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"Thank you for freeing me..."
She had lived in isolation in a local apartment building because she had little urinary control. Every time she left her home, she risked soiling herself in public. With the help of Dr. Slutsky and urinary control treatments, she found a new life. Dr. Slutsky and his partners, E. Kent Frye, M.D., F.A.C.S., and David Sobel, M.D., work together at Urological Surgeons of Illinois Ltd. The new clinic is part of their existing practice. Dr. Slutsky, the director of the Urological Surgeons, has specialized in treating urinary incontinence for 18 years. He also teaches urology residents at Rush Medical Center, Chicago, where he is a staff member. It was time that a center such as this was established in Kankakee, Dr. Slutsky said. The population is generally older here, Dr. Slutsky said, and urinary incontinence usually effects women 40-75 years old. Others are learning about urinary incontinence treatments through the media and are seeking help in greater numbers. Nearly 15 million people in the United States have urinary incontinence problems. Of those patients, two-thirds are female. This is due to anatomical differences in the pelvic region. Sometimes women also suffer from changes after childbirth. Sadly, less than half of those who have urinary incontinence seek help because they are too embarrassed, they do not know help is available, or they feel they can't afford treatments. People with this condition lose sleep, are exhausted, become socially isolated, and find it hard to travel or continue working. Incontinence means you do not have control over your bladder. Part of the urinary system fails and you could have three different forms incontinence:
Yearly, in America, 16 billion dollars is spent on drugs, absorbent products (such as adult diapers), and more to take care of these problems. The truth is, "an overactive bladder can be effectively treated," Dr. Slutsky said. "There is help and it works. I can improve you at least 50 - 60 percent and we try to do more than that." In some cases, incontinence can even be cured. Most HMO's, will cover incontinence treatments. So far, there is a backlog of patients who will visit Urological Surgeons of Illinois. Dr. Slutsky expects patients he sees at Rush to also visit this clinic. "Some patients have been treated by other practitioners who tell them that there isn't anything else that can be done," Dr. Slutsky said. But urinary incontinence isn't a normal process of aging or the normal result of childbirth. There are options and a person's life can be improved with the right help. Urological Surgeons will be a separate area for people who may feel embarrassed about visiting the urologists. "Sometimes people come in with soaked pants because they can't control this problem." When patients enter the Urological Surgeons of Illinois, they undergo a verbal and written evaluation to assess the type of incontinence they have. From there, a physician talks to the patient (in one of three exam rooms) and treatment options can be performed. In the office, ultrasound imaging can be done, biofeedback treatments, and more. A small operating room is also located in the Urological Surgeons of Illinois for minor operations. One minor operation involves testing for a new FDA approved therapy called InterStim Therapy. FDA approved for adults in the spring, InterStim Therapy works like a defibrillator for the heart. A lead (wire with electrodes on the tip) electrode is implanted near a nerve located in the lower back (just above the tailbone). This nerve controls the bladder. A neurotransmitter (the size of a stopwatch) is placed under the skin usually in the buttocks area. Electrical stimulation from the device may eliminate or reduce bladder control symptoms. Not everyone is a candidate for the implant, that is why testing (with a temporary stimulation device) for several days is involved. Other surgical options are also available, including a sling operation (where a strip of muscle tissue from the abdomen is used to support the bladder), and collagen injections (where collagen is injected around the urethra to stop leakage). Among more conservative ways to manage urinary incontinence are electrical stimulation, biofeedback and diet changes. "There is something that can be done to improve, if not cure incontinence," Dr. Slutsky said. "If you are not seeking help you are denying yourself help. Treatments could change your life. You don't have to put up with this condition." For more information on incontinence, contact the following organizations:
This article printed by permission of The Daily Journal, written by Tracy Ahrens, Health Editor
Urological Surgeons of Illinois, LTD.
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"There is something that can be done to improve, if not cure incontinence. If you are not seeking help, you are denying yourself help. Treatments could change your life." -- Dr. Joel Slutsky, M.D.
Dr. Joel Slutsky, M.D., F.A.CS remembers these words received in a letter from one of his patients, an elderly female.