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Cardiology
Cardiology is a branch of medicine that deals with the injuries and diseases of the heart. Cardiology is
considered to be an internal medicine subspecialty. A doctor of cardiology is known as a cardiologist.
The job of a doctor of cardiology or a cardiologist is to diagnose and treat blockages in the arteries and
to do tests that could help to open the blockages. A number of lifestyle factors can make treatment
from a cardiology doctor necessary. Those factors that could preclude an appointment with a cardiology
doctor include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, cigarette smoking and a
sedentary lifestyle. Even one of these lifestyle factors can cause stress on the heart.
A doctor of cardiology is not the same thing as a cardiac surgeon who performs open heart surgery. The
field of cardiology also diagnoses and treats coronary artery disease, congenital heart defects, valvular
heart disease, heart failure and electrophysiology. Those doctors who specialize in cardiology spend four
years in medical school, three years of general internal medicine training and three or more years in
specialized cardiology training.
If your primary care doctor suspects a heart condition or disease, you might be referred to a doctor
specializing in cardiology. There are a number of cardiology tests that might be performed by a doctor of
cardiology such as an echocardiogram, ambulatory EKG, an exercise test or cardiac catheterization.
Depending on the training of a doctor of cardiology, they may or may not specialize in cardiac
catheterizations. An EKG is a cardiology test also known as an electrocardiogram. This test records the
activity of the heart by spreading an electrical signal from the top of the heart all the way to the bottom
of the heart for every heartbeat. This signal causes the heart to contract and pump blood. The EKG will
show a doctor of cardiology the rhythm of the heart beat, the rate of the heart beat, the irregularity of
the heart beat and the timing and strength of the electrical signals when they pass through the heart.
Methodist McKinney Hospital does not offer cardiology diagnostic services including stress or ECHO
tests. If you need cardiology services, the physicians of Methodist McKinney Hospital can offer referrals
to any interested parties to a group of consulting cardiology doctors in the Frisco and McKinney, Texas,
area.
ENT
Methodist McKinney Hospital offers a range of ENT (ear, nose and throat) procedures. The ENT
specialists at Methodist McKinney specialize in problems concerning the head and the neck in both
children and adults. ENT is the common designator for ear, nose and throat services. The ENT specialists
at Methodist McKinney Hospital can help patients who are dealing with loss of hearing, dizziness, ringing
in the ears, sinus disorders and difficulty swallowing or breathing in addition to other ENT problems
relating to the ear, nose and throat.
There are times that ENT problems present themselves as seemingly minor issues including but not
limited to snoring, nosebleeds, allergies or sleep apnea. It is important to recognize that sometimes
these issues are related to other, more pressing, problems that should receive the attention of an ENT
specialist. Other ENT issues treated at Methodist McKinney Hospital include injuries to the jaw, face and
nose and cancer of the ears, throat, face or neck. Parents of young children might also seek out the
services of an ENT specialist for removal of the tonsils and adenoids or to place ear tubes
(tympanostomy). Sometimes adults might also require an ENT surgery such as a tonsillectomy or
adenoid removal but it is rare that an ENT specialist would want to perform these procedures because
adults generally have a harder time recovering from this kind of ENT procedure. Therefore many ENT
surgeons will approach ENT procedures such as the removal of tonsils and adenoids in adults with great
caution.
Many of the ENT services at Methodist McKinney Hospital can be performed at the hospital on a
convenient outpatient basis by any of the ENT specialists on staff at the facility. In addition to the
pediatric and adult ENT services, the ENT specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital also perform
closed reduction nasal fractures, nasal septal reconstruction, nasal/sinus reconstruction, surgical
perforations of the eardrum (myringotomy) and ear tube insertion, frenotomy, laryngoscopy,
implantation of a neurostimulator below the skin, removal of the thyroid gland and surgical or cosmetic
shaping of the nose. In many cases, what seems like a minor ENT procedure can bring significant relief to
the patient and also their spouse, as in the case of snoring.
