Surgical Treatment Options

Did you know that of the 25 million adults suffering from some sort of urinary incontinence, 75-80% of those are women. Or that 1 in 11 women are at risk of pelvic organ prolapse? If you’re suffering from these conditions, you are in the right place!

Dr. Furr and his team are dedicated to the treatment of women with pelvic floor disorders like:

• Prolapse (bulging or falling) of the vagina, bladder and/or the uterus
• Urinary incontinence
• Painful bladder conditions
• Fecal incontinence, fecal urgency & constipation

Not all cases of incontinence are the same. There are two very common types of incontinence.

• Stress Incontinence is caused by pressure on the pelvic floor muscles and related tissues. This could be a physical/external pressure, or it could be a sudden pressure caused by your own body (sneezing, laughing, etc.). Pregnancy and childbirth can also cause stress incontinence. 
• Urge Incontinence (also known as overactive bladder syndrome – OAB) refers to an urge to urinate. Patients with this type of incontinence may feel like they need to go to the bathroom even when the bladder is not filled at capacity. Urge incontinence may be caused by damage to the muscles or nervous system. Bladder stones and infections can exacerbate the symptoms of urge incontinence.

There are other forms of urinary incontinence in addition to the two described above. Some women may have both stress and urge incontinence.

Treatment Options

Both incontinence and pelvic floor disorders (which can cause incontinence) should be discussed with your doctor. There are several therapies available such as

• Behavioral therapies focus on changing lifestyle and habits so that the symptoms of incontinence are minimized,
• Bladder training and learning to better manage diet and fluid intake can significantly improve symptoms,
• Kegel exercises , which can be done anywhere and anytime, can strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, thereby reducing symptoms

If more conservative treatments fail to provide relief, the next step may in surgery. There are several surgical procedures available to patients with urinary incontinence:

• A sling procedure uses the body’s own tissues or a synthetic mesh to create a bladder sling that supports the urethra and prevents bladder leakage.
• Prolapse surgery may be used in women who have pelvic organ prolapse. In combination with a sling procedure, prolapse surgery can restore proper bladder function.
• Bladder neck suspension is done to support the urethra and bladder neck.

If you experience any symptoms of incontinence, talk to your doctor, as diagnosis and treatment options are available.