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Florida Urology Center
physicians specialize in treating all urologic conditions. Below is specific information on
various conditions, tests and treatments. We encourage patients to read each section to get a
better understanding of each topic.
Prostate
Cancer
Prostate cancer occurs when the
cells of the prostate begin to grow uncontrollably. When caught and treated early, prostate cancer
has a cure rate of over 90%.
More than 186,000 men in the United States will
be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and each and every one of them will need to make very
personal and individualized decisions about treatment options and diet and lifestyle changes. Most
importantly, each and every one of them will have to find a strong, knowledgeable team of
physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers to help guide him through the process at each
step of the way.
Kidney
Cancer
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped
organs, each about the size of your fist. They're located behind your abdominal organs, one on each
side of your spine. Like other major organs in the body, the kidneys can sometimes develop
cancer.
In adults, the most common type of kidney
cancer is renal cell carcinoma, which begins in the cells that line the small tubes within your
kidneys.
The American Cancer Society estimates that
almost 51,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. The incidence
of kidney cancer seems to be increasing, though it isn't clear why. Many kidney cancers are
detected during procedures for other diseases or conditions. Imaging techniques, such as
computerized tomography (CT), are being used more often, which may help find more kidney
cancers.
Kidney
Stones
Kidney stones, one of the most
painful of the urologic disorders, are not a product of modern life. Scientists have found evidence
of kidney stones in a 7,000-year-old Egyptian mummy. Unfortunately, kidney stones are one of the
most common disorders of the urinary tract. In 2000, patients made 2.7 million visits to health
care providers and more than 600,000 patients went to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems.
Men tend to be affected more frequently than women.
Testicular
Cancer
Testicular cancer occurs in the
testicles (testes), which are located inside the scrotum, a loose bag of skin underneath the penis.
The testicles produce male sex hormones and sperm for reproduction.
Compared with other types of cancer, testicular
cancer is rare. But testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American males between the ages
of 15 and 34. The cause of testicular cancer is unknown.
Testicular cancer is highly treatable, even
when cancer has spread beyond the testicle. Depending on the type and stage of testicular cancer,
you may receive one of several treatments, or a combination. Regular testicular self-examinations
can help identify growths early, when the chance for successful treatment of testicular cancer is
highest.
Bladder
Cancer
Bladder cancer forms in tissues of
the bladder (the organ that stores urine). Most bladder cancers are transitional cell carcinomas
(cancer that begins in cells that normally make up the inner lining of the bladder). Other types
include squamous cell carcinoma (cancer that begins in thin, flat cells) and adenocarcinoma (cancer
that begins in cells that make and release mucus and other fluids). The cells that form squamous
cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma develop in the inner lining of the bladder as a result of chronic
irritation and inflammation.
Prostatitis
Prostatitis is inflammation or infection of the prostate gland. The
prostate gland produces semen, the fluid that helps nourish and transport sperm. Prostatitis can
cause a variety of symptoms, including a frequent and urgent need to urinate and pain or burning
when urinating — often accompanied by pelvic, groin or low back pain.
BPH
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an enlarged prostate gland. Symptoms
include trouble with urination, a weak urine stream, and not feeling empty after urination.
Treatments include lifestyle changes, medicine, and surgery.
Urinary
Incontinence
Urinary incontinence — the loss of bladder control — is a common and
often embarrassing problem. The severity of urinary incontinence ranges from occasionally leaking
urine when you cough or sneeze to having sudden, unpredictable episodes of strong urinary urgency.
Sometimes, the urgency may be so strong you don't get to the bathroom in time.
Although urinary incontinence affects millions
of people, it isn't a normal part of aging or, in women, an inevitable consequence of childbirth or
changes after menopause. It's a medical condition with many possible causes, some relatively simple
and self-limited and others more complex.
If you're having enough trouble with bladder
control that it affects your day-to-day activities, don't hesitate to see your doctor. In many
situations, urinary incontinence can be stopped. Even if the condition can't be completely
eliminated, modern products and ways of managing urinary incontinence can ease your discomfort and
inconvenience.
Erectile
Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability of a man to maintain a
firm erection long enough to have sex. Although erectile dysfunction is more common in older men,
this common problem can occur at any age. Having trouble maintaining an erection from time to time
isn't necessarily a cause for concern. But if the problem is ongoing, it can cause stress and
relationship problems and affect self-esteem.
Formerly called impotence, erectile dysfunction
was once a taboo subject. It was considered a psychological issue or a natural consequence of
growing older. These attitudes have changed in recent years. It's now known that erectile
dysfunction is more often caused by physical problems than by psychological ones, and that many men
have normal erections into their 80s.
Although it can be embarrassing to talk with
your doctor about sexual issues, seeking help for erectile dysfunction can be worth the effort.
Erectile dysfunction treatments ranging from medications to surgery can help restore sexual
function for most men. Sometimes erectile dysfunction is caused by an underlying condition such as
heart disease. So it's important to take erectile trouble seriously because it can be a sign of a
more serious health problem.
Vasectomy
Reversal
Of the half a million men who have a vasectomy each year, 2 percent
to 6 percent of them — 10,000 to 30,000 men — later decide to have the vasectomy reversed. This
surgery reconnects the ducts that carry sperm from the testicles into the semen. After successful
vasectomy reversal, sperm are present in your semen again and you may be able to get your partner
pregnant.
Men decide to have the surgery to restore
fertility for a number of reasons, including loss of a child, remarriage or improved finances. A
small number of men have a vasectomy reversal to treat testicular pain.
Vasectomy
A vasectomy is considered a permanent method of birth control. A
vasectomy prevents the release of sperm when a man ejaculates. During a vasectomy, the vas deferens
from each testicle is clamped, cut, or otherwise sealed. This prevents sperm from mixing with the
semen that is ejaculated from the penis. An egg cannot be fertilized when there are no sperm in the
semen. The testicles continue to produce sperm, but the sperm are reabsorbed by the body. (This
also happens to sperm that are not ejaculated after a while, regardless of whether you have had a
vasectomy.) Because the tubes are blocked before the seminal vesicles and prostate, you still
ejaculate about the same amount of fluid.
Female
Urology
The subspecialty of female urology is concerned with the diagnosis
and treatment of those urinary tract disorders most prevalent in females. These include urinary
incontinence and pelvic floor prolapse, voiding dysfunction, recurrent urinary tract infection,
urethral syndrome and interstitial cystitis. Expert evaluation of these conditions includes a
complete history and physical exam. Urodynamics (bladder function test) and imaging studies may be
required to fully evaluate the urinary tracts. Additional bladder studies such as cystoscopy may be
necessary.
Interstitial
Cystitis
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a condition that results in recurring
discomfort or pain in the bladder and the surrounding pelvic region. The symptoms vary from case to
case and even in the same individual. People may experience mild discomfort, pressure, tenderness,
or intense pain in the bladder and pelvic area. Symptoms may include an urgent need to urinate, a
frequent need to urinate, or a combination of these symptoms. Pain may change in intensity as the
bladder fills with urine or as it empties. Women’s symptoms often get worse during menstruation.
They may sometimes experience pain during vaginal intercourse.
Because IC varies so much in symptoms and
severity, most researchers believe it is not one, but several diseases. In recent years, scientists
have started to use the term painful bladder syndrome (PBS) to describe cases with painful urinary
symptoms that may not meet the strictest definition of IC. The term IC/PBS includes all cases of
urinary pain that can’t be attributed to other causes, such as infection or urinary stones. The
term interstitial cystitis, or IC, is used alone when describing cases that meet all of the IC
criteria established by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases.
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