UH Geauga Medical Center’s revolutionary non-surgical treatment for stress incontinence can have you back in the game of life
By Laura Briedis
Just like people used to shy away from talking about and seeking treatment for mental health issues, urinary incontinence was another matter they sidestepped. However, as more patients realize how common and treatable it is, that’s changing.
Stress urinary incontinence—involuntary leaking during activities such as laughing, coughing, sneezing or exercising—affects about 35 to 40% of women and tends to develop as women get older, and often during or after pregnancy. And an overactive bladder, which is caused by faulty signaling between the bladder and the brain creating a sensation of needing to urinate even when the bladder isn’t full, is prevalent in 30% of the U.S. population.
“Too many women continue to live with incontinence because they think that it’s just a normal part of being a woman. They don’t realize how treatable it is,” says David Sheyn, MD, a urogynecologist at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center. “After treating patients, they always remark that they wish they had not waited so long to seek treatment.”
While the Sling procedure, a surgical implantation of a mesh sling that creates additional support of pelvic organs, has been the gold standard when treating stress urinary incontinence, University Hospitals is now performing a less invasive procedure called Urethral Bulking.
During this procedure, Bulkamid gel bulking agent is injected around the walls of the urethra near the bladder to narrow its width. This new material, which is made of 97.5% water and 2.5% gel, adds bulk to the urethra, supporting the closing mechanism and providing better control of urine.
“It works like a balloon knot whereas when it is smaller, less air can leak out versus it being wide open,” explains Dr. Sheyn, noting patients are numbed and lightly sedated during the procedure.
This incision-free, mesh-free procedure is approved by the FDA and has shown pronounced results. “Up to 70% of patients feel significantly (90%) better and the other 30% also feel some relief after the procedure and have less incontinence,” says Dr. Sheyn.
“Urethral Bulking is a great option for patients who don’t want to have surgery or downtime, as you can resume all activities immediately,” notes Dr. Sheyn. “I even had a patient who went horseback riding the very next day.”
While this new procedure is ideal for patients suffering from stress incontinence, UH Geauga Medical Center also treats those with an overactive bladder. These treatments include some novel procedures, such as using Botox for the bladder and sacral nerve stimulation.
“We are currently participating in a clinical study using artificial intelligence as a behavioral modification to help lessen an overactive bladder,” says Dr. Sheyn, who has published over 70 peer-reviewed research papers focusing on the causes and treatment of female pelvic floor disorders. “My goal is to apply artificial intelligence to develop a precision medicine approach to the treatment of this condition. So when a patient who I have never met before consults with me, I can use AI to see which treatment would be most effective.”
In addition to urinary incontinence, Dr. Sheyn also treats patients who experience fecal incontinence, painful intercourse, frequent urinary tract infections, chronic abdominal pain, menopausal symptoms, and bladder and bowel complaints following cancer treatment.
“I want people to know that they don’t have to suffer with these health issues, as they are very treatable,” he says.
If you are experiencing incontinence issues, you can schedule an appointment with a urogynecologist by calling 440-901-6816 or visiting UHHospitals.org/UrologyAppt. UH Geauga Medical Center is located at 13207 Ravenna Road, in Chardon.