Thessaloniki 11 June 2012
PRESS RELEASE
The Clinical Workshop of Functional and Reconstructive Urology took place with great success from 8 to 10 May 2012, in Agria, Volos. The event was organized by the Institute for the Study of Urological Diseases (www.imop.gr), and the Centre for Continence and Pelvic Floor Diseases of the Unit for the Study of Urological Diseases of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
Specialists Urologists presented case reports of frequent urination problems both in men and women. The experts stressed that "one in four Greek women and one in 12 Greek adults suffer from some form of incontinence. Urination problems drive patients into isolation, since the frequent visits to the toilet are a big obstacle for both the daytime activities and during overnight. They can not do simple things they love, hug their grandchild or go for coffee with friends, because they fear they will have an "accident", an episode of incontinence and the ensuing "shame".
For men, in particular, the problem usually occurs due to prostate hypertrophy, a condition which, according to AUTh Professor of Urology, D. Chatzichristou, "concerns 4 out of 10 men in their fifth decade of life while the incidence is increasing with age".
"Unfortunately, while more than 7 in 10 cases of incontinence can be successfully treated, more than half of the female patients do not seek medical help, but only limit themselves to medical information sources and to the use of incontinence pads" said the AUTh Assistant Professor of Urology / Neurourology, A. Apostolidis.
As stated by the instructors of the Workshop, the message about incontinence is that it is a condition affecting a great deal of people, but, today, there are effective treatments. Specifically, besides the invasive methods which have also progressed much, the latest generation of anticholinergic drugs such as fesoterodine, have been shown to address the problem with a success rate exceeding 70%.
The ISUD, always aiming at informing and raising awareness the public, prepared and presented an educational movie especially for people with the problem, entitled 'Urinary incontinence: an underestimated health problem". The film explains in a detailed and easy-to-understand manner, but also through the use of special graphics, all the dimensions of the problem and the available solutions. You can view it at the ISUD website (http://www.imop.gr/uro-film-1).