The Christ Hospital leads research on non-surgical incontinence procedure that can be completed during a lunch break
The Christ Hospital Health Network’s Mickey Karram, MD, Director of Urogynecology, was the lead investigator on a research trial of a novel hydrogel designed to safely and effectively treat stress incontinence in women without the need for surgery.
6/18/2020
The Christ Hospital Health Network’s Mickey Karram, MD, Director of Urogynecology, was the lead investigator on a research trial of a novel hydrogel designed to safely and effectively treat stress incontinence in women without the need for surgery. The Christ Hospital was the highest recruiter for the multicentered trial on Bulkamid, which was published in the Journal of Urology and approved by the FDA in February 2020.
Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) is the involuntary leakage of urine during physical exertion, coughing, sneezing or laughing. SUI affects up to 40% of women in America. Bulkamid, is composed of 97.5% water that is injected into the urethra in an office-based setting, maintains its size and position in the body’s tissues over time. It is resistant to absorption and degradation and is naturally held in place, cushioning the urethral wall to prevent sudden involuntary leakage of urine.
Unlike other bulking agents, the durability of Bulkamid is measured in years rather than months and is a safe and effective alternative to mesh slings and other, more invasive, procedures. Over the last 15 years, Bulkamid has been used successfully in more than 70,000 patients in over 45 countries world-wide and has demonstrated an 85% satisfaction rate as well as a 92% dry or improvement rate.
“In contrast to other bulking agents Bulkamid is unique in that is very safe, easily administered and has great long-term durability,” said Dr. Karram. “This agent will be of great benefit to many of my patients.”
This non-mesh alternative to the treatment SUI is an in-office, non-invasive procedure that can be performed during a patient’s lunch break without any downtime or restriction of activities.
The Division of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, including Mickey Karram, MD; Michael Karram, MD and Aparna Shah MD, are all trained to use Bulkamid and are now offering it to their patients. Dr. Mickey Karram recently completed the first stacked day of cases in Ohio, with each case taking fewer than 10 minutes from start to finish. In each case, patients had immediate relief of their stress incontinence.
About The Christ Hospital Health Network: The Christ Hospital Health Network is an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn with six ambulatory centers and dozens of offices conveniently located throughout the region. More than 1,200 talented physicians and 6,500 dedicated employees support the Network. Its mission is to improve the health of the community and to create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes, the finest experiences, all in an affordable way. The Network has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as the 24th best large employer in the nation in the magazine’s “America’s 500 Best Large Employers” listing and by National Consumer Research as the region’s “Most Preferred Hospital.” The Network is dedicated to transforming care by delivering integrated, personalized healthcare through its comprehensive, multi-specialty physician network. The Christ Hospital is among only eight percent of hospitals in the nation to be awarded “Magnet” recognition for nursing excellence and among the top five percent of hospitals in the country for patient satisfaction. The hospital houses two post-graduate fellowships in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgeries. For more than 125 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves.