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 non-invasive treatment to help patients remove stones blocking the urinary tract, including the kidney, bladder, and salivary.
- 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 is 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 are 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 the remaining cancer cells.
Preventing bladder cancer is not very different than preventing other forms of cancer. Avoiding smoking and 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 complications during a vasectomy are 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 an enlarged prostate is to maintain a healthy diet. Fruits, vegetables, plant protein, and green tea are all helpful.
