Women’s Urology

Mount Sinai Urology provides specialized care for all urological problems unique to women. Our doctors are among a few in New York that have specialized training and are board certified in this subspecialty of Urology called Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS). We are very successful in helping women with incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and other urogynecologic disorders to resume a full and active lifestyle. 

Our state-of-the-art facilities provide the convenience of on-site diagnostic procedures that help us develop appropriate treatment plans. If surgery is needed, treatment can be done in a minimally invasive fashion utilizing the latest technology in an outpatient setting. You can return home the same day and back to your usual activities soon after.

Our professionals understand the highly sensitive nature of women’s urological problems and are committed to your physical and emotional comfort. 

Conditions We Treat

We diagnose and treat a wide variety of female urological conditions.

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) 
Women are much more likely to get a UTI than are men since the female urethra is much shorter than the male urethra. If infrequent, UTIs can be tested for and treated as they occur. However, if they are recurrent, prevention strategies are available. Sometimes, it is necessary to do certain diagnostic tests to see if there are any risks for recurrent UTIs.

Overactive Bladder (OAB)
OAB is a combination of symptoms that include, urinary frequency (going very often to the bathroom), urinary urgency (the sudden uncontrollable need to urinate) and sometimes urinary urge incontinence (leakage of urine that occurs with a sudden uncontrollable desire to urinate).

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)
Stress incontinence occurs during physical activity or motion, such as when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or run, or perform other activities that exert pressure on your bladder.         

Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP)
POP happens when the supporting structures around the vagina weaken. This can happen for a variety of reasons such as childbirth, being overweight, connective tissue disorders, and surgical procedures such as a hysterectomy. When your pelvic floor weakens you may see or feel a bulge in the vagina. This could be associated with discomfort, urinary or fecal incontinence, and sexual problems. Oftentimes women notice a bulge in the vagina and we have to figure out what it is that is bulging. The names we give to the various types of vaginal bulge are:

• Cystocele: when the bladder protrudes into the front wall of the vagina
• Rectocele: when the rectum is pushed into the back wall of the vagina
• Uterine prolapse – when the uterus drops down into the vagina. 
• Enterocele: when the intestine bulges into the vagina (this happens typically after someone has had a hysterectomy)

Genito-Urinary Fistula
Genito-urinary fistula is an abnormal connection between the bladder and the vagina or uterus. Fistulas can be caused by trauma during childbirth, radiation therapy,  or as a complication of other pelvic surgery. Risk factors include pelvic inflammatory disease and diabetes. The main symptom of a genitourinary fistula is constant leakage of urine from the vagina.

Urethral Diverticulum (UD)
UD occurs when a bulge or pouch forms below the urethra. Because it generally connects to the urethra, this pouch repeatedly gets filled with urine while you urinate, causing a variety of symptoms including painful urination (dysuria), dribbling of urine after thinking you are done urinating, painful intercourse (dyspareunia), and possibly urinary tract infections. Sometimes UD causes no symptoms and we only find it during a routine pelvic exams or radiographic procedures. 

Since many of these symptoms are identical to other conditions, we are always careful to take a thorough medical history and conduct a careful physical examination as well as urine studies, endoscopic examination of the bladder, and specialized urethra and radiologic imaging to be sure we develop an accurate diagnosis and an appropriate course of treatment options.