There are both congenital and non-congenital diseases affecting the bladder and the urinary tract. Our physicians are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of all of these issues.

Congenital Diseases

Congenital diseases are present at birth. Some congenital diseases affecting the urinary system include:

Ureteral-Pelvic Junction Obstruction

Is the most common of these abnormalities; it is a blockage of the ureter as it leaves the kidney. This blockage obstructs the flow of urine from the kidney causing it to swell. Often there is pain and blood in the urine. There can be loss of renal function. With the routine use of ultrasound this condition is usually discovered in pregnancy or in children, however, problems with this condition can develop in adulthood. Surgery for this condition usually involves cutting out the section of blocked ureter and reconnecting the ureter. WUA surgeons were the first in Wake County to do this repair laparoscopically.

Ureteral-Vesicle Junction Obstruction

Is a blockage of the ureter as in enters the bladder, causing blockage of urine flow from the kidney. Surgery is usually required to excise the structured ureteral segment and reattach to the bladder.

Vesico-Ureteral Reflux

Is the abnormal reverse flow of urine from the bladder to the kidneys because of an abnormally developed connection of the ureter to the bladder. The reverse flow of urine can cause infection and damage to the kidney. This can happen to both or just one kidney. This condition is usually diagnosed when a child develops a kidney infection.

Non-congenital Diseases

Non-congenital diseases affecting the urinary system include:

Urinary Tract Infections

UTIs can be caused by bacteria, yeast, or viral agents. Symptoms can include urinary frequency, urgency, incontinence, dysuria (burning in bladder or urethra when urinating), back and/or side pain, and fever. Infections can originate in the bladder, kidneys, or urethra. The source of the UTI can be the result of several factors such as the presence of a large prostate, sexual activity, kidney stones, abnormalities in the bladder or the kidneys, or even cancer the kidney or bladder.

Accordingly, it is very important to do an adequate history and physical exam and to obtain properly collected urine for analysis and culture. Often, x-ray studies and bladder cystoscopy is performed to evaluate for the source of the UTI.

Urinary Incontinence

There are numerous etiologies for Urinary Incontinence (involuntary loss of urine from the bladder). It is very important to properly identify the specific cause of each individual patient’s incontinence because of the different treatment options used for each.

Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)

SUI is the involuntary loss of urine from the bladder with increased intra-abdominal pressure, such as coughing, sneezing, or activities such as bending or standing from a sitting position. It is usually the result of loss of pelvic support and/or sphincter tone in the female or radical prostate surgery in the male. The patient usually notices the loss of urine when the activity is taking place.

There are non-surgical treatment options such as Kegel exercises and/or biofeedback, and surgical options such as collagen injection, pubovaginal sling, or the placement of an artificial urinary sphincter.

Urgency Incontinence (UI)

UI is the involuntary loss of urine form the bladder as a result of an increase in bladder tone or bladder irritation. Causes of UI include urinary tract infection, other inflammatory disease of the bladder, radiation injury or damage to the bladder, neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, spinal cord injury, stroke, bladder cancer, and loss of bladder compliance (loss of the bladder’s ability to stretch).

There are numerous medical, surgical, and physical therapy options to treat UI.

Mixed Urinary Incontinence

This is the condition of having both Stress and Urgency incontinence. This is a common condition in women.

Overflow Urinary Incontinence

This is a condition caused by an inability to empty the bladder, leading to a constantly full bladder. Causes include neurological conditions of the bladder, bladder prolapse, and obstruction of the normal flow of urine from the bladder (bladder outlet obstruction).