For Gary, finding Dr. Desai 15 years ago changed his entire approach to men’s health.
Each time he attends an appointment with Dr. Desai, Gary drives for two hours from his home in Indian Wells near Palm Springs to Beverly Hills, likely passing countless urologists along the way. Why? Because for him, Dr. Desai is the doctor who catches tiny kidney stones on X-rays that others miss; who finds alternatives to invasive surgery that preserve his quality of life; who calls to check on him after procedures; and who treats benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH (enlarged prostate) issues without the “just do the surgery” mentality.
After undergoing minimally invasive procedures like Rezūm for BPH and laser treatment for kidney stones, and attending for ongoing sexual health and urinary health management, Gary says simply, “There’s no other doctor like him.”
Dr. Desai exceeded every expectation from the first visit
“I started going to Dr. Desai about 15 years ago because he was highly recommended at the time,” Gary recalls. “From the moment I met him, he was so thorough. His personality, his bedside manner — everything was fabulous, not like a typical doctor.”
That first impression, made over a decade ago, has held steady through years of comprehensive care. Finding a physician who lives up to their reputation is rare. Finding one who exceeds it is remarkable.
“One of the things I like about him the most is how he takes his time to explain everything,” Gary emphasizes. “Not like other doctors who seem to rush and don’t take account of the patient’s concerns or needs.”
Dr. Desai’s approach to patient care stands out because he doesn’t just provide urology services; he partners with patients in their urological health journey, considering their unique needs and overall well-being.
Dr. Desai searched for alternatives instead of rushing Gary into prostate surgery
“I have an enlarged prostate (or BPH), and most doctors would just say ‘do the surgery,’ but Dr. Desai goes above and beyond,” Gary explains. “He looks for alternatives because he understands what the prospect of prostate surgery can mean for a man, especially the potential side effects.”
For men dealing with BPH, the standard recommendation is often surgery, like transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or prostatectomy. But those procedures can carry risks of erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, and other complications that can dramatically affect quality of life.
“It’s uncommon to find a doctor who’ll work with you,” Gary says. “Many will just say, ‘Have the surgery, and that will solve the problem,’ but they don’t seem to care if you experience urinary or sexual function issues afterward. But not Dr. Desai. His approach is totally different.”
Dr. Desai immediately demonstrated a willingness to explore alternative treatment options and less invasive approaches that are more likely to preserve function and avoid unnecessary surgical risks. This distinguished him from other doctors Gary had encountered.
How an in-office Rezūm procedure changed everything without major surgery
“So, I had the Rezūm procedure for my prostate with him 7 years ago, and it went great. He did it in the office,” Gary says.
The Rezūm procedure is a minimally invasive treatment for an enlarged prostate that uses water vapor therapy to shrink prostate tissue without surgery. Performed in the office rather than in an operating room, it offers relief without the recovery times and side effects associated with traditional surgery. For men like Gary dealing with BPH symptoms, state-of-the-art alternatives such as this represent a middle path between medication and major surgery. His symptoms had been controlled for several years due to this minimally invasive approach.
“When I went to see Dr. Desai again a few months ago regarding bleeding in the urine, he had noted further prostate enlargement,” Gary continues, “he told me about procedures for the prostate, but given my symptoms, he felt the prostate artery embolization may be an option and said he thought I would be a perfect candidate. As the procedure is performed by an interventional radiologist, he recommended another doctor who performs it, and that doctor was the best. I had it done, and things have been great, a hundred times better.”
The combination of the Rezūm procedure that Gary underwent years ago and the prostate artery embolization that was carried out more recently has kept Gary functioning well without resorting to more aggressive interventions like prostatectomy or other surgeries that carry higher risks. “Everything is working great, and I didn’t have to undergo any major procedures,” he says with relief.
But Gary’s urological journey with Dr. Desai didn’t stop there.
The tiny kidney stone on an X-ray that other doctors would have missed
Years earlier, Dr. Desai had noted microscopic blood in Gary’s urine test and ordered a CT scan as part of the evaluation, which revealed a kidney stone obstructing one of his kidneys. He treated Gary’s kidney stones with a laser procedure, an advanced technique to break up the stones with minimal invasiveness. That history meant Dr. Desai knew Gary’s tendency toward stone formation, and he kept an eye out for it even when treating other urologic conditions.
