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Diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence

At Women’s Care, our providers will complete a full evaluation to determine the type and severity of your urinary incontinence and what type of treatment may be beneficial for you.

Urinary incontinence evaluation often includes checking a sample of the urine for abnormalities (urinalysis), having the patient keep a diary of urinary habits, and taking a post-void residual measurement. This helps your provider determine if there is a potential obstruction in your urinary tract or a problem with the muscles in this area. Behavioral techniques, pelvic floor muscle exercises, medications, and interventional therapies are often considered before surgery, but if those treatment methods are unsuccessful, surgery may be the most logical path to relief.

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Urinary incontinence surgical treatment

There are various surgical methods utilized to treat the underlying issues that cause urinary incontinence. Your provider will work with you to determine which surgical option is best suited to you.

• Bladder neck suspension - provides support to the urethra and neck of the bladder

• Prolapse surgery - used for women with mixed incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse

• Sling procedures - pelvic sling helps to keep the urethra closed when you cough or sneeze and is used to treat stress incontinence

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Laparoscopic surgical method

Laparoscopy is a minimally-invasive procedure, requiring only a few small incisions. Your provider makes an incision below your navel and inserts a laparoscope into your abdomen. A camera attached to the end of the laparoscope allows your physician to examine the abdominal and pelvic organs on an electronic screen.

During the procedure, your abdomen is filled with gas for our physicians to be able to view the pelvic and reproductive organs.