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1st appeared 30 March 1999 Collaboration Helps UCSF Lead Way in Treating
Urinary Incontinence Urinary incontinence, the involuntary loss of urine, is
a silent epidemic that affects approximately 10 - 15 million American adults, making it
more widespread than most chronic illnesses. The goal for both departments is to make a cohesive program where information and research lead to creative and effective treatments, said Jeanette Brown, MD, director of the UCSF/Mount Zion Women's Continence Center and UCSF associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology & reproductive sciences. Each program brings to the collaboration a wealth of experience and personnel. The Women's Continence Center was established in 1991 and is the most comprehensive center of its type in the Bay Area. The Center treats women with bladder problems and offers extensive evaluations, the latest in diagnostic equipment, and a variety of treatment options for patients. The UCSF department of urology has a long-standing research commitment to the field of neurourology and houses a state-of-the-art testing center for voiding dysfunctions. With the addition of Wendy Leng, MD, a UCSF assistant professor of urology, the department adds a unique element to its existing base of expertise. Leng is one of the few female urologists in the country and the only female urologist in San Francisco. Until recently, men and male problems dominated the field of urology, despite the fact that of the 17 million Americans currently suffering from lack of bladder control, approximately 85 percent are women. In addition to having a particular interest in female urology concerns, Leng treats all aspects of voiding dysfunction and deals with a wide range of patients and diseases, including problems related to male prostatic disease, spinal cord injuries, and chronic neurologic diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Leng joined the UCSF staff last May with the goal of encouraging all people with voiding dysfunctions, including incontinence, to seek medical advice. "Urinary incontinence is still largely a hidden problem, because the common perception remains that people have to live with it," said Leng. "People should not accept incontinence as a normal part of aging, especially when they are leading otherwise healthy, active lifestyles. It is readily treatable." Although not life threatening, incontinence can result in embarrassing and compromising situations and can negatively affect a person's quality of life. Many people, however, are reluctant to talk about their difficulties much less seek medical advice. Recent national polls have estimated that 30 to 40 percent of incontinence sufferers are too embarrassed to mention their condition to their doctor and that approximately 70 percent do not realize that treatments are available. "We're all very shy about it, and that's a shame," said PJ Jamison, a current patient of Leng's. "It winds up costing us our lives, and living life half way doesn't work." The causes behind urinary incontinence are not always known. Many conditions may contribute including pregnancy, childbirth, urinary tract infection, obesity, and aging. Incontinence can be temporary or long-term and can often be cured by pelvic floor exercises, behavior modification, medication, or surgery. The subject of incontinence has long been a social taboo, but with increasing media coverage, public awareness, and America's aging population, more patients are seeking medical attention for this problem, said Brown. "All my friends were waiting for me to have this
operation and be the guinea pig," said Karen Bogetz, another patient of Leng's.
"People need to know that there are cures." |
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