Urogynecologic Program - First in Florida

Urogynecologic Program at Tampa General Hospital Among Best in Florida

The Tampa General Hospital and USF Health Morsani College of Medicine Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery program is the first and one of the only programs of its kind in the state, attracting patients from across Florida for specialized care. A team of highly trained, board-certified specialists, including urogynecologists, imaging experts and nurses, collaborate to diagnose, treat and manage complex pelvic floor disorders.

Led by TGH Director of Urogynecology, Dr. Katie Propst, the program provides comprehensive care to women with pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic organ prolapse, bowel and bladder incontinence, pelvic pain disorders, fistulas and urethral diverticula.

Minimally Invasive Techniques

The program specializes in minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of pelvic floor disorders, including midurethral slings (both transobturator and retropubic approaches) for urinary incontinence, pubovaginal slings, urethral bulking agent injections, onabotulinum toxin A bladder injections, and sacral neuromodulation.

Patients with pelvic organ prolapse benefit from our physicians’ clinical expertise with robotic and laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy and vaginal surgical approaches utilizing native tissues, which provides a longer-lasting solution with less risk of infection or rejection. We also perform excision of vaginal mesh, repair of fistulas and reconstruction/ revision of complex obstetric lacerations. Most of our surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis, which results in much shorter recovery times and allows patients to return to daily activities faster.

Patient-Focused Approach

Pelvic surgeons at TGH and USF Health tailor surgeries specifically to fit patients’ needs and often perform uterine-sparing procedures instead of traditional hysterectomies. In one patient’s case, surgeons were able to perform a minimally invasive hysteropexy using the patient’s own tissue to create a pelvic sling. Most of all, surgeons at TGH listen to patients and believe them, focusing on addressing what they experience.

“It matters what they feel,” Dr. Propst says. “We listen to patients and treat them based on their goals, not our goals.”

Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health Clinics (PPPHC)

The only program of its kind in Florida and one of few in the Southeast region of the U.S., the Pregnancy and Postpartum Pelvic Health Clinic (PPPHC) at TGH and USF Health is a subspecialty multidisciplinary clinic that provides care to pregnant and postpartum women with pelvic floor disorders, complex obstetric lacerations, laceration complications and pain. In addition, we hold monthly morbidity and mortality and complex case conferences to provide constant improvement in patient care. Our PPPHC also offers antepartum labor and delivery planning to patients who have had previous lacerations and pelvic floor issues.

Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) Fellowship

The TGH and USF Health Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) Fellowship is a three-year program for individuals who have completed a residency
in obstetrics and gynecology approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). It has been approved by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) since 2013 and most recently by the ACGME, effective 2013.

The fellowship curriculum is designed to provide comprehensive training in clinical care and research in women with pelvic floor disorders. Core clinical rotations include urogynecology, urology and colorectal surgery. Surgical approaches include vaginal, laparoscopic and robotic. Additionally, fellows spend time with gastro- enterology and pelvic floor physical therapy.

TGH was named one of the Top 50 hospitals in the nation for Obstetrics & Gynecology by U.S. News & World Report for 2022-2023 and one of Newsweek’s Best Maternity
Hospitals in the U.S.