Gastroenterology
Gastroenterology is more commonly known as the treatment of stomach and intestine disorders of the
digestive system. Procedures that fall into the realm of gastroenterology include colonoscopy, liver
biopsy; EGD, an endoscopic test which allows viewing of the upper GI tract; balloon dilatation, and the
BRAVO pH monitoring system. Other gastroenterology procedures include feeding tube placement, liver
biopsy, inspection of the rectum and sigmoid colon with a sigmoidoscope (flexible sigmoidoscopy), and
withdrawing fluid from a body cavity (paracentesis).
Of all of the gastroenterology procedures, colonoscopy may be the most familiar gastroenterology
procedure to most people. The gastroenterology specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital follow the
same recommendation put forth by The American Cancer Society that men and women over the age of
50 should undergo a colonoscopy every 10 years or a flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years to screen
for cancer. Colonoscopy and flexible signoidoscopy are minimally invasive procedures that doctors of
gastroenterology use to detect colon cancer. One other test for colorectal cancer is high-sentivity fecal
occult blood test. Because this test doesn’t get inside the colon or rectum, a doctor of gastroenterology
would recommend this test be done every month. Both the American Cancer Society and Methodist
McKinney Hospital believe that the removal of suspicious cells is the best prevention of colon cancer.
Be sure to contact a doctor of gastroenterology if you experience blood in your stool during a bowel
movement, stomach pain, aches or cramps that don’t go away or if you have unexplained weight loss.
March is the national observance for colorectal cancer awareness month. Because ninety percent of
colon cancer cases occur in people, both male and female, age fifty and older, many doctors of
gastroenterology believe that if everyone age fifty and older were screened for colorectal cancer, sixty
percent of deaths from colon cancer could be avoided.
The name gastroenterology is the combination of three Greek words. Gaster or gastros means stomach,
enteron means stomach, and the word logos stands for reason. The study of gastroenterology
encompasses the organs that run from the mouth all the way down to the anus. Gastroenterology is
practiced by gastroenterologists. A doctor of gastroenterology spends eight years in pre-medical and
medical training. After that, those doctors of gastroenterology take part in a three year residency and
additional two to three years in a gastroenterology fellowship. For more information on
gastroenterology services, please contact a doctor of gastroenterology at Methodist McKinney Hospital.
General surgery
General surgery is another specialty offered at Methodist McKinney Hospital. The doctors and surgeons
who specialize in general surgery offer consultations for adult and pediatric patients. Each doctor of
general surgery strives to employ the most minimally invasive surgical techniques to reduce pain, risk
and length of recovery time. General surgery procedures may be performed as either inpatient or
outpatient procedures. At Methodist McKinney Hospital we strive to provide our general surgery
services in a patient-focused and family-friendly environment.
At Methodist McKinney Hospital some of the common general surgery procedures include: appendix
removal (laparoscopic appendectomy), removal of dead or diseased tissue to promote healing (wound
debridement) and hernia repairs. As the phrase general surgery suggests, the practice of general surgery
covers a number of specialization including the treatment of the abdominal organs such as the
esophagus, small intestine, colon, stomach, liver, gall bladder and thyroid gland. General surgery
physicians generally work in conjunction with a patient’s referring physician to create the best possible
treatment plan for the patient.
General surgery cases can also involve the skin, breast and soft tissues. Hernias are another procedure
included under the specialty of general surgery as well as gall bladder removal (laproscopic
cholescystctomy). Because of the extremely large range of topics and conditions included in the
specialty of general surgery, those doctors who specialize in general surgery must be familiar with a
great number of general surgery situations and general surgery conditions.
Just as each patient is unique, general surgery procedures are unique to the patient. There is no onesize-fits-all focus for general surgery procedures and general surgery situations. The general surgery
doctors at Methodist McKinney Hospital work to provide safe and effective treatments for all patients.