“After my prostate procedure several years ago, Dr. Desai looked at one of my X-rays, and he thought he saw a little stone on my kidney,” Gary recalls. “It was minute, but he spotted it and wanted to get it checked out. While everything turned out fine, the person performing the imaging said, ‘Wow, you must have a really great doctor for him to have caught this.'”
For Gary, this moment highlighted Dr. Desai’s thoroughness. He wasn’t checking the X-ray for kidney stones. He was reviewing imaging for something else entirely. But his knowledge of his patient’s medical history, his attention to detail, and his determination to spot anything out of the ordinary that might affect his patient’s health all contributed to his detecting something so tiny that it could have been missed and might have become a problem later.
Why does Gary travel four hours round-trip from Indian Wells for Dr. Desai’s personalized care?
“Dr. Desai is just such a warm guy, and exceptionally skilled at what he does,” Gary says simply. “I live in Indian Wells by Palm Springs, and it’s a two-hour drive from Los Angeles and Beverly Hills, but I make that journey because there is no other doctor like him.”
Think about that commitment. Gary could find someone local who could manage his enlarged prostate, monitor him for kidney stones, and provide general urology services. But he won’t, because competence isn’t the same as excellence, and technical skill isn’t the same as genuine care. So Gary makes a four-hour round trip for appointments, passing multiple qualified urologists along the way.
“He follows up, and calls and checks on you. Words just can’t describe my faith in him, and my wife feels the same way,” Gary continues. His wife’s endorsement matters as partners see how doctors treat their loved ones during vulnerable moments, and they remember doctors who show genuine concern.
“Dr. Desai’s team is fabulous too,” Gary adds. “And the office staff are all great and so helpful. It’s rare to find a doctor and a team like Dr. Desai and his staff at Tower Urology.”
High-quality healthcare requires more than an exceptional physician. It requires a team that shares the same values around patient care, creating an environment where personalized care extends from the front desk through every appointment.
For 15 years, through kidney stone procedures, prostate treatments, sexual health management, and routine urological health monitoring, Gary has received expert care that justifies every mile of his journey and every minute of the four-hour round trip. In an era of conveyor-belt medicine and transactional appointments, he’s found something increasingly rare: a doctor who treats him like a whole person.
Why choose Tower Urology for comprehensive men’s health and urology care in Southern California?
At Tower Urology, specialists like Dr. Desai provide a thorough, personalized approach to urology care that keeps patients traveling from throughout Southern California. Whether you’re dealing with an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer, kidney stones, erectile dysfunction, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or other urologic conditions, expert care that prioritizes your well-being and quality of life is available.
We invite you to establish a care plan with Tower Urology. Please make an appointment online or call us at (310) 854-9898.
Tower Urology is a proud affiliate of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, ranked #1 in California and #2 nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. Our years of experience and access to world-class facilities ensure exceptional urological care.
Tower Urology is conveniently located for patients throughout Southern California and Los Angeles, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, West Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Culver City, Hollywood, Venice, Marina del Rey, Burbank, Glendale, and Downtown Los Angeles.
Frequently asked questions about comprehensive urology care at Tower Urology
Procedures like TURP and prostatectomy can carry risks, including erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. Expert urologists are open to exploring minimally invasive treatment options like Rezūm that preserve sexual health and quality of life if the patient is a good candidate.
Rezūm is performed in the office rather than an operating room, eliminating hospital stays. Recovery times are significantly shorter than prostatectomy or TURP, with most men returning to normal activities within days. This state-of-the-art procedure offers symptom relief without the surgical risks of traditional BPH treatments.
Comprehensive care means your urologist monitors your complete urological health across multiple conditions. Dr. Desai catching a tiny kidney stone while reviewing X-rays for prostate issues exemplifies this approach. Managing everything from kidney stones to enlarged prostate to sexual health as connected aspects of men’s health and well-being leads to better outcomes.
Sources:
How Does Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy Work?
https://www.rezum.com/what-is-rezum/how-does-it-work.html
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK558920/
