A Year of Program Growth and Development in Pediatric Urology

During the last year, the Pediatric Urology program at Children's Hospital Colorado has reached several milestones in the recruitment of new team members and the development of clinical programs. The Pediatric Urology team welcomed two faculty physicians and two pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) who treat children and adolescents with symptoms of simple, complex or disease-specific genitourinary problems. The Pediatric Urology program provides expert diagnosis, testing, medical consultation and surgical resolution for the full range of pediatric urological conditions. Diagnostic testing is performed in conjunction with the Department of Radiology at Children's Hospital Colorado. Extensive use of noninvasive and minimally invasive diagnostic testing and surgical interventions, including laparoscopy, minimizes a child’s discomfort during procedures and results in smaller scars. Collaboration among experts in pediatric surgery, orthopedics, neonatology, oncology, nephrology, genetics, neurosurgery, endocrinology, rehabilitation and adolescent gynecology allows the team to care for complex, multi-system disorders.

When should children be referred to Children’s Pediatric Urology group?

Children exhibiting symptoms that indicate simple, complex or disease-specific genitourinary problems should be referred.

What conditions are treated?

A wide range of pediatric urologic conditions are treated, including:

• Disorders of the inguinal canal, including hernia, undescended testicles, hydrocele, varicocele and testicular torsion
• Hypospadias, circumcision, chordee, epispadias and urethral stricture
• Hydronephrosis, including ureteropelvic junction obstruction, ureterocele, ectopic ureter, posterior urethral valves and prenatal hydronephrosis
• Vesicoureteral reflux including endoscopic, surgical and medical
  management
• Neurogenic bladder and complex disorders of urinary and fecal incontinence, including exstrophy, those associated with spina bifida and imperforate anus
• Kidney stone disease, renovascular and adrenal-mediated hypertension
• Daytime and nighttime wetting, urinary tract infections, control problems, painful urination and hematuria
• Female genital reconstruction and total vaginal replacement/reconstruction
• Retroperitoneal, pelvic, testicular and kidney tumors, including Wilms’ Tumor

What other clinical services are offered through the department?

Prenatal counseling following fetal detection of Pediatric Urologic problems: The Prenatal/Neonatal Urology Clinic offers parental counseling and follow-up treatment when renal pelvic distension is detected prior to birth. The urological care of children with spina bifida is offered in a multidisciplinary Spinal Defects Clinic.

Specialized Bedwetting, Enuresis and Encopresis and UTI Clinic: Bedwetting, Enuresis and Encopresis – The BEE Clinic (Bedwetting, Enuresis and Encopresis), formerly referred to as the Dry Time Clinic, is an effective approach to wetting and other urinary issues. The Urology team sees and treats children with the diagnoses of diurnal and nocturnal enuresis, microscopic hematuria, constipation, dysuria, control problems, urinary hesitancy, urinary tract infections in potty trained children and urinary frequency. The program provides education focused on how the urinary system works and what treatment exists to prevent infections and maintain a healthy urinary tract.

Urodynamic Suite: In January, we will begin offering; urodynamics, video urodynamics and continence bio feedback in our newly constructed outpatient urodynamics suite two days per week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. This service will be provided in collaboration between the departments of Pediatric Urology and Radiology. Urodynamics investigates bladder and urinary sphincter function by evaluating both pressure filling and emptying characteristics of the lower urinary tract. The testing is mainly used for patients with; neurogenic bladder, secondary to spina bifida, imperforate anus or other spinal dysraphisms, and in children with complex or resistant bladder dysfunction resulting in both urinary tract infections and incontinence. Patients are reviewed first in clinic by the Pediatric Urologist allowing specific questions to be answered during the invasive urodynamic investigation. This testing provides a logical means for treating children with persistent incontinence or infection using a combination of drug therapy, catheterization, bio feedback and reconstructive surgery.

Clinic locations and appointments

Appointments in the Urology department are offered five days a week at Children's Hospital Colorado main campus with physicians and PNPs. The Urology department also offers clinic visits with physicians and PNPs at Network of Care locations in the following cities: Broomfield , Parker, Littleton and Wheat Ridge .

To schedule an appointment at any of these locations or for more information about the Urology department and the conditions we treat, please call (720) 777-3926.