Pelvic floor disorders and symptoms
Pelvic organ prolapse or bladder and bowel leakage isn’t something you have to live with. We’re here to help. Simon Patton, MD, at Ascension Medical Group Via Christi Urogynecology specializes in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. We treat urogynecological conditions that affect your pelvic floor; a set of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue in the lowest part of the pelvis that provides support for a woman’s internal organs, including the bowel, bladder, uterus, vagina, and rectum. Your care team provides non-surgical and surgical treatments — from medications and therapies, to minimally invasive procedures and reconstructive surgery. We listen to understand you and your health concerns. Then, we work with you to create a care plan that’s right for you.
Weak pelvic muscles and a loss of tissue integrity can cause pelvic floor disorders and affect your bowel, bladder, uterus, vagina, and rectum. When your organs are not properly supported by strong muscles and connective tissue, this can cause a pelvic organ prolapse which may lead to bladder and/or bowel leakage.
For many women, it may feel embarrassing or uncomfortable to talk about conditions such as urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. We provide compassionate and supportive care to deliver treatment options for women at any stage of life. Urogynecologists treat many types of pelvic concerns, including:
- Fecal incontinence or accidental bowel leakage
- Fistulas
- Hematuria (blood in urine)
- Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome)
- Mesh complications
- Overactive bladder (urgency, frequency, nighttime voiding)
- Pelvic organ prolapse
- Recurrent UTI
- Urinary incontinence
- Urinary retention
- Urogenital atrophy
- Vaginal wall cysts
Surgical treatments for pelvic disorders with advanced care options
Our doctors specialize in urogynecologic surgery; procedures that reconstruct female pelvic organ prolapse to improve or correct urinary and/or fecal incontinence. Your care team helps you understand what to expect, before, during and after surgery. All surgeries are performed using minimally invasive techniques, including robotic assisted surgery, if necessary. This may help reduce your discomfort and shorten your recovery time. Surgical treatments can include:
- Minimally invasive prolapse repair
- Nerve stimulation to help improve fecal incontinence
- Procedural options for overactive bladder
- Urethral sling to help support the urethra and repair stress incontinence
Non-surgical pelvic floor disorder treatments
If you have a pelvic organ prolapse, your doctor may use an insertable and removable vaginal device, called a pessary. Certain types of pessaries may also help to provide urethral support for prevention of stress urinary incontinence. Non-surgical treatments for pelvic floor disorders include:
- Behavioral health counseling
- Biofeedback
- E-stim (electrical stimulation)
- Medications
- Urge suppression
If you have additional women's health needs, ask your primary care doctor for a referral to a nutritionist or exercise specialist who can help you further improve your quality of life.
Need to send a fax to this location? Please use the following fax number: 316-494-6364.