This includes the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques in general surgery to reduce the risk, pain
and recovery time for many patients. Depending on the procedures, the general surgery options at
Methodist McKinney Hospital may be performed in an inpatient or outpatient procedure.
Doctors of general surgery may treat such varied conditions as sinus infections or broken bones. Rather
than a one-time meeting with a specialist, a patient may have a general surgery doctor that they consult
on a number of issues. If a more serious issue for the patient arises, the doctor of general surgery will
then refer their patient to specialist in that specific medical area.
Gynecology
Gynecology is a specialty that concentrates on the treatment and disorders of the female reproductive
system throughout every stage of life. The female reproductive system includes the uterus, vagina and
the ovaries. The gynecology services at Methodist McKinney Hospital include: biopsy, D&C (dilation and
curettage), vaginal hysterectomy, abdominal hysterectomy, laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy,
and hysteroscopy, hysteroscopy with endometrial ablation, anterior and posterior colporrhaphy repair,
TVTO and bladder and uterus suspension.
Most modern gynecology doctors are also considered obstetrics. An OB-GYN gynecology doctor deals
with gynecology and obstetrics. Obstetrics deals primarily with the care of female reproductive tracts
and children throughout the prenatal, childbirth and postnatal period. A gynecology doctor may deal
with cancer of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, vagina and vulva; incontinence, absent, heavy
or painful menstrual periods, infertility, prolapsed of pelvic organs and infections of the vagina, cervix
and uterus.
One gynecology specialist at Methodist McKinney Hospital offers InterStim Therapy for the purposes of
urinary control. The InterStim system is built around the idea that one possible cause of overactive
bladder (OAB) could be miscommunication between the brain and the sacral nerves that are located in
the tailbone. When the brain doesn’t communicate correctly with the sacral nerves, then the nerves
won’t give the right messages to the bladder. This miscommunication can lead to bladder control
problems. The InterStim Therapy was approved by the FDA in 1997 for use with urge incontinence and
used since 1999 for urinary retention and urgency-frequency.
The practice of gynecology is performed to address the conditions and women’s health care needs or
the reproductive organs throughout the life stages of a female. Gynecology surgery options can include
minimally invasive gynecological surgery, clinical gynecological surgery, diagnosis, risk assessment for a
gynecological surgery treatment and counseling regarding a possible gynecological surgery. Doctors who
specialize in gynecology are known as gynecologists. The gynecology doctors who perform the
gynecology surgery are also trained to diagnose and treat infertility, vaginal bleeding, cystic ovaries,
pelvic infections, endometriosis and cancer.
Gynecology surgery can be performed by doctors of gynecology on both an inpatient and outpatient
basic. Typically many of the gynecology surgery options can be performed in the gynecologist’s office or
at a hospital or clinic.
Neuro/spine surgery
Neuro/spine surgery is also known as neurosurgery. Neuro/spine surgery treats the diseases, injuries
and disorders of the nervous system. The specialty of neuro/spine surgery includes the brain, spine and
peripheral nerves of the extremities. The most common neuro/spine procedures at Methodist McKinney
Hospital include laminotomy, a surgical division of the lamina of a vertebral arch, neurostimulation;
discectomy, excision of an intervertebral disc; anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, posterior
arthodesis (fusion of a joint), and transformaminal lumbar interbody fusion.
Neuro/spine surgery may also be more commonly known as brain surgery but neuro/spine surgery also
involves the spine and the nerves of the extremities in addition to the brain. Doctors who specialize in
neuro/spine surgery practice in a branch of medicine known as neurosurgery. A neuro/spine doctor
completes a neuro/spine residency of five to six years. In addition, some neuro/spine doctors also do a
fellowship in neuro/spine studies. A neuro/spine fellowship can include a number of different
neuro/spine specialties. The neuro/spine services include neurology, neurosurgery and ortho-spine
surgery. Talk to your doctor at Methodist McKinney Hospital to determine which neuro/spine specialty
is right for you.
