Titusville Urology
At the Titusville Area Hospital urology department, we aim to educate patients
during their treatment to help them avoid future health problems. Issues
that affect the urinary tract and prostate can be serious and potentially
life threatening. Certain conditions, such as kidney stones, can cause
severe discomfort, and having the knowledge to avoid a reoccurrence will
be a major asset in your personal healthcare routine. This page outlines
a few of the services performed by the urology department and advice on
how to prevent certain issues
Lithotripsy & Preventing Stones
This is a noninvasive treatment to help patients remove stones blocking
the urinary track, including kidney, bladder, and salivary. There are
a couple of different lithotripsy treatments:
-
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy – This is a non-invasive treatment in which the body is exposed to shockwaves
that break up stones, allowing the patient to pass them more easily.
There are a few different methods that can help avoid stones. Inducing
frequent urination by drinking plenty of water throughout the day is a
reliable way to prevent minerals from having time to crystallize. Avoiding
salt, animal protein, and oxalate-rich foods like spinach and chocolate
are also helpful.
Cystoscopy & Preventing Bladder Cancer
A cystoscopy procedure is similar to lithotripsy. A small tube with an
attached camera and light enters the urethra and enters the bladder, giving
the doctor a chance to view the area without open surgery. Many feel apprehensive
about the procedure, but a local anesthetic and sedation is administered
rendering you unconscious during the procedure.
The cystoscope looks for stones, blockages, tumors, or cancer in the bladder.
It can even have small tools passed through the tube to remove tumors
and stones, making it a valuable treatment device as well. If a tumor
is discovered, a transurethral resection for bladder tumors (TURBT) is
performed. In which a resectoscope removes the tumor and destroys remaining
cancer cells.
Preventing bladder cancer is not very different than preventing other forms
of cancer. Avoiding smoking, chemicals, and eating healthy foods are effective
ways to avoid risk. Drinking plenty of water, which dilutes cancer causing
chemicals, is also effective.
Vasectomy
This is a permanent form of birth control in which the vas deferens is
severed, preventing the release of sperm during ejaculation. It is a very
quick procedure, usually lasting around 30 minutes, with a 99.9% success
rate. Every surgery comes with some risk, but the chances of complication
during a vasectomy is remarkably low, and it is considered one of the
safest forms of birth control.
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
This procedure treats symptoms of enlarged prostates. During the operation,
a doctor inserts a resectoscope into the urethra and removes excessive
prostate growth that has blocked the urinary tract.
Symptoms of an enlarged prostate include:
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty urinating
- Inability to empty bladder
- Bladder stones
- Blood in urine
The best way to avoid enlarged prostates is to maintain a healthy diet.
Fruits, vegetables, plant protein, and green tea are all helpful.