General Urology
The field of urology specializes in the treatment of the urinary tract and the male reproductive system. Mount Sinai-Union Square is home to world-class urology experts who are board certified and fellowship trained.
Mount Sinai-Union Square is part of the Mount Sinai Health System, whose flagship hospital, The Mount Sinai Hospital, is recognized by U.S. News & World Report as having one of the finest urology programs in the country.
General Urology Conditions We Treat
Skilled in treating both routine and complex urologic conditions, Mount Sinai-Union Square urologists provide specialized care individualized to the needs of each patient. We also advance the field of urology with cutting-edge research, ensuring our patients have access to the newest therapies and techniques.
Our team treats the full spectrum of urologic conditions for men and women.
Kidney Conditions
Your kidneys are two fist-sized organs that filter your blood, making waste into urine. Conditions that may affect the kidneys include the following:
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Kidney cancer: Kidney cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer in the United States. There are several types of kidney cancer, including renal cell carcinoma (most common); transitional cell carcinoma (a rare cancer affecting the kidney, ureter, and bladder); Wilm’s tumor (a pediatric cancer); and renal sarcoma (forming in the blood vessels or connective tissue of the kidney).
Symptoms of kidney cancer include blood in the urine, a lump in your side or belly area, persistent pain in your side or back, fever, unexplained weight loss, and fatigue. -
Kidney Stones: Kidney stones may form if your urine has too many salts and minerals. The stones can stay in the kidneys, or travel to the ureters or bladder.
Symptoms of kidney stones include frequent urination, a burning sensation during urination, nausea and vomiting, blood that may darken the urine, urinary tract infections, and aches in the back or flank. -
Kidney cysts: These round pouches filled with fluid may sometimes form in the kidneys. Simple kidney cysts are benign (noncancerous), and typically do not cause complications. Sometimes, more serious kidney cysts can lead to other disorders.
While simple kidney cysts often don’t have symptoms, larger cysts may cause fever, pain in the upper abdomen, and a dull pain in your side or back. -
Hydronephrosis: If urine can’t drain from the kidneys—due to a blockage or defect of the anatomy—the kidneys can swell up. This condition may occur at any age and may be diagnosed in children.
Symptoms of hydronephrosis may include painful or frequent urination, pain in your back or side that may extend to the groin, fever, nausea, and “failure to thrive” in infants. -
Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJ): Also called kidney obstruction, this condition involves a blockage, typically where the kidney connects to a ureter (the tubes that transport urine to the bladder). The blockage can cause urine to build up in the kidney, causing damage. The condition is congenital and may be found during a prenatal ultrasound.
Symptoms of UPJ that appear in infants and children may include an abdominal mass; a urinary tract infection that causes fever; pain in the back or upper abdomen; vomiting; blood in the urine; kidney stones; and a poor growth rate in infants. -
Pyelonephritits (kidney infection): This is a type of urinary tract infection in which one or both kidneys become infected with a virus or bacteria.
Symptoms can involve severe sickness and may include painful and frequent urination; pain in your groin, side, and back; nausea and vomiting; and high fever and chills.
Adrenal Conditions
The adrenals are two small glands located on the kidneys that are responsible both for producing and regulating hormones. Conditions affecting the adrenals may include the following:
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Pheochromocytoma: This is a rare tumor that may form in an adrenal gland. The tumor is typically benign (noncancerous), but it could cause the adrenal glands to overproduce hormones, resulting in symptoms that include high blood pressure, sweating, headaches, feeling shaky, and pale skin.
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Adrenal cancer: A rare condition, adrenal cancer may develop without symptoms. If symptoms do appear, they could be caused by an overproduction of adrenal gland hormones, or by the tumor pressing on neighboring organs, causing pain.
Bladder Conditions
Located in your pelvis, your bladder is a hollow organ where urine is stored. Conditions of the bladder include the following:
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Bladder cancer: Bladder cancer is the fifth most common form of cancer overall. There are several types of bladder cancer, including urothelial carcinoma (cancer of the bladder’s inner lining), squamous cell carcinoma (associated with long-term irritation caused by infections or catheter use), and adenocarcinoma (cancer formed by mucus-secreting glands).