Neuro/spine doctors specialize in the treatment of the diseases, injuries and disorders of the nervous
system. The nervous system contains the brain, spine and the nerves of the extremities that carry
electrochemical nerve impulses down the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine and then into the arms
and the legs.
Neuro/spine surgery in the brain is performed by neuro/spine doctors to treat vascular disorders, treat a
wound, treat epilepsy, remove a tumor or a foreign body, relieve pressure caused by an intracranial
hemorrhage, excise an abscess or relieve pain. Neurosurgery is an extremely complex specialty because
physicians are still learning about the brain and its mysteries.
Diagnosis of neuro/spine issues first relies on the use of imaging. Methodist McKinney Hospital also
offers a range of imaging services. Imaging allows the neuro/spine physicians to see a picture of the
inside of their patient’s body to help in the diagnosis of various medical conditions. Some of those
imaging procedures available at Methodist McKinney Hospital include: x-ray, mammography, CT scan,
ultrasound and an MRI. A doctor of neurosurgery will use one or more of these imaging methods to get
a noninvasive look inside the body before proceeding with additional diagnostics.
Orthopedics
The doctors of orthopedics at Methodist McKinney Hospital specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of
the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedics concerns the bones, muscles, cartilage, ligaments, joints,
tendons and other connective tissue that provides support, form and stability to the body.
Methodist McKinney Hospital is proud to have an orthopedics Total Joint Program that applies the most
recent scientific advances in joint replacement. Total joint surgery in the orthopedics specialty can help
relieve the chronic pain that happens as a result of degenerative joints. With this kind of orthopedics
surgery, patients at Methodist McKinney Hospital can literally walk out of our hospital facility within
twenty-four to forty-eight hours of an orthopedics surgery.
The orthopedics program at Methodist McKinney Hospital specializes in orthopedics that emphasizes
minimally invasive procedures that allow patients to resume living life to the fullest. The procedures
done by orthopedics doctors at Methodist McKinney Hospital include: arthroscopy (examination of the
inside of the joint with an endoscope) of the hands, shoulder, knee, feet, hip and ankle; acromioplasty,
repair of fractures, biopsy of a muscle, excision (removal) of ganglion cysts and neuromas; platelet rich
plasma injections; osteochondrial (bone and cartilage) autografts; carpal tunnel release; tendon repair;
removal of hardward, ACL (anterior cruciate ligament); lumbar discectomy, total knee replacement;
partial knee replacement; total hip replacement; lumbar laminectomy (removal of the boney arches of
one or more vertebrae), fractures, and foot and ankle surgery. Carpal tunnel release severs the band of
tissue around the wrist to release pressure on the nerve that connects the forearm to the hand.
Arthroscopy, another kind of surgery in orthopedics, is also called a scope. This surgery of orthopedics
allows an orthopedics doctor to look inside the patient’s shoulder with a small camera. This method
allows an orthopedics surgeon to diagnose problems that can involve the tendons, bones, cartilage and
ligaments.
In orthopedics, ACL construction repairs a torn anterior cruciate ligament using small incisions around
the knee. The holes are anchored with grafted replacement tissue. For more serious damage and
deterioration of the knee, another orthopedics procedure called a total knee replacement might be
recommended by a doctor of orthopedics. This orthopedics surgery replaces a bad knee joint with an
artificial joint. For more information about this orthopedics procedure or any other orthopedics surgery,
please visit the orthopedics doctors at Methodist McKinney Hospital.
Pain management
Pain management is also known in some areas as pain medicine. It makes no difference if it’s called pain
medicine or pain management, both control short-term and chronic pain. Pain management focuses on
the care of acute and chronic pain syndromes that result from injury or from disease. The study and
practice of pain management has grown in importance because pain is now the number one cause of
disability in the United States. Pain management is a way to combat pain that ranges from a short-term
localized pain to longer-lasting chronic pain.
