Your Health

Urology Partners strives to truly be your “partner” in the care and management of Urologic medical issues. We firmly believe that the partnership between physician and patient in their health issues leads to superior outcomes. Education is a critical part of maintaining that partnership. Education is mission of every Urology Partners employee from our office staff to nurses and diagnostic facilities to treatment facilities. Urology Partners strives to educate the patient to enhance and improve the health care of all our patients. Below you will find general information about Urologic Health issues, and additional information can be found utilizing the links listed on the right-hand margin.
Urology
Urology encompass many diseases and malfunctions of the kidney, adrenal, bladder, prostate, and external genitalia of men and women. Urologist treat both men and women with medical problems related to the urinary system. Urologist are both medical physicians and surgeons, diagnosing and providing treatment utilizing both medicines and surgery.
KIDNEY
In the past, many diseases of the kidney required open surgery to remove stones, or the entire kidney was removed even for small cancers. Today, most kidney stones are treated with sound waves that penetrate the body to pulverized the stone without the need for incisions. Stones can also be removed from the inside of the urinary system using an endoscopic camera and operating scopes. Tiny lasers and “baskets” can also be used to remove stones. Small kidney cancers can be treated with freezing or high frequency probes to destroy the mass (cryoablation and radio frequency ablation) without large incisions, and also preserve the remaining kidney.
Urology Partners physicians are highly trained in the treatment of kidney stones without surgery, kidney-sparing cancer surgery and laparoscopic kidney surgery. Urology Partners also performs endoscopic treatment of the kidney by examining the kidney from inside the urinary tract without incisions. On-site CT scanning also expedites the diagnosis of kidney diseases and kidney stones. Many of these advances were pioneered in Manatee County by the physicians of Urology Partners.
BLADDER
Management of bladder disease and malfunction, require a comprehensive history, bladder function testing (urodynamics) and examinations. Incontinence treatments can include drugs to alleviate urgent/frequent urination, and simple outpatient surgery to cure incontinence provoked by activities (stress incontinence). Bladder cancers can often be managed with outpatient endoscopic surgeries, and our in-house pathologist provides specialized urologic pathology to both grade and stage the disease accurately.
Complete hematuria work-ups can be accomplished entirely at Urology Partners facility. Our full service laboratory allows our patients to get confirmation about urinary tract infections the same day.
PROSTATE
Detection of prostate diseases involves examination, prostate ultrasound, and sometimes biopsy. Prostate biopsy is commonly done if the PSA test is elevated. This laboratory test measures a protein excreted only by the prostate, and if elevated, can be a first sign of prostate cancer. Prostate biopsies can be done in the office in a 5-minute session with minimal discomfort.
Treatment of BPH (benign enlargement) has made tremendous advancements in the last 5 years. Traditionally, only surgery helped; now, the majority of men find relief in medication. Others can benefit from in-office “non surgical” prostate microwave treatments. Surgical treatment of the prostate now commonly uses the laser to remove tissue. This advanced surgical technique has dramatically reduced risks such as bleeding as compared to prior prostate surgery. It is often performed as an outpatient often without the need for a catheter.
Urology Partners provides all of the above diagnostic and therapeutic options to the patient in a single setting. Even if you are currently being treated with medication, our office can provide timely advice regarding other long-term options to eliminate the need for medication.
INCONTINENCE
Treatment of incontinence often uses medication especially in those with urgency and frequency of urination. Stress incontinence (loss of urine with activity) is surgically corrected with outpatient 20-minute surgeries that use small incisions. These surgeries, known as “sling” procedures, utilize revolutionary artificial support tapes that compress and support the urethra to prevent leakage. Patients rarely require catheters beyond a few days and can resume normal activities in less than one week in most cases.
Botox can also be injected into the bladder wall to increase bladder size and alleviate incontinence associated with uncontrolled frequency. Bladder training can also improve incontinence by using biofeedback to retrain proper bladder sensation and control.
Urology partners perform more incontinence surgery in Manatee County than any other group. Our facility has state-of-the-art bladder urodynamics and a fully trained specialized nurse in urodynamics. Botox injections can be performed within the Urology Partners clinic, and our surgeons work closely with the gynecologists of Manatee County to coordinate combined vaginal and bladder surgeries.
INFECTIONS
Urine infections in men are usually accompanied with a anatomic abnormality such as: prostate enlargement, kidney stone, inadequate emptying of the bladder and scar tissue of the urethra (water channel). Both examination and diagnostic testing is critical in men with urine infections.
HEMATURIA
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
Articles by our Doctors:
Options for Prostate Cancer
by Sean A. Castellucci, D.O.
Click to view PDF of Article
Prostate Basics
by Mark Weintraub, M.D.
Click to view PDF of Article
Testosterone and Men’s Health
by G. Austin Hill, M.D.
Click to view PDF of Article
Advances in the War Against Prostate Cancer
by Alan Miller, M.D.
Click to view PDF of Article
Advances in Overactive Bladder Therapy
by Edward Herrman, M.D.
Click to view PDF of Article
Men Have Hormones, Too
by Sean A. Castellucci, D.O.
Click to view PDF of Article
Low Testosterone
by Mitch Yadven, M.D.
Click to view PDF of Article