Men’s Bladder & Prostate Health

It’s not uncommon for the bladder or prostate to cause pain, discomfort or urinary challenges for men as they age. Prostate enlargement, for example, is the leading cause of bladder issues such as incontinence and overactive bladder (OAB) in men.

You don’t need to live with these limitations, though. At MUSC, our urologists are among the regions most skilled and experienced. We use advanced diagnostic and treatment options to relieve your symptoms and improve your quality of life. We find a plan that works for you.

Request an Appointment

To get more information about our men’s bladder and prostate health services or request an appointment, please call 843-792-7888. You can also learn more about our urology program, including who’s on our team and where we’re located.

Men’s Bladder & Prostate Health at MUSC Health: Why Choose Us?

Our doctors are nationally and internationally recognized leaders in their field. They treat every type of bladder and prostate condition, from the routine to the most complex. Our program provides you with effective, personalized care.

At MUSC Health, you’ll benefit from:

• Precise Diagnosis: An accurate diagnosis leads to the most effective treatment plan for bladder and prostate issues. We offer advanced diagnostic tests that are not available anywhere else in the region. We are the only program in the region offering video urodynamic studies, the most advanced method for evaluating lower urinary tract conditions. Our doctors can identify abnormalities that may have gone undetected.
• Specialized Treatments and Expertise: We are highly skilled at complex bladder and prostate procedures, as well as at repairing problems from earlier surgeries. Doctors from the tristate region as well as from Tennessee and Florida send us their patients because of our expertise.
• Experience: We perform more artificial sphincter implantations and male sling surgeries to treat urinary incontinence than any other program in the region. The high number of procedures we perform gives us the experience and skill to provide safe and effective treatment.
• Leaders in the Field: Our doctors have published extensively on urologic health and speak about the topic at conferences all over the world. In addition, we have a robust research program, focused on improving pelvic, prostate and bladder health.
• Sensitive Approach: We know it’s often difficult to discuss bladder and prostate issues. We take a compassionate and private approach to care, so you’ll feel at ease during your diagnosis and treatment. We work with you to find the right solution for embarrassing, painful or inconvenient symptoms.

Bladder & Prostate Conditions We Treat

The prostate gland makes fluid for semen, while the bladder stores urine. An enlarged prostate, the most common prostate problem in men over 50, can put pressure on your urinary tract and cause bladder problems. Conditions such as diabetes, surgical side effects, and nerve problems can also lead to bladder and incontinence issues.

At MUSC Health, we have special expertise diagnosing and treating all types of bladder and prostate issues:

Prostate Problems

• Enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH)
• Prostatitis (prostate inflammation)
• Prostate cancer

Urinary & Incontinence Problems

• Urinary incontinence
• Urinary problems following prostate surgery
• Nocturia, or waking at night to urinate
• Overactive bladder (OAB), urinary frequency and urgency
• Neurogenic bladder, or urinary problems resulting from conditions of the nervous system
• Urinary retention, or difficulty emptying the bladder

Urinary Tract & Urethra

• Urinary tract infection
• Urethral stricture, or narrowing of urethra, usually from scar tissue
• Urinary tract obstruction

Sexual Health & Reproduction

• Erectile dysfunction (impotence)
• Male infertility

Learn more about men’s sexual health and fertility.

Diagnosing Bladder & Prostate Conditions

Our specialists start with a physical exam and medical history. If needed, we offer advanced diagnostic tools to accurately and expertly determine the cause of your symptoms.

Our services include:

• Urinalysis, to test for abnormalities or infections.
• Computerized uroflowmetry, a test that calculates the speed of urine flow over time.
• Post-void residual urine determination, to measure the urine left in your bladder after urinating.
• Ultrasound of the prostate, to detect abnormalities and disorders.
• Cystoscopy, a test using a miniature instrument that looks inside your bladder or urethra to detect problems.
• Video urodynamic, an advanced test to detect and diagnose lower urinary tract issues.
• Percutaneous nerve evaluation, a test to determine if InterStim (sacral nerve stimulation) will be an effective treatment option for urinary incontinence.

Bladder & Prostate Conditions: Nonsurgical & Minimally Invasive Treatments

Our highly trained specialists consider your needs, comfort level, limitations, lifestyle and preferences when developing a personalized treatment plan.

We first consider dietary and lifestyle habits, such as quitting smoking and losing weight, as well as medication to help relieve your symptoms. Should you then need them, we offer a wide range of nonsurgical and minimally invasive treatments. These options include:

• Pelvic floor physiotherapy, either through biofeedback or electrical stimulation, to stimulate the nerves in the bladder and pelvic floor and help strengthen and control those muscles.
• InterStim (sacral nerve stimulation), a device implanted under your skin that treats overactive bladder syndrome by addressing communication issues between your bladder and brain.
• Botox^®, an injection into your bladder muscles to help calm them and prevent overactive bladder.
• Bulking, an injection of a substance near the urinary sphincter to narrow the bladder opening and prevent leakage.
• Minimally invasive procedures:
  • Urolift, a simple outpatient procedure that lifts an enlarged prostate out of the way of the urethra to eliminate blockages.
  • Laser therapy, to shrink the size of your prostate gland.
• Devices such as catheters, plugs or clamps to manage incontinence when other treatments are ineffective or not an option.

Surgery for Bladder & Prostate Health

If other methods fail to provide relief, surgery can help you get back to feeling your best. You can feel safe and confident with our care. Our expert urologists provide you with precise, effective treatment.

Our surgical options include:

• Re-operative surgery, correcting previously failed bladder or prostate surgery.
• Urinary diversion (continent and incontinent reconstruction) to create an opening in the stomach or a replacement bladder so that urine still has a place to flow after urinary system damage.
• Surgery to relieve incontinence caused by neurologic issues or complications from prostate surgery or radiation therapy.
• Bladder enlargement to augment your bladder when it’s not large enough to hold a normal amount of urine.
• Artificial urinary sphincter implantation to place a cuff and a pump that controls your bladder to relieve urinary incontinence.
• Male sling, a procedure to place a synthetic mesh (sling) in the groin area to treat mild to moderate urinary incontinence.
• Minimally invasive “keyhole” surgery.