Introduction to a subspecialty, gynecologic urology

  Gynecologic urology is an emerging and developing subdiscipline that is an intersection between the disciplines of urology and obstetrics and gynecology. I remember when I first joined the workforce more than 20 years ago, some elderly women visited the clinic due to urinary incontinence, because of the rudimentary equipment at that time, but at that time it was still possible to buy a vaginal tray, which was a plug to the vagina and then it was done, always inconvenient and sometimes serious complications occurred; later it was found that repairing the anterior vaginal wall could play a role, and dozens of methods were applied one after another, but always unsatisfactory. For a long time the development of this marginal cross-discipline has not received much attention, leading to the development of the discipline far from meeting the medical needs of society for gynecologic urological diseases.  In recent years, the development of medicine has enabled chronic diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes to be effectively controlled, but the problems affecting the quality of life of elderly women such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, uterine prolapse and rectal distension have become increasingly prominent and serious. The rapid development of gynecologic urology abroad, and even its establishment and development as an independent discipline, is mainly based on the deepening of the understanding of the occurrence mechanism of gynecologic urology-related diseases and the progress achieved in treatment methods, in addition to the increased social demand brought by the aging of the population.  In order to meet clinical needs, the scope of gynecologic urology research has expanded from purely female urinary incontinence to a discipline that covers all pelvic floor dysfunctional problems. Since the solution of pelvic floor functional problems involves the anatomical surgical restoration of various gynecologic pelvic floor defects and then the corresponding functional restoration, these methods and materials used have exceeded the scope of gynecologic urology and are gradually being used in the international arena. These methods and materials are beyond the scope of gynecologic urology and are gradually being replaced internationally by the names female pelvic medicine and pelvic floor reconstructive surgery.