Collagen injections for urinary incontinence Gdańsk

Collagen treatment for urinary incontinence requires an assessment of the type and cause of urine leakage. Collagen injections may be considered in selected circumstances; they are not a universal solution for every form of incontinence.

At Tartaczna 2 Medical Centre in Gdańsk, Dr Marek Korożan and Dr Volha Khitrun assess your symptoms and suitability for treatment. The consultation covers available options and the potential benefits and limitations of injections.

What type of urinary incontinence do you have?

• Stress urinary incontinence involves leakage when coughing, sneezing, laughing, running or lifting.
• Urgency urinary incontinence involves leakage associated with a sudden, difficult-to-defer need to pass urine.
• Mixed urinary incontinence includes both stress and urgency symptoms.

Possible causes include problems with urethral support, the urethral closure mechanism or bladder function. Previous births, operations, other health conditions and additional factors may contribute. Symptoms cannot simply be attributed to a “lack of collagen”.

Collagen, tropocollagen and urethral bulking agents

Collagen is a structural protein in connective tissue. How an injection works depends on the particular preparation and where it is placed.

Urethral bulking agents increase tissue volume in the urethral wall to help it close more effectively. They are used in selected cases of stress urinary incontinence. Different materials are used; collagen-based preparations have also been used historically.

Tropocollagen injections intended to support tissue regeneration are a different approach. Research on conventional bulking agents does not automatically establish the effectiveness of tropocollagen injections around the urethra or into other supporting tissues. Before treatment, your doctor explains the proposed preparation, injection site and evidence relevant to the decision.

What is known about the effectiveness of collagen treatment?

Reports on tropocollagen for urinary incontinence are preliminary and include very small groups of women. They do not establish reliable effectiveness, an optimal treatment schedule or how long a benefit might last. There is insufficient evidence to promise improvement after one session or a result lasting several years.

With urethral bulking agents, improvement is also not guaranteed and repeat injections may be needed. The benefits and risks should be compared with other options appropriate for your diagnosis.

What does assessment before treatment involve?

Your doctor asks when leakage occurs, how often you experience urgency, and about previous births, operations and treatment. Assessment includes a pelvic examination and, when appropriate, a cough stress test or a check of urine left in the bladder after passing urine. Keeping a bladder diary for several days may help.

Urine testing can help assess whether an infection is present. Further investigations, including urodynamic testing, are arranged in selected circumstances. Not everyone needs the same tests.

What other treatments should you discuss?

For stress and mixed urinary incontinence, supervised pelvic floor muscle training is an important first step, usually for at least three months. Treating chronic cough or constipation and reducing excess body weight may also help where relevant.

Bladder training and other appropriate treatments may be considered for urgency symptoms. If conservative care does not provide sufficient relief, your doctor discusses further options, including procedures. Collagen injections do not automatically replace physiotherapy or treatment of the underlying cause.

What happens during treatment, and how should you prepare?

After assessment, the preparation is injected locally into the planned tissue sites. The procedure usually takes around 20–30 minutes. The form of anaesthesia depends on the technique and treatment area; some discomfort during injections is possible.

Tell your doctor about medicines, allergies, bleeding disorders, pregnancy, breastfeeding and previous procedures. Active infection requires treatment before an injection, and contraindications also depend on the preparation's ingredients. Chronic conditions require individual assessment. Do not stop anticoagulant or antiplatelet medicines on your own.

Aftercare and possible complications

Possible complications include pain, swelling, bruising, bleeding, infection and reactions to the preparation. Procedures around the urethra can cause difficulty passing urine. The specific risks depend on the material and technique used.

Follow the advice you receive about hygiene, exercise and returning to sexual activity. Follow-up and any further injections are planned after reassessment. Inability to pass urine, fever, increasing pain or significant bleeding requires prompt medical attention.

Urinary incontinence treatment in Gdańsk – appointments

Book a consultation with Dr Marek Korożan or Dr Volha Khitrun to assess the cause of your symptoms and agree a care plan. Treatment outcomes should be assessed by the frequency and severity of leakage and its effect on daily life.

Book through the Tartaczna 2 Medical Centre reception team or ZnanyLekarz. Call +48 58 719 10 25 or email kontakt@tartaczna2.pl.