Dr. Wilkie and his team are dedicated to give you the most advanced and up to date treatment options for bladder problems available for their patients. Prior to any procedure all patients are examined to ensure there are no underlying medical problems. A gynecological exam will be performed to assess what form of treatment is the right option for you and to discuss its risks and benefits.
Trans Vaginal Tape Procedure for Stress Incontinence
Dr. Wilkie is one of the first surgeons in Canada to offer this minimally invasive procedure to treat women diagnosed with Urinary Stress Incontinence. Today, women have a much better chance of a permanent correction of Stress Urinary Incontinence than ever before.
The Trans Vaginal Tape Procedure is a short operation and is usually done in a Day Care Surgical Unit. The procedure can be performed using local anesthetic with sedation allowing patients to go home soon afterwards. Usually, over the counter (OTC) pain medication is all that is required (FAQ).
Dr. Wilkie has performed more than 5,000 Tape Procedures. He is a national expert in the use and application of minimally invasive surgery for stress incontinence. If this procedure has been elected by you to treat your condition, Dr. Wilkie and his staff will inform you on how to prepare for the surgery and what the expected post-operative (after surgery) course will be. (For more information visit our Patient Care Area). See also Burch Procedure.
Injection Therapy
Dr. Wilkie is one of first physicians in British Columbia to introduce Bulking Injection Therapy for women with Stress Incontinence. His expertise and experience in Urogynecology ensures that the injection treatment is precise, achieving the most favourable results and often instant relief.
Bulking Injection Therapy is particularly appropriate for women not suitable for surgical procedures as well as for those whom other prior intervention and treatment for Stress Urinary Incontinence has failed.
Nearly every client can helped in an out-patient clinic and is injected after using local anesthetic gel placed the bladder. A repeat treatment may be required in some women.
If this form of treatment is elected for your condition, you will receive information about the procedure and post-injection care during your consultation. Please visit our Patient Care Area for further Information.
Please note:the material and associated costs involved in Injection Therapy are currently not covered by the BC Medical Service Plan for Stress Incontinence. However, if you have Extended Care or third party insurance, this will often cover the majority of these costs. Please contact your insurance provider to find out to see what percentage of the costs it will cover.
Minimally Invasive Burch Procedure
This abdominal procedure has been the ‘Gold Standard’ for the treatment of Urinary Stress Incontinence. It involves placing permanent sutures on each side of the urethra to provide support when coughing, sneezing or moving suddenly.
In the past this procedure required lengthy hospital stays. However, Dr. Wilkie’s modifications introducing minimally invasive surgery or laparoscopy, has converted this procedure to a Day Care Surgical setting. Women leave the same day and can return to normal activities within days of surgery.
Despite these advances, the Burch procedure has been largely replaced by the newer Trans Vaginal Tape Procedures. These are less invasive procedures, take less time to perform, require less anaesthetic and less “down time”. The Trans Vaginal Tape procedures are equally as effective, and in some instances, more effective than the Burch procedure. Women whose previous surgery has failed, who are obese or who are poor surgical candidates due to other medical problems are usually better treated with Trans Vaginal Tape.
BOTOX for Urge Incontinence
Botulinum A toxin (Botox™) has been used for over twenty years for the treatment of unwanted muscle over-activity. It involves injection of very small amounts of a muscle inactivator into the bladder muscle fibers. Now widely know it for its cosmetic effects in reducing wrinkles, Botox™ has been used successfully to control muscles when bladder over-activity impairs normal function.
Botox injections in the bladder muscle can be very helpful when the bladder cannot be controlled by the normal nerve pathways. These injections can be done during a cystoscopy procedure using local anaesthetic (local freezing) in our office or clinic.
Botox Injections are only performed when other conservative treatments such as retraining techniques and medications have failed or are poorly tolerated.
(*Botox is a registered trademark of Allergan.)
Please note: the material and associated costs using Botox to control Urge Incontinence are currently not covered by the BC Medical Service Plan. However, if you have Extended Care or third party insurance, this will often cover the majority of Botox Injection Therapy for Overactive Bladder. Please contact your insurance provider to find out to see what percentage of the costs it will cover.
Our Client Care Coordinator will look after your referral and appointment. Please call 604 736-5404.
Dr. Wilkie- you have no idea how you have changed my life! I cannot thank you and your staff enough for making me feel so at ease, answering all my questions (no matter how embarrassing they were!) and for the time and care you gave to me. I am so grateful for my new found freedom. I was so scared to look into my incontinent problem- and your staff was so wonderful. Please pass on my thanks to them for me.