Urology

What Services Do We Provide?

Urology is the medical specialty that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of the male and female urinary system and the male reproductive organs. A urologist performs vasectomies for men who no longer wish to have children and treat problems of the kidneys, adrenal glands, urinary bladder and male reproductive organs. Because the urinary and reproductive tracts are anatomically linked, problems with one tract often affect the other. Some of the most common urologic conditions we treat include:

Contact our Urology Department: 641.494.5280

Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is a chronic disease that affects the bladder, the organ that stores urine. Tumors can form when the body creates new cells that aren’t needed or when old cells don’t die when they’re supposed to. The tumor may be cancerous or benign. Cancerous cells may develop on the inner lining of the bladder wall. This is referred to as superficial bladder cancer. If the cancer spreads through the lining, it becomes invasive cancer.

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatment

The prostate is a gland that is only found in men. It is located just below the bladder surrounding the urethra, which carries urine from the bladder to the penis. Some men over the age of 50 have an enlarged prostate. One of the reasons for an enlarged prostate is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). BPH is not a form of prostate cancer and does not lead to prostate cancer. For some men with BPH, the enlarged prostate puts pressure on the urethra.

Kidney Stones

Kidney stones are a common but painful urinary tract disorder that affects over 3 million people in the United States each year. A kidney stone is a hardened mass of mineral and acid salts that separates from the urine and travels through the urinary tract. The urine normally dilutes and dissolves these substances, but when the composition of urine is unbalanced, crystallized kidney stones can form.

Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in men, affecting one out of every six men in the US. This disease affects the prostate, the golf ball-sized gland located under the bladder and in front of the rectum. This gland helps produce semen and allows for sperm to move more effectively, along with several other functions. Although this disease can be life-threatening and is a scary diagnosis to receive, many cases of prostate cancer spread slowly and may only require minimal treatment. When confined to the prostate gland, this disease can usually be treated effectively, making early detection crucial for handling prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer screening

There are currently two methods of screening for prostate cancer. These consist of the digital rectal examination and the prostate-specific antigen blood test. These tests are generally performed on men aged 40 to 60 who have exhibited symptoms of prostate cancer.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test

This is a special blood test that determines if the individual has elevated levels of PSA in his blood. Normal levels of PSA in men are anywhere between 0-4.0 nanograms per milliliter, while anything above the upper limit of 4.0 is considered a “positive” test and should be tended to immediately. It is important to note that PSA levels can be increased by other factors such as prostate infection, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and recent ejaculation. This leads to a high frequency of positive results.

Vasectomies

Our urologists perform the latest, state-of-the-art no-scalpel vasectomies, medical sterilization procedures for men who are sure they no longer want children. Vasectomy is over 99 percent effective at sterilization and lasts permanently. The surgeons cut or block off the small tubes in the scrotum that carry sperm so the sperm cannot leave the body and cause pregnancy. The procedure can be done in a matter of minutes, either with an incision or with the no-scalpel, no-cut method, and the patient can go home that day.

The no-scalpel method reduces the risk of infection and other complications, and it typically takes less time to heal.

To learn more about our urology services, please call 641.494.5280 today or use our online form to schedule an appointment. Our urology patients come to us from Albert Lea, Algona, Belmond, Britt, Buffalo Center, Charles City, Clarion, Cresco, Emmetsburg, Forest City, Garner, Greene, Hampton, Iowa Falls, Lake Mills, Mason City, New Hampton, Northwood, Osage, Waverly and close-by areas.