Urology

Our urologists provide expertise and surgical treatment for urinary disorders of the male and female urinary tracts, as well as conditions of the male genital tract or reproductive system.

Our urology specialists work closely with patients to develop individualized treatment plans that include both medical and surgical approaches to a wide range of urological problems. Specialists also give our patients the most complete care available, which allows for the best possible outcomes.

Common Procedures Include:

• Cystoscopy
• Kidney stones
• Circumcisions
• Vasectomies
• Laser procedures
• Minor prostate procedures

Educational Information:

LOW TESTOSTERONE

LOW TESTOSTERONE, OFTEN CALLED “LOW T,” IS ESTIMATED TO AFFECT MORE THAN 12 MILLION MEN IN THE UNITED STATES.

LOW TESTOSTERONE IS TRIGGERED BY A COMMUNICATION PROBLEM BETWEEN THE TESTES AND THE BRAIN CAUSING TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION TO FALL BELOW NORMAL LEVELS. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, PATIENTS OFTEN EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS SUCH AS REDUCED SEX DRIVE, DEPRESSED MOOD, DECREASED ENERGY, AND ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION. LOW T IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH AGING; HOWEVER, IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE A UROLOGICAL EVALUATION TO DETERMINE IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER UNDERLYING DISEASES THAT MAY BE CAUSING THIS CONDITION TO OCCUR.

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED)

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION (ED) IS ESTIMATED TO AFFECT NEARLY 30 MILLION MEN IN THE UNITED STATES AND IS ALSO ONE OF THE COMMONLY TREATED CONDITIONS AT SURGICAL ELITE OF AVONDALE. ED IS SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION CHARACTERIZED BY THE INABILITY TO DEVELOP OR MAINTAIN AN ERECTION OF THE PENIS DURING SEXUAL PERFORMANCE. COMMON CAUSES OF ED CAN INCLUDE AGE, OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS DIABETES, HEART DISEASE OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, MEDICATIONS, AND LOW TESTOSTERONE.

INCONTINENCE

MORE THAN 13 MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, BOTH MALES AND FEMALES, EXPERIENCE INCONTINENCE, ESPECIALLY AMONG OLDER ADULTS.

FEMALE INCONTINENCE

WOMEN EXPERIENCE INCONTINENCE TWICE AS OFTEN AS MEN. PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH, MENOPAUSE, AND THE STRUCTURE OF THE FEMALE URINARY TRACT ACCOUNT FOR THIS DIFFERENCE. THERE ARE TWO MAIN KINDS OF URINARY INCONTINENCE. SOME WOMEN-ESPECIALLY OLDER WOMEN-HAVE BOTH.

STRESS INCONTINENCE

OCCURS WHEN YOU SNEEZE, COUGH, LAUGH, JOG, OR DO OTHER THINGS THAT PUT PRESSURE ON YOUR BLADDER. THIS TYPE OF BLADDER CONTROL PROBLEM HAPPENS IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN.

URGE INCONTINENCE

HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A STRONG NEED TO URINATE BUT CAN’T REACH THE TOILET IN TIME. THIS CAN HAPPEN EVEN WHEN YOUR BLADDER IS HOLDING ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF URINE.

MALE INCONTINENCE

OVER 2 MILLION MEN SUFFER FROM INCONTINENCE. IT IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT MEN ARE RELUCTANT TO DISCUSS WITH OTHERS. FOR MEN, URINARY INCONTINENCE OFTEN IS RELATED TO A MEDICAL PROBLEM OR A TREATMENT INVOLVING:

• THE PROSTATE GLAND
• ENLARGEMENT (BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA, BPH)
• PROSTATE REMOVAL DUE TO CANCER

THE TYPES OF MALE INCONTINENCE INCLUDE:

• STRESS INCONTINENCE OCCURS WHEN YOU SNEEZE, COUGH, LAUGH, JOG, OR DO OTHER THINGS THAT PUT PRESSURE ON YOUR BLADDER. THIS IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF INCONTINENCE POST-PROSTATE CANCER.
• URGE INCONTINENCE HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A STRONG NEED TO URINATE BUT CAN’T REACH THE TOILET IN TIME. THIS CAN HAPPEN EVEN WHEN YOUR BLADDER IS HOLDING ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF URINE.
• OVERFLOW INCONTINENCE IS WHEN THE BLADDER DOES NOT EMPTY PROPERLY. THIS CAN BE DUE TO OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS AN ENLARGED PROSTATE OR A NARROWING OF THE URETHRA.

ENLARGED PROSTATE/BPH

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 50% OF MEN IN THEIR 60S AND NEARLY 90% IN THEIR 70S OR OLDER EXPERIENCE SYMPTOMS OF AN ENLARGED PROSTATE OR BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH). BPH SYMPTOMS OFTEN INCLUDE FREQUENT URINATION, INCOMPLETE EMPTYING OF THE BLADDER, A WEAK URINE STREAM OR DIFFICULTY STARTING URINATION AND NIGHTTIME URINATION.

PROSTATE CANCER

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT EACH YEAR 230,000 MEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER. PROSTATE CANCER CAN HAVE A HIGH CURE RATE IF CAUGHT EARLY AND IS WHY SURGICAL ELITE OF AVONDALE RECOMMENDS REGULAR PROSTATE SCREENINGS.

PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT MAY RANGE FROM SURGICAL REMOVAL, RADIATION, HORMONAL THERAPY, OR CRYOTHERAPY.

KIDNEY HEALTH

ACCORDING TO STATISTICS, KIDNEY CONDITIONS SUCH AS INFLAMMATION, KIDNEY STONES, CANCER, KIDNEY AND BLADDER INFECTIONS, AS WELL AS CYSTITIS, AFFECT MILLIONS OF AMERICANS EVERY YEAR.

THE KIDNEYS ARE IMPORTANT TO YOUR OVERALL HEALTH BECAUSE, IN ADDITION TO FILTERING THE BLOOD FROM TOXINS AND OTHER WASTE PRODUCTS, THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REGULATING AND MAINTAINING THE CONCENTRATION AND VOLUME OF BLOOD IN THE BODY.

COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT COULD SIGNAL KIDNEY ISSUES MAY INCLUDE:

• HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
• SWELLING
• URINARY TRACT INFECTION SYMPTOMS
• BLADDER AND/OR KIDNEY PAIN