Urology

Children sometimes are born with or later develop problems in their urinary tract—the kidneys, ureters, bladder, or urethra—or in their adrenal gland or genitalia. Pediatric urologists diagnose and treat these conditions, and the Pediatric Urology program at Columbia is among the most active in the country.

Our specialists practice pediatric urology through the Division of Pediatric Urology at New York-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. Every member of our staff is a member of the faculty of Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and are locally, nationally, and internationally known for their wide range of expertise.

We focus on a variety of urologic problems affecting children, including:

• Obstructions in the urinary tract
• Incontinence
• Vesicoureteral reflux
• Adolescent varicocele
• Undescended testes
• Genital abnormalities
• Tumors of the kidney, bladder, vagina, and testes

We are nationally recognized for innovative programs in the reconstruction of several genitourinary malformations and ambiguous genitalia. Columbia's pediatric urologists are also world-renowned leaders in the evaluation and management of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Our Facilities for Pediatric Urology

Our Robotic Surgery Center continues to lead the way toward minimally invasive approaches for urologic surgery in children. We offer one of the most advanced programs in urodynamic evaluation and bladder management in the country for children with incontinence or bladder problems associated with:

• Anorectal malformation
• Classic bladder exstrophy
• Cloacal exstrophy
• Epispadias
• Prune belly syndrome
• Spina bifida

We are also expert in treating stone disease and in urinary tract reconstruction.

Our Multidisciplinary Approach to Care

NewYork-Presbyterian/Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital has consistently been ranked one of the best pediatric hospitals in the country. Our pediatric urologists work closely with doctors at the  Center for Prenatal Pediatrics to evaluate and coordinate the care for fetuses that may have urologic problems. Our maternal-fetal medicine team is among the largest and most experienced anywhere. Our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is one of the most advanced in the US and has been cited several times for its excellence and dedication to patient care.

We have a strong working relationship with nephrology and have a weekly combined clinic where we provide multidisciplinary care for our congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract (Ca-KUT) patients and our chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We also have a strong relationship with transplant surgery and have one of the only truly multidisciplinary centers in Manhattan for the management and treatment of children with urologic causes of their renal failure. This group of patients accounts for 25% of all children on dialysis or requiring kidney transplant in the US. Our goal is to slow or in some cases prevent the decline in renal function seen with these patients.

Our mission is to provide each patient and family with the highest-quality medical care in a supportive and caring environment. Our team of physicians, nurses, and physician assistants contribute their expertise to the common goal of helping our young patients lead a normal and healthy childhood.