Urologic care in Charleston, SC
Urology focuses on diseases of the male and female urinary tract system and the male reproductive organs. Trident Health System's urologists diagnose and treat various urological disorders—including kidney stones and prostate cancer—using advanced treatment options to help patients maintain their health and quality of life.
To speak with one of our urologists, you can schedule an appointment.
Kidney Stone Clinic
The Kidney Stone Clinic at Trident Medical Center offers patients access to a care team committed to managing and treating kidney stones.
Signs and symptoms of kidney stones
Kidney stones often do not cause any symptoms, but it is often an intense pain in the side, back or groin when they do. The pain comes and goes and can seem to move down the body. You may also have blood in your urine, nausea or vomiting or a urinary tract infection. When the stone moves lower in the urinary tract, it can cause frequent urinating and a burning sensation when urinating.
When to seek treatment
Kidney stones are very common and can also be very painful. However, our clinical team is available 24 hours a day to help you get relief. Please go directly to one of our emergency rooms if you:
- Have uncontrollable pain you can’t manage
- Can’t keep food or fluids down due to severe nausea or vomiting
- Have a fever associated with the symptoms above
- Have a history of kidney problems
- Cannot urinate
If your symptoms are less severe, please call our care team at (843) 847-4818 and we will schedule you for the next morning to be seen and evaluated. Once you enter the clinic, we expedite your care and you will:
- Be seen by a urologist specializing in kidney stones
- Have blood drawn
- Have imaging tests performed to allow us to find the stone and see how best to treat it
- Meet with a physician to discuss treatment options
Whenever possible we perform the evaluation and schedule your treatment for the same day.
Ongoing kidney stone management
A person who has had a kidney stone in the past may likely form another. However, there are changes you can make that may minimize this risk. We work with you to identify what type of kidney stone you have, analyze it and help you understand changes you can make to limit your risk in the future.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the prostate tissues, a small walnut-shaped gland in men that produces the seminal fluid to transport sperm.
According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers, affecting one in eight U.S. men. However, with early detection and aggressive monitoring and treatment, prostate cancer survival rates are among the highest of all forms of cancer.
As part of Trident Medical Center's comprehensive cancer care program, oncologists and urologists work together to diagnose and effectively treat prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer symptoms
Early prostate cancer usually has no symptoms. In its advanced stages, prostate cancer can cause the following:
- Trouble urinating or a slow or weak stream of urine
- Having the need to urinate more often, especially at night
- Trouble getting an erection
- Blood in the urine or sem*n
- Pain in the hips, back or chest
- Weakness or numbness in the legs or feet
- Loss of bladder or bowel control
Many of these problems can be caused by something other than cancer. It's best to discuss these symptoms with your doctor to properly diagnose your problem.
Screening and testing
Sometimes doctors can detect prostate cancer with a digital rectal exam. For a digital rectal exam, the doctor will insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feel the prostate for any bumps or hard areas.
Another type of screening is a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. PSA is a protein made by cells in the prostate gland. An abnormal result may mean some additional testing before doctors perform a biopsy on the prostate to look for cancer.
Prostate cancer treatment
For localized prostate cancer, there are five treatment options:
- Observation
- Hormonal therapy (non-curative)
- Removal of cancerous prostate (radical prostatectomy)
- Radiation of the cancerous prostate (either external radiation or radioactive seed implants)
- Freezing of the cancerous prostate (cryosurgery)
Typically, a prostatectomy has been recognized as the gold standard of treatment for localized prostate cancer. Radical prostatectomy is a complex and delicate procedure, in part, because of the location of the prostate gland deep inside the pelvis.
Men undergoing a prostatectomy may have the option of a minimally invasive approach using state-of-the-art robotic technology, which can reduce complications and promote faster recovery times. Also, this procedure has contributed to lower incidences of impotence or urinary incontinence. About 20 percent of all prostatectomies are performed using this technique.
