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What is Urogynecology?

Many women suffer from pelvic floor issues such as female urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control), female fecal incontinence (accidental bowel leakage), pelvic organ prolapse (dropping down of female pelvic organs including, bladder, uterus, vagina, rectum due to loss of vaginal support). A urogynecologist is a surgeon who specializes in the care of women with pelvic floor issues. Pelvic floor issues may be treated both non-surgically or using minimally invasive surgeries.

Meet Our Specialists

Dr. Kimia Menhaji

Dr. Kimia Menhaji attended University of California, Irvine where she graduated with honors with a bachelor’s degree in Genetics.

She received her medical degree at Temple University in Philadelphia. Following which she stayed in Philadelphia for her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Pennsylvania Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania health system. During this time she continued to pursue her passion for women’s care and interest in pelvic floor disorders.

She completed a Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (Urogynecology) fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York city pursuing her interest in female pelvic floor disorders such as pelvic organ prolapse, overactive bladder, and urinary incontinence along with other pelvic floor disorders.

Dr. Menhaji’s interests include surgical and non-surgical treatment of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence, minimally invasive surgery, shared decision making, health equity, diversity, and research in the field of urogynecology.

She has been extremely excited to return to southern California to help and serve the women population of San Diego, as West Coast OBGYN’s first urogynecologist.

Aimee Levinson, PA-C

Aimee Levinson,  PA-C bio information coming soon!

For a complete list of disorders and treatments
provided by our urogynecologists please see below or

Download PDF

Female Urinary Incontinence
  • Continuous leakage of urine
  • Enuresis (bed wetting)
  • Mixed urinary incontinence
  • Stress urinary incontinence (urine leakage with activity)
  • Urgency urinary incontinence (urine leakage on the way to the restroom)
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
  • Bladder prolapse
  • Cystocele
  • Enterocele
  • Rectocele
  • Vaginal prolapse
  • Uterine prolapse
  • Prolapse of urethra
Fistulas
  • Bladder uterine fistula
  • Rectourethral fistula
  • Rectovaginal fistula
  • Vesicovaginal fistula
  • Urethrovaginal fistula
Fecal Incontinence
  • Coming Soon
Other Bladder Issues:
  • Detrusor instability
  • Dysuria
  • Frequent urination
  • Frequent Urinary tract infections
  • Urinary retention
  • Urinary urgency
  • Nocturia (night time urination)
  • Overactive bladder
Other conditions:
  • Vaginal mesh implant complications
  • Imperforate hymen
  • Postpartum pelvic floor issues
  • Enlarged labia causing pain and issues
Treatment options including minimally invasive surgeries:
  • Pessary
  • Abdominal sacrocolpopexy with or without hysterectomy
  • Laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy with or without hysterectomy
  • Robotic-assisted sacrocolpopexy with or without hysterectomy
  • Anterior repair
  • Posterior repair
  • Bladder suspension
  • Colposuspension
  • Colporrhaphy
  • Vaginal colpopexy
  • Vaginal hysterectomy
  • Vaginal suspension
  • Repair of cystocele
  • Repair of enterocele
  • Repair of rectocele
  • Repair of vaginal tear
  • Third/Fourth degree repair
  • Bladder training
  • Pelvic floor muscle strengthening
  • Periurethral bulking
  • Sling procedures
  • Tension-free vaginal tape
  • Cystoscopy
  • Urodynamic testing
  • Percutaneous Tibial Nerve Stimulation (PTNS)
  • Electromyography of urethral sphincter 
  • Fistula repair surgeries
  • Reconstruction of vagina
  • Reconstruction of urethra

Urogynecology Resource List

  • Voices of PFD
  • IUGA patient handouts: this offers multiple languages if patients want non-English resources
  • Sharp class for pelvic floor health during pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum (it’s going to be offered monthly and the charge is gonna get waived)
  • Sharp pelvic floor physical therapy

Research


Romanova A, Sifri Y, Gaigbe-Togbe B, Menhaji K, Tran A, Hardart A, Dabney L. Complications After Vesicovaginal Fistula Repair Based on Surgeon Specialty in the United States: Analysis of a National Database. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2022 Mar 1;28(3):e120-e126. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001161. PMID: 35272345.

