‘EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR PAEDIATRIC UROLOGY (ESPU)

INCORPORATING

EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR PAEDIATRIC UROLOGY NURSES (ESPUN)

XV.th ANNUAL CONGRESS, 21ST – 24TH APRIL 2004
REGENSBURG, GERMANY

April 2004 has seen the hosting of the 15th Annual Meeting of the ESPU / ESPUN in the beautiful and tranquil Bavarian city of Regensburg, Germany, situated on the picturesque River Danube.
This year’s congress returned to its former ‘small and cosy’ status after the huge and overwhelming joint meeting with the EAU in Madrid in 2003.

The congress was attended by a wealth of delegates, health care professionals and distinguished speakers from throughout Europe and beyond and for the first time the meeting was organised in co-operation between Paediatric Urologists and Paediatric Surgeons.

This year has again seen an increase in the number of nurse members attending congress and joining the ESPUN, a growing and influential body of nurses and urotherapists working together to enhance the care given to children and their families affected by a variety of urological conditions.

The President of the ESPUN, Sue Keeble from London, as always excelled herself in the time and effort with which she dedicated to the organisation of the nurse’s congress. Sue’s commitment to the group is a credit to her and all her effort and hard work is reflected in the quality, efficient running and consistently high standards which she strives to maintain and are so apparent on the nursing days.

The group’s aims, objectives and philosophy were again reviewed and Sue gave an update of the past year’s developments within the group, officially affiliated with the ESPU since 1997 and being held to same articles and bye-laws.

This year’s congress ran over three days with presentations, poster and video demonstrations being presented by an abundance of urology specialists.

A meeting of the ESPU nurse board members was held prior to the congress to discuss the status of the group to date. The meeting maintained it’s high scientific standards and lively, topical discussions. Main topics this year focussed on exstrophy-epispadias complex, basic science in paediatric urology, kidney transplantation and anaesthesia in paediatric urology. The main topics were supported by ‘state of the art’ lectures given by internationally recognised experts.

The nurses’ meeting was scheduled on the first day of congress, the day being given over to nurse presentations, including poster and video presentations. The presentations addressed nursing and clinical issues, new techniques and research and innovations in the field of paediatric urology.

The nurses’ general assembly followed the scientific meeting.

The high regard for, and the recognition of the skills of specialist trained paediatric urology nurses was again reflected in the fact that nursing papers were accepted for presentation in the main medical forum.
Medical staff, enforcing the high esteem in which the doctors hold the nurse presentations again attended the nurses’ scientific meeting.

The Astra Tech sponsored language course was held for the fifth consecutive year, on the day prior to the opening of congress. The course is aimed primarily at nurses who have a limited command of the English language, who want to improve their English language skills in order to be able to participate more actively at congress. The course benefits the attendees by giving them more confidence in presenting their abstracts in English, which can be a daunting proposition if English is not your first language. The ESPUN language course was well attended, the feedback was positive and it is a day that the members intend to continue with prior to the ESPU congress in future.

CONGRESS FORMAT

DAY 1 ESPU SESSION
Topics covered:

• Vesicoureteral Reflux
• Obstruction and Hydronephrosis
• Lower Urinary Tract
• Imaging
• Endourology / Laparoscopy
• Neuropathic Bladder
• Posterior Urethral Valves

DAY 2 ESPU SESSION
Topics covered:

• Exstrophy 1
• Exstrophy 2
• Exstrophy 3
• Intersex
• Testis
• Renal Transplantation

DAY 3 ESPU SESSION
Topics covered:

• Hypospadias
• Pain management
• Dysfunctional Voiding and Incontinence
• Oncology
• Augmentation / Diversion
• Stones

As in previous years the format was extensive with hundreds of abstracts being submitted for presentation along with poster and video presentations. A comprehensive book of the abstracts submitted relating to the issues addressed both in the nurses’ and the medical scientific meeting was supplied with the registration packs.

NURSE SCIENTIFIC MEETING

The nurses’ meeting this year ran over the first official day of congress and covered the following aspects of paediatric urology:

DAY 1 ESPUN SESSION
Topics covered:

• Can outpatient clinic bladder training replace expensive in-patient training?
• Follow-up in the Utrecht flow study: correcting treatment failure
• Try-out training as a diagnostic tool for structural urinary incontinence
• Well done and go on!: cognitive bladder training: parents as supporters
• A new treatment with macrogol 3350 with electrolytes (movicol) of children with encopresis and constipation
• Pelvic floor stimulation in the treatment of detrusor instability in children
• The role of urethral catheterisation on uroflowmetry finding in children
• New developments and applications of Paediatric disposables, catheters, incontinence and urostomy materials
• Bladder function in healthy children, 0-6 yrs
• School toilets a problem for European children
• Intermittent catheterisation in schools: a collaborative agreement
• Development of a pre-admission clinic in paediatric urology
• The young persons nephro-urological clinic. Working together the way forward
• Development of the urology nurse specialist clinic
• Refluxing-primary obstructive megaureter: diagnostic and therapeutic approach in 20 neonatal cases
• Lower urinary tract symptoms after renal transplantation in children
• Developing a hypospadias nursing service: improving the patient journey
• A preliminary evaluation of a new surgical technique to achieve voiding continence in children with classic bladder exstrophy
• My book. A book for children/young adults born with bladder exstrophy
• 'My bladder and me’. A new information video for children about to undergo augmentation

The nurses’ General Assembly followed hereafter discussing the group’s status within ESPU, membership details, the objectives of the group and the future composition of the board. The minutes of the nurses’ Annual General Meeting are enclosed with this mailing.
It was agreed that the membership fees remain at 24 Euros with funds going towards the cost of administration, language services at congress and the funding or part funding of nurses who have abstracts submitted for presentation but who are unable to attend because of lack of funding or financial backing. ESPUN Board Members may also if required apply for funding towards the cost of attendance at congress and board meetings.
Susan Keeble from London, in her role as President to the Nurses’ Board, hosted the nurses’ meeting and all her hard work and dedication to the group leading up to congress was greatly appreciated and reflected in the success of the day.
The ESPU web site continues and any ideas for the nurse corner or the clinical case discussions relating to the concepts/techniques/issues in the field of paediatric urology are always extremely welcome.

If anyone wishes to discuss any aspect of the group or would like more information about membership, please do not hesitate to contact Sue or myself for an update on developments relating to these issues.

The meeting in 2005 will be in Uppsala, Sweden 15th – 18th June.
Looking forward to seeing you all there.
With very best wishes

Craig Taylor

MR CRAIG R TAYLOR
CHARGE NURSE
PAEDIATRIC SURGICAL / UROLOGY OUTREACH NURSE
SECRETARY / UK BOARD MEMBER ESPUN