The Stanford University Urology Clinic provides general urologic care for the local population and serves as a secondary and tertiary referral center for adult patients with a wide range of complex urologic problems. Our staff is committed to preserving patient dignity and providing the highest quality care and comfort.
Urologic Oncology/Genitourinary Cancer Program
The Genitourinary Cancer Program focuses on the investigation and management of cancers of the prostate, bladder, kidney, testis and genitalia. Emphasis is placed on finding cancer treatment that offers the greatest efficacy with the fewest complications and is based on a multidisciplinary approach which combines clinical expertise from Urology, Radiation Oncology and Medical Oncology in the office, operating room and laboratory. Treatment plans are customized to meet individual patient needs, and when appropriate, patients are invited to participate in studies to investigate the newest treatments as well as large-scale clinical trials for more established treatments.
The Genitourinary Cancer Program offers a range of clinical services including:
Multidisciplinary Genitourinary Cancer Clinic: single visit, patient evaluations by urologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists.
Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Clinic: This clinic focuses on the detection of prostate cancer. Stanford-developed techniques for diagnosing prostate cancer, including systematic prostate biopsy, that are now used throughout the world. Urology's laboratory provides various PSA assays used for prostate cancer detection.
Genitourinary Cancer Clinic: Patients diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, bladder, kidney or testis who desire further evaluation and possible treatment, or a second opinion can undergo evaluation by urologists and radiation oncologists specializing in genitourinary malignancies. For prostate cancer, areas of expertise include:
- Robotic radical prostatectomy
- Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy
- Brachytherapy (radioactive seed implantation)
- Cryotherapy (freezing of prostate with liquid nitrogen)
- 3-D conformal radiation therapy
- Intensity modulated radiation therapy
- High dose interstitial radiation therapy
Other areas of expertise include:
- Continent urinary diversion (the creation of a new bladder)
- Renal-sparing surgery (removal of only a portion of the kidney)
- Minimally invasive surgery (laparoscopy)
Pelvic Reconstruction/Bladder Dysfunction Clinic: Some treatments for malignancies result in significant changes in sexual and urinary function, especially erectile dysfunction and incontinence. Urologists are available for evaluation and treatment.
Prostate Cancer Support Group: The importance of support groups and their impact on cancer patient outcomes is well established; much of this important work has come from support groups at Stanford. Psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers are involved in cancer support groups within the program.
Clinical Faculty of the Genitourinary Cancer Program
- Joseph Presti, Jr, MD, Program Director, Urology
- Rodney U. Anderson, MD, Urology
- James Brooks, MD, Urology
- Benjamin I. Chung, MD
- Harcharan Gill, MD, Urology
- Steven Hancock, MD, Radiation Oncology
- Thomas Hsu, M.D., Urology
- Robert Kessler, M.D., Urology
- Chris King, MD, PhD, Radiation Oncology
- Stewart McCallum, MD, Urology
- John McNeal, MD, Urology/Pathology
- Christopher K. Payne, MD, Urology
- David Spiegel, MD, Psychiatry
- Sandy Srinivas, MD, Medical Oncology
Female Urology and the Center for NeuroUrology
The Stanford Center for Female Urology and NeuroUrology provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment to patients with problems relating to the bladder and lower urinary tract. The types of problems commonly treated in the center fall into four main groups.
- Urinary incontinence, urinary retention and other voiding problems
- Pelvic reconstructive surgery including pelvic prolapse, urinary tract fistulas and urethral strictures
- Neurogenic bladder - spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, etc.
- Urinary tract pain including interstitial cystitis and chronic prostatitis
NeuroUrologists are specially trained to evaluate all problems related to the lower urinary tract and pelvic floor. This type of practice is typically designated as Female Urology because these problems are more common in women, although many of the same problems can occur in men.
