Penn Highlands Healthcare Physician performs innovatively

DuBois, Pa., July 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — How far would you travel for a minimally invasive medical procedure performed by an expert in the field? Betty Milburn traveled 32 miles from her home in Derry, Pennsylvania to Penn Highlands Connellsville in Fayette County, Pennsylvania to have Michael Pelekanos, MD perform the EnPlace procedure to correct her pelvic organ prolapse.

“I had a lot of discomfort,” said the 72-year-old mother of four. “I felt bloated and had to go to the bathroom frequently.”

Mrs. Milburn’s family doctor suggested that Dr. Pelekanos who is performing the mesh-free minimally invasive EnPlace procedure in Penn Highlands Connellsville. dr Pelekanos is a urogynecologist at Penn Highlands Healthcare, one of the few healthcare systems in the United States to offer the unique Food and Drug Administration-approved procedure. He is also one of only six instructors in the US teaching the EnPlace process.

A pelvic organ prolapse occurs when the muscles and tissues that support the pelvic organs (uterus, bladder, or rectum) weaken and fall or push in or out of the vagina.

“Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a debilitating disease. Many women are uncomfortable talking to their doctor about their symptoms until they become too much,” said Dr. pelekanos. “POP is very treatable,” he continued. “The EnPlace approach is an advanced procedure for fixation of pelvic floor ligaments.”

Ms Milburn had the procedure of resuspending her uterus, avoiding the need for a hysterectomy. Alice Burrell, an 80-year-old mother of four and grandmother of five from Plum Borough, Pennsylvania, had the procedure to correct a prolapsed bladder.

“I don’t like going to the doctor, so I lived with the discomfort of my prolapsed bladder for almost two years until my doctor suggested Dr. Visit Pelekanos,” Mrs. Burrell explained. “I…