A pain management team can include psychologists, medical doctors, occupational therapists,
physiotherapists and nurses. Pain management may be used in conjunction with pharmaceuticals,
physical therapy, analgesics, exercise, cognitive behavioral therapy, hot and cold therapies and
biofeedback.
At Methodist McKinney Hospital, the pain management physicians offer epidural steroid injections,
peripheral nerve blocks, and pain pump implantation, spinal and peripheral percutaneous implantation
of neurostimulators and facet joint injections. A steroid injection is one pain management option for
short-term pain relief. In this pain management method, a steroid such as cortisone is injected into the
epidural space that surrounds the spinal cord by a pain management doctor. This injection of pain
medicine helps to reduce pain, tingling and numbness in the lower back that’s caused by nerve
inflammation. Another pain management option available at Methodist McKinney Hospital is a nerve
block. A nerve block is performed by a pain management doctor. The nerve block is an injection of
anesthetic onto or near the nerves. This injection is given by a pain management doctor. It is designed to
temporarily control the pain the patient experiences in a specific area. A pain management doctor might
use a nerve block as a diagnostic tool to determine where the pain is coming from, as a method to
preempt pain, or as way to delay surgery. Another option the pain management doctors at Methodist
McKinney Hospital use to control pain is implanting a neurostimulator. A neurostimulator is a
transmitter and battery connected by cables. Like other pain management methods, a neurostimulator
inhibits feelings of pain along the nerve fibers. Many of these pain medicine options can be done on an
outpatient basis. Talk to the pain management specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital for more
information on pain management options.
Plastic Surgery
Form following function is at the heart of the plastic surgery offerings at Methodist McKinney Hospital.
The plastic surgery specialists at Methodist McKinney perform both elective cosmetic plastic surgery
procedures and non-elective plastic surgery procedures to correct for traumatic injury, birth defects or
deformities created by developmental problems, tumors, infection or disease.
The plastic surgery doctors at Methodist McKinney Hospital offer blepharoplasty (surgery to restore or
repair the eyelid and eyebrow), liposuction, facelift, otoplasty (removing cartilage in the ears to bring
the auricle and pinna closer to the head), augmentation mammoplasty (breast enlargement), mastopexy
(reconstructive surgery that lifts the breasts) and skin grafts. The breast augmentation or augmentation
mammoplasty plastic surgery can restore volume in the breast that was lost after weight reduction or
pregnancy. Blepharoplasty involves removing excess skin from the upper and lower eyelid and can
provide a plastic surgery patient with a more youthful and rested look. A facelift is known technically as
a rhytidectomy. A facelift is one of the only ways to reduce sagging, creases, wrinkles and excess fat
from the face. After removing the excess fat and skin, the plastic surgeon will tighten the skin of the face
by pulling it more tautly. The plastic surgeon will work to hide the stitches in an inconspicuous spot such
as behind the ears. The plastic surgeons at Methodist McKinney Hospital also offer liposuction to shape
parts of the body by removing excess fat deposits from a particular section of the body. This plastic
surgery procedure is commonly known as lipo.
The plastic surgery specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital recommend that plastic surgery only be
performed by a trained professional and recommend that patients thoroughly research the plastic
surgery method they desire before committing to scheduling a plastic surgery procedure. The doctors of
plastic surgery also recommend that patients only receive plastic surgery from a board certified doctor
of plastic surgery. When it comes to plastic surgery procedures, it is important to realize that a cheaper
procedure may be cheaper because the plastic surgery doctor is not board certified or that they are not
experienced in the plastic surgery procedure being offered. Remember as with many things in life, you
get what you pay for. For more information about plastic surgery offerings at Methodist McKinney
Hospital, visit our website.
Podiatry
Podiatry is a specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the feet,
ankles and lower legs. The podiatry experts at Methodist McKinney Hospital specialize in conditions that
affect the feet. The podiatry doctors work to return our patients to pain-free mobility and better
podiatry health. Because feet play such an important role in daily living it’s important to make wellinformed choices. This is especially important for people with diabetes.