The center's physicians aim to provide comprehensive care for patients with lower tract disorders. This approach is valuable because abnormalities of urination often occur simultaneously with:
- Problems with defecation
- Pelvic prolapse
- Pelvic pain
All new patients undergo a detailed initial history and physical evaluation, after which an individualized treatment plan is developed. For some patients this might involve specialized bladder testing (Urodynamics) and x-rays, while others may be started on treatment without additional investigation. Although many problems can be managed with simple measures, patients with more severe disease may benefit from:
- Reconstructive surgery
- Trials of new medications
- Novel devices including nerve stimulation techniques
In each case, the goal is to develop a treatment plan that addresses all lower urinary tract/pelvic problems for each patient. This approach reduces the likelihood of treatment failure and complications.
Urinary tract disorders are greatly under reported and under treated in our society. One of the main impediments to treatment is the embarrassment many patients feel in discussing these sensitive issues. Our staff is committed to preserving patient dignity and providing the highest quality care and comfort.
Clinical Faculty of Female Urology and the Center for NeuroUrology
- Christopher K. Payne, MD, FACS, Director
- Rodney U. Anderson, MD, FACS
Genitourinary Infertility/Erectile Dysfunction Program
The Genitourinary Infertility/Erectile Dysfunction Program is designed for people who are concerned about their fertility or erectile dysfunction and are seeking evaluation and treatment options for these problems. In both of these areas there is an ongoing application of important new discoveries from laboratories of researchers to the management and treatment of patients. When appropriate, patients are invited to participate in studies to investigate the newest treatments available.
Infertility Clinic: This clinic provides complete evaluation of all causes of infertility, both primary and secondary. The latest surgical techniques are offered for patients who are post-vasectomy and patients with varicocele. In addition, the clinic employs the newest sperm retrieval techniques such as:
- Percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA)
- Micro-Epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA)
- Testicular sperm extraction (TESE)
These are readily available and are simple outpatient clinic procedures performed under local anesthesia. When combined with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), pregnancy rates are extremely high. Patients with azoospermia (no sperm) caused by surgical procedures or post radiation therapy/chemotherapy for cancer are excellent candidates.
Erectile Dysfunction (E.D.): Urologists specializing in E.D. offer a comprehensive range of diagnostic and treatment modalities. These include:
- Vacuum devices
- Penile injection therapy
- Urethral medications
- Oral therapies
Penile implantation with semi-rigid or inflatable prostheses are also available for appropriate candidates. Treatments are tailored to meet the patient's physical and psychological needs.
Clinical Faculty of the Genitourinary Infertility/Erectile Dysfunction Program
- Robert Kessler, MD
- Stewart McCallum, MD, FRCSC
Laparoscopic and Minimally Invasive Surgery
Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical option for cancerous and non-cancerous urologic conditions such as kidney, adrenal, bladder and testis masses as well as prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular cancer. Endourology is a minimally invasive technique available to treat kidney stones. Stones may be extracted or fragmented using tiny instruments through natural body channels such as the urethra, bladder and ureter. In addition to treatment, the clinic helps determine the cause of kidney stone development and identifies methods to prevent further stone formation. Endourologic techniques may be applied to a wide variety of other urologic problems including strictures (narrowing) of the urinary tract and treatment of small kidney or ureteral tumors.
Clinical Faculty of the Laparoscopy and Endourology Program
- Benjamin I. Chung, MD
- Thomas H.S. Hsu, MD, Director, Section of Laparoscopic & Minimally Invasive Surgery
- Robert Kessler, MD (kidney stones)
Clinical Faculty of Stanford Adult Urology Clinic
- Rodney U. Anderson, MD, FACS
- James Brooks, MD
- Benjamin I. Chung, MD
- Harcharan S. Gill, MD, FACS, FRCS
- Thomas H.S. Hsu, MD
- Robert Kessler, MD
- Stewart W. McCallum, MD, FRCSC
- Christopher K. Payne, MD, FACS
- Joseph Presti, Jr, MD, Clinic Chief
For more information about our faculty or the Department of Urology, please visit our Web site.
New patients scheduled to be seen at the Stanford Urology Clinic are asked to complete and bring a copy of the Urology Clinic Health Survey with them to their first visit. The answers to these questions will help us diagnose and treat your health problems. We will send you a copy of the survey via regular mail when you call to schedule your first appointment. You should bring the completed survey with you to your first appointment. Thank you.
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