatomy Bladder, prostate, urethra and how they fit together Robotic pyeloplasty Rebuilding the kidney drainage where it is blocked Robotic adrenalectomy Removing an adrenal gland with the robot Single port surgery A newer approach using just one small incision

Other cancers

Kidney cancer How it is found, staged, and treated, and why keeping the kidney matters Bladder cancer Diagnosis, TURBT, BCG, and why stopping smoking matters Testicular cancer A cancer of younger men with very high cure rates NanoKnife (IRE) Electrical pulse cancer treatment, used in selected cases

Stones and urology procedures

Kidney stones What they are, the tests, and how they are treated Bladder stones Why they form and how the holmium laser is used Flexible cystoscopy A quick look inside the bladder with a thin telescope Ureteric stents Thin tubes that keep urine draining when there is a blockage

Men's health

Men's health: overview The one-stop service: pharmacist, sexual health, survivorship Men's health pharmacist service In-house medication and device education, in plain English Erectile dysfunction Tablets, vacuum pump, injections, and what is checked first ED and diabetes Why diabetes affects erections, and what helps Penile injection therapy An option when tablets do not work, with safe self-injection training Penile prosthesis surgery An implant option when other treatments have not worked Peyronie's disease Curvature, lumps and painful erections, and what can help Premature ejaculation Behavioural strategies, creams, tablets, and combined approaches Phimosis (tight foreskin) Steroid cream, circumcision, and what counts as urgent Leakage after prostate surgery What to expect, pelvic floor exercises, slings and the artificial sphincter Vasectomy A permanent contraception decision, in plain English Follow-up after prostate cancer PSA schedule, scans, and red flags to know about Psychosocial support Trusted Australian services for emotional, partner and exercise support

Topic overviews

Kidney treatments A plain English tour of kidney cancer, stones and robotic kidney surgery Laser prostate surgery An overview of HoLEP and Greenlight laser, and how they compare General urology How the urinary system works, and the common procedures explained

More pages soon

If a page you wanted is not listed here yet, the full detailed version is still available from the main menu. Plain English versions are being added in stages.