Caring for your kidney, prostate
and bladder conditions
Urology problems can be uncomfortable, painful and embarrassing. Novant Health urologists are experienced in treating many urologic procedures including prostate and urinary problems.
Cystoscopy of the bladder - Cystoscopy uses a tiny tube that lets us look inside your bladder and the urethra to see areas that don’t show up clearly on X-rays. We can use this instrument to biopsy tissue or remove urine samples. In many cases, small bladder stones and some small growths can also be removed during cystoscopy, eliminating the need for more extensive surgery.
Nephrectomy (kidney removal) - If you have advanced kidney disease from infection, kidney stones, blockage, abnormal growth or renal vascular hypertension or if there is cancer in the area, your urologic surgeon may recommend removing your kidney. Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery is often an option for kidney removal.
Prostatectomy (removal of prostate gland) - Removal of the prostate is sometimes necessary for the treatment of prostate cancer or to restore urine flow that has been cut off by an enlarged prostate. Novant Health urologic surgeons often use the minimally invasive, high-precision da Vinci® robotic surgical system for prostate procedures.
Renal pelvis and ureter surgery - If you have transitional cell cancer in your upper urinary tract, you may need to have your renal pelvis (where urine collects in the kidney) or ureter removed. Our skilled surgeons often use laparoscopic surgery to shorten recovery time, reduce pain during recovery and lower the chance of infection compared to traditional surgery.
Renal stone surgery - Renal (kidney) stones are one of the most painful conditions you can experience. To remove smaller stones, our surgeons may use lithotripsy, in which shock waves from outside your body break the stones up into tiny pieces. The pieces pass out of your body with your urine through a small tube inserted into your bladder or kidney. When you have larger kidney stones, another procedure may be needed to treat your condition.
Ureteroscopy - The surgeons of Novant Health will use this procedure to remove kidney stones using forceps or an instrument with a tiny basket that captures the stones. This procedure is minimally invasive and uses a small tube passed into the urethra. It does not require incisions so recovery is faster with less pain.
Urinary incontinence - Pregnancy, stress or other conditions may result in problems with your bladder, causing you to leak urine. Urinary incontinence is not due to disease. Our surgeons generally use minimally invasive surgery to correct this condition.