UF Health Urology at Halifax Health is proud to announce that Dr. Steven Sidelsky and his team are among the first in the area to perform an innovative procedure to treat urethral strictures (narrowing of the urethra) using Optilume® urethral drug-coated balloon. This approach represents a significant advancement in urological care, anatomical, and biological treatments.
Urethral strictures, a condition characterized by the narrowing of the urethra, can cause severe discomfort and lead to complications such as kidney damage if left untreated. Until this point, the most common treatment for urethral strictures has been through the use of catheters to remove urine from the bladder multiple times a day. Other common procedures involve the surgical stretching, cutting, or graftings of the urethra. Opilume stricture is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure with minimal downtime, allowing men to return home the same day as their procedure.
The use of a drug-coated balloon in treating these strictures represented the highest level of care which offers enhanced precision and efficacy compared to traditional methods. By locally delivering medication directly to the site of the stricture, this procedure not only addresses the immediate obstruction but also helps prevent recurrence, promoting long-term patient health and wellbeing. During the Optilume procedure, the Optilume device expands the scar tissue surrounding the urethral stricture creating a dilation and micro-fissures across the affected area. This allows the drug, paclitaxel, to be delivered directly to the stricture. This combined technique results in limiting scar tissue generation and helps prevent future stricture recurrence.
Optilume has been shown to provide superior results compared to the standard of care for endoscopic management. The ROBUST III Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial showed that 83% of patients remained free from re-treatments for their urethral stricture 1- year after their Optilume procedure.
Dr. Sidelsky's work in this field underscores the commitment Halifax Health has towards providing the highest level of exceptional care, leveraging both medical talent and advanced technology.
"This procedure exemplifies the kind of advanced care that only Halifax Health can provide, ensuring that our patients receive the most effective and innovative treatments available," said Dr. Sidelsky.
Halifax Health and UF Health continue to lead the way in medical innovation, ensuring that the community has access to the latest advancements in healthcare. The introduction of this procedure is a significant milestone, highlighting the health system's dedication to improving patient care through continuous innovation and collaboration.
About Halifax Health:
Recognized as one of the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals™ in the United States by IBM Watson Health™, Halifax Health serves Volusia and Flagler counties, providing a continuum of health care services through a network of organizations including a tertiary hospital, two community hospitals, an urgent care network, psychiatric services, a cancer treatment center with five outreach locations, the area’s largest hospice, a center for inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, primary care walk-in clinics, a clinic specializing in women’s health, a pediatric care community organization. Halifax Health offers the area’s only Level II Trauma Center, Center for Transplant Services, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Pediatric Emergency Department with board-certified pediatricians on staff 24/7, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Services, OB Emergency Department and Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for babies born earlier than 28 weeks. It’s also the area’s longest-standing Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center (TSC) offering complete stroke care.
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