Bladder cancer symptoms include frequent or painful urination; blood in the urine (which may appear red or brown, or be not visible or colorless); and pain in the back. -
Bladder diverticulum: In this condition, a pouch forms in the bladder wall. You may be born with this condition (“congenital”), in which case you may only have one pouch. Or you could develop it later in life (“acquired”), which may involve multiple pouches.
Bladder diverticulum may not cause direct symptoms, but it may be found while looking into possible causes for other urinary issues, including urinary tract infections, bladder stones, bladder tumors, or problems with urination. -
Urinary tract infection (UTI), including bladder infection: The urinary tract includes your kidneys, ureters, urethra, and bladder, and a UTI is an infection in any of those parts.
UTIs may not always cause symptoms, but when they do, signs may include an urgent need to urinate; a burning feeling during urination; urine that appears cloudy, red, brown, or pink; urine that has a strong odor; and pelvic pain. -
Bladder prolapse (cystocele): This condition occurs in women. The tissues that support the bladder become weak, allowing the bladder to drop into the vagina, and in some cases fall through the vaginal opening.
Symptoms of bladder prolapse include a bulge in the vagina that can be seen or felt; frequent need to urinate; frequent urinary tract infections; urinary incontinence; and pain in the pelvis, vagina, lower abdomen, lower back, or groin. -
Bladder stones: In this condition, minerals in your urine harden to form stones. While some bladder stones cause no symptoms, in some cases, larger bladder stones could cause frequent and painful urination, cloudy or dark urine, pain in the lower abdomen, or difficulty urinating.
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Interstitial cystitis (IC): Also called bladder pain syndrome, this condition involves chronic pain or pressure in the area of the bladder. This condition also involves pain in the lower urinary tract, and symptoms without a clear cause (such as infection) that last more than six weeks.
IC symptoms range from mild to severe and may include pain in the bladder area, as well as a frequent and urgent need to urinate. -
Neurogenic bladder: This is a group of urologic conditions that all involve a loss of bladder control due to a nerve, brain, or spinal cord problem. It may be caused by diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and diabetes.
Symptoms of neurogenic bladder differ between people but may include urinary tract infections, overactive bladder (needing to urinate frequently), and underactive bladder (inability to empty your bladder fully or at all). -
Overactive bladder (OAB): This common condition involves a sudden, strong urge to urinate. Symptoms of OAB include a frequent need to urinate, and urinary incontinence.
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Urinary incontinence: This common condition involves leaking urine. There are two types of urinary incontinence: In stress urinary incontinence, which typically affects older women, the leakage of urine is due to weak muscles in the pelvis. In urgency incontinence (also called overactive bladder or OAB), which affects both men and women, the leakage is due to your brain sending signals to your bladder to empty when it isn’t full, or overactive bladder muscles squeezing out urine when the bladder isn’t full.
Penile Conditions
The penis is the organ in males involved in urination and reproduction. Conditions affecting the penis include the following:
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Balanitis: This condition involves swelling and pain at the head of the penis (called the glans) and typically develops in men who have not been circumcised. Symptoms of balanitis include irritation on the glans, redness, swelling, itching, areas of white or shiny skin, painful urination, a bad smell, and white discharge.
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Erectile dysfunction (ED): Erectile dysfunction is a common condition that involves difficulty getting or maintaining an erection. The condition can be caused by a range of factors, including limited blood flow to the penis, nerve damage, and stress or emotional issues. ED could also be a warning sign of possible cardiovascular disease.
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Meatal stenosis: This condition involves a narrowing in the opening at the end of the penis. It could exist from birth or develop later in life. Symptoms of meatal stenosis include burning or pain during urination, sudden and frequent urges to urinate, difficulty aiming the urine stream, and a drop of blood at the end of urination.
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Penile cancer: In the United States, penile cancer is a rare condition. Symptoms may include a lump; an area of thickness or discoloration; a sore that might bleed; dark, flat growths; a rash; crusty bumps; swelling; and discharge with an odor.
