Finley Hospital Helps Treat Stress Urinary Incontinence

Dubuque, Iowa – UnityPoint Health – Finley Hospital is the first hospital in Dubuque to offer the Cystoscopy with Bulkamid procedure to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The minimally-invasive and same-day procedure involves a series of three to four injections, taking 10-15 minutes under local anesthesia. This procedure has been clinically-proven to provide long-lasting symptom relief for up to seven years.

Bulkamid is a urethral bulking agent – a soft, water-based gel that can be used to restore the natural closing of the urethra. Similar to some facial fillers, the gel remains in the body over time without causing reactions in the surrounding tissue.

“This procedure is very low-risk to the patient and is highly successful and durable,” Dr. Alex Horchak, of UnityPoint Clinic Urology and President of the Iowa Urologic Society, said. “Awareness is a big thing for incontinence. As we get simpler and easier procedures to treat these types of patients, we have the possibility of changing more lives.”

SUI is a condition where unwanted bladder leaks happen during daily activities, such as laughing, sneezing, coughing, or exercising. It is estimated that one in three women will suffer from SUI at some point in their lives, often caused by pregnancy.

To learn more about urology services provided at UnityPoint Health – Dubuque, visit unitypoint.org/urology.