About Us
What is a Urogynecologist?
A urogynecologist is an obstetrician/gynecologist who has sub-specialized in the care of women with pelvic floor disorder. The pelvic floor is the muscles, ligaments, connective tissue and nerves that help support and control the rectum, uterus, vagina and bladder. The pelvic floor can be damaged by childbirth, repeated heavy lifting, chronic disease or surgery. Many women have multiple issues to include other non-pelvic floor problems such as heavy periods and/or fibroids. These problems can usually be treated at the same time as pelvic floor issues – especially when the patient desires or needs surgery.
Some problems due to pelvic floor disorder and their symptoms are:
- Incontinence: loss of bladder or bowel control, leakage of urine or stool.
- Prolapse: descent of pelvic organs; a bulge and/or pressure; ‘dropped uterus, bladder, vagina or rectum.’
- Emptying Disorders: difficulty urinating or moving bowels.
- Pelvic (or Bladder) Pain: discomfort, burning or other uncomfortable pelvic symptoms, including bladder or urethral pain.
- Overactive Bladder: frequent need to void, bladder pressure, urgency, urgency incontinence or difficulty holding back a full bladder.
- Vaginal Mesh Complications: pain with intercourse, chronic pelvic or vaginal pain, vaginal bleeding (possibly during intercourse as well), exposure/ erosion of the mesh into the vagina or other organs, vaginal discharge, vaginal scarring, or other issues.
What Kind of Training Does a Urogynecologist Have?
Urogynecologists have completed medical school and a four-year residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology. These doctors become specialists with additional training and experience in the evaluation and treatment of conditions that affect the female pelvic organs, and the muscles and connective tissue that support the organs. The additional training focuses on the surgical and non-surgical treatment of non-cancerous gynecologic problems.
When Should I See a Urogynecologist?
Although your primary care physician or Ob/Gyn may have knowledge about these problems, a urogynecologist can offer additional expertise. You should see (or be referred to) a urogynecologist when you have problems of prolapse, and/or troublesome incontinence or when your primary doctor recommends consultation. Other problems for which you or your doctor might think about consulting a urogynecologist include: problems with emptying the bladder or rectum, pelvic pain and the need for special expertise in vaginal surgery.
What Treatment Options Are Available from a Urogynecologist?
A urogynecologist can recommend a variety of therapies to cure or relieve symptoms of prolapse, urinary or fecal incontinence, or other pelvic floor dysfunction symptoms. He or she may advise conservative (non-surgical) or surgical therapy depending on your wishes, the severity of your condition and your general health. Conservative options include medications, pelvic exercises, behavioral and/or dietary modifications and vaginal devices (also called pessaries). Biofeedback and Electric Stimulation are two newer treatment modalities that your urogynecologist may recommend. Safe and effective surgical procedures are also utilized by the urogynecologist to treat incontinence and prolapse. Dr. Patel will discuss all of the options that are available to treat your specific problem(s) before you are asked to make a treatment decision.
Why We Are Different
You don’t have to just “live with it.”
Many women suffer in silence from leakage of urine, pelvic organ prolapse, vaginal mesh complications, overactive bladder, pelvic pain, painful intercourse, heavy menstrual bleeding (heavy periods), fibroids, other pelvic floor disorders. While these problems are very common – – affecting up to 50+% of all women, they are not “part of being a woman.” These conditions are NOT normal – – they rob women of their lives, confidence, and dignity. HOWEVER, relief is available through conservative treatments, medicine, and specialized surgery. You CAN have your life, confidence, and dignity back!
Dr. Patel has dedicated his career to helping women regain their lives, confidence, and dignity through treating these issues. He is double-board certified in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (aka UroGynecology) and in general Obstetrics & Gynecology. He is uniquely qualified to address not only urinary incontinence and specialized female pelvic floor disorders, but other common gynecologic issues such as heavy menstrual bleeding (heavy periods), fibroids, and chronic pelvic pain. In many cases, women suffer from more than one of these issues at the same time.
At Modern UroGynecology, we can address all of these issues.
If surgery is needed, Dr. Patel can (in most cases) perform a single, combined minimally invasive surgery to treat all the surgical issues at once. In addition to performing traditional laparoscopic surgery, he is an expert in vaginal-approach surgery (the original minimally invasive approach to pelvic surgery) which is performed without ANY abdominal incisions (example: the NO-INCISION HYSTERECTOMY). He is also a recognized expert in vaginal mesh revision surgery and has successfully performed hundreds of revision/reconstruction procedures with complete or near-complete removal of the mesh product. Patients have come from as far as the East and West Coasts, as well as multiple states in between, to have their vaginal mesh revision procedures performed by Dr. Patel.
Practice Philosophy:
Dr. Patel believes that no one knows their own body better than the patient. His practice philosophy is to listen, learn, explain, listen (AGAIN), and treat. He will:
- Listen to your history as you tell it, gathering as much information as he can from you
- Learn about who you are as a patient AND as a person
- Explain what is happening, why it is happening, and what options you have
- Listen (AGAIN) to what your desires are for your body and health
- Treat you using evidenced-based, minimally invasive options in order to get you back to your life as quickly as possible
“I’m dedicated to providing compassionate, specialized, evidenced-based care to my patients. I promise to listen actively, explain simply, and discuss thoroughly your issues and how they affect your body, so that you can be an active decision-maker in your own healthcare plan. My staff and I are available to you whenever you need us. We sincerely thank you for entrusting us with your health. It is our privilege to take care of you.”
– – Amit I. Patel, MD FACOG FPMRS