Urology

Urologic specialists in Denver

HealthONE offers board-certified and subspecialty-trained kidney, bladder and urinary specialists. This includes urologists (male and female urinary tract and male reproductive system doctors) and nephrologists (kidney doctors). They emphasize minimally invasive procedures and non-surgical treatments when possible. Together, we treat urinary system diseases and disorders to help patients get the relief they need.

To learn more about HealthONE's urology services, call us at (303) 575-0055.

Urologic conditions we treat

We treat and provide services for a wide variety of bladder, urinary, kidney and pelvic floor conditions, including:

• Female pelvic problems
  • Cervical dysplasia
  • Chronic pelvic pain
  • Endometrial hyperplasia
  • Endometrial polyps
  • Endometriosis
    
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
  • Postmenopausal bleeding
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Uterine fibroids
  • Uterine/pelvic prolapse
  • Vaginal prolapse
• Male urologic problems
  • Enlarged prostate, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
  • Erectile dysfunction (ED), also known as male impotence
  • Low testosterone, also known as "low T"
  • Pelvic prolapse
  • Prostate cancer
  • Testicular cancer
  • Vasectomy complications (vasectomy reversal)
• Bladder conditions
  • Cystocele (bladder hernia)
  • Bladder cancer
  • Bladder infection
  • Bladder prolapse
  • Interstitial cystitis, also known as painful bladder syndrome
• Incontinence, also known as urinary incontinence
  • Functional incontinence
  • Mixed incontinence
  • Overflow incontinence
  • Stress incontinence
  • Urge incontinence, also known as overactive bladder
• Kidney complications and disorders
  • Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
  • Diabetic kidney problems
  • Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, previously known as "Wegener’s granulomatosis," a blood vessel condition that can impact the kidneys
  • Kidney cancer
    
  • Kidney failure
  • Kidney stones and disorders
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Wilms’ tumor, also known nephroblastoma
• Other urologic conditions
  • Pelvic pain
  • Rectocele
  • Renal artery stenosis
  • Sexual dysfunction (male and female)
  • Ureteral disorders
  • Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
  • Vesicoureteral reflux

Diagnosing urinary conditions

We use special imaging to help us accurately identify and treat your condition. Two of these types of imaging are:

• Cystograms—This X-ray examines the urinary bladder with fluoroscopy and a water-soluble contrast agent. It shows the shape and position of the bladder and is often performed to assess bladder injury after trauma to the pelvis.
• Cystourethrograms and voiding cystourethrograms—These are slight variations on the cystogram. They are most often useful in diagnosing the cause of recurrent UTIs, urinary incontinence or structural abnormalities.

Other diagnostic tools include physical exams, urine evaluations, stress tests, ultrasounds, cystoscopies, X-rays and urodynamic tests.

Treating urologic conditions

Some of the treatments we offer include:

ED (male incontinence)

Low T is not the only cause of ED. The most common cause is actually reduced blood flow to the penis caused by cardiac conditions, such as high blood pressure or hardening of the arteries.

To treat ED, we typically use hormone replacement therapy, but it does not always cure the condition. In those cases, we can help you make lifestyle changes, update current medications or recommend new medications, psychotherapy, vacuum devices and/or surgery.

Incontinence and overactive bladder

Incontinence is the accidental release of urine. This loss of bladder control is especially frequent in women because it is often related to pregnancy and childbirth or menopause.

Once you have been given a clear diagnosis, your treatment plan will be created and may include:

• Behavioral modification techniques, such as breathing exercises, or lifestyle changes, such as avoiding beverages that trigger incontinence
• Physical therapy, such as Kegel exercises, to help strengthen the pelvic floor muscles, increasing your ability to hold urine
• Medication, such as anticholinergics, to alter the balance between the bladder pressure and sphincter tone, or estrogen therapy to strengthen the vaginal wall
• Percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) to send mild electrical impulses that impact the nerves responsible for bladder control
• Botulinum toxin (commonly known as "Botox") injections through a cystoscope to help block signals that trigger overactive bladder
• Surgery may be successful if other treatments are not

Testosterone deficiency (low T)

A testosterone deficiency is a condition in which a man has less than average levels of the male sex hormone, testosterone. A result of low testosterone is a reduced sex drive (libido) and/or ED.

We use hormone replacement therapy as the primary treatment for low testosterone.

Urogynecologic conditions

Urogynecology combines urologic and gynecologic care for women. Our board-certified gynecologists and urologists diagnose and treat women's pelvic conditions.

Our urogynecologic specialists are able to treat many of these conditions with robotic surgery, which offers less scarring, a quicker recovery and a shorter hospital stay for patients. We also offer several innovative interventional radiology (minimally invasive) procedures for infertility, uterine fibroids and pelvic congestion syndrome.

Urologic cancers

Through our partnership with the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute, we offer coordinated, comprehensive care and treatment for urologic cancers, including bladder and prostate cancers. Some of these treatments include:

• Endourologic procedures to remove cancerous tissue without creating an incision
• Cutting-edge, minimally invasive surgical procedures to remove prostate cancer
  

Benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH (enlarged prostate)

The causes of BPH are uncertain, but there are several risk factors related to developing an enlarged prostate, such as age and family history.

Our treatments for an enlarged prostate include medication, prostate artery embolization (PAE), transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) (laser therapy), transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT) and robotic surgical intervention.

Surgery for ureteral conditions

Ureteral injuries may not be immediately detected. These injuries can be potentially life-threatening or result in permanent damage. It is important to repair them, using surgery if needed.

Some of the most common ureteral conditions that might require surgery include:

• An injury resulting from an external trauma
• Infections
• Radiation sickness (typically from radiation therapy for cervical cancer)
• Retroperitoneal fibrosis (from inflammation or autoimmune disease)
• Scarring or damage from a previous surgery
• Vesicoureteral reflux

Minimally invasive robotic urological surgery

Our kidney, bladder and urinary program features the state-of-the-art robotic surgery. Specially trained surgeons use robotic components and operating tools to enhance their surgical precision while minimizing incisions, blood loss and pain.

Our specialists perform the following robotic procedures:

• Bladder suspension (for female stress incontinence)
• Cystectomy (removal of all or part of the bladder)
• Nephrectomy (removal of all or part of the kidney)
• Orchiectomy (removal of one or both of the testicles)
• Prostatectomy (removal of all or part of the prostate)
  • Cryosurgery for prostate cancer (freezing and killing abnormal cells using small probes as an alternative to surgically removing tumors)
  • Robotic simple prostatectomy (removal of a section of the prostate)
• Pyeloplasty (to help drain and decompress the kidney)
• Robotic pyeloplasty (for ureteropelvic junction obstruction)
• Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
• Ureteral reimplant surgery (for vesicoureteral reflux)