Our department was inaugurated in 1943 at Osaka City Medical College as the Department of Dermato-Urology. In 1963, Emeritus Professor Mineo Taemura separated from the Department of Dermato-Urology to assume the post of first president of the Urology Department. Emeritus Professor Masanobu Maekawa became the second president in 1973, followed by Emeritus Professor Taketoshi Kishimoto as the third president in 1992.
In 2003, the incumbent Professor Tatsuya Nakatani, became the fourth president.

Treatments of urological malignancies and renal failure are considered major pillars of Urology practice. Since its inception our department has been focusing on the treatment of urological malignancies while encouraging treatment of renal failure by performing kidney transplantation (cadaveric and living) and dialysis therapy (peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis).

We introduced robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci surgical system for the management of urological malignancies, and we have been performing radical prostatectomies to treat patients presenting with prostate cancer and partial nephrectomies to treat patients presenting with T1a/b kidney cancer. We have been performing more than 100 total robotic-assisted surgeries annually. Patients presenting with T2-3 kidney cancer and those undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer are usually treated laparoscopically. Recently, we have introduced laparoscopic surgery for the management of T3c kidney cancer with a level 2 inferior vena caval tumor thrombus. We have participated in more than 20 global clinical trials for kidney cancer, urothelial carcinoma, and prostate cancer to evaluate the role of drug therapy in the management of urological malignancies. Additionally, 3 doctor-initiated prospective randomized clinical trials investigating prostate cancer (NCT 02346578, NCT 03305224, and UMIN000022547) are underway. Moreover, we have been performing permanent seed brachytherapy for the treatment of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of patients diagnosed with interstitial cystitis.

With respect to the treatment of renal failure, we have been performing both, cadaveric and living kidney transplantation. Additionally, we have been actively involved in managing high-risk cases (ABO blood type incompatible transplantation cases, kidney transplantation in elderly patients, and pre-existing antibody positive kidney transplantation). To date, our department has gained valuable and extensive experience with performing over 300 renal transplantation operations, and since 2001 we have achieved a 5-year graft survival rate of 100% in cases of living body kidney transplantation. With respect to dialysis therapy, we create and maintain vascular access, which can be regarded as the lifeline in patients undergoing dialysis, and we also perform placement of peritoneal dialysis catheters. Furthermore, we have been providing surgical treatment for the management of secondary hyperparathyroidism, dialysis-related amyloidosis, carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger, which are complications occurring in those undergoing long-term dialysis.