Urology
Services We Provide
Urology is the medical specialty that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the male and female urinary system and the male reproductive organs. A urologist treats problems of the kidneys, adrenal glands, urinary bladder and male reproductive organs. Because the urinary and reproductive tracts are anatomically linked, problems with one tract often affect the other. Some of the most common urologic conditions we treat include:
- Male Sexual Dysfunction and Infertility
- Common Bladder Conditions
- Bladder Cancer
- Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatment
- Kidney Stones
- Prostate Cancer
- Urinary Tract Infection
To learn more about our urology services, contact us at 641-494-5280.
Male Sexual Dysfunction and Infertility
Our expert urology team offers leading-edge treatments for men who are experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED) and infertility. ED affects men of all ages but most commonly after age 40.
ED, or impotence, is the inability to get and keep an erection hard enough for sex. Having occasional erection trouble isn’t necessarily a cause for worry. But when erectile dysfunction is an ongoing problem, it causes stress and relationship problems and hurts your self-confidence. Problems achieving or maintaining an erection can be signs of some underlying health condition that requires treatment. It is also a risk factor for heart disease.
Learn more about Male Sexual Dysfunction and Infertility
Common Bladder Conditions
The kidneys filter waste products out of the bloodstream and make urine, which drains into the bladder. When the bladder fills, nerves send a message to the brain and you feel an urge to urinate. Sphincters and pelvic floor muscles keep urine inside the bladder until you reach a toilet. When you urinate, these muscles relax, the main bladder muscle contracts and urine leaves the body through the urethra.
Certain diseases, medications, infections, chronic behaviors or other factors such as vaginal delivery and menopause can disrupt this process resulting in the loss of control when one urinates. This group of conditions is called urinary incontinence (UI). The most common forms of UI are:
- Stress Incontinence – Leakage of urine during an activity, such as playing sports, laughing or lifting. Abdominal pressure forces the urethra open.
- Urge Incontinence, also known as Overactive Bladder (OAB) – Leakage occurs after a sudden urge to urinate. Urine is squeezed out of the bladder before it has filled, too frequently and/or at inappropriate times.
- Overflow Incontinence – Leakage of urine when the bladder fills beyond capacity.
- Functional Incontinence – A person cannot reach a toilet in time because of one or more physical problem, such as injury or arthritis.
- Mixed Incontinence – A person experiences symptoms from more than one type of incontinence.
- Incontinence – The kidneys filter waste products out of the bloodstream to create urine, which drains into the bladder. When the bladder fills, nerves send a message to the brain, so you feel an urge to urinate. Sphincters and pelvic floor muscles keep urine inside the bladder until you reach a toilet. When you urinate, these muscles relax, the main bladder muscle contracts and urine leaves the body through the urethra. If this process is disrupted, such as from a condition or medication, a person can lose control of his/her bladder. This is called urinary incontinence (UI).
Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer is a chronic disease that affects the bladder, the organ that stores urine. Tumors can form when the body creates new cells that aren’t needed or when old cells don’t die when they’re supposed to. The tumor may be cancerous or benign. Cancerous cells may develop on the inner lining of the bladder wall. This is referred to as superficial bladder cancer. If the cancer spreads through the lining, it becomes invasive cancer.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatment
The prostate is a gland that is only found in men. It is located just below the bladder surrounding the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to the penis. Some men over the age of 50 have an enlarged prostate. One of the reasons for an enlarged prostate is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is not a form of prostate cancer and does not lead to prostate cancer. For some men with BPH, the enlarged prostate puts pressure on the urethra.
Learn more about BPH treatments & view our seminar
Download the form to find out your Prostate Symptom Score.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are a common but painful urinary tract disorder that affects over 3 million people in the United States each year. A kidney stone is a hardened mass of mineral and acid salts that separates from the urine and travels through the urinary tract. The urine normally dilutes and dissolves these substances, but when the composition of urine is unbalanced, crystallized kidney stones can form.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men, affecting one out of every six men in the US. This disease affects the prostate, the golf ball-sized gland located under the bladder and in front of the rectum. This gland helps produce semen and allows for sperm to move more effectively, along with several other functions. Although this disease can be life-threatening and is a scary diagnosis to receive, many cases of prostate cancer spread slowly and may only require minimal treatment. When confined to the prostate gland, this disease can usually be treated effectively, making early detection crucial for handling prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer screening tests are generally performed on men aged 40 to 60 who have exhibited symptoms of prostate cancer. There are currently two methods of screening for prostate cancer. These consist of the digital rectal examination and the prostate-specific antigen blood test.
The Prostate-specific Antigen (PSA) blood test is a special blood test that determines if the individual has elevated levels of PSA in his blood. Normal levels of PSA in men are anywhere between 0-4.0 nanograms per milliliter, while anything above the upper limit of 4.0 is considered a “positive” test and should be tended to immediately. It is important to note that PSA levels can be increased by other factors such as prostate infection, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and recent ejaculation. This leads to a high frequency of positive results.
Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract infection is a common infection of the urinary system, which includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. The urinary tract refers to just the bladder and the urethra, and an infection can develop in either of these areas. These infections occur much more frequently in women than in men and can cause intense pain.
Our board-certified urology team are clinical assistant professors of urologic surgery at the University of Iowa. They have more than 60 years of combined experience, including a fellowship in laparoscopy, minimally invasive surgery and robotic surgery. They have contributed to numerous publications, presentations and research and have served as faculty or speakers at conferences across the country. Together, they provide the highest-quality urologic care.
To make an appointment with our urology specialists, contact us at 641-494-5280.
