[Urology -- yesterday and today (author's transl)]

The developments in urology over the past 10 years both in regard to diagnosis and therapy are reviewed. The value of diagnostic procedures such as intravenous urography, angiography, isotope rhenogram and scintigram in tumours of the kidney and the significance of lymphangiography in the decision concerning the operability of tumours of the bladder, the prostate and the testicle are discussed. The importance of cytological examinations in the early diagnosis of cancer of the bladder and the prostate, as well as in the postoperative follow up of cases of bladder carcinoma is emphasized. Metabolic diseases such as renal calculus formation and renal hypertension are of great importance in regard to social aspects of medicine owing to their increasing occurrence. New urological equipment, as well as established instruments such as fibre optics and "Urat-I" for the treatment of bladder calculi, as well as cryotherapy of prostatic tumours is demonstrated. Coagulum pyelotomy is recommended for the treatment of friable stones in the renal pelvis and the calyces. This review of the current stand of development in the field of urology is coupled with proposals of a suitable training programme for future urologists.