To provide the best urology experience and create an environment where colleagues thrive.
Urology care, education and wellness from a team of caring physicians and professionals.
We are pleased to announce Dr. Benjamin Coons, Dr. Catherine Harris, and Dr. James Thomasch, established urologists in Colorado Springs, have joined The Urology Center of Colorado (TUCC). TUCC is the largest, most comprehensive urology center in the Rocky Mountain region. Together, we bring expertise, dedication, and compassion to achieve optimal outcomes in men’s and women’s urology.
To make an appointment call 719-882-8822
Read more about our Colorado Springs location
Learn more
Our team of 20 physicians is among the most experienced group of urologists and radiation oncologists in the country. All outpatient urologic procedures are performed at TUCC, which was designed with your comfort in mind. CT scans at TUCC are performed by highly trained technologists who are supervised by experienced radiologists. The staff are well acquainted with modern techniques to minimize radiation exposure during scanning. TUCC imaging staff adhere to the ALARA concept: the radiation dose should be As Low As Reasonably Achievable to obtain high-quality diagnostic images.
The Urology Surgery Center of Colorado (USCC), located on the first two floors of TUCC, provides outpatient surgical treatment for a variety of urologic conditions including kidney stones and vasectomy reversals. Instead of being transported to an emergency room or off-site surgical center, TUCC patients can be seen in one of our comfortable patient suites before checking in for their procedure at USCC. This minimizes wait times as well as pain and discomfort for patients. All of the TUCC urologists perform procedures at USCC. Since January 2007, USCC has treated more than 29,000 patients, which equates to an average of 500 patients each month.
USCC has a variety of quality initiatives in place to ensure safety and positive outcomes for patients. These include:
USCC is fully accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc. (AAAHC). This signifies USCC’s commitment to the highest standards of quality and patient safety. In order to receive accreditation from AAAHC, USCC’s services and overall performance were measured against national standards and our surgical center participated in an on-site review with AAAHC surveyors. USCC is one of only 11 ambulatory surgery centers in Colorado to be accredited in the field of urology.
TUCC is one of the only centers in the U.S. to offer on site, comprehensive radiation therapy for urologic cancers. Our radiation oncologist, Thomas Pugh, M.D. is board certified in radiation oncology. He is the only radiation oncologist in Colorado whose practice is devoted solely to the delivery of radiation therapy for the treatment of urologic cancers. TUCC is now treating our radiation oncology patients on the Elekta Versa HD linear accelerator. Versa HD safely delivers radiation beams through conventional techniques, including intensity modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy, as well as more advanced volumetric arc therapy (VMAT) and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Versa HD is specially designed to visualize and track the target cancer site and surrounding critical structures, which helps minimizes the risk of side effects. The system allows TUCC to deliver the most advanced radiation therapy techniques while setting the standard in patient safety.
Treatment planning and delivery techniques such as 3-D conformal planning and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), can be utilized to conform the dose of radiation to the planned treatment area. This allows higher doses to be administered to desired treatment areas and reduces the risk of exposure to surrounding normal tissues. Both techniques allow for better control of the radiation beam to the tumor with reduced side effects. TUCC also offers patients a more advanced form of IMRT, volumetric arc therapy (VMAT), on the Versa HD. With conventional IMRT, the linear accelerator must rotate around the patient a few times to treat the cancerous tumor from several different angles. In contrast, VMAT delivers the radiation dose to the entire tumor in a 360-degree rotation within minutes. The prostate can change position depending on the volumes of the bladder and rectum. With image guided radiation therapy (IGRT), metallic markers are inserted into the prostate so that their position can be visualized on a daily basis. Daily assessment of the markers and subsequent adjustments enable therapists to deliver more accurate radiation treatments. This reduces the risk of radiation exposure to normal tissues and side effects.
As they decay, radiation is released. The radiation dose is determined by the seed characteristics, the number of seeds implanted and the distribution of the seeds. The seeds remain in the prostate after the radiation dose is released. A combination of brachytherapy and external beam radiation therapy may be used in select patients.
This type of treatment is known as hypofractionated radiation therapy, which delivers higher doses of radiation in a more targeted fashion over fewer treatments. Shortened treatment times can improve patient comfort, particularly for older patients who may find it difficult to remain in one position over extended periods of time. The risk of movement by patients who are receiving treatment near important structures is minimized, as well. TUCC is pioneering the use of SBRT in Colorado on the Versa HD.
TUCC performs more robotic surgeries for urologic conditions than any other medical group in the region. Minimally invasive da Vinci® robotic surgical procedures are important treatment options for most urologic conditions and cancers. TUCC surgeons lead the region in performing prostate and urologic robotic surgery, having performed more than 3,000 of these procedures since 2006.
The da Vinci system includes a robot and a surgeon console. The robot’s four arms are positioned over the patient during surgery. Small robotic instruments move inside the patient’s body to perform delicate surgical maneuvers. The surgeon console is a separate unit that controls the movements of the robot inside the body and gives surgeons a magnified, high-definition and 3-D view of the surgical site. By utilizing robotic technology, a surgeon’s hand movements are motion scaled and any hand tremor is filtered resulting in perfectly translated, precise movements of the instruments. At all times, the surgeon is in complete control of the robotic instrument’s movements.
Why should you choose TUCC for your robotic surgery?
If you are considering open or robotic urologic surgery with your regular urologist, for your piece of mind, get a second opinion from the most experienced team in the region.
TUCC is pleased to announce that we are now treating our patients with urologic cancers on the Versa HD linear accelerator. Versa HD safely delivers radiation beams through conventional techniques, including intensity modulated radiation therapy and image-guided radiation therapy, as well as more advanced volumetric arc therapy and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). This technology is
Read MoreA proposed simpler grading system for prostate cancer (PCa) can predict the risk of dying from PCa, according to a new study. In the new system, PCa patients are placed into 1 of 5 grade groups based on primary and secondary Gleason score (GS) and other criteria, with Grade Group 1 indicating the most favorable
Read MoreTUCC is honored to provide compassionate care to our patients on a daily basis. We are also encouraged by our by our employees as a team to deliver state-of-the-art urologic care. Take a look at what patients, referring physicians and staff are saying about TUCC.
Patient Stories & Testimonials
