Urology
Durham Regional Hospital provides comprehensive urology services to meet your individual needs. We do it all with the latest technology to get you back to your life sooner.
Durham Regional offers treatment for the following conditions:
- Urological cancers
- Pelvic prolapse and urinary incontinence
- Female urology
- Male infertility and sexual dysfunction
- Kidney stones
- Robotic assisted urologic surgery
Urological Cancers
Durham Regional has many services available to help you fight your cancer. Our multidisciplinary medical team of urologists, interventional radiologists and radiation oncologists, will come up with the best treatment plan for your individual needs.
Prostate cancer treatments available at Durham Regional:
- Radical prostatectomy, an operation to remove the prostate gland in its entirety. This operation is performed through open or laparoscopic surgery. This surgery may include removal of the lymph nodes.
- Robotic radical prostatectomy, minimally invasive laparoscopic radical prostatectomy performed with robotic assistance from the daVinci Surgical System.
- Brachytherapy, a form of radiotherapy where a radioactive source is placed inside or next to the area requiring treatment. This therapy may be done in combination with Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy.
- Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy, external beam radiation. This therapy may be done in combination with brachytherapy.
- Cryotherapy, a minimally invasive treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy diseased tissue, including cancer cells.
- Radical nephrectomy, an operation to remove the kidney in its entirety. This operation is performed through open or laparoscopic surgery. Two different types of laparoscopic surgery are available: hand assisted laparoscopic and robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery. This surgery may include removal of the lymph nodes.
- Partial nephrectomy, an operation to remove a kidney tumor in its entirety while preserving the remaining kidney. This operation is performed through open or laparoscopic surgery.
- Robotic assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy. Two different types of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy surgery are available: hand assisted laparoscopic and robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery. Both are less invasive than open surgery. Robotic assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy is the least invasive and has the least post operative recovery time.
- Cryotherapy, a minimally invasive treatment that uses extreme cold to freeze and destroy diseased tissue, including cancer cells while preserving the remainder of the kidney tissue. This surgery is usually done laparoscopically.
- Radiofrequency ablation, a procedure that uses radiofrequency energy to heat and destroy diseased tissue, leaving the surrounding healthy tissue unharmed.
Cancer of other areas including testicles, bladder, ureters, penis or urethra can also be treated at Durham Regional through robotic, laparoscopic endoscopic and open surgical methods, depending on the individual.
Get more information on radiation oncology or interventional radiology.
Pelvic Prolapse and Incontinence
Incontinence can impact your life dramatically. Durham Regional urologists offer the following treatments for both pelvic prolapse and incontinence:
- Robotic assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy, minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure with robotic assistance to fix a prolapsed vaginal vault. This condition occurs when the support to the vagina weaken causing protrusion of the vagina through the pelvis.
- Pubovaginal slings, a procedure to give support to the urethra by suspending mesh from the abdominal wall.
- Transobturator slings, a procedure to give support to the urethra by suspending mesh from the wall of the pelvis.
- Male sling, a procedure to give support to the urethra by suspending mesh from the wall of the pelvis in men after prostate surgery.
- Artificial urinary sphincter, a procedure to place a cuff around the urethra in men who are incontinent after prostate surgery.
- Botox injection, a procedure to inject the bladder with botox to treat incontinene and urinary symptoms caused by an overactive bladder.
Female Urology
Surgery or minimally invasive surgery may be performed to help with the following female urological conditions:
- Urinary incontinence
- Voiding difficulties
- Vaginal/pelvic organ prolapse
- Vesicovaginal fistula
- Recurrent urinary tract infection
- Fecal incontinence
- Abnormalities of the urethra such as diverticulum
Gynecologists at Durham Regional also perform many minimally invasive surgical procedures. Learn more about gynecology services.
Male Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction
Durham Regional urologists can help patients who are dealing with the following issues:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Infertility
- Male sexual dysfunction
- Enlarged prostate
- Reversals of vasectomies. Vasectomies are a surgical operation that works by interrupting the route that the sperm take from the testicles to the penis, creating a permanent form of birth control. A reversal to this procedure can also be performed.
- Penile prosthetics, a surgery to place an artificial piece into the penis to obtain an erection.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are small, pebble-like masses that form in the kidney or urinary tract. Stones form when minerals in the urine (such as calcium) become solid. Kidney stones can cause pain or block the flow of urine.
Durham Regional offers the following treatments for the removal of kidney stones:
- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, is used to remove stones that are located in the kidney or ureter. This method uses ultrasonic waves or shock waves to break up stones. Then, the stones leave the body in the urine.
- Percutaneous stone removal (Nephrolithotomy) is used for large stones in or near the kidney, or when the kidneys or surrounding areas are incorrectly formed. The stone is removed with an endoscope that is inserted into the kidney through a small opening.
- Laser stone fragmentation
- Ureteroscopy may be used for stones in the lower urinary tract.
- Percutaneous ultrasonic stone fragmentation
Robotic Assisted Urologic Surgery
Durham Regional urologists have access to a surgical robot called the da Vinci Surgical System. The robot is used for certain minimally invasive urologic procedures including radical prostatectomy and partial nephrectomy.
Learn more about robotic surgery at Durham Regional.
