Center for Urology and Robotics Institute
Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQs        Abdominal, Groin, Testicular Pain FAQs        Male Infertility FAQs

 

General FAQs

1. How do I make an appointment?

Please call our office at 863.292.4652. We will be happy to schedule an appointment that is convenient for you and provide additional information at that time.

2. What are the office hours?

Appointments are available Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm.

3. What should I bring on my first visit?

Please bring a photo ID, insurance card(s), pharmacy card, list of all current medications with dosages and all relevant medical records.

For your convenience, a release form is available to request your previous medical records.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes early for your appointment to complete the registration process; or you may download the Patient Registration and the Family History and Review of Systems forms and complete them prior to arriving for your visit.

4. Is a referral required to see a specialist at the Urology Center?

Some insurance plans require a referral before seeing a specialist. If you need assistance in determining if a referral is needed, please call our office at 863.292.4652 and we will be glad to assist you.

5. What can I expect during my first visit?

Upon completing the registration process, Dr. Parekattil will review your medical history with you and perform a physical exam. He will discuss your diagnosis and make suggestions based on his review of pertinent medical information.

6. Will I have a payment due at the time of my visit?

Some insurance companies do require a co-payment. If you need to know more information about your co-payment prior to your visit, please call our office at 863.292.4652 and we will assist you.

7. What payment methods are accepted?

We accept cash, personal checks, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, debit cards, and money orders.

8. What is your cancellation/no-show policy?

If you cannot keep your appointment, please give us as much notice as possible; preferably, a minimum 24 hour notice. "No-shows" are noted in the schedule and are documented accordingly.

9. What do I do need to do if I have a medical problem after hours?

For life-threatening emergencies please dial 911 for assistance.

If you are an existing patients of our Urology Clinic with an urgent medical problem that cannot wait until the next work day, please call Winter Haven Hospital at 863.293.1121 and ask the operator to page Dr. Parekattil.

10. What should I do if I need a prescription refill?

Please call our office at 863.292.4652. Our policy requests a two-week notice for all prescription refills.

If it is after hours and you are in need of a medication refill, please call our office and leave a message. Your call will be answered during the next business day.

 

Abdominal, Groin or Testicular Pain FAQs

How common is this condition?

It is estimated that over 100,000 men develop chronic abdominal, groin and/or testicular pain annually. Some men with chronic symptoms require more aggressive therapy or newer treatment options to relieve or reduce their symptoms.

What causes this condition?

In some cases, no specific cause can be identified. Pain may originate from many possible causes including: sports injury, trauma, inguinal hernia repair, vasectomy, scrotal surgery, abdominal surgery and varicocele. One theory is that unbalanced forces exerted on the pelvic bones by muscle injuries may cause pain. One treatment option suggests that men with this condition require invasive reconstructive surgery. We utilize a more global and less invasive approach to this condition. Our belief is that these dysfunctional nerves are the root cause for pain.

What treatment options do we offer?

Our approach is geared to the deactivation of these nerves. If traditional non-invasive treatment options fail, we offer a novel outpatient 15-30 minute minimally invasive treatment approach: Robotic assisted microsurgical denervation of the spermatic cord (RMDSC) with neurolysis of the ilioinguinal, genitofemoral and inferior hypogastric nerve fibers.[1] We utilize a 2cm sub-inguinal incision (Figure 1)

Figure 1

and the da Vinci Si™ robotic system (Intuitive Surgical, CA – Figure 2).

Figure 2

The nerve tissue responsible for the pain is carefully ligated with the robotic microsurgical platform to maximize surgical accuracy and minimize invasiveness.

How effective is RMDSC?

Our data shows 88% of patients have a significant decrease in their pain and 81% of patients have complete resolution of their pain. Figure 3

Figure 3

illustrates the mean PIQ-6 score trend after surgery. If this procedure fails to relieve the pain, there are new alternative options for patients.

Are there side effects or complications?

The procedure does not affect any sexual function or sensation. The outer sensation of the scrotum and testicle is preserved. Some patients may have numbness around the incision initially, but this usually improves. There is a small chance that the procedure may not relieve your pain. There is a rare chance of postoperative bleeding, infection and injury to surrounding structures. However, the RMDSC procedure utilizes enhanced 3D High Definition Magnification and real time intra-operative Doppler mapping of the vessels to minimize the risk of any injury.

What about post-operative recovery?

Usually most patients may resume normal daily activities within one or two weeks. Sports and exercise may usually be resumed after 6 weeks.

 

Male Infertility FAQs

What is Male Infertility?

Approximately 15% of all couples trying to concieve face fertility issues. Up to 50% of those issues may be due to male factors. Male infertility focuses on the male factors that contribute to fertility issues. Infertility treatment involves male and female infertility specialists working together with one goal in mind - to help you concieve.

What causes Male Infertility?

Many factors can lead to male infertility. These range from genetic and physiologic issues to enviromental causes. The careful evaluation and examination of male infertility patients is geared to assess these possible causes and to rectify them.

Can Male Infertility be treated?

There are a number of treatable male infertility conditions. Our program specializes in the most innovative and cutting edge treatment options. We are committed to providing our patients with the safest and highest quality care available.

What treatment options are available?

Our program is committed to the best diagnostic and surgical treatment options for male infertility. Cutting edge functional and imaging methods for guided testicular biopsies are also available for men with no sperm in their ejaculate.