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Since joining the Wayne State faculty this summer, Dr. Ajay Singla has already offered relief to patients who suffered from urinary incontinence. Although many physicians around the country perform sling surgeries to support the bladder and improve incontinence in women, Dr. Singla says the tissue he uses is strong and more durable for tissue transplantation. He is also offering this surgery to men with post-prostatectomy incontinence. Only a few centers in the country offer this surgery in men.

Both men and women are candidates for sling surgery, in which a strip of tissue is stitched into place around the bladder neck to support the urethra. “I use cadaveric allograft tissue because there is no need to worry about tissue typing, rejection or immune suppression,” he said. Other options include harvesting tissue from the patient’s own abdomen or thigh, or using tissue from the dermis of the skin. “Studies show that many of the alternate tissue types get weakened over time, but this material is the most durable, reduces the length of stay in the hospital and improves function and morbidity.”

Many WSU faculty members have expressed an interest in collaborating with Dr. Singla on new research projects and clinical programs. “We would like to build a more comprehensive multi-specialty continence program to help the large number of people who suffer from the emotional and physical discomfort of this problem,” he said.

Dr. Singla joins WSU as an associate professor of urology and serves as chief of female urology and voiding dysfunction. He completed residency training in urology and a fellowship in urodynamics at the University of North Carolina. He did a second fellowship in neurourology and urodynamics at Emory University. He practices with University Urologists at the Harper Professional Building in Detroit, and he has a satellite office in Bingham Farms, Mich.

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