Department of Paediatric Urology at Medical University Innsbruck - Austria

Paediatric Urology has a long tradition at the Department of Urology at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. Back in 1991 an individual ward for children with paediatric urological problems was launched. Additionally specially educated paediatric nurses started to take care of the children on that ward. Besides that a paediatric urology outpatient department was established as well.

Paediatric Urology on its way to become an own subspecialty

Back in February 2002 Paediatric Urology became an independent subspecialty within the EUMS (European Union of Medical Specialties). This was the beginning of the end of discussion to which specialty Paediatric Urology belongs – either Urology or Paediatric Surgery. Paediatric Urology became its own subspecialty. The European Academy for Paediatric Urology was founded to elaborate criteria and standards for the future specialists in Paediatric Urology and the future Paediatric Urology Centres in Europe.

Organizing an independent Department of Paediatric Urology at the University of Innsbruck

Under the auspices of Prof. Dr. Georg Bartsch, chairman of the Department of Urology, the organization of an individual Department of Paediatric Urology has been initiated in order to perceive these new developments. The Medical Faculty at the University of Innsbruck agreed and established the Department of Paediatric Urology and on April, 22nd, 2003 Prof. Dr. Christian Radmayr became chief of the Department of Paediatric Urology. Dr. Josef Oswald became co-chair. Additionally two residents belong to the newly founded department. Since beginning of 2004 a paediatrician has started as a member of pediatric urology staff. With that the preconditions are now available to apply for the certification of a Paediatric Urology Centre and the Medical University of Innsbruck is currently the one and only University hospital in Austria with a sovereign Department of Paediatric Urology and the special tasks to represent Paediatric Urology not only from the clinical point of view but also from the academic, educational and research point of view.
The Department of Paediatric Urology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of urological problems from birth on till adolescence. For this purposes a total of 5 doctors, 10 specially educated paediatric nurses and additional personal resources as well as a specially adopted ward are available. In 2003 more than 2,000 children were treated either on the ward or in the outpatient department with more than 700 surgical procedures. The average time a child had to spend was 2.1 days. Whenever possible, all children are accompanied by their mothers.

MITZI – (Micturition-Training-Centre)

Back in 1996 an outpatient voiding education centre has been established in order to treat children with any kind of voiding dysfunction. Under the auspices of paediatric urologists a team approach together with psychologists, urotherapists, paediatricians and others is trying to focus on the different aspects of voiding dysfunction and offers the children and their families optimal conditions to restore normal bladder function or if not possible to deal with with different auxiliary devices.

Paediatric Urology - Research

Research is inevitable to assure further development in the field of paediatric urology. So far many papers coming out from Innsbruck and dealing with paediatric urology have already been published in peer-reviewed journals; many scientific awards dedicated to the people in Innsbruck prove the value of the research projects.
One of the main interests in research lies in the field of investigating the molecular basis of the different androgen insensitivity syndromes leading to intersex patients with ambiguous genitalia.
Moreover a second point of main effort represents our project on the fetal development of the urogenital system.
Additionally many clinical projects are performed as well; e.g. minimal invasive therapy (endoscopy, laparoscopy), etc.

The Department of Paediatric Urology at Innsbruck University strives to serve excellence in all fields of paediatric urology. We see ourselves as manager of the families having children with paediatric urology diseases and offer treatment modalities in our outpatient centre, as a day case or whenever necessary on our ward. Additionally a special website (www.kinderurologie.at) has been created to secure information possibilities for the all, affected families and specialists as well.