The history of Paediatric Urology in Czech Republic.

Radim Kocvara
Prague, Czech Republic

The roots of paediatric urology in the Czech lands may be recognized since the second half of the 19th century. In 1892, prof. Maydl from Praha implanted the trigone of the exstrophied bladder into the sigmoid colon, some of his patients were followed-up more than 50 years after the operation, the method is still being cited in the literature. In 1894, prof. Kukula published an extensive monograph "About the lithiasis of the urinary bladder in Bohemia" that concerned young boys. In 1923, dr. Chocholka proposed a new method for hypospadias repair, that was modified by Marion later on, and in 1931, prof. Petrivalský from Brno modified orchiopexis operation using subdartos scrotal pouch. In 1951, prof. Bedrna from Hradec Králové published a monograph "Paediatric urology", that was fairly unique in this time and was translated into Polish. Prof. Kucera proposed original modification of the flap pyeloplasty (1968). When children hospitals were founded, some paediatric surgeons started practising paediatric urology (prof. Kafka junior, Dr.Faflová, prof. Stefan, prof. Krolupper). The hypospadias and epispadias repairs were successfully performed by plastic surgeons, prof. Burian, prof. Karfík, and Dr. Farkaš who published an outstanding monograph "Hypospadias" in English in 1967. In the same year, desmopressin was synthesized by Zaoral and co-workers in our country and has become widespread used in the treatment of nocturnal enuresis all over the world. Czechoslovakia was the first country in Europe where paediatric urology was recognized as a certified subspecialty of urology (in 1981) thanks to the support of leading urologists prof. Hradec, prof. Kucera and Slovak prof. Zvara. Thereafter, eight paediatric urology centres have been created in the Czech Republic starting a new era, the most important personalities of this foundation process were prof. Dvorácek and prof. Krolupper from Praha, prof. Stefan from Hradec Králové and prof. Utíkalová from Olomouc.
Since 1991, meetings of the Paediatric section of the Czech Urological Society are being held annually.