UCLA Health Santa Monica Urology Services: Comprehensive and Innovative Care

UCLA Health urology services in Santa Monica offer customized, comprehensive, and innovative care for a wide range of urological conditions. With a team of world-renowned urologists, UCLA Health is dedicated to delivering exceptional outcomes for patients of all ages and genders.

Why Choose UCLA Health for Urology?

For over half a century, UCLA Health urologists have been at the forefront of comprehensive care and effective treatments for all urological conditions. Their extensive experience and passion for innovative therapies and procedures ensure patients and their families receive exceptional care.

Highlights of the UCLA Health urology program include:

Advanced Cancer Care: The UCLA Institute of Urologic Oncology (IUO) collaborates with specialists across various departments to provide leading-edge treatments for cancers of the bladder, kidneys, testicles, and prostate. Patients benefit from expert care delivered by a dedicated team of UCLA urology specialists.
Effective Treatments for Kidney Stones: UCLA Health urologists offer state-of-the-art medical and surgical care for kidney stones and urinary obstruction. They prioritize minimally invasive approaches to minimize discomfort and maximize outcomes.
Innovative Surgical Techniques: UCLA Health experts have pioneered several minimally invasive procedures, including robot-assisted techniques, to treat urological conditions. In 2020, they performed the first single-port robotic surgery in Los Angeles. This technology allows surgeons to control surgical instruments remotely, resulting in precise, effective treatments with shorter recovery times.
Proven Success: UCLA urology specialists have performed thousands of successful procedures, utilizing the latest advances in nonsurgical and surgical techniques. Their treatments consistently yield excellent outcomes for both children and adults.
Personalized Care: Understanding that each patient has unique needs, UCLA Health urologists deliver customized care tailored to men, women, and children. They are available at the UCLA Men’s Clinic, the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health at UCLA, and the Clark-Morrison Children's Urological Center at UCLA. The urology team also collaborates with LGBTQ+ Health Services and the UCLA Gender Health Program to support individuals pursuing gender-affirmation surgery.

Comprehensive Urology Services

UCLA Health offers a full spectrum of urology services, encompassing prevention, screenings, diagnosis, and treatment. The urologists perform the latest nonsurgical and surgical treatments, including minimally invasive and robot-assisted surgery.

Adult Urology

UCLA Health is a national leader in urologic care, dedicated to addressing individual needs and improving urological health.

Cancer Care

Through the UCLA Health Institute of Urologic Oncology (IUO), specialists provide innovative treatments for urologic cancers, such as bladder cancer, kidney cancer, testicular cancer, and prostate cancer. Treatment plans are coordinated with specialists in various fields to ensure seamless, comprehensive care.

Kidney Care

UCLA Health urology specialists assist individuals with all types of kidney disease. They offer highly successful treatments for kidney stones, including noninvasive procedures and nutritional guidance. The Connie Frank Kidney Transplant Center provides lifesaving kidney transplants for children and adults, leading the nation in both volume and outcomes.

Pediatric Urology

The Clark-Morrison Children's Urological Center at UCLA specializes in the unique urological needs of children. Partnering with parents and families, they provide advanced, customized care for children with various urological conditions, including the most complex disorders. Compassionate care, effective treatments, and unwavering support are central to their approach.

Men’s Urological Health

The Men’s Clinic at UCLA offers prevention and treatment for a wide range of urological conditions affecting men. It brings together specialists from various departments to improve access to care. Comprehensive care is focused on men’s urology, reproductive health, and sexual function. Screenings are also available to identify men at higher risk for certain cancers.

Women’s Urological and Pelvic Health

At the Center for Women’s Pelvic Health at UCLA, specially trained urologists collaborate with urogynecologists to deliver expert care in a compassionate environment. They help women improve their pelvic health through therapy, minimally invasive treatments, and reconstructive surgery. The UCLA urology team also assists in implementing lifestyle changes to improve pelvic health and overall quality of life.

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Urology Conditions Treated

UCLA Health urologists specialize in treating a wide array of urological conditions, disorders, and diseases, including:

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): In men, an enlarged prostate gland can lead to bladder stones, kidney stones, and urination problems.
Bladder Control Problems (Incontinence): Urine leakage can result from various factors, including pregnancy, childbirth, age, menopause, enlarged prostate, pelvic floor dysfunction, or interstitial cystitis.
Congenital Abnormalities: Defects present at birth can affect the genitals, reproductive organs, or urinary tract. Treatment is also available for boys with undescended testicles and children with differences in sexual development.
Fertility Issues and Sexual Health in Men: These include infertility, low sperm count, low testosterone, and erectile dysfunction (ED).
Kidney Stones: Kidney stones form when urine becomes too concentrated, causing mineral and salt deposits to clump together in the kidneys.
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD): This condition affects the ability to control the muscles under the pelvis. In women, PFD can lead to pelvic organ prolapse.
Urological Cancers: These include cancers of the bladder, kidneys, testicles, and prostate.

