Larissa V. Rodríguez, MD, a noted expert in female pelvic medicine with more than 15 years of clinical and research experience in urology, joined Keck Medicine of USC on May 1.

Rodríguez joins an elite group of faculty urologists at the USC Institute of Urology as professor of urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. She serves as vice chair (academics) at the Catherine and Joseph Aresty Department of Urology at the Keck School, director of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) at Keck Medicine of USC – Beverly Hills and director of the FPMRS Fellowship at the Keck School of Medicine.

Rodríguez came from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she was co-director of female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery and professor of urology.

Her goal is to help establish USC as a beacon of hope to women who feared they had nowhere to turn for pelvic floor problems, including incontinence, urinary frequency, bladder pain and vaginal prolapse. According to the American Urogynecological Society, one in three women suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction, a range of symptoms including bladder and bowel problems as well as pelvic pain.

“Women are affected by a number of pelvic conditions that devastate their quality of life but are seldom discussed by the public, community or even physicians,”said Dr. Rodriguez. “Many suffer in silence, thinking this is part of normal aging. It does not have to be that way. There are numerous therapies that can improve or cure these conditions, allowing women to lead normal and productive lives. I am excited to join Keck Medicine and the USC Institute of Urology, where the vision, resources and talent exist to bring urologic care to the forefront in the nation.”

Rodríguez will continue her research with a goal of improving treatment options for women. Current research projects include developing new minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat prolapse, incontinence and bladder disorders.

— Leslie Ridgeway