Urological Services
CancerCancer
Cancers of the prostate gland, kidney, ureter, bladder and testicles together rank among the most common in the United States. To diagnose and treat these cancers, UC Irvine has assembled a multidisciplinary team employing the most advanced techniques in the field. The urology team uses the latest methods that diagnose cancers earlier, and offers minimally invasive robotic, laparoscopic and endoscopic treatments that can halt cancer while preserving normal body function (for example, bladder continence and potency) and avoiding other complications caused by traditional open surgical procedures. UC Irvine Medical Center was the first institution in Southern California to offer minimally invasive, robotic prostatectomy using the da Vinci robot, and is among the leaders nationally in laparoscopic surgery using the Karl Storz OR1 Endoscopy Surgery Center. The department’s physicians pioneered the use of laparoscopic surgery for kidney and ureter cancer and have the longest experience in the world with this approach. These techniques provide excellent outcomes while reducing complications, blood loss and healing time.
Services
- Laparoscopic robotic radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer
- Laparoscopic radical and partial nephrectomy for kidney cancer
- Needle ablative therapy for kidney cancer
- Laparoscopic and robotic cystectomy and diversion for bladder cancer
- Laparoscopic retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for testicular cancer
- Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for adrenal gland cancer
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Kidney Disease & Kidney Stones
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| Dr. Ralph Clayman, pictured with the daVinci robot, is one of the country’s leaders in the field of minimally invasive surgery. |
As anyone who has suffered from the condition knows, kidney stones are extraordinarily painful. UC Irvine’s urologists, however, are using advanced techniques – many of which they developed – to quickly and less-painfully remove or disintegrate kidney stones. In fact, the leaders in this field at UC Irvine have not had to perform traditional open kidney stone surgery for more than 15 years. They pioneered the use of a single small incision (about a half-inch) in kidney stone surgery, using specially designed rigid and flexible kidney scopes combined with lasers and ultrasonic probes under endoscopic and X-ray guidance, to remove ureter and kidney stones with a minimum of pain and a short recovery time. Urologists also have extensive experience in using extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy, focusing the shock waves to break up kidney stones without surgical intervention. UC Irvine has introduced a new apparatus, the Econolith lithotripter, to treat kidney stones in this way. Furthermore, UC Irvine urologists have helped develop the necessary tools (rigid and flexible ureteroscopy) required to access ureteral and kidney stones through the bladder, thereby allowing treatment of smaller stones all along the urinary tract without the need for any incisions whatsoever.
In addition to their pioneering work on kidney stones, surgeons at the Department of Urology were among the first to develop the laparoscopic approach to treating simple kidney cysts as well as cysts in patients with adult polycystic kidney disease. Instead of the traditional 10- to 12-inch incision, surgeons use three or four half-inch incisions to access these painful cysts. More than 80 percent of patients experience relief from chronic kidney pain after treatment.
Services
- Percutaneous kidney stone surgery
- Endoscopic and laparoscopic treatment of ureteral & ureteropelvic junction obstruction
- Laparoscopic removal of nonfunctioning kidneys
- Laparoscopic surgery for kidney cysts
- Ureteroscopy for kidney stones and obstruction
- Laser lithotripsy for kidney stones
- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for kidney stones
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Male Health in Urology
Male urological problems are also treated by an interdisciplinary group of health care professionals at UC Irvine Medical Center. Benign growth of the prostate, a common problem among older men, is treated with the latest minimally invasive technology – the GreenLightTM PVP, or photo-selective vaporization of the prostate. This technique uses a laser light and fiber optics to reduce prostate gland growth, providing dramatic improvement of symptoms and improved urine flow. In addition, our faculty provides expertise in prostate cancer testing and in counseling men with a family history of prostate cancer. Our urologists also are skilled in neurourology, the treatment of urologic problems associated with spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions. For men facing fertility problems, skilled urologists in the Department of Urology provide expertise in microsurgical techniques to treat varicocele, a swelling of testicular veins seen in 40 percent of men diagnosed with fertility problems, as well as to perform vasectomy reversals. Our surgeons also have expertise in the latest techniques for performing “no incision” vasectomies.
Services
- Minimally invasive therapy for prostatic enlargement with GreenLight laser
- Prostate cancer testing/PSA
- Treatment of erectile dysfunction
- Diagnosis and treatment of fertility issues
- Microsurgical techniques for varicocele
- Vasectomies/vasectomy reversals
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Female Health in Urology
Problems such as irritable bladder, urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse are increasingly common among older female patients. Other problems, like interstitial cystitis or spinal cord injury that affect bladder control, can arise at any age. To treat these disorders, UC Irvine urologists use a wide range of surgical and nonsurgical techniques, including modern fluoro-video-urodynamic testing, which determines the precise causes of blocked urine flow or leakage. Surgeons also use the da Vinci robotic surgical system to operate in a minimally invasive manner in order to restore weakened pelvic tissue seen in pelvic organ prolapse, a condition in which pelvic organs descend into the vaginal canal. In cases of severe overactive bladder, surgeons have mastered the technique of implanting electronic bladder stimulators to aid in normal function.
Services
- Treatment of urinary incontinence and overactive bladder
- Minimally invasive, robotic-assisted surgery for pelvic organ prolapse
- Minimally invasive treatment of pelvic floor disorders
- Treatment of bladder disorders associated with spinal cord injury and other neurological conditions
- Implantation of electronic bladder stimulator
- Treatment of interstitial cystitis
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Pediatric Urology
UC Irvine offers superb care for children with urological disorders, provided by the only fellowship-trained pediatric urologists in Orange County. Working with the Antoci Center for Pediatric Urology and Nephrology, UC Irvine pediatric urologists provide specialized care in the diagnosis and treatment of a number of disorders in children. Using the latest laparoscopic and robotic techniques, surgeons at UC Irvine perform reconstruction of the urinary tract to correct birth defects. This reduces pain and speeds recovery. They are expert in the treatment of such disorders as hypospadias, a birth defect of the urethra; hydrocele, a buildup of fluid around the testicles; and vesicoureteral reflux, a defect in the connection between the bladder and ureter.
Services
- Laparoscopic orchidopexy for undescended testicles
- Minimally invasive endoscopic correction of vesicoureteral reflux
- Robotic-assisted correction of obstructed kidneys
- Hypospadias repair
- Hernia and hydrocele repair
- Biofeedback therapy for urinary incontinence
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