Urologic Surgery

Advanced Surgeries to Treat Patients with Urologic Conditions

Loyola Medicine provides clinically integrated care for patients in need of urologic surgery. Our team is highly skilled in delivering successful surgical solutions while preserving the privacy and dignity of our patients.

Our nationally recognized program takes on the most challenging adult and pediatric cases with outstanding results.

Loyola’s widely acclaimed urology surgeons have successfully treated all types of urologic conditions, including:

Why Choose Loyola for Urologic Surgery?

As part of an academic medical center, Loyola’s expert clinicians perform and teach the latest surgical techniques and medical treatments in numerous locations across the Chicago area.

In addition, our nurses have earned Magnet status, which means they have been recognized for delivering the highest level of care.

Urologic Surgeries Available at Loyola

Loyola’s urologic surgeons have advanced training in treating the most complicated conditions. We frequently treat patients who have been transferred to our center because of our widely renowned expertise.

If you would like a second opinion, please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with one of our knowledgeable surgeons.

Our surgeons perform a wide range of complex and routine urologic surgeries, including:

• Adrenalectomy — For patients with benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous) tumors on the adrenal glands, surgery to remove the affected gland or glands may be recommended. This procedure may also be used to treat cancer that has metastasized (spread) from another organ. If one adrenal gland is removed, the other gland will take over its function. If both are removed, steroid supplements will be required. Loyola’s skilled surgeons offer minimally invasive options, including laparoscopic and robotic adrenalectomy surgery.
   
• Bladder augmentation — For children with a bladder too small to hold the urine produced by the kidneys due to spina bifida, chronic obstructive bladder damage or birth defects, your child’s doctor may recommend bladder augmentation. This procedure increases the size of the bladder and reduces the amount of tissue involved in bladder contraction. 
   
• Cystectomy — For patients with bladder cancer, surgical removal of part or all of the bladder may be recommended. 
   
• Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy — For patients with kidney stones, gallstones or bladder stones, this minimally invasive procedure uses pulsating sound waves to break up stones and allows particles to leave the body without incisions. 
   
• Fistula repair — A fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between two organs, or an organ and the skin. Several types of fistulas can develop, including recto-urinary, vesicovaginal, ureterovaginal and others. Loyola’s urologic surgeons are experienced in the surgical repair of these conditions.  
   
• Genitourinary reconstruction — Loyola’s surgeons excel at reconstructive surgery to correct genitourinary trauma injuries or birth defects. 
   
• Laser removal of genital lesions — Using a laser, our team can remove genital lesions, including genital warts, chancroids, granuloma inguinales and lymphogranuloma venereum. 
   
• Lithotomy — Lithotomy may be used to surgically remove mineral deposits or stones from the kidneys, bladder and gallbladder. 
   
• Lithotripsy — Lithotripsy uses of a probe to crush and remove mineral deposits or stones from the kidneys, bladder and gallbladder. 
   
• Microsurgical varicocelectomy — This procedure is used to treat abnormally dilated testicular veins, which can interfere with reproduction. 
   
• Mitrofanoff appendicovesicostomy — This procedure uses the appendix to create a pouch that can hold urine. This approach, which may be employed in urethral cancer, stroke or spina bifida cases, allows the patient to eliminate collected urine without assistance. 
   
• Monti procedure — This surgery is used to create a bladder out of a part of the gastrointestinal tract. 
   
• Nephrectomy — Surgical removal of a kidney, which is often performed to treat kidney cancer. 
   
• Nephropexy — In this procedure, a free-floating kidney is reattached. 
   
• Nephrostomy — This procedure creates a passageway between the kidney and the skin surface, which allows urine to exit the body into a urine collection bag. 
   
• Penectomy — For patients with penile cancer, your surgeon may recommend partial or complete removal of the penis. 
   
• Penile plication surgery, plaque incision and grafting — These procedures are used to correct the penile curvature due to scarring from Peyronie’s disease. 
   
• Pyeloplasty — Pyeloplasty is the reconstruction of the renal pelvis to drain a swollen kidney. 
   
• Radical orchiectomy – This procedure involves the surgical removal of a testicle to treat testicular cancer. 
   
• Radical prostatectomy — For patients with prostate cancer, your surgeon may recommend surgical removal of the prostate and surrounding tissue. 
   
• Suprapubic cystostomy — This urinary diversion surgery creates a passageway between the bladder and the skin surface. It can be used for abnormal prostate swelling or urinary tract injuries. 
   
• Transurethral needle ablation — This technique is used to destroy excess prostate tissue with radio waves delivered through two needles. 
   
• Transurethral resection of the prostate — This procedure, which is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), uses electricity to destroy excess prostate tissue. 
   
• Urinary diversion — Urinary diversion procedures reroute the flow of urine due to problems with the ureters, bladder or urethra. These operations sometimes involve a urostomy, in which a pouch that opens to the surface of the abdomen is created to replace the bladder. 
   
• Vasectomy reversal — This operation reconnects the vas deferens, a passageway for sperm. 
   
• Vasectomy — This procedure interrupts the normal passageway for sperm and is used for male sterilization or permanent contraception. 
   
• Vasoepididymostomy for vasectomy reversal — This technique allows for vasectomy reversal in cases where the vasectomy occurred as many as 10 years ago. It involves connection of the severed vas deferens to the epididymis.

Specialized Treatment for Urologic Conditions

Loyola’s urologic surgery program provides advanced surgical treatment in outstanding, conveniently located facilities. We have multidisciplinary facilities at the Loyola University Medical Center campus, in addition to outpatient services at other locations.

We offer the following specialized services to provide you with the most comprehensive care:

• Endourology and minimally invasive surgery — Loyola’s endourologists are leaders in the field of minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgery. This surgical advance has many advantages, including less blood loss, less pain, reduced scarring and shorter hospital stays. Many conditions can be treated with minimally invasive surgery, including urinary incontinence, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), kidney tumors and adrenal tumors, among others. 
   
• Female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery — Loyola treats the entire spectrum of female urinary disorders and was one of the first centers in the Midwest to use minimally invasive surgery. 
   
• Kidney transplant program — Loyola’s transplant specialists work closely with urology experts for patients in need of a kidney transplant. 
   
• Loyola Center for Dialysis on Roosevelt — Our dialysis facility, which has 30 stations and one isolation station, offers complete services for patients who need dialysis services. 
   
• Male infertility and erectile dysfunction program — We use the latest technologies to treat male infertility and sexual health, including vasoepididymostomy for vasectomy reversal and microscopic sperm retrieval. 
   
• Neurourology program — Loyola treats the entire range of neurourologic voiding dysfunctions, including those that result from spinal cord injuries and stroke. 
   
• Pediatric urology — Loyola’s pediatric urology experts have advanced training in treatments for pediatric urologic conditions, including cancer, urogenital deformities and urinary tract disorders. 
   
• Urologic trauma and reconstruction program — Loyola treats obstructive voiding dysfunctions which can occur after straddling injuries or penetrating traumas.

Exceptional Research to Advance Urologic Surgery

Loyola’s expert urologic surgery program is actively pursuing new research with a focus on patient-centered outcomes. Our latest research includes studies on:

• Cancers of the adrenal gland, bladder, prostate and testes
• Erectile dysfunction
• Impotency and spinal cord injuries
• Microstimulator application for urinary retention after spinal cord injuries

As an academic medical center, Loyola is dedicated to improving future treatments by conducting research on new diagnostics and treatments.

Loyola’s patients benefit from research discoveries made here. Read about Loyola’s current clinical trials.