Urology Treatments Offered

UCLA Health urologists have pioneered several treatments that have become global standards. As leaders in surgical and nonsurgical treatments, they deliver excellent outcomes. Treatments offered include:

Collaborative Kidney Stone Treatments

UCLA Health urologists are experts in treating kidney stones, urinary obstruction, and BPH. They continually research and learn new techniques to provide patients with leading-edge care.

For small stones, the team offers medications and guidance to facilitate passage with minimal discomfort. They also provide practical dietary advice and lifestyle changes to help prevent future kidney stones.

If a stone is too large to pass naturally, procedures may be necessary. Noninvasive and surgical treatments include:

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Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL): Sound waves are used to crush the kidney stone into smaller pieces.
Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy (PCNL): A tube is inserted through a small incision in the lower back to break up or remove the stone.
Pyelolithotomy: Kidney stones are removed laparoscopically or through traditional open surgery.
Ureteroscopy (URS): A flexible instrument with a camera is passed through the urethra into the kidney to break up or remove small stones.

Minimally Invasive Robot-Assisted Surgery

UCLA Health urology experts specialize in techniques that involve fewer incisions, less discomfort, and shorter recovery times compared to traditional surgery. They were among the first hospitals to utilize robot-assisted technology for reconstructive surgery to treat conditions such as:

Kidney disease
Pelvic organ prolapse
Urological cancers

This technology allows surgeons to control instruments from a computer, resulting in more precise and effective treatments.

Incontinence Treatments and Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation

UCLA Health surgeons are leaders in minimally invasive surgical techniques for treating urinary incontinence. They also offer medications, medical devices, and injections to alleviate bladder control and urinary system problems.

The Center for Women's Pelvic Health provides compassionate care from a team of experts specializing in pelvic floor rehabilitation and other therapies for incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, and pregnancy-related pelvic pain.

Notable UCLA Health Urologists

UCLA Health boasts a team of highly skilled and respected urologists, including:

Dr. Anne L. Ackerman: Associate Professor of Urology and Director of Research, Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS).
Dr. Juan J. Andino: Associate Residency Program Director, specializing in prosthetic surgery, microsurgery, and complex cases of erectile dysfunction, priapism, Peyronie’s disease, and male infertility. He is certified in Spanish-language medical proficiency.
Dr. Jeremy M. Blumberg: Associate Clinical Professor of Urology and Chief of Urology at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, specializing in Kidney Transplantation.
Dr. Arnold I. Chin: Professor of Urology and Medical Director, Urology-Westwood, with expertise in urologic oncology and renal transplantation.
Dr. Richard M. Ehrlich: Professor Emeritus of Urology, having served as president of both the Society for Pediatric Urology and the American Academy of Pediatrics Urology Section.
Dr. Sriram V. Eleswarapu: Associate Clinical Professor of Urology, Director of Andrology Research.
Dr. Mark S. Litwin: Distinguished Professor of Urology, Health Policy & Management, and Nursing, specializing in testicular, bladder, prostate and kidney cancer.
Dr. Leonard S. Marks: Professor of Urology, leading a multi-disciplinary research collaborative.
Dr. Jesse N. Mills: Clinical Professor of Urology, recognized as a leader in male fertility, hypogonadism, erectile dysfunction, Peyronie's disease, and microsurgery.
Dr. Nima Nassiri: Assistant Clinical Professor of Urology, specializing in adult and pediatric kidney transplantation and general urology. Recognized as a pioneer in TIME 100 Health 2026.
Dr. Victor W. Nitti: Professor of Urology and Obstetrics & Gynecology, Chief of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery (URPS).
Dr. Robert E. Reiter: Professor of Urology, Chief of Urologic Oncology, and Director of the Prostate Cancer Program, with interests in high-risk disease, robotic surgery, image-guided surgery, and translational medicine.
Dr. Brian M. Shuch: Professor of Urology, Director of the Kidney Cancer Program.

This is just a small selection of the many talented urologists at UCLA Health.

Telemedicine Visits

UCLA Urology offers telemedicine visits, allowing patients to address their urological needs safely and conveniently. These video-based appointments enable doctors to prescribe medications, schedule follow-up tests, and create personalized care plans. Insurance covers telemedicine visits in the same way as in-person visits.

Historic Achievements

UCLA Health has a history of pioneering achievements in urology, including:

First Human Bladder Transplant: A historic surgery, the result of years of research, was successfully completed at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in May 2025, opening the door for improved treatment of non-functioning bladders.

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