Testing and What to Treat: Recurrent UTI with Dr. Angelish Kumar, Part 1

In this video Dr. Angelish Kumar, a New York-based urology specialist, discusses the following:

● Symptomatic patients may receive a negative test result from standard urine testing because: a. The small quantity of urine sampled does not reflect the bacterial population in the bladder; b. The sample is not observed for long enough to witness bacterial growth; c. The composition of nutrients on the plate may not reflect that in the bladder.
● In expanded urine culture testing, large quantities of urine are tested, and for longer, in order to mitigate these margins of error.
● For the 30% of patients who are experiencing UTI symptoms but returning a negative test result, Dr. Kumar recommends MicroGenDX DNA testing.
● As more becomes known about the urinary microbiome, the goal of treating patients is not to sterilize the urine.
● Organisms will affect patients in different ways. While testing is an important tool, healthcare providers need to consider patient symptoms and use clinical judgment in determining a course of action. There is not always a determined single treatment path and antibiotic exposure needs to be minimized as much as possible.
● Because the aim isn’t to sterilize urine, the typical strategy would be to treat known UTI-causing pathogens first.
● If there is any concern that the urine sample has been contaminated during patient collection, a catheterized specimen can be collected. A catheterized specimen will still capture bacteria residing around the urethra, however, it may not detect bacteria housed in the Skene's glands.
● Antibiotics that are excreted into the urine will not reach bacteria housed in the Skene’s glands. In this case, an antibiotic which has good tissue penetration should be taken for a longer course, typically, 4-weeks.
● Although rare, Skene’s glands can sometimes form cysts which may require surgery.

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Check out the playlist for the entire interview:    • Dr. Angelish Kumar on Recurrent UTI  

Read about MicroGenDX Testing For Urinary Tract Infections here: https://liveutifree.com/microgendx/

Watch Why is my UTI Test Negative? The Science Behind UTIs, with Dr. Thomas-White here:    • Why is my UTI Test Negative? The Scie...  

Learn more about Which UTI Test is the Most Helpful with Dr. Michael Hsieh here:    • Which UTI Test is the Most Helpful: D...  

Learn more about UTI tests here: https://liveutifree.com/over-the-coun...

About Dr. Kumar
Dr. Kumar is a board certified Urologist who graduated with honors from The Tufts University School of Medicine and is a member of the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed her urology training at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. In 2017, she was the recipient of the gold star teaching award from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. In 2020, she founded Women’s Urology New York, a unique practice focused on providing compassionate and comprehensive urologic care exclusively to women. In addition to being a diplomate of the American Board of Urology, Dr. Kumar is a member of the American Urologic Association, Society for Urodynamics and Female Urogenital Reconstruction, and International Urogynecologic Societies. She also serves on the Women’s Health Executive Committee for Springboard Enterprises.


About Live UTI Free
Live UTI Free is a patient advocacy and research organization. We do not endorse specific treatment approaches, clinicians or diagnostics methods. The content of this video does not provide medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. The medical and/or nutritional information is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. https://liveutifree.com/

Post-production: Melissa Wairimu   / _melissa_l_…