Gaigbe-Togbe BHA, Menhaji K, Tran AD, Bui AH, Ascher-Walsh C, Dabney L, Hardart A. Virtual Interviews During COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey of Applicants to Fellowships in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Sep 1;27(9):e626-e629. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000001031. PMID: 34236160; PMCID: PMC8407286.

Menhaji K, Cardenas-Trowers OO, Chang OH, Hall EF, Ringel NE, Falk KN. Anticholinergic prescribing pattern changes of urogynecology providers in response to evidence of potential dementia risk. Int Urogynecol J. 2021 Oct;32(10):2819-2826. doi: 10.1007/s00192-021-04736-8. Epub 2021 Mar 8. PMID: 33683426.

Escobar CM, Falk KN, Mehta S, Hall EF, Menhaji K, Sappenfield EC, Brown OE, Ringel NE, Chang OH, Tellechea LM, Barnes HC, Jeney SES, Bennett AT, Cardenas-Trowers OO. Rethinking Second-Line Therapy for Overactive Bladder to Improve Patient Access to Treatment Options. Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Mar 1;137(3):454-460. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000004279. PMID: 33543891.

Bennett AT, Ringel NE, Menhaji K, Brown OE, Hall EF, Cardenas-Trowers OO, Falk KN, Jeney SES, Barnes H, Escobar C, Tellechea LM, Sappenfield EC, Mehta S, Chang OH. "First, Do No Harm"-Trainees' Observation of Risk Reduction in the Treatment of Overactive Bladder. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Jan 1;27(1):2-4. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000978. PMID: 33369964.

Menhaji K, Gaigbe-Togbe BH, Hardart A, Bui AH, Andiman SE, Ascher-Walsh CJ, Dabney L, Do Tran A. Virtual Interviews During COVID-19: Perspectives of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Program Directors. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2021 Sep 1;27(9):575-580. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000982. PMID: 33086259; PMCID: PMC8407288.

Chong W, Bui AH, Menhaji K. Incidence and risk factors for venous thromboembolism events after different routes of pelvic organ prolapse repairs. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2020 Aug;223(2):268.e1-268.e26. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2020.05.020. Epub 2020 May 13. PMID: 32413430.

Menhaji K, Tran AD, Garely AD. Implementing Emergency Gynecologic Surgery Guidelines during COVID-19. J Minim Invasive Gynecol. 2020 Sep-Oct;27(6):1433-1434. doi: 10.1016/j.jmig.2020.05.006. Epub 2020 May 18. PMID: 32425715; PMCID: PMC7233203.

Menhaji K, Harvie HS, Cheston E, Levin PJ, Arya LA, Andy UU. Relationship Between Pelvic Organ Prolapse and Non-Human Papillomavirus Pap Smear Abnormalities. Female Pelvic Med Reconstr Surg. 2018 Jul/Aug;24(4):315-318. doi: 10.1097/SPV.0000000000000448. PMID: 28708758.

Shirani J, Pranesh S, Menhaji K, Cotarlan V, Brofferio A. Dobutamine-induced myocardial ischemia and ST-segment elevation in collateral-dependent myocardium. Am J Cardiol. 2013 Nov 1;112(9):1293-7. doi: 10.1016/j.amjcard.2013.05.072. Epub 2013 Jul 15. PMID: 23866734.

Aiken CT, Steffan JS, Guerrero CM, Khashwji H, Lukacsovich T, Simmons D, Purcell JM, Menhaji K, Zhu YZ, Green K, Laferla F, Huang L, Thompson LM, Marsh JL. Phosphorylation of threonine 3: implications for Huntingtin aggregation and neurotoxicity. J Biol Chem. 2009 Oct 23;284(43):29427-36. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M109.013193. Epub 2009 Aug 26. PMID: 19710014; PMCID: PMC2785575.

 

 

 

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    619-403-5700

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