Urogynecology &
Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery
Improving Quality of Life for Women of All Ages
Treatment for incontinence and other disorders of the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor
If you are a woman living with urinary incontinence, interstitial cystitis, chronic pelvic pain, pelvic organ prolapse or any other disorder of the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor, take comfort in this fact: You are not alone. Disorders of this kind affect women of all ages, particularly after childbirth. Left untreated, they can become a constant source of discomfort and pain.
It’s time to feel like you again.
With help from our team, these difficult medical issues can be successfully managed, and even cured. We offer a broad range of treatments, from simple diet and exercise regimens to minimally invasive surgical procedures, all designed to help women overcome their urinary and pelvic disorders permanently.
It’s important to learn about your options; if you are a woman suffering with a disorder of the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor, expert help is available at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center. During your initial consultation, you will have a complete physical evaluation then we will discuss your treatment options with you. Together you can decide on your best course of therapy.
What Is Urogynecology?
Urogynecology is a specialty field of medicine dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor. Physicians who practice this specialty are obstetrician/gynecologists who have completed further medical training through a fellowship in urogynecology, where they are taught to treat conditions including:
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Urinary incontinence, such as:
- Stress incontinence, when urine leakage is experienced while coughing, sneezing, laughing or performing strenuous activity. Stress incontinence often occurs in younger women and can result from childbirth and some surgeries that weaken the pelvic floor.
- Urge incontinence, when a woman feels as if she can’t reach the bathroom fast enough. Urge incontinence can be caused by infection in the bladder or urethra, or by major conditions like stroke and diseases of the nervous system.
- Mixed incontinence, when a woman experiences both stress and urge incontinence.
- Frequency and urgency of urination
- Interstitial cystitis, a chronic, painful inflammatory condition of the bladder wall
- Overactive bladder
- Recurrent urinary tract infection
- Pelvic organ prolapse, where muscle and tissues holding pelvic organs in place are stretched or weakened during childbirth, causing organs to move from their natural positions. Prolapse can affect the bladder, rectum, small bowel, uterus and vagina (after hysterectomy).
- Chronic pelvic pain
- Fecal incontinence or uncontrolled leakage of liquid or solid stools.
- Sexual dysfunction
These problems can affect virtually any woman at any stage of her adult life.
Treatment & Techniques to Help Restore Your Quality of Life
Incontinence and pelvic dysfunction are not normal consequences of aging. But rather than seeking treatment, many women keep their symptoms a secret, even when those symptoms begin to interfere with normal activities like going to work or taking long trips.
If your symptoms are beginning to affect your quality of life, it may be time to take action. There are a variety of treatment techniques that range from behavior modification to the use of specially designed medical devices and minimally invasive surgical procedures, including:
- Biofeedback, a self-training technique in which the patient consciously controls a body function that normally is automatically regulated by the body.
- Diet and exercise regimens
- Pelvic reconstructive surgery and TVT sling urethropexy
- Interstim sacral nerve stimulation (bladder pacemaker), an FDA-approved, implantable device that regulates the bladder.
- Advance laparoscopic procedures including minimally invasive laparoscopic uterine suspension, vaginal vault suspension, supracervical hysterectomy, laparoscopic assisted vaginal hysterectomy
- Robotic-assisted sacral colpopexy using the da Vinci® Surgical System
Many patients do well with conservative management and do not need surgery. For those who do, our team is trained to perform minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic-assisted surgical procedures that leave minimal scarring, are less painful, and can often be performed on a same-day basis.