In the Spotlight: New UH Urologist Nannan Thirumavalavan,MD

Connecting men to reproductive, sexual and comprehensive healthcare

Innovations in Urology | Fall 2019

Nannan Thirumavalavan, MD

“We take care of men in Cleveland,” says Nannan Thirumavalavan, MD, Chief of Male Reproductive and Sexual Health at University Hospitals Urology Institute and Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. “University Hospitals serves a diverse patient population and encourages diversity in the workplace. We partner together to offer the best outcomes for our patients and their families.”

Dr. Thirumavalavan joined UH Urology Institute this summer to lead a newly established division that will focus on providing leading comprehensive care for men, emphasizing fertility and sexual healthcare. “UH has a pioneering and successful in vitro fertilization [IVF] program,” he says. “This is a great opportunity to provide the male component of fertility evaluation and treatment.”

A graduate of Boston University School of Medicine, Dr. Thirumavalavan recently completed a Fellowship in Male Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. For the past two years, he was recognized as the NIH K12 Research Scholar at Baylor’s Center for Reproductive Medicine, and he has specific interest in reproductive and sexual health in men with chronic disease.

FERTILITY CARE

In about half of couples struggling with infertility, men are a factor. “Societally, fertility has been viewed as a female problem,” says Dr. Thirumavalavan. “We are working to change that perception.”

Men seeking reproductive healthcare at UH receive a full fertility evaluation. Services may include:

• Genetic screening
• Semen analysis
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection for low sperm count
• Hormone testing and therapy
• Ultrasound evaluation

At UH, fertility physicians work in concert with endocrinologists, geneticists, embryologists and andrologists to offer expert reproductive care with compassion and understanding. Couples participate in developing a plan tailored to their individualized fertility challenges. “We are unique in our ability to offer such comprehensive services,” says Dr. Thirumavalavan. “For example, we are able to have embryologists present to evaluate sperm count and function at the time of extraction. Not many places have the resources to provide that level of coordinated care.”

ANOTHER CHANCE AT FATHERHOOD

Men who have had a vasectomy can undergo a microsurgery to have the procedure reversed. “There is increasing interest in having children at later stages in life,” says Dr. Thirumavalavan. “When performed properly under a microscope with microsutures, there is over a 90 percent success rate when the patient is 10 years or less from their vasectomy.”  Dr. Thirumavalavan is also interested in offering fertility preservation for men undergoing cancer therapy, as well as helping men with low testosterone. “Decreased testosterone is common as men age,” he says. “We want men to know there are safe and effective options, including new formulations that better fit patients’ lifestyles and preferences.”

SEXUAL HEALTH AND COMPREHENSIVE CARE

Partnering with Aram Loeb, MD, urologist at UH Urology Institute and Assistant Professor at the School of Medicine, Dr. Thirumavalavan is offering innovative treatment for male sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction (ED), Peyronie’s disease, and low libido. “When men present with these concerns, we want them to know help is available,” Dr. Thirumavalavan says. “It is also a great opportunity to get men plugged into the healthcare system. Our goal for this division is to provide comprehensive care for men.”

Stressing that ED is frequently a marker for cardiac disease, Dr. Thirumavalavan recommends cardiac risk scoring for appropriate patients to determine if they should see a cardiologist. “Often, men who come to us haven’t been to a doctor in years,” he says. “Women have been ahead of men in seeking preventive care and establishing a relationship with a primary care provider or OB/GYN. We take the opportunity to talk about health screenings and what our patients can do to improve their overall wellness and quality of life.”

Dr. Thirumavalavan performs surgery at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center and at University Hospitals Suburban Health and Ahuja Medical centers. He is also seeing patients at University Hospitals Brainard Medical Building and University Hospitals Hudson Health Center, establishing the first UH urology presence in the area. “We are making it easier for patients to connect to care in their communities,” he says. “In addition to office visits, we are offering some procedures, including vasectomy, closer to home."

For more information about male reproductive and sexual health services at UH, please call 216-553-1595 or email Dr. Thirumavalavan at Nannan.Thirumavalavan@UHhospitals.org.