Allegheny Health Network’s Women’s Institute Opens Pelvic Pain Clinic at West Penn Hospital

First-of-its-Kind Clinic in Pittsburgh Treats Patients Suffering with Chronic, Debilitating Pelvic Conditions and Provides Referral Pathways for Expert Care in Endometriosis

PITTSBURGH – Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Women’s Institute today announced the launch of its AHN Pelvic Pain Clinic for women and birthing people who experience severe, chronic pain in the lower abdomen. The clinic is based at AHN West Penn Hospital (4800 Liberty Ave.), under the direction of Radhika Patnam, MD, who specializes in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery.

Chronic pelvic pain is defined as debilitating pain between the hips, below the navel and above the legs that persists for more than six months. The source of chronic pelvic pain can be challenging to detect as its causes can be gastrointestinal, neurological, musculoskeletal or gynecologic in nature.

“Chronic pelvic pain is too often dismissed or ignored due to the complexities of its treatment and the ongoing nature of its management,” said Dr. Patnam. “My vision was to create one of Pittsburgh’s first clinics where women can safely and openly express their concerns and receive comprehensive care to relieve their pain. As a care team, we approach each patient from both an anatomical and physiological perspective, focusing on their overall well-being and quality of life.”

In addition to chronic pelvic pain, the Clinic focuses primarily on vulvodynia and bladder pain syndrome.

Dr. Patnam and her team work closely with patients to identify and treat underlying causes which can include, but are not limited to, irritable bowel syndrome, nerve injury and pelvic floor dysfunction. As a specialist in female pelvic floor disorders, Dr. Patnam is uniquely positioned to best address these causes efficiently and effectively.

If Dr. Patnam suspects a patient's pelvic pain may be due to endometriosis, she will then refer them to specialists within the practice who are experts in diagnosing, managing, and treating the condition. Affecting nearly 90 percent of women who report pelvic pain, endometriosis is one of the most common underlying causes.

Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to uterine lining grows outside the uterus, causing severe pelvic pain, especially during menstruation. Other symptoms can include painful intercourse, back pain during periods and pain when emptying the bladder.

"Endometriosis can take years to properly identify and treat, which is why our team stresses the importance of women and birthing people advocating for themselves to their care team,” said AHN’s Rachel Cullifer, MD, a minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon who specializes in endometriosis. “In many instances, women tend to suffer in silence and manage severe pain in isolation. We hope by driving awareness of pelvic pain, endometriosis, and our thoughtful care approach at AHN, we can better reach this population and let them know that relief is available.”

At the AHN Pelvic Pain Clinic, patients can expect to work closely with specialized care teams to design and implement a purposeful care pathway to best manage their condition and reduce ongoing pain. Treatment plans will vary but could include medication therapies, pelvic floor therapy, trigger point injections and surgical interventions, when appropriate.  

The AHN Pelvic Pain Clinic can also help to support women and birthing people trying to conceive.

For more information on AHN Women’s Institute or to make an appointment with the AHN Pelvic Pain clinic, visit ahn.org.

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