URPS Division brings research, leadership to 2026 SGS Annual Meeting

The Society of Gynecologic Surgeons hosted the 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting in Phoenix, AZ from March 22-25, 2026. UW Department of Ob-Gyn faculty and trainees brought posters, films, and presentations to the meeting. Just some of their exciting accomplishments: 

Oral Session: 

Vulvar Fractionated CO2-Laser Therapy with and Without Concomitant Topical Clobetasol Propionate 0.05% Ointment for Treatment of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus (VULVIE): A Randomized Controlled Trial - Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH, as session discussant

Videos:  

Interdisciplinary Approach to Evaluation and Repair of a Complex Post-Cesarean Fistula – Maria Ochoa, MD; Ushma Patel, MD; Sarah McAchran, MD; Frank Lin, MD, MS; Caroline Cox, MD 

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Suturing and Knot-Tying During the EMIG Exam (Part One) – Saule Tamkus, MD; India Anderson-Carter, MD; Caroline Cox 

Tips and Tricks for Mastering Suturing and Knot-Tying during the EMIG Exam (Part Two) - Saule Tamkus, MD; India Anderson-Carter, MD; Caroline Cox 

Leadership: 

Pelvic Anatomy Guide update – Caroline Cox, MD

Posters: 

Preoperative Referral to a Primary Care Provider and Association with Perioperative Medical Complications in Urogynecologic Surgery – Julie Dorland, MD; Saule Tamkus, MD; Obiyageli Oniah; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD; Caroline Cox, MD 

Decreased Patient Driving Time, Gasoline Cost, and Carbon Emissions with an Institutional Home Foley Removal Quality Initiative – Naomi Roselaar, MD; Julie Dorland, MD; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD; Caroline Cox, MD 

Young Attending Course: Teaching and Billing and Marketing: Oh My! - The Pros and Pitfalls of Social Media: How to Market and Grow Your Surgical Practice – Jon Pennycuff, MD, MSPH 

Rapid Oral: 

Association Between Area Deprivation Index and Surgical Access in Urogynecology Patients - Saule Tamkus, MD; Julie Dorland, MD; Obiyageli Oniah; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski, MPH; Amy Godecker, PhD; Caroline Cox, MD 

Oral Poster:  

Decreasing surgical site infection rates after benign hysterectomy: Effects of a bundled approach - Hartmann A., Myers E., Davis Rivera LB., Wighton N., Han ES., Hoffman MK., Babak Vakili, MD 

Incredible work, all! 

Grand Rounds: Vakili presents Neurophysiology of Chronic Pelvic Pain

On January 29, 2026, Babak Vakili, MD, professor in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and the Medical Director of Integrated Specialty Care for Women, presented the Grand Rounds lecture “Neurophysiology of Chronic Pelvic Pain”.

In the lecture, Vakili described different characteristics of somatic pain and visceral pain; discussed neural pathways involved in communicating visceral pain; and evaluated potential treatment options for chronic pelvic pain.

Watch the whole lecture here.

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Melis Baskaya

Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery presents at 2025 AUGS PFD Week

Members of the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery presented at the American Urogynecology Society’s (AUGS) Pelvic Floor Disorder Week, held in Vancouver, Canada, from October 14-17, 2025. The meeting was held in collaboration with the Canadian Society for Pelvic Medicine. Their impressive presentations include:

Coping with Complications in Early- to Mid-surgical Career – Caroline Cox, MD, roundtable moderator  

Short Oral – Non-Surgical Clinical App-based Interventions for Fecal Incontinence: Usability and Improvement – Ushma J. Patel, MD; Laura Keyser, DPT, MPH; Heidi W. Brown, MD, MAS; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski; Dobie L. Giles, MD, MS, MBA  

Rapid Fire: Digital Therapeutics for Fecal Incontinence: A Randomized Trial – Ushma J. Patel, MD; Laura Keyser, DPT, MPH; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski; Dobie L. Giles, MD, MS, MBA; Heidi W. Brown, MD, MAS  

Rapid Fire: Ultrasound to Identify Intraoperative Ureter Injury: A Simulation-based Study – Robert Z. Fender, MD, MSCI; Babak Vakili, MD; Matthew K. Hoffman, MD/MPH  

Rapid Fire: Does Workup for Asymptomatic Microscopic Hematuria Decrease Mortality Risk? – Ushma J. Patel, MD; Natalia Gontarczyk Uczkowski; Yulissa Rodriguez-Hernandez, MPH; Julie Dorland, MD; Amy L. Godecker, PhD, MS; Caroline Cox, MD  

Additionally, Margaret Wilkes, MD, joined the AUGS Membership Committee.

Congratulations to the presenters!

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Melis Baskaya