Urologists Are No Longer the Primary Surgeons for Several Urologic Operations: A National Survey Among the Turkish Urologists

Objective: To investigate the role, interest, and competence of the Turkish urologists for urologic surgeries which are also performed by the other surgeons. Materials and Methods: We conducted a 22-item online survey and invited urologists by e-mail. Questions were asked to evaluate the attitudes, performances, and capabilities of the urologists in surgeries which could be performed by the other surgeons. Results: A total of 305 responses were evaluated. The female incontinence surgery, pediatric urologic surgery, and adrenal surgery are mostly performed by the urologists in their hospitals. Turkish urologists mostly do not perform the following surgeries and interventions themselves and refer patients to the other surgeons for a percutaneous nephrostomy (47.2%), urinary diversions using the intestinal segments (44.9%), kidney transplantation (11.8%), and the transgender surgeries (7.2%). Almost half of the urologists do not perform adrenal surgeries (50.2%). Most urologists agree that they should be the main surgeons for all these surgeries. Conclusion: Urologists are no longer the main surgeons for some surgeries which are included on the urologic curriculum. Many urologists avoid performing the major urologic surgeries. Urology educators should familiarize the new urologists with all the urologic surgeries.