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Peyronie’s disease: In this condition, scar tissue or plaques develop below the skin of the penis. The plaques may be painful and cause the penis to indent during an erection. Symptoms of Peyronie’s disease include lumps, bends, or curves in the penis; pain during an erection; and having a soft erection.
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Phimosis and paraphimosis: These conditions may occur in males who have not been circumcised. In phimosis, the foreskin is stretched over the head of the penis (the glans) and cannot easily be pulled back. This may occur naturally in young boys, or it may develop in older boys or men as the result of a medical condition or infection. In paraphimosis, a foreskin that is pulled back gets stuck behind the glans.
Prostate Conditions
Your prostate is a walnut-sized gland located underneath your bladder and on top of the rectum, surrounding the upper portion of the urethra. Conditions affecting the prostate include the following:
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Prostate cancer: Prostate cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in men. It may cause no symptoms, especially early on, so it is important to get regular prostate cancer screenings starting at age 45.
Symptoms of prostate cancer may include blood in the semen or urine; difficulty starting or maintaining urination; painful ejaculation or urination; pain in the hips, ribs, or other bones; pressure or pain in the rectum; and numbness or weakness in the legs or feet. -
Prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate: BPH develops when noncancerous cells multiply in the prostate, enlarging the gland until it presses against the urethra. BPH is not cancerous, but it can develop at the same time as cancer and lead to serious issues such as urinary retention and renal failure.
There are a range of BPH symptoms, which may become severe, and include frequent and urgent urination, difficulty starting urination and/or maintaining a constant flow, feeling that urine is left in the bladder after urination, blood in the urine, and renal failure. -
Prostatitis: This condition involves inflammation and swelling of the prostate that may cause difficulty or pain during urination.
Additional symptoms of prostatitis may include frequent and urgent needs to urinate; cloudiness or blood in the urine; pain in the lower back, abdomen, groin, penis, testicles, or perineum (space between the rectum and scrotum); fever or chills; and pain during ejaculation. -
Prostate stones: This common condition involves tiny stones in the prostate. While these stones are often too small to cause symptoms, the stones may become severe enough to require surgical removal. Prostate stones may become infected, leading to urinary tract infections.
Scrotum and Testes Conditions
The scrotum and testes are part of the male reproductive system. The scrotum is a hanging sac that contains the testicles. The testicles are a pair of glands that produce and store semen, as well as produce testosterone and other hormones. Conditions affecting the scrotum and testes include the following:
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Cysts: Sometimes called spermatocele, a spermatic cyst, or an epididymal cyst, these benign (noncancerous) cysts may develop in the scrotum, typically above the testicle.
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Low libido: Low libido or sex drive means a decreased desire to engage in sexual activity. There are a wide range of possible causes, including emotional issues, certain medications, low hormone levels, chronic illness, sleep difficulties, and alcohol and drug use.
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Ejaculatory conditions: There are four main types of ejaculatory dysfunction, which are: delayed ejaculation, premature ejaculation, retrograde ejaculation (semen discharging into the bladder instead of out through the penis), and anejaculation (inability to ejaculate).
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Infection of the testes or scrotum: Orchitis is a condition that involves pain or swelling in one or both testicles, usually as the result of an infection. Epididymitis involves pain or swelling occurring at the back of the testicle in the epididymis, which is a tube for storing and transporting sperm.
Symptoms may include pain that could start behind one testis and possibly spread to the entire scrotum. There may be additional symptoms such as swelling, tenderness, and warmth. -
Male infertility: There are a number of factors that can interfere with a man’s ability to get his female partner pregnant. These include retrograde ejaculation, sperm disorders, varicoceles (swelling of the veins in the scrotum), a blockage in the tubes that transport sperm, low hormone levels, certain medications, and immunologic infertility (when your body produces antibodies that attack your sperm).
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Testicular cancer: Cancer that starts in a testicle is rare and often highly treatable. Symptoms of testicular cancer may include a lump in the testicle (it may be painless); swelling in the testicle (that may or may not cause pain); a heaviness in the scrotum; pain in the scrotum, testicle, or groin; or changes in the breast tissue.
