A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Ileal Conduit - The Ileal Conduit is a small urine reservoir that is surgically created from a small piece of the patient's bowel. During this procedure, the ureters are attached to one end of the bowel piece; the other end is brought out onto the surface of the body to make a stoma. The patient then attaches an external, urine-collecting bag to the stoma. This bag needs to be worn at all times. Complications of the ileal conduit procedure include bowel obstruction, urinary tract infection (UTI), blood clots, pneumonia, upper urinary tract damage, and skin breakdown around the stoma.    
Imaging

The preliminary workup usually is followed by one or more imaging procedures to obtain a visual picture of the kidney(s) and any abnormalities that may be causing the patient's symptoms. A variety of modern, accurate, imaging procedures is available to assist the physician in this process. Most of these procedures are essentially painless, although a few require the injection of a special "tracer" material (dye or low-level radioactive isotope) into the patient's bloodstream.  

 

In Vitro Fertilization

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is, by definition, the fertilization of an egg in the laboratory. Using a variety of hormonal drugs, the woman's ovaries are "super stimulated" to produce eggs. Then, many mature eggs are gathered from the ovaries, and they are fertilized in the laboratory using the man's sperm. Two methods used to collect the eggs. Transvaginal aspiration is an ultrasound-guided technique in which the eggs are aspirated (drawn out) via the vagina; this procedure also is known as TV collection. Laparoscopy involves an incision through the abdomen to extract the eggs. Once the eggs have been collected, they are placed in a special fluid and are incubated (kept warm) with a prepared sample of the man's semen. The semen sample will have been processed to separate out the most active, healthy sperm. After the eggs are fertilized (roughly 48 hours after collection), they are replaced inside the woman's uterus.  

 
Incontinence

Bladder control problems or overactive bladder describes symptoms of urge, urgency, and frequency . According to the American Foundation of Urologic Disease (AFUD), an estimated 17 million Americans suffer from overactive bladder.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Incontinence
Types of Incontinence
Treatments
Prevention
Self Help

 

 

 
Incontinence Questionnaire

Your physician may ask you to complete a questionnaire about your medical history (medications used, surgeries, illnesses, allergies, etc.) as well as a questionnaire about your bladder-related symptoms and quality of life. Such questionnaires may be sent to you before your office visit, or they may be given to you when you arrive for your appointment. In either case, your physician will use the information that you provide to help evaluate your condition.  

 
Infertility

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
Inhibitors

Normally, urine contains chemicals that prevent or inhibit the formation of crystals. Substances known to act as inhibitors include pyrophosphate, citrate, magnesium, zinc and macromolecules. Another prevalent theory holds that some persons do not possess these inhibitors in sufficient quantity to prevent crystallization, or that their inhibitors somehow fail to produce the necessary chemical reactions that prevent the formation of crystals. The formation of such crystals is the first stage in the development of a kidney stone.  

 
Injectables

Other alternatives to invasive, stress incontinence surgery include injectable agents that increase the bulk around the urethra. These agents compress the urethra near the bladder outlet and can greatly improve the function of the urethral sphincter muscle. Injectable materials include collagen (a naturally occurring protein found in skin, bone and connective tissues), polytetrafluoro-ethylene (PTFE, a synthetic compound known as Teflon, Polyte for Urethrin) and fat. In women, injectable agents are a good choice if the patient is older, is not a good candidate for surgery, and has persistent intrinsic sphincter deficiency without urethral hypermobility (distinguished by leak point pressures less than 90 cm of water). In men, injectable agents may be beneficial for patients with intrinsic sphincter deficiency that has lasted longer than one year. The Contigen Bard implant is a new collagen-based form of injection therapy for leakage caused by stress incontinence. Contigen uses a highly purified form of collagen made from cowhide; therefore, all potential Contigen recipients should receive a skin test 28 days before scheduled injection to determine whether or not they are allergic to bovine collagen. The Contigen implant is injected around the top of the urethra using prefilled syringes. The procedure generally is conducted on an outpatient basis with a local anesthetic (painkiller). Most patients need one to three Contigen treatments (up to 28 cc) to achieve bladder control. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, a synthetic compound known as Teflon, Polytef or Urethrin), in the form of a micro polymer paste, can be injected into the upper urethra. The PTFE particles spur the growth off ibroblasts (fiber-making cells), which help to fix the PTFE in the urethral tissue and assist in urethral closure. PTFE is not approved in the United States for treatment of incontinence, because questions remain regarding the potential for PTFE particles to migrate to other regions of the body, such as the lungs, brain and lymph nodes. Fat injections also have been used to treat intrinsic sphincter deficiency. Autologous fat (fat from the patient's own body) is gathered by liposuction from the abdominal wall and is then injected around the urethra. Like collagen and PTFE injection, fat injection is a simple technique that can take place under local anesthesia. The results of this procedure appear favorable and cost-effective, although long-term findings are lacking.  

