Dr. Christopher Manakas has been invited as guest faculty at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) Department of Urology's 3rd Annual Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP) Masterclass. This is a two-day course where expert faculty will give hands on training in HoLEP procedures.

Dr. Kyle Richards has been invited to participate as Faculty at the 2024 American Urological Association (AUA) CodingPlus Part Four. This is a CME-accredited course that focuses on current procedural terminology (CPT), and E/M coding updates, and Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC) valuations.

Dr. Frank Lin participated as a panel reviewer at the 2024 Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) Dysfunction-1 administered by the Department of Defense. This is a peer reviewed panel that is evaluating applications in the area of genitourinary and bowel dysfunction as a consequence of spinal cord injury. As a federal scientist reviewer for this panel, he reviewed research grants investigating different aspects of urinary tract management and urinary tract infections (UTIs) as it relates to neurological disorders and injury.  

Dr. Daniel Shapiro has been named a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS). This is an honor in which the surgeon's education and training, professional qualifications, surgical competence, and ethical conduct have passed a rigorous evaluation, and have been found to be consistent with the high standards established and demanded by the College.

Dr. Kristin Ebert was an invited lecturer at the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) 2024 Annual Meeting. Her talk was titled "State of the Art on Sexual Function in Transitional Urology Patients". 

Did you know that November is Bladder Health Awareness Month? The American Urological Association (AUA), the Urology Care Foundation, and the Bladder Health Alliance established November as National Bladder Health Month in the United States in 2016.

Each day, billions of men, women, and children throughout the world struggle with the impacts associated with bladder conditions and disease. There are many conditions that can affect the bladder including overactive bladder, urinary incontinence (leakage), bladder cancer, bedwetting, and nocturia.

While most of us don’t think about our bladder health on a day-to-day basis, this month serves as a reminder to get the facts about common bladder health conditions and to take an active role in caring for our bladder health. 

Some quick numbers about bladder health in the United States:

• Bladder diseases and conditions cost over $70 billion annually. 
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the reason for more than 8 million provider visits each year.
• Over 33 million adults have overactive bladder.
• More than 575,000 Americans live with bladder cancer.

We might take our bladders for granted when things are working normally, but we should be aware of the various disorders that affect the bladder, how to prevent diseases that affect the bladder, and how to treat them.

Bladder Health Month is a great time to focus on educating and empowering individuals to take control of their bladder health. Obviously talking about these conditions can be difficult or uncomfortable, but here at UW Health, we have specialists ready to evaluate and treat your bladder health conditions!