Bladder leakage happens to all of us at one time or another. Laughter, heavy exertion, maybe a sneeze, and you discover you’ve had a small “oops.” It happens even more as we get older.
However, if it happens frequently enough to affect your quality of life, it’s time to see what the issue is. Doctors call the condition “euresis,” but you might have heard of it as leaky bladder, spastic bladder, overactive bladder, weak bladder, or urinary incontinence.
If the issue is higher-moderate to severe, bladder leakage surgery in Houston, TX works to manage, and maybe eliminate, your bladder leakage symptoms.
Contact us at ChristiMD Medical Group. Dr. Christi and the rest of our staff don’t judge. We listen, we ask you questions, and we help you find the right solutions, just like we have for thousands of other Houstonians over the years.
Choices for Bladder Leakage Surgery in Houston
Bladder leakage issues can negatively impact your life in a number of ways:
- Increased anxiety while out in public
- Cost of round-the-clock adult diapers
- Less time with friends & family to avoid embarrassment
- Restricted activity choices because of accidents
- Bigger fall risk because of rushing to the toilet
- Rashes, skin infections, and sores in moist areas
- Increased risk of urinary tract infections (UTI’s)
The following surgical procedures at ChristiMD Medical can help you manage, and even eliminate, your urinary incontinence issues and symptoms.
The Sling
A sling is a strip of mesh tape, implanted to stretch underneath the urethra from each side of the pelvic bone. The sling supports the urethral tube for greatly improved urinary control
There are two types of sling surgery that Dr. Christi performs. The most common sling implant involves tension-free vaginal tape (TVT). The TVT sling has proven to be the gold standard for sling surgery for over 20 years. The sling is made from the same material used in heart surgery sutures, proven to be safe and effective.
The other choice is the pubovaginal sling. Similar to TVT, the pubovaginal sling is implanted via small incisions. This pubovaginal sling can be made from your own tissue or from calf skin.
Dr. Christi has performed thousands of sling surgeries and has mastered the procedure. Benefits of this bladder leakage surgery include:
- Immediate results
- Elimination of stress-induced “leaks”
- Excellent choice when non-surgical procedures aren’t effective
- Simple outpatient surgery
- Achieves long-lasting results
- Renewed confidence enjoying activities
Studies have shown that slings can work for 17 years or more as a long-term solution.
Interstim
Interstim surgery helps women with an overactive/spastic bladder. Rather than directly supporting the urethra/bladder/pelvic floor, interstim works to retrain nerve function.
For the procedure, Dr. Christi implants a silver-dollar-sized intermittent pulse generator in the lower back area. A thin lead wire exits the device and sits next to the 3rd sacral nerve root.
After implantation, you use a remote control to activate the interstim treatment. Once turned on, it performs as a neuromodulator, targeting the signals traveling along the bladder nerve. The treatment has proven to be extremely effective for over 20 years, permanently curing overactive bladder symptoms.
Some of the benefits interstim bladder leakage surgery in Houston include:
- Pronounced decrease in trips to the bathroom and/or bladder accidents
- Permanent results
- Best results for quality of life
- Works for men and women
- Minimal downtime
- Outpatient procedure
Bulkamid®
Bulkamid treatment consists of a long-lasting urethral bulking, injected into the urethral wall to add volume. This “bulking” helps you keep a tight seal on your bladder, thus preventing leakage.
During the procedure, Dr. Christi will administer local anesthetic to numb the treatment area. She will then use a small scope to inject the Bulkamid solution into the walls of the urethra.
92% of patients are cured or have their bladder leakage significantly improved by Bulkamid treatment. For best results, you’ll need 3 to 4 injections, with each procedure taking about 10 to 15 minutes.
What Bulkamid Treatment Can Do For You
- Results that last up to 7 years
- Short treatment time
- No hospital stay
- Combinable with other treatments
- Return to enjoying life in 24 hours
- No reactions in surrounding tissues
- Greatly decreased risk of complications
Bladder Botox®
Botox relaxes muscles near the injection site. That’s why it’s a favorite injectable for aesthetic treatment, as the muscles that form those wrinkles relax instead of bunching together.
About 20 years ago, researchers began to use Botox for quadriplegics who had spastic bladders. The treatment’s success led to bladder Botox trials for people with overactive bladders. Those too proved to be excellent!
For over 10 years Dr. Christi has used Botox to help address overactive bladder issues.
If bladder Botox is right for you, the procedure takes about 40 to 60 minutes total. To prepare when you come in for treatment, you’ll begin by choosing your comfort level. You can take Valium, after which we numb the bladder for 30 minutes. Or if you prefer, we can deliver general anesthetic.
Either way, during the actual injection procedure, Dr. Christi will gently insert a small scope into the urethral tube, and through it inject the Botox. This takes less than 5 minutes! Make sure you have someone available to drive you home. On average, patients rate the initial pain after having Bladder Botox as 4 out of 10 in discomfort.
About 10 days after the treatment, you should see a reduction in your urgency to urinate, plus it’s easier to reach the toilet in time. Full effects arrive within 12 weeks after treatment.
Most patients report a life-changing difference from this bladder leakage surgery in Houston, TX.
The Benefits of Bladder Botox
- Great alternative when medicine & exercise don’t work
- Decrease powerful urges to pee
- Fewer night trips to the bathroom
- Improved ability to reach the toilet in time
- Lasts up to 6 months
- Convenient outpatient treatment
- Insurance frequently covers it
Related: Non-surgical treatments for an overactive bladder.
eCoin
Similar to PTNS, eCoin tibial stimulation retrains your nerves, thereby significantly reducing the number and intensity of sudden urges to urinate. The big difference between this and PTNS? You take eCoin with you!
As an outpatient bladder leakage surgery in Houston, Dr. Christi applies local anesthetic to the implant location, usually near your ankle or somewhere on the lower leg. There she’ll make a very small incision and implant the nickel-sized eCoin tibial simulator near your tibial nerve.
eCoin stimulates the nerve with small electrical impulses. That nerve, oddly enough, connects to the bladder. Studies prove that eCoin greatly reduces the frequency of urgent urinary incontinence attacks, in some cases eliminating them completely.
The eCoin battery lasts from 1 to 8 years, depending on the strength and frequency of treatment. Each stimulation treatment lasts for 30 minutes, delivered on a fixed schedule set by you and Dr. Christi.
Why eCoin Tibial Stimulation May Be Right for You
- Reduces urge urinary incontinence incidences
- No need for recurring office visits
- Minimally invasive
- Little downtime
- No medications or injections required
- Approved by the FDA
- Practically no side effects
- Compatible with other urinary incontinence treatments
ChristiMD for Bladder Leakage Surgery in Houston, TX
Dr. Christi leads the field of comprehensive Female Urology and Urogynecology, and is one of the first urologists in the country to receive board subspecialty certification in both Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. She’s helped thousands of patients through surgical and non-surgical treatments for urinary incontinence.
Schedule a consultation today, and let the caring staff at ChristiMD Medical Group help you heal and get back to living your best life!