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Dr. Brian DeCastro, urologist, has joined Fauquier Health Urology. He can be reached at 540-316-3940. |
Dr. Brian DeCastro
- Specialty: Urology
- Education: Bachelor’s degree from St. Bonaventure University in upstate New York; M.D. at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York; residency at Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Washington
- Previous position: Stationed at Ft. Stewart Georgia outside of Savannah for five years
- Age: 37
- Office: 550 Hospital Drive, Warrenton (540-316-5940); 7915 Lake Manassas Drive, Lake Manassas (703-743-7300)
- Website: www.fhdoctors.org
Fauquier Health is delighted to welcome Dr. Brian DeCastro, urologist, to its medical staff. He is just as happy to be at Fauquier Health. He said, “When I left the Army, my wife and I were free to move anywhere in the country. We both fell in love with Warrenton and Fauquier Hospital. Warrenton seems like an ideal place to raise a family. Everyone here is so friendly and welcoming, and the hospital’s patient-centered care model suits me perfectly.”
We chatted with
Dr. DeCastro recently about his approach to urology.
Q: Why did you
choose urology as your specialty?
I always thought I would choose family
practice as a specialty, but when I worked during my third year with a local
urologist, I found that I really enjoyed all of the surgeries and office
procedures. Urology is very satisfying because you have the ability to
definitively help people. It’s very rewarding to improve patients’ overall
quality of life by treating urologic cancers, relieving kidney stone pain and
correcting incontinence.
Q: What are the
most common ailments that you see in your patients?
Kidney stones, prostate cancer, bladder
cancer, enlarged prostate/BPH, erectile dysfunction, low testosterone, urinary
incontinence (leakage), kidney and ureteral cancer, male infertility, urinary
tract infections, testicular cancer, testicular pain, vasectomies and
neurogenic bladder.
Q: Are there any
new techniques or treatments that are especially exciting?
Urology is constantly growing and
changing. Currently in urology we are making significant advances in the management
of prostate cancer. We have the ability to laser stones through tiny
scopes and improve incontinence. In the past 10 years there has also been
an increased focus on testosterone replacement in men, with significant
improvements in quality of life.
Q: Are your
patients mostly men?
That is a common misconception. Many urologic
conditions affect both men and women -- kidney stones, different cancers (kidney,
bladder), and neurogenic bladder. Both incontinence and urinary tract
infections are more common in women. Urology has long been thought to be
associated with men, but a significant portion of my patients are female.
Urologists also treat several pediatric conditions as well.
Q: Are there steps
people can take to prevent urological problems?
Here are a few examples of the importance of
preventative medicine in urology:
·
Patients with kidney stones can drink more
water, and avoid salt and oxalate-containing foods to minimize stone
episodes.
·
Smoking is the number one cause of bladder
cancer and can contribute to erectile dysfunction.
·
Weight loss can improve both testosterone
levels and female incontinence.
·
Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) screening in
certain age groups can prevent advanced prostate cancer.
Q: Do you have a special interest in any particular
sub-specialty of urology?
I truly enjoy all aspects of urology.
Prevention and management of kidney stones has been of particular interest to
me. I also am very interested in men's health. Over half of men over
50 suffer from low testosterone and erectile dysfunction. For years this area
of medicine was neglected mostly because there were not many options to help
them. We now have several medications and even surgery for the management
of erectile dysfunction. There are several ways to improve testosterone
levels and as a result overall quality of life (improved energy, mood, libido,
and bone health). There is also significant evidence that testosterone
can improve glucose control in diabetics.
Q: What is your
philosophy about patient care?
The patient comes first. It is that
simple. One of the advantages of joining the hospital (as opposed to starting
a private practice) is that it allows me to focus on patient care. That
is why I went into medicine -- to help patients.
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