The small amount of urine that exceeds the bladder s capacity simply runs off, but the bladder remains full. This condition, left untreated, may ultimately lead to damage in the urinary system. Normally, a person s kidneys produce about a quart of urine each day. In adults, the bladder will hold eight to ten ounces before the brain gets a signal that it is time to release the urine. The condition can be so embarrassing that it interferes with the enjoyment of a normal, productive life.
Incontinence is never normal, it is almost always treatable, and often completely curable.
Philip L. Leggett, M.D . , a board certified surgeon who is an expert in laparoscopic surgery, and Dr. Birken have collaborated to perform a new Burch technique which utilizes mesh reinforcement to support the bladder neck. All the repair work is done from outside the body with the instruments inserted through several tiny incisions in the abdomen, which can be closed with one or two sutures or Band-Aids when the procedure is finished. The goal of the surgery is to restore bladder control by repositioning the bladder and, using a cradle of fine prolene mesh, anchoring it with sutures to stable anatomy in order to minimize the pressure on the organ which prompts the urine leakage. There are several suturing techniques that can accomplish this and the one selected will depend on the surgeon, the patient's anatomy and their degree of stress incontinence. Complications are rare and, following the procedure, our patients tell us that they are symptom-free.