Female Pelvic Medicine & Surgery Center Treats Wide Variety of Pelvic Floor Conditions

Conditions treated at University Hospitals Urology Institute’s Female Pelvic Medicine & Surgery Center include:

Pelvic organ prolapse: a condition in which weakened pelvic muscles can no longer support pelvic organs, causing them to fall out of place. This can lead to several of the following

  • Cystocele (fallen bladder): the dropping of the bladder toward the vagina
  • Urethrocele: the urethra falls out of place, pushing against the front wall of the vagina
  • Uterine prolapse: the dropping of the uterus into the vagina
  • Vaginal vault prolapse: the top of the vagina falls in on itself following the removal of the uterus
  • Enterocele: part of the small intestine falls down toward the back wall of the vagina
  • Rectocele: the end of the large intestine loses support and bulges into the back wall of the vagina

Urinary incontinence: the loss of bladder control, including:

  • Stress incontinence: the leaking of urine when exercising, laughing or coughing
  • Urge incontinence: the loss of bladder control or leaking following a strong urge to urinate

Urinary retention: the inability to empty the bladder completely

Neurogenic bladder: bladder malfunction due to nerve damage, which hinders the ability to urinate

Fecal incontinence: the loss of bowel control

Pelvic pain: chronic pain that develops in the pelvic cavity and lasts more than six months

Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome): a chronic bladder condition that can result in severe pain, even in the absence of infection or another medical condition

Recurrent bladder infections: can stem from the use of catheters to void urine or the presence of an obstruction in the urinary tract

Urethral diverticulum: the formation of pouches along the urethra that fill with urine, causing pain and infection

Complex problems:

  • Fistulas: an opening between the wall of the vagina and the wall of the bladder or rectum, which can cause urine or feces to leak

Congenital abnormalities

Female pelvic health problems can affect women of all ages, but are most common in women who have given birth or are going through menopause.

Specialized Care for Effective Treatment

Care within the Female Pelvic Medicine & Surgery Center is highly individualized. Physicians and surgeons come together to discuss the most effective treatment options, taking into account a patient’s age, medical history, lifestyle, previous surgeries and the severity of her condition.

Treatment options can include lifestyle changes and physical therapy. Physicians may also use simple medical devices or complex surgical procedures to repair the most delicate tissues.