[Epidemiology of urological emergencies in a teaching hospital]

To quantitatively evaluate the emergency activity of a teaching hospital urology department. To determine the epidemiology of urological medical and surgical emergencies.

Single-centre prospective study conducted in one of the 9 teaching hospital urology departments of the Paris region equipped with an emergency room. The on-call team consisted of an intern and a hospital student on the spot, a Senior Registrar on call. Evaluation was based on daily computer records of all consultations performed by the intern outside of the urology department, and all emergency surgical operations performed during the out-of-hours period (8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.).

A total of 1,715 consultations were performed, 15.6% of which required admission to hospital. Eleven per cent of consultations in the emergency department were transferred from another centre. Emergency surgery was performed in 5% of cases. 37 multi-organ harvests and 54 renal transplantations were also performed during this same period. Mean age: 53.18 years (range: 15-100). 12% of patients were over the age of 80 years. Sex-ratio: 78% of males, 22% of females. The most frequent presenting complaint was low back pain (25%). The diseases most frequently encountered were infectious (19.2%). 30% of emergency surgical operations were performed for drainage of obstructive pyelonephritis. Bladder tumours were the cancers most frequently responsible for emergency consultations (35%) and traumatology represented 8.7% of emergency consultations.

Urological emergencies in a teaching hospital constitute a distinct clinical activity, which requires specific material and human resources. This exhaustive study could be used as a basis for review of the organization of the management of urological emergencies.