Jeanne O'Brien

Redefining abnormal follicle-stimulating hormone in the male infertility population.

Study Type – Diagnostic (validating cohort)

Urology and the scientific method in ancient Egypt.

OBJECTIVES To examine the practice of urology in ancient Egypt using various sources, including the Edwin Smith and Ebers Papyri. The sources of knowledge of ancient Egyptian medicine include medical papyri, paleopathology, art, and hieroglyphic carvings. METHODS A brief overview of the medical system in ancient Egypt was completed, in addition to an examination of the training and specialization of the physician in the ancient world. Urologic diseases treated in ancient Egypt and some of the first documented urologic surgeries are presented. Finally, we studied the role of the physician-priest and the intertwined use of religion and magic in ancient Egyptian medicine. RESULTS The same medical conditions urologists treat in the office today were methodically documented thousands of years ago. Medical papyri show evidence that the ancient Egyptians practiced medicine using a scientific method based on the clinical observation of disease. This has been exemplified by the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, a collection of surgical cases that gives a diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for each ailment, and the discovery of medical specialization in ancient Egypt, giving us perhaps the worlds first urologists. Intertwined with the scientific method was also the rich mysticism and religion of ancient Egypt, which were integral components of the healing process. CONCLUSIONS We present an overview of the practice of urology in ancient Egypt, in terms of both pharmacologic and surgical intervention, as well as with a look into the religion of medicine practiced at that time.

Paraffinoma of the urinary bladder

Abstract  We present a rare case of paraffinoma of the urinary bladder. Paraffinomas involving the urinary tract are rare and not well described. They are usually associated with insertion of materials into the lower urinary tract by patients with psychiatric disorders. Not only can the diagnosis be delayed, but they are also easily misdiagnosed. They are usually discovered during work up for recurrent urinary tract infections. Therefore, a high index of suspicion is needed in patients with recurrent urinary tract infections, psychiatric histories, and past history of foreign object insertion. Treatment options for paraffinoma includes open surgical excision, possibly transurethral excision or dissolution, and is usually dictated by the size of the mass..