Doctors that specialize in podiatry often work in conjunction with specialists of sports medicine and
orthopedics. Those trained to perform podiatry surgery receive four years of undergraduate college
education, four years of education at one of the eight accredited podiatry-focused medical colleges and
then attend two to three years of a hospital residency program to further explore the topic of podiatry.
At Methodist McKinney Hospital the podiatry specialists offer the following services: bunionectomy
(correction hallux valgus), osteotomy, hammertoe correction, excision of neuroma and metatarsectomy.
Hammertoe podiatry surgery corrects a toe that’s curled because of a bend in the middle joint of a toe.
Another podiatry surgery called mallet toe correction corrects a curl in the upper joint of a toe. Podiatry
surgery helps to correct the unnatural bending of the toe by using an incision to release the toe. A
bunionectomy is another podiatry surgery that uses an incision to remove or realign the soft tissue and
bone in an enlarged joint of the big toe. This podiatry surgery may be necessary to relieve pain and
restore normal alignment to the joint. In cases of severe deformity, the podiatry surgery may include
stabilization of the joint using small wires, screws, stitches or plates. Morton’s neuroma is a growth that
develops as a result of a pinched nerve, typically between the third and fourth toes. Podiatry surgery can
relieve the pressure on the nerve or completely remove the troublesome nerve. The podiatry surgery
can help decrease the swelling and persistent pain.
Only a podiatry specialist trained in the treatment of foot and ankle problems should perform a podiatry
surgery. The podiatry specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital recommended that patients research
any podiatry procedure in addition to discussing the procedure with a specialist of podiatry before
committing to any kind of podiatry surgery.
Primary care
At Methodist McKinney Hospital, the service of primary care includes family medicine, infectious
disease, internal medicine and hospitalists. Primary care offers a variety of care for the entire family by
serving individuals of all ages in the areas of acute, chronic and preventative medical care. Primary care
also promotes the importance of overall health. Primary care may also be known in some circles as
general practice or general medicine.
The primary care family medicine staff at Methodist McKinney Hospital specializes in family medicine,
orthopedic surgery and neurology. Family medicine is a division of primary care that offers continuing
and comprehensive health care to individuals and families. This area of primary care is based on
continued knowledge of the individual in the realm of that individual to him or herself, their family and
their community. As in all areas of primary care, family medicine stresses disease prevention and the
promotion of health.
Primary care family medicine doctors may have either a doctor of medicine (M.D.) or osteopathic
medicine (D.O.) degree. Both the M.D. and the D.O. come with the same rights, privileges and
responsibilities. Another division of primary care at Methodist McKinney Hospital is the hospitalist staff.
The three hospitalists on staff focus on internal medicine. Internal medicine within the primary care
realm focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases. The primary care physicians
focusing on internal medicine are called internists. Primary care internists care for patients in the
hospital and they also have roles in teaching and research. These internal medicine doctors within the
primary care specialty are sometimes viewed as the doctor’s doctor because they are asked to help
physicians solve problems regarding adult diseases. Internists are not considered to be family physicians,
family practitioners or general practitioners. Internists do not focus on other specialties such pediatrics
or OB-GYN.
Within the primary care specialty at Methodist McKinney Hospital are infectious disease primary care
physicians. Just as the name suggests, these primary care physicians focus on the prevention and
treatment of infectious diseases. Primary care doctors work to provide answers for challenging
diagnoses and other mystery illnesses.
Pulmonology
Pulmonology is a subspecialty of the discipline of internal medicine. The study of pulmonology covers
the diseases of the chest, which includes the lungs and the bronchial tubes. Doctors of pulmonology will
also conduct patient evaluations of the pharynx, nose, throat and heart. Patients who have breathing
problems will often be directed by their primary physician to consult with a doctor of pulmonology. The
reasons to consult with a doctor of pulmonology include breathing problems such as asthma,
emphysema, infections in the chest and pulomology-related complications that result from an injury or
from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Methodist McKinney Hospital directly works with a group of consulting pulmonologists. These consulting
pulmonology doctors have an extensive medical background, complete with seven or more years of
medical school and postgraduate education before they are board certified in internal medicine. After
this period of education and training, the pulmonology doctors then continue their pulmonology
medical studies for another two to three years in addition to pulmonology education that is specific to
the respiratory system.
