The specialty of urology has evolved into a less surgical and more cognitive discipline. Indeed, most of what we do in our daily cl- ical practice involves nonoperative patient care. However many of our patients present with, what are perceived as, emergencies. Such emergencies encompass a broad spectrum of diagnoses, ranging from the often mundane hematuria and orchalgia to the more striking renal colic, symptomatic urinary retention, Fournier s gangrene and testicular torsion, to name but a few. Frequently these emergencies require swift but prudent ju- ment in order to achieve a...