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DOCTOR

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Hope for leaky bladders

State gynecologist pioneer in new technique

especially those beneath the
kitchen sink and those contain-
ing sharp objects.
• When using the stove, start
cooking with the back burners
and keep all pot handles turned
toward the back of the cooking
area.
"It only takes a second for a
child to pull a hot pot onto him-
self," Dr. Rosenberg said.
• Remove any stove knobs
when the stove is not in use. A
child can easily turn on a burn-
er if a knob is within his reach.
• Keep the dishwasher latched
whenever possible. Also, load all
utensils in a downward position.
• If using a highchair, make
sure the child is secured in the
seat with a safety strap. Place the
chair away from other furniture
or walls that the child can push
off from.
Bathroom
• Turn down the hot water
heater to 125 degrees or lower. It
takes less than 10 seconds to
cause serious scalding burns on
a child when the temperature of
the water is above 140 degrees.
A child's skin is thinner and not
as protected by fat as an adult's.
"It really is unnecessary to
have the water hotter than 125
degrees," Dr. Rosenberg said.
• Install a toilet lock on a toi-
let seat to prevent a child from
falling headfirst. Forty children
have died hi such accidents in the
past 20 years.
• Never leave a child unat-
tended in a bathtub. Children
have been known to drown in a
small amount of water in a short
period of time.
Baby's bedroom
• A child's crib should have
slats no more than 2 3/8 inches
apart, should be free of any deco-
rative knobs or posts which can
act as a strangulation hazard,
should be placed away from win-
dows and should have all hard-
ware secured. Mattresses should
fit snugly against slats.
• Mobiles should be removed
as a child can push up on hands
and knees (by 5 months of age).
No mobile should have strings
longer than six inches or small
pieces which could be choking
hazards.
• When placing a child on a
changing table, use a safety strap
to secure the child from falling or
rolling off the table.
• Remove bumper pads when
a child is able to pull himself up.
The pads can be used by the
child to boost himself out of the
crib.

U

rinary stress
incontinence
(USI) is
embarrassing and
inconvenient. But
the good news is that
incontinence is treat-
able.
Here, Othman
Kadry, MD, of St.
Joseph Mercy
Community
Healthcare System,
discusses inconti-
nence and recom-
mended treat- •
ments.

Sinte flaying
Aurgery,to,t6trect
h *incontirience:.

Ma

Overcoming incontinence

I

ncontinence was a real
problem for Regina
(Ginny) Wilking, 52, a
physical therapist at
Prescription Fitness, Inc. in
Waterford.
"It began to steal my quali-
ty of life and kept me in a
constant state of worry," Ms.
Wilking says. "I had always
been very active; I was a jog-
ger, I played tennis and golf,
and took a ski/exercise class.
As my struggles with inconti-
nence grew, I had to give up
most of those activities."
Ms. Wilking's problems
with incontinence began
shortly after the birth of her

first child and gradually
became worse. After baby
number five, the Orchard
Lake resident decided it was
time to get help. She went to
Othman Kadry, MD, at St.
Joseph Mercy Community
Healthcare System.
"I chose to have the laparo-
scopic bladder suspension Dr.
Kadry recommended. I was
able to go home just 24 hours
after my surgery and had
almost no pain at all."
Today, Ms. Wilking has her
confidence back. "I'm jogging
again and living the active
life style I used to have. It's
great!" •

Q. What is urinary stress
incontinence?
A. It is a leakage of urine dur-
ing activities that increase
abdominal pressure, such as
coughing, sneezing or laugh-
ing.

Q. Who is most often affect-
ed by USI and why?
A. Women over 40 who have
had children are typical suf-
ferers. Childbirth stretches
the muscles and ligaments of
the pelvic floor which support
the bladder, reducing the
bladder's ability to hold urine.
Heavy lifting and strenuous
exercise that includes jump-
ing or straining can also
aggravate USI.
Unfortunately, USI can
greatly reduce a woman's qual-
ity of life and self-esteem
when she is constantly worry-
ing about urine leakage. Many
women feel embarrassed by
the problem, and some
become housebound for fear
they will leak urine in public.

Q. What is the treatment for
severe cases of USI?
A. We recommend bladder
suspension surgery. The pro-
cedure I use is called laparo-
scopic bladder suspension. It
involves making four very
small incisions—between 'A
inch and 'X inch, compared to
the 6-inch incision used in
the traditional method—in
the abdomen. I insert a
laparoscope, an instrument
that holds a tiny camera, so I
can view the surgery on a
monitor. Using miniature
instruments inserted into the
other incisions, I suture the
bladder to the ligaments on
the pubic bone.

I ADVERTISEMENT I

Q. What are the advantages
of this type of surgery?
A. The hospital stay is short;
80 percent of patients are dis-
charged in 24 hours. There is
less chance for infection and
less pain, blood loss and scar-
ring. In most cases, patients
return to work in a week to
10 days.
If a patient needs addition-
al surgery, such as the removal
of fibroids or ovarian tumors
or a hysterectomy, I can per-
form that procedure at the
same time. The patient
spends the same amount of
time in the hospital and expe-
riences the same fast recovery.

Q. Other.than surgery, what
can a person do to treat USI?
A. In mild or moderate cases
of USI, Kegel exercises help.
To do these, a woman tightens
her vaginal or rectal muscles
for a count of three. Repeating
these exercises 10 times, sev-
eral times a day, will strength-
en the pelvic floor muscles.
Women who are over-
weight may find that losing
weight helps. Also, it's a good
idea to empty the bladder on
a regular basis—about every
two hours. And absorbent
pads add security during
extended time away from
home. ■

Othman Kadry, MD, recently joined
the medical staff at St. Joseph Mercy
Community Healthcare System. Dr.
Kadry is an expert in minimally inva-
sive laparoscopic gynecology and infer-
tility microsurgery. He has received
national and international acclaim for
pioneering a new method of laparo-
scopic bladder suspension.

ADVANCED
Gynecology Specialists
of Michigan, P.C.

Minimal Invasive & Laparoscopic Gynecology
Infertility Microsurgery

(810) 338 6611

-

(810) 338 6612

-

909 Woodward Ave.. Suite 119
Across from St. Joseph Mercy Hospital