The experts at St. Luke's Urology Center can help diagnose and treat urinary problems.  Incontinence, the loss of bladder control, and urinary retention, the inability to pass urine, are common problems which have many causes.  We can help identify the cause - the first step toward treatment.



Urinary Incontinence
Incontinence - the loss of bladder control - affects one in 25 American men and women.  Although there are several types of incontinence, the most common are urge and stress incontinence.

• Urge incontinence involves a strong desire to urinate and an inability to wait for a restroom.
• Stress incontinence is the leakage of urine upon sneezing, coughing, laughing or doing anything that causes abdominal pressure on the bladder.

The causes of incontinence are numerous: bladder infections, previous surgeries, estrogen deficiencies, pelvic muscle  weakening, pregnancy, or an underlying condition such as obesity, diabetes or neurologic disorders.  Incontinence can effect people of all ages, both male and female.  It's not a natural part of growing old; it's a medical condition with treatment options which allow people to return to active lives.

Urinary Retention
Urinary retention is the inability to pass urine.  There are many causes for urinary retention, including: prostate problems, previous surgery, pelvic floor weakness, medication, bladder cancer, and bladder infections as well as other conditions such as diabetes or other neurologic conditions.

Urology Studies
Due to the variety of causes and the array of treatment options, proper diagnosis is critical.  Many urology studies are used to evaluate the lower urinary tract, including the bladder and urethra.  This may consist of one or more of the following:

• Cystometrogram (CMG)
• Leak Point Pressure (LPP)
• Urethral Pressure Profile (UPP)
• Voiding Pressure Flow
• Intra-abdominal Pressure Flow
• Ultrasonic Bladder Scan
• Fill Pull Flow (FPF)
• Electromyography (EMG)
• Video Urodynamics with Flouroscopy
• Cystoscopy Prodedures