As a parent, you understand that conditions affecting your child’s kidney, bladder, or reproductive health are not just the standard childhood illnesses. These conditions can affect your child’s life into adulthood. At WVU Medicine Children’s, we know you want the best care available for your child.
Your child will receive compassionate, advanced care for urological conditions affecting the:
- Adrenal glands
- Bladder
- External and internal genitalia
- Kidneys
- Pelvic floor
- Ureter
- Urethra
Pediatric Urology at WVU Medicine Children’s is the only pediatric urology practice in West Virginia. We treat patients from infancy to age 18. Our experienced fellowship-trained doctors and medical professionals are recognized by U.S. News & World Report.
Conditions We Treat
Our specialists provide treatment for conditions such as:
- Hydrocele – common in newborns and occurs when there is swelling in the scrotum caused by fluid that collects in the thin sheath surrounding a testicle
- Hypospadias — the urethra opens on the underside of the penis instead of the tip
- Kidney and bladder cancer
- Kidney and bladder infections
- Kidney and bladder stones
- Neurogenic bladder — uncontrolled bladder from neurological conditions like spina bifida
- Posterior urethral valve — blockage affecting newborn boys
- Prenatal hydronephrosis — kidney swelling from urine build-up
- Undescended testicles
- Ureteropelvic junction obstruction — partial kidney blockage
- Urinary tract infections
- Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) — urine flows backward from the bladder to the kidneys
Treatments and Services
We offer comprehensive, minimally invasive, robotic, and open surgical treatment options that ensure your child has the best outcome. Procedures include:
Minimally invasive surgery
These minimally invasive or non-invasive therapies treat kidney stones:
- Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy — uses sound waves to treat kidney stones
- Ureterorenoscopy with holmium laser lithotripsy — uses a laser to remove urinary tract stones
- Percutaneous nephrolithotomy — uses a small telescope to remove large kidney stones through the patient’s back
- Microscopic varicocelectomy — treats enlarged scrotal veins
- Deflux injection for VUR implants — an alternative to open surgery that uses a gel called deflux to prevent backward flow of urine to the kidneys
Robotic and laparoscopic surgery
We use da Vinci robotic-assisted surgery or laparoscopic surgery, which uses small incisions, in place of open surgery whenever possible, to reduce pain and shorten hospital stays for these procedures:
- Appendicovesicostomy — Mitrofanoff surgery, uses the appendix as a bridge to the bladder
- Malone antegrade continence enema — facilitates fecal evacuation
- Nephrectomy — kidney removal
- Orchidopexy — moves an undescended testicle into the scrotum
- Pyeloplasty — partial kidney reconstruction
- Ureteral reimplantation — reconnects a ureter tube to the bladder
- Varicocelectomy — restores proper blood flow to reproductive organs
Open surgery
Some conditions may require open surgery to ensure the best result. These include:
- Bladder augmentation to reduce bladder pressure and leakage
- Genital and urinary organ reconstruction
- Hydrocelectomy (removal of a fluid-filled sac in the scrotum)
- Hypospadias to correct an abnormal urethra opening
- Orchiopexy to move an undescended testicle into the scrotum
- Meatoplasty to enlarge the penis opening
- Pyeloplasty to reconstruct of part of the kidney
Outpatient and educational clinics
We offer outpatient and educational clinics at various times and locations:
- General pediatric urology clinic — 8 am-3:30 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Dysfunctional voiding and bedwetting clinic — Fridays
- Spina bifida clinic — fourth Monday of each month
- Metabolic disorder/stone clinic (with nephrology) — Tuesdays and Thursdays
- Outreach/satellite clinic in Wheeling Hospital — second Friday of each month
- Prenatal/fetal urology counseling
- Telemedicine clinic — Mondays and Thursdays
- After-hours clinic — 4-7 pm last Tuesday of each month
- Disorder of sexual development clinic (with endocrinology)
Resources
These resources can help you and your child learn more about urological conditions:
- KidsHealth
- Healthy Children - Learn what a pediatric urologist does.
- MedlinePlus - Find information on children’s urological conditions from the U.S. National Library of Medicine.