If you’re experiencing lower abdominal pain, decreased sexual desire, blood in your urine or semen, difficulty urinating or, after running some tests, your primary care doctor has detected a testicular mass, they will likely refer you to a urological surgeon.
You may be inclined to search for answers as to what it is that a urological surgeon does and the conditions that they exactly treat. Let’s find out.
Conditions Treated by a Urological Surgeon
A urological surgeon is a medical professional who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the urinary system and reproductive tract. A urological surgeon is typically trained to treat both men and women, but they can choose to focus on men’s sexual and reproductive health and treat conditions that affect the male urinary and reproductive system, such as:
o Cancers that affect the bladder, kidneys, penis, and testicles
o Infertility
o Kidney diseases
o Prostate gland enlargement and other problems
o Low testosterone
o Interstitial cystitis (painful bladder syndrome)
Visiting a Urological Surgeon
When you visit a urological surgeon, they will ask you specific questions about your medical history, current medical conditions, medications you’re taking; perform a comprehensive physical examination; and then order or perform additional diagnostic tests, such as:
o Urinalysis – to check for signs of kidney disease, urinary tract infection, and other conditions
o Blood test- to check testosterone levels, etc.
o Imaging tests (such as CT and/or MRI scan)
o Digital rectal exam (DRE)- to check for problems in the prostate gland—specifically, benign prostatic hypertrophy or cancer
Because the prostate is an internal organ, your urological surgeon cannot look at it directly. But because the prostate lies in front of your rectum, they can feel it by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into your rectum.
o Cystoscopy- to examine the lining of your bladder and urethra in detail and check for kidney stones
Based on the results of the evaluation, your urological surgeon will devise an appropriate treatment plan and may perform any of the following procedures if necessary:
o Cystectomy – to remove the bladder
o Orchidopexy- to move a testicle that has not descended or moved down to its proper place in the scrotum.
o Ureteroscopy- to remove kidney stones
o Penile implant surgery – to place an inflatable device within the penile shaft to treat erectile dysfunction
o Penile plication- to treat curvature of the penis caused by Peyronie’s disease
o Prostatectomy (robotic and radical prostatectomy)- to remove the prostate gland
Additionally, a urological surgeon can help men who either want to stop having children or want to have children again. A urological surgeon is equipped to perform vasectomy and vasectomy reversal. Other male infertility procedures they perform include surgical repair of varicoceles (enlargement of the vein in the scrotum) and MESA (microscopic epididymal sperm aspiration), which involves retrieving sperm from the epididymis (the long, coiled tube that stores sperm) to be used for fertilization and pregnancy.
Urological Surgeon in Phoenix and Mesa, AZ
At Ironwood Urology, Dr. Desiderio Avila, Jr. is a board-certified urological surgeon who has established a solid reputation for delivering high-quality, comprehensive care and excellent treatment outcomes. He’ll be happy to sit down with you to discuss your urology and reproductive needs and answer all of your questions.
To arrange a consultation with Dr. Avila, call us at our location nearest you: (480) 961-2323 (Phoenix office) and (480) 664-0261 (Gilbert office). You may also use our appointment request form.