 
Intermittent Catheterization

Intermittent Catheterization involves inserting a catheter thru the urethra into to bladder to empty it of urine. Once the bladder is empty the catheter is removed. Intermittent catheterization should be performed every 3 to 8 hours or as recommended by your physician.

 

Internal Collection Devices

An internal collection device, such as a catheter (a hollow plastic tube), may be recommended for certain individuals to ensure that the bladder is emptied on a regular schedule and does not overfill. Intermittent catheterization -- the periodic insertion of a catheter into the urethra, past the sphincter muscle and into the bladder -- is performed at regular intervals each day (usually every 3 to 6 hours).

 
Interstitial Laser Coagulation of the Prostate

Similar to transurethral needle ablation of the prostate, a thin laser fiber is inserted into the prostatic adenoma via a tranurethral or transrectal route under ultrasound guidance. Laser energy is then utilized to induce tissue destruction by local tissue heating with the laser light energy. Preliminary data on small series of patients suggest it has potential as a viable minimally invasive surgical alternative for the treatment of BPH. This device is currently not FDA approved.  

 
Interstitial laser

A laser probe is placed within prostatic tissue. Laser energy is then used to destroy prostatic tissue which makes urination easier.  

 

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an IVF procedure in which a single healthy sperm is injected directly into the egg. ICSI is especially useful when the man's sperm count is very low or many sperm are abnormal or immotile (see also Sperm Retrieval). A tiny injection pipette is used to pass the sperm through the zona pellucida (outside layer) of the egg into its ooplasm (central substance). In general, ICSI is performed on several eggs. Once they have been fertilized, they are replaced inside the woman's uterus after a period of about 48 hours.  

 
Intravenous Pyelogram (IVP)

The doctor also may prescribe a procedure called an intravenous pyelogram (IVP), which involves injecting a special dye containing iodine through a vein in the arm into the bloodstream. The dye eventually collects in the urinary system, where it helps improve the contrast for X-rays and gives the doctor a better image of the kidneys, ureters and bladder. By showing up as white on the dark X-ray film, the IVP can disclose a tumor or the damage a tumor may have caused the kidney.

 

  
Intrinsic Sphincter Deficiency (ISD)

Weakening of the urethra sphincter muscles. As a result of this weakening the sphincter does not function normally regardless of the position of the bladder neck or urethra. This condition is a common cause of stress urinary incontinence.  

 
Irritable Bladder

Involuntary contractions of muscles in the bladder, which can cause lack of control of urination.  

 
Isolated Gonadotropin Deficiency

Otherwise known as Kallmann's syndrome, isolated gonadotropin deficiency is a genetically inherited disorder that affects the function of the hypothalamus (pituitary-linked organ). The features of Kallmann's syndrome include microphallus (small-sized penis) and/or cryptorchidism (undescended testes) during childhood. However, the most notable characteristic of Kallmann's syndrome is delayed puberty. Other Kallmann's syndrome "clues" are a positive family history of the disorder, anosmia, and "midline" defects such as hare lip, cleft palate and facial asymmetry.  

 
Isolated LH Deficiency

Otherwise known as fertile eunuch syndrome, isolated LH deficiency is notable for the "eunuchoid" features that are present in affected men. Such features include a preadolescent distribution and density of body hair; poor skeletal muscle development, and non-closed epiphyses (ends of the long bones), resulting in an unusually long arm span and long lower body segment. LH-deficient individuals often have large testes, but variable secondary sexual characteristics, with or without gynecomastia (overdevelopment of the male breasts). Fertile eunuch syndrome is caused by malfunction of the pituitary gland.