Urinary incontinence or the loss of urine is, of course, a big part of the urologist's practice. We see many patients, particularly women, who have problems with urinary control with either leakage of urine with laughing or sneezing or the inability to hold urine because of change in the nerves to the bladder. In the past, these problems nearly always required surgical intervention. However, once again new techniques and pew therapies allow us to evaluate the patient as an outpatient and more importantly, treat them as an outpatient with various medications and minimally invasive surgical techniques. The minimally invasive surgical techniques allow us to correct the underlying problem of often droppage of the bladder and as such, correct the problem quickly. More importantly, new techniques such as biofeedback or pelvic floor stimulation allow us to monitor the patient's activity by having them squeeze the pelvic floor muscles and do physical therapy of those muscles to allow much more control of the urinary process. As we stated, new medications allow better control of leakage problems and as such, allow us to correct them without resorting to surgery.

Surgery

However, if surgery is necessary, the techniques have changed also. We now do minimally invasive surgical techniques where, through a telescope and a small, incision in the abdomen and the vaginal area allow us to place sutures to correct the, bladder problem and allow the patient to go home that night or the next day. The results are excellent with over 90% of patients getting good control of the urinary habit, without needing long term hospitalization or big surgical correction. Out patients are pleased that they can get out of their diapers and get back to leading a normal lifestyle without having the risk of serious medical complications.,

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Willis & Melograna M.D. P.C.
7801 Belle Point Drive
Greenbelt, MD. 20770
Phone: (301) 474-3636
Fax: (301) 513-5087
E-mail: wm-eurology@verizon.net