Some of the services that a doctor of pulmonology will perform are sleep studies, a DXA scan (bone
densitometer), electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), pulmonary function test (PFT), arterial blood gas (ABG),
nasolaryngoscope, flexible bronchoscopy, interventional bronchoscopy with endobrochial tumor
ablation, foreign body removal and stent replacement, thoracentesis (pleural fluid aspiration) chest tube
insertion, line placement including Swan-Ganz catheter and intubation.
A number of pulmonology doctors specialize in pulmonology and sleep disorders. These offerings are
part of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosing and treating individuals who suffer from sleep
disorders. These sleep disorders include excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy (an overwhelming
urge to sleep), insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea (regularly stop breathing), sleep walking, night terrors,
nightmares, restless leg syndrome, sleep disorders related to shift work and snoring.
If you suffer from any of the above sleep disorders, your pulmonology doctor might recommend
participating in a sleep study. This test monitors and charts the rhythms of the heart, brain waves and
breathing during sleep. The sleep study also records eye and leg movements and tension in the muscles.
During the pulmonology sleep study, the pulmonology doctor will place sensors on the patient’s head,
face, legs and chest. These sensors send electronic signals to a computer that records the sleep activity.
The recording of the signals is tracked and monitored by a qualified pulmonology doctor.
Urology
Urology is a medical specialty dedicated to the study of the male and female urinary tracts. The practice
of urology includes the treatment and diagnosis of urology problems in the kidneys, bladder, ureter
and/or urethra. The practice of urology also includes treatment of the male reproductive system.
Doctors of urology are known as urologists. All urology specialists also are trained to treat prostate and
urologic cancers, urinary tract infections, impotence, kidney stones, infertility and urinary incontinence.
Incontinence is an increasingly common reason patients seek help from a urology doctor such as those
available at Methodist McKinney Hospital. Urinary incontinence is defined as a loss of bladder control
and this condition affects more than 13 million people. Incontinence is a urology problem that’s often
more commonly experienced by women than men, but men can also have incontinence problems. If
incontinence is a problem for you or for someone you know, the urology doctors at Methodist McKinney
Hospital suggest that you seek help.
Methodist McKinney Hospital is addressing Incontinence, a urology problem, in a new and innovative
way with InterStim Therapy. This is a method employed for the purpose of urinary control. The InterStim
system was created by urology doctors to address the idea that an overactive bladder (OAB) could be
caused from miscommunication between the brain and the sacral nerves that are located in the
tailbone. The excessive need to urinate can frequently occur when the brain does not correctly
communicate with the sacral nerves. This miscommunication can lead to bladder control problems. The
InterStim Therapy was approved by the FDA in 1997 for use with urge incontinence and used since 1999
for urinary retention and urgency-frequency.
The practice of urology recognizes seven subspecialty areas: pediatric urology, urologic oncology
(cancer), renal transplantation, male infertility, calculi (urinary tract stones), female urology (urinary
incontinence, pelvic outlet relaxation disorders) and neurourology (voiding disorders, urodynamic
evaluation of patients and erectile dysfunction or impotence).
The urology specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital offer cystoscopy (using a cystoscope inside the
urethra to view the lower urinary tract), urethral dilatation, vasectomy, biopsies, vasovasotomy,
lithotripsy (destroying kidney stones using shockwaves), prostate surgery (cryosurgical ablation), and
circumcision, a sling operation for stress incontinence, hydrocelectomy, bladder surgery and orchiopexy
(operation to fix an undescended testicle). For more information about any of these urology procedures,
please contact one of the urology specialists at Methodist McKinney Hospital.