Treatment Options for Incontinence and Other Pelvic Floor Disorders

Many women find ways to cope with incontinence and prolapse on their own. However, when those strategies fail or result in a significant reduction in quality of life, the UCSD Women's Pelvic Medicine Center is here to provide a full range of options and, just as important, help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration.

UCSD offers patients comprehensive medical, educational and surgical services in a comfortable, community setting.

Educational Approaches

• Behavioral therapy - Three types of behavioral methods are used to treat urinary incontinence: bladder training (for urge incontinence), timed voiding, and prompted voiding. Read more about behavioral therapy methods for urinary incontinence.
• Pelvic Floor Exercises - Also known as Kegel exercise, pelvic floor exercises have been shown to help 50% to 75% of women to decrease the occurrence of stress incontinence. Read more about pelvic floor exercises.

Medical Approaches

• Medication therapy - while medication alone rarely cures incontinence, there are anticholinergic medications and certain antidepressants that, when prescribed in combination with exercise and/or behavioral therapy, may provide relief.
• Neuromodulation
• Botox bladder injections

Surgical Solutions

• Outpatient surgeries - urethral bulking injections or minimally invasive slings
  • Read more about urethral bulking
  • Read more about tension free vaginal tape (TVP)
  • Read more about urethral slings
• Complete pelvic reconstruction - performed by surgeons with advanced fellowship training in female incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse.
• da Vinci robotic pelvic floor surgery

Da Vinci Robotic Pelvic Floor Surgery 

The latest technology allows a surgeon to use advanced imaging and computer-enhanced robotics to perform a wide range of minimally invasive surgeries with extraordinary precision.

• How the da Vinci® System Works

The da Vinci® Surgical System is a powerful robotic platform that allows your surgeon to perform precise surgery in complex procedures through several small surgical incisions.

The surgeon controls the instruments in real time using the system's master controls. The da Vinci® System allows surgeons to simulate an open surgical environment, providing a high-resolution, 3-D stereo view from several feet away.

• Da Vinci® System Advantages

The advantages for patients of robotic surgery are many, including:

• Less post-operative pain and scarring
• Lower risk of infection
• Faster and more complete recovery
• Shorter hospital stays
• Less blood loss
• Quicker return to normal daily activities

Learn more about Robotic Surgery Program at UC San Diego Health System.

There's No Need to Live With Incontinence

With appropriate evaluation and treatment, no woman has to suffer from pelvic floor disorders, including urinary incontinence. Expert help is available.