American University of Beirut

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Mission

The mission of the Division of Urology at the American University of Beirut Medical Center is to deliver the highest quality patient care, postgraduate teaching and specialization, and research in the field of urologic surgery. In addition, the division thrives to stay at the cutting edge of changes in our specialty.

Structure

The division, is currently headed by Dr. Albert El Hajj and comprises 6 faculty members who have extensive expertise in the various urological subspecialties, such as general urology, urologic-oncology, pediatric urology, endo-urology, infertility, and prostate disorders. In addition, the division is a regional leader in the field of minimally invasive surgery and robotic urology through the use of the Da Vinci Robotics System that allows for higher resection precision and accuracy. The robotic urology program also puts the division at the forefront of technology in the region since its availability is very limited in Lebanon and the Middle East.  

The division has a robust residency program that trains residents over a 6-year period and graduates two chief residents annually. The division's teaching activities include chapter reviews, teaching rounds, outpatient clinic shadowing, structured curriculum lectures, a multi-disciplinary MD Anderson urological oncology conference as well as laparoscopic simulation labs. Furthermore, the residents regularly participate in regional urology conferences, taking regular oral exams as well as the European Board of Urology in-service exam, which assesses the residents' level of knowledge in a wide range of urological topics. The residents are also provided with various clinical research opportunities collaborating with the faculty who are active in innovative research projects and regularly publish articles in renowned medical journals.

Services/Procedures​​

The Division of Urology at AUBMC is a division of the Department of Surgery. Our vision is to provide highest quality patient care, post graduate teaching, and research in the field of urologic surgery. 

The Division of Urology currently offers a full spectrum strategy for the evaluation and management of urologic problems in adults and children, and offers expertise in all urological subspecialties, including the following:

Erective dysfunction, infertility, urologic oncology, prostate cancer, diseases of the adrenal and its surgery, stone disease, and Extracorporeal Shock-Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL), renal transplantation and immunobiology, renovascular diseases, female urology, urinary incontinence, endourology and endoscopic surgery, pediatric urology, and general adult urology.

The Division has maintained its strong tertiary care patient-based programs serving Lebanon and the neighbouring countries in the Middle East Region.​​

• Endourology (including bipolar resection of prostate and bladder)
  
• Ureteroscopy (including Robotic Flexible Ureterosopcy using ILY Robot)
  
• Cystoscopy (in outpatient setting)
  
• Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (THULEP or HOLEP)
  
• GreenLight Photovaporization of the Prostate (PVP)
  
• Robotic Aquablation of the Prostate
  
• Rezum Water Vapor Therapy of the Prostate (in outpatient setting)
  
• Laparoscopic Urology & Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy
  
• Laparoscopic urologic oncology (Renal neoplasms & Aldosterone producing adenomas & Pheochromocytomas)
• Robotic Surgery
• Robotic Urologic Surgery and Robotic Oncology. AUBMC is among the first centers to adopt and pioneer robotic urologic surgery. The program was initiated in July 2013, and had several applications including robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, robotic-assisted partial and radical nephrectomy, robotic-assisted radical cystectomy, and other procedures.
• Lithotripsy
  

• AUBMC utilizes the Litho ESW - Richard Wolf Piezolith P3000 Plus. This is a cost-efficient system whose modular design is adaptable to several requirements and permits upgrading in several stages. The features include Urological x-ray diagnosis, cystoscopy, and URS. The system is adaptable to percutaneous endo-urology (PCN), digital radiography and fluroroscopy, with real-time image processing.​
  

• Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy
  
• Percutaneous surgery for stone extraction
• Neurourology and Urodynamics
  
• Infertility & Sexual Dysfunction
  
• Pediatric Urology
  
• Prostate Cancer Center
  
• AUBMC has the largest prostate cancer center in the Middle East and the Arab World, with the highest referral for radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy.
• Renal Transplantation Unit
  
• ​AUBMC launched the renal transplantation unit in 1998 and was the first to adopt laparoscopic donor nephrectomy in the Middle East in the year 2000.
  
• Urologic Oncology (Adrenal cancer, Kidney cancer, Prostate cancer, Bladder cancer)​
  
• Focal therapy: Irreversible electroporation for localized prostate cancer (Nanoknife).