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Undescended testicles (cryptorchidism): In approximately 3 or 4 out of 100 newborns, the testicles do not properly drop into the scrotum. While some cases will resolve on their own, others will require treatment. The causes may range from an abnormal testicle to hormonal issue.
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Varicoceles: In this condition, the veins (called the pampiniform plexus) inside the scrotum are enlarged. While varicoceles often causes no symptoms, this condition may lead to fertility problems.
Ureter Conditions
The ureters are the pair of tubes that carry urine from your kidneys to your bladder. Conditions affecting the ureters include the following:
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Ureteral stones: A kidney stone may travel to one or both ureters and become stuck there, where it may cause pain and block urine flow. While small stones may pass unnoticed, larger stones could cause symptoms including severe pain that comes and goes, nausea, and vomiting.
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Ureteral cancer: An uncommon condition, cancer of the ureter usually develops in older adults, as well as people who have undergone bladder cancer treatment. Symptoms of ureteral cancer include pain during urination, pain in the back, unintended weight loss, fatigue, and blood appearing in the urine.
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Ureteronephrosis: In this condition, the kidney and ureter are dilated due to an obstruction most commonly at the end of the ureter or the junction of the ureter and bladder (also called the uretero-vesical junction or UVJ). Common causes include ureteral stones, ureteral strictures or scar tissue, and ureteral cancer.
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Ureteral obstruction: Also called ureteral stricture, this relatively common condition involves a blockage in one or both ureters. The obstruction could block the flow of urine, leading to kidney damage.
Symptoms of a ureteral obstruction include pain in your lower back, sides, or abdomen; frequent urination; nausea; fever; urine that appears cloudy or bloody; repeated urinary tract infections; and swelling in the legs.
Urethra Conditions
The urethra is the tube that carries urine down from the bladder and out of the body. Conditions that affect the urethra include the following:
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Urethral cysts: Cysts filled with pus or fluid may form in or near the urethra. They are typically benign (noncancerous). Although these cysts may go unnoticed, they could block the urethra, causing problems that include bleeding and pain during urination or sexual intercourse.
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Urethral diverticulum: In this condition a pouch develops in the urethra, which may fill with urine. This is a rare condition with symptoms that include chronic pain in the pelvis, recurring urinary tract infections, and a painful mass in the vagina.
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Urethral duplication: This rare condition involves the formation of an extra urethra. There are three types of urethral duplication: incomplete urethral duplication (in which the urethra may not extend to the genitals), complete urethral duplication (in which the urethra extends to the genitals), and urethral duplication as a result of two bladders (in which an extra bladder develops an extra urethra).
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Urethral fistula: In this rare condition, there is an extra opening from the urethra that allows urine to leak outside the body. It could lead to urinary tract infections.
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Urethral stricture: This narrowing of the urethra may occur when scarring from injury, infection, or swelling interferes with the flow of urine.
Symptoms of urethral stricture include blood in the semen or urine, a urine stream that is slow or sprays, pain during urination, pain in the abdomen, urinary tract infections (in men), and swelling of the penis. -
Urethral valves: Also called posterior urethral valves, this condition involves the formation of membranes in the urethra that block the passage of urine, which could lead to damage in the urinary tract. Urethral valves often form during fetal development and may be detected before the baby is born.
Urethral valves in children may cause symptoms including difficulty during urination, urinary tract infection, a frequent need to urinate, and a slow urine stream. -
Urinary tract infection (UTI): In this common condition, a bacterial infection irritates the lining of the bladder and urethra. UTI symptoms include a frequent urge to urinate, pain in the pelvic area or lower back, urinary incontinence, and cloudy or foul smelling urine.
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Urethritis: Inflammation of the urethra is typically caused by a bacterial infection. Symptoms of urethritis include burning or discomfort during urination, a burning sensation near the opening of the urethra, and abnormal discharge.
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Epispadias or Hypospadias: These birth defects involve the opening of the urethra. Hypospadias mostly affects males and involves a urethral opening located at the bottom of the penis instead of at the penis tip. Epispadias—also most common in males—is a condition in which the urethral opening is at the top of the penis. Epispadias may also occur in some females.