RICHMOND, Ind. – Reid Health welcomes Sara Diaz Valentin, M.D., a urogynecologist who provides comprehensive care for pelvic floor disorders. Dr. Diaz began seeing patients at Urological Care, 1050 Reid Parkway, this month.
Dr. Diaz is board certified in obstetrics/gynecology and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. She provides surgical and non-surgical care for all types of pelvic floor disorders, including vaginal prolapse, incontinence and sexual problems, among others.
The pelvic floor is the set of muscles, ligaments and connective tissue that provides support for a woman’s internal organs, including the bowel, bladder, uterus, vagina and rectum. Pelvic floor disorders can be caused by excessive strain on the pelvis due to childbirth, repeated strenuous activity, menopause, chronic disease or pelvic surgery. They are very common—in fact, it is estimated that one in five women in the United States will require some kind of surgical procedure for prolapse, incontinence or both.
“Pelvic floor disorders can cause many different symptoms. The most common include a bulge in the vaginal area, incontinence of any kind, problems emptying or storing the contents of the bladder or rectum, sexual problems and pelvic pain,” Dr. Diaz said. “Many women wait to seek treatment for these symptoms, but in some cases this can cause further damage or require a more complex course of treatment. Patients are often surprised by the treatment options available to them, including everything from dietary modifications and physical therapy to surgical repair.”
Dr. Diaz graduated from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in San Juan, where she also did her residency in obstetrics and gynecology. She then did a three-year fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery at Indiana University/Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, which included postdoctoral training in pelvic floor neurophysiology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. During her postdoctoral training, she also earned a master’s degree in clinical research.
Since completing her training seven years ago, Dr. Diaz has cared for hundreds of patients, first in Louisville, Ky., where she also was an assistant professor at the University of Louisville, and then in Greenwood, Ind. She is the only fellowship-trained pelvic floor medicine specialist in the region, which means that patients with complex pelvic floor issues no longer have to travel to Indianapolis, Dayton or other cities for care. In addition to offering non-surgical care, she performs open, laparoscopic and robotic surgery. In fact, she has performed more than 450 robotic surgeries, which typically result in less pain and a shorter recovery than open procedures.
For more information about Dr. Diaz, or to make an appointment, please call Urological Care at 765-962-2591.
