Halina Zyczynski, MD

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Halina Zyczynski, MD

Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UPMC Hamot / Director, Women's Health Service Line at UPMC Hamot / Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery

Up to a third of women experience pelvic organ prolapse, and bowel and bladder incontinence. These intimate symptoms erode their confidence and quality of life. Our clinical trials capture the voices and experiences of women who might otherwise struggle privately. I am inspired by their bravery, their generosity and their willingness to partner with us in discovery of better treatments.
Halina Zyczynski, MD

Research in Brief

Dr. Zyczynski’s research interests are clinical with a focus on short and long-term anatomic and functional outcomes of treatments for urinary and fecal incontinence and prolapse as well as related cost-effective diagnostic testing. She is the site Principal Investigator of the NICHD Pelvic Floor Disorders Network since 2001 and served for 12 years on the steering committee of the NIDDK Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network. Her quality-focused initiatives included identification of patient and surgeon characteristics associated with bladder injury during cesarean sections, and in 2016 the implementation of gender and age-specific ERAS clinical pathway for women pursuing reconstructive pelvic surgery in the UPMC Women’s Health Service line. As a mentor for the junior faculty and FPMRS fellows, she has contributed her expertise to numerous study designs and manuscript efforts. In 2015, Dr Zyczynski expanded access for women in northwestern Pennsylvania to participate in select clinical trials on the UPMC Hamot campus where she with members of the division support a Urogynecology consultation practice.

Dr. Zyczynski serves as an oral board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology in general Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

Selected Publications

Carter-Brooks CM, Zyczynski HM, Moalli PA, Brodeur PG, Shepherd JP. Early catheter removal after pelvic floor reconstructive surgery: a randomized trial. Int Urogynecol J. 2018 Aug;29(8):1203-1212. PMID: 29600401
Carter-Brooks CM, Du AL, Ruppert KM, Romanova AL, Zyczynski HM. Implementation of a urogynecology-specific enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2018 Jun 18. PMID: 29913175
Amundsen CL, Richter HE, Menefee SA, Komesu YM, Arya LA, Gregory WT, Myers DL, Zyczynski HM, Vasavada S, Nolen TL, Wallace D, Meikle SF. OnabotulinumtoxinA vs Sacral Neuromodulation on Refractory Urgency Urinary Incontinence in Women: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2016 Oct 4;316(13):1366-1374. PMID: 27701661
Zyczynski HM, Albo ME, Goldman HB, Wai CY, Sirls LT, Brubaker L, Norton P, Varner RE, Carmel M, Kim HY; Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network. Change in Overactive Bladder Symptoms After Surgery for Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women. Obstet Gynecol. 2015 Aug;126(2):423-30. PMID: 26241434
Kenton K, Stoddard AM, Zyczynski H, Albo M, Rickey L, Norton P, Wai C, Kraus SR, Sirls LT, Kusek JW, Litman HJ, Chang RP, Richter HE. 5-year longitudinal followup after retropubic and transobturator mid urethral slings. J Urol. 2015 Jan;193(1):203-10. PubMed PMID: 25158274; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4272663.
Oliphant SS, Bochenska K, Tolge ME, Catov JM, Zyczynski HM. Maternal lower urinary tract injury at the time of Cesarean delivery. Int Urogynecol J. 2014 Dec;25(12):1709-14. PubMed PMID: 2496476251:
Zyczynski HM, Sirls LT, Greer WJ, Rahn DD, Casiano E, Norton P, Kim HY, Brubaker L; Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network. Findings of universal cystoscopy at incontinence surgery and their sequelae. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2014 May;210(5):480.e1-8. PubMed PMID: 24380742; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4011936
Wai CY, Curto TM, Zyczynski HM, Stoddard AM, Burgio KL, Brubaker L, Rickey LM, Menefee SA; Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network. Patient satisfaction after midurethral sling surgery for stress urinary incontinence. Obstet Gynecol. 2013 May;121(5):1009-16. PMID: 23635737; PMCID: PMC4048751
Frankman EA, Alperin M, Sutkin G, Meyn L, Zyczynski HM. Mesh exposure and associated risk factors in women undergoing transvaginal prolapse repair with mesh. Obstet Gynecol Int. 2013;2013:926313. doi: 27
Nygaard I, Brubaker L, Zyczynski HM, Cundiff G, Richter H, Gantz M, Fine P, Menefee S, Ridgeway B, Visco A, Warren LK, Zhang M, Meikle S. Long-term outcomes following abdominal sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse. JAMA. 2013 May 15;309(19):2016-24. doi: 10.1001/jama.2013.4919. Erratum in: JAMA. 2013 Sep 11;310(10):1076.
Zyczynski HM, Rickey L, Dyer KY, Wilson T, Stoddard AM, Gormley EA, Hsu Y, Kusek JW, Brubaker L; Urinary Incontinence Treatment Network. Sexual activity and function in women more than 2 years after midurethral sling placement. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Nov;207(5):421.e1-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.06.053. Epub 2012 Jun 29. PubMed PMID: 22840975; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3562351.
Nager CW, Brubaker L, Litman HJ, Zyczynski HM, Varner RE, Amundsen C, Sirls LT, Norton PA, Arisco AM, Chai TC, Zimmern P, Barber MD, Dandreo KJ, Menefee SA, Kenton K, Lowder J, Richter HE, Khandwala S, Nygaard I, Kraus SR, Johnson HW, Lemack GE, Mihova M, Albo ME, Mueller E, Sutkin G, Wilson TS, Hsu Y, Rozanski TA, Rickey LM, Rahn D, Tennstedt S, Kusek JW, Gormley EA. A randomized trial of urodynamic testing before stress-incontinence surgery. N Engl J Med. 2012 May 24;366(21):1987-97. PubMed PMID: 22551104; NIHMSID: NIHMS381522; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3386296.
Richter HE, Albo ME, Zyczynski HM, Kenton K, Norton PA, Sirls LT, Kraus SR, Chai TC, Lemack GE, Dandreo KJ, Varner RE, Menefee S, Ghetti C, Brubaker L, Nygaard I, Khandwala S, Rozanski TA, Johnson H, Schaffer J, Stoddard AM, Holley RL, Nager CW, Moalli P, Mueller E, Arisco AM, Corton M, Tennstedt S, Chang TD, Gormley EA, Litman HJ. Retropubic versus transobturator midurethral slings for stress incontinence. N Engl J Med. 2010 Jun 3;362(22):2066-76. PubMed PMID: 20479459; NIHMSID: NIHMS212424; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2962585.
Albo ME, Richter HE, Brubaker L, Norton P, Kraus SR, Zimmern PE, Chai TC, Zyczynski H, Diokno AC, Tennstedt S, Nager C, Lloyd LK, FitzGerald M, Lemack GE, Johnson HW, Leng W, Mallett V, Stoddard AM, Menefee S, Varner RE, Kenton K, Moalli P, Sirls L, Dandreo KJ, Kusek JW, Nyberg LM, Steers W. Burch colposuspension versus fascial sling to reduce urinary stress incontinence. N Engl J Med. 2007 May 24;356(21):2143-55. PubMed PMID: 17517855.
Brubaker L, Cundiff GW, Fine P, Nygaard I, Richter HE, Visco AG, Zyczynski H, Brown MB, Weber AM. Abdominal sacrocolpopexy with Burch colposuspension to reduce urinary stress incontinence. N Engl J Med. 2006 Apr 13;354(15):1557-66. PubMed PMID: 16611949.