The goal of the clinical evaluation of the genitourinary system is the diagnosis of disorders and diseases of the entire urinary tract and the male genital tract. From the production of urine by the nephrons to the eventual elimination of urine via the external urethral meatus, malfunctions of the urinary tract may become manifest in a variety of ways. This transport of urine to the outside embodies the most important function of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. Primary malignant tumors or infections of the urinary organs may not necessarily cause obstruction of the urinary tract. Most other common urologic diseases do cause obstruction, and are treated with a view toward relief or prevention of nephron damage resulting from obstruction of the normal flow of urine.
The functioning of the bladder as a storage reservoir that empties efficiently may be disturbed by obstruction, bladder irritation, or neuromuscular disease. Voiding dysfunction creates a unique set of complaints that requires a careful history in order to shorten the list of differential diagnoses.
The male genital tract includes organs responsible for the production and transportation of spermatozoa, the secretion of sex hormones, and the achievement of erections. Although sperm production and transport may be impaired and erectile dysfunction may be present, most patients present for evaluation of the male genital tract because of inflammatory processes and tumors of these organs. The interaction between the urinary tract and male genital organs, such as the prostate, often creates diagnostic challenges for the clinician.
Copyright © 1990, Butterworth Publishers, a division of Reed Publishing.