Office Procedures

Urethral bulking

Some patients with incontinence may be candidates for urethral bulking. Urethral bulking is a procedure that is completed in the office under local anesthesia. There is usually no need for sedation with this procedure. Some patients may even elect to watch the procedure on the monitor as it is being performed.

Using a small camera to visualize the inside of the urethra, a material is injected to bulk-up, or tighten, the urethra so that urine will not leak out of the bladder as easily. The most common product that has been used for bulking is collagen, but there are other materials available as well. Dr. Pollak may discuss that product that she feels is best suited for your particular bladder problem. Since some people are allergic to the collagen, a small amount will be injected into your arm for a skin test several weeks prior to the procedure to confirm that you do not have a collagen allergy.

The urethral bulking may be performed as a primary treatment for a patient, or it may be added to other types of therapy. Initially, more than one injection may need to be performed to obtain the desired result. Sometimes, the procedure is repeated at periodic intervals to maintain the effect. Following the procedure, patients are monitored in the office to confirm that they can urinate before they are sent home. Some may require catheterization (placing a tube into the urethra to empty the bladder) in the first 24 hours. It is very important to notify the office if you are unable to urinate at home following this procedure.