Urogynecology, also known as Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery is a subspecialty of Urology and Gynecology. Urogynecology is the specialty of taking care of women with pelvic floor problems.
Urogynecologists have gone through extensive extra training after completion of residency to be specialized in diagnosis and management of female pelvic disorders. The 5 most common pelvic disorders include prolapse, incontenence, overactive bladder, fibroid, endometriosis.
Pelvic disorders such as urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, pelvic pain and overactive bladder are common conditions among women.
Pelvic floor consists of muscles, ligaments and supportive connective tissues that form the structure to support the internal organs including bladder, bowel, vagina, uterus and rectum. The damage to pelvic floor and weakening of tissues in women usually occurs due to trauma from childbirth, pregnancy, strenuous activity, menopause, hysterectomy, pelvic surgery and connective tissue disorders. Even though, pelvic floor disorders are not life threatening situations, they can affect the quality of life of women. These conditions can cause disturbance in social life and personal relationship of affected individuals.
Women with pelvic floor disorders will have better outcome if pelvis is considered as a unit that has complex functions, as oppose to managing the problem with focusing on only one organ.
Anatomical changes that occur with pregnancy, during delivery and with aging can cause difficulty with voiding, defecation, physical activity and sexual function. Urogynecologists have special training in the anatomy and function of the female pelvis and have expertise in diagnosis and management of pelvic floor problems. Therefore, treatments are tailored toward the improvement of the function of the pelvis as a whole unit. The choice of treatment including conservative treatments such as pelvic floor physical therapy, biofeedback, medical therapy, dietary changes, pessary fitting and a variety of surgical treatments are chosen to meet the individual lifestyle and goals of treatment.
Being experts in the field of pelvic medicine and surgery, we not only offer the minimally invasive treatments such as state of the art robotic surgery (da Vinci®) and laparoscopic surgery, we also offer variety of vaginal approach for surgical management. Vaginal surgery can be a minimally invasive and sometimes ideal approach for many women. There are many novel treatments for pelvic floor problems that are not invasive.
The art of Urogynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine is to be able to offer all the treatments available, while more importantly, choosing the best treatment options for each patient. The best treatment could vary for each patient, as there are many factors unique to each individual. Patient’s age, level of physical activity, history of prior surgeries and treatments, sexual activity and ultimately patient’s goals are among the factors that can make one treatment preferable over the others. We will be your advocate to ensure that you completely understand your condition and are fully informed about risks and benefits of each treatment. Early detection and treatment of pelvic floor disorders can improve the prognosis. Our goal is to empower you to understand your condition and treatment options and help you to make the best decision for yourself.