I had a urethral stricture since I was 14 as a result of an impact on the top-tube of a bicycle. For exactly 50-years I'd had a number of urethrotomy's with both scalpel and lazar; I managed through self-dilation during those intervening (approximately 5-years) periods. Through a lark I decided to change doctors to get a urologist closer to home. The new doctor referred me to Dr. Gelman. As it turns out, Dr. Gelman's office is very close to where I live and he's been doing urethral reconstruction since 1998 - and that's all he does. Dr. Gelman went out of his way to describe the two procedure options and the likely outcome for each. He also did a good job setting up expectations and time-tables. The procedure went very well - in fact I had my 64th birthday the day after the procedure - and I am now fully recovered. I can urinate without restriction and without any kind of urethral "management". And let me once again emphasize - urethral reconstruction is all he does! People come to see him from across the country - and from around the world. read more

Extremely rude and condescending attitude. And the woman who answers his phone is even more rude. Would never let this guy touch me.

I called to schedule an appointment and the person who answered was incredibly rude. She kept pressing me with private questions about my medical history like she was the doctor herself, with an attitude that was completely off-putting from the start. There was no warmth, no basic courtesy, nothing. The one star reflects my experience on the phone, because what is the point of seeing the doctor if I already know I will be treated like this the entire time? The front desk is the first impression of a practice, and this one made me walk away before I ever got to a consult. Do better. read more

A few days ago was the 10 year anniversary of my 5+ hour surgery {Dr. Gelman} to "fix" a stricture. If it were not for Dr. Gelman, I would still be urinating into a bag. My dear friend Dr. Sergio Rybka referred me to Dr. Gelman -- yes, thankful! John Funk Roswell, NM read more

Very thorough and expert care in the area of the urethra and bladder.' I was totally pleased with his care. Helgi Heidar MD read more

Dr. Gelman is an incredible surgeon with an amazing staff! Denise the office manager helped me with all my questions and could not have been better. The surgery was in a brand new building in Irvine that is simply amazing! He is well worth the longer than average wait for a world class surgeon! In a new building!! Thank you Dr. Gelman, Dr. Lee and Denise!!! read more

Just checking back in. My husband is now 8 years post-op and doing so well. Dr. Gelman and his staff are amazing. If you're a man with complex genitourinary issues, Dr. Gelman is the best in the country, and worth the travel. If you are traveling, there are a number of hotels right in the area that his office can recommend for post-op recovery. We stayed at the Ayers right across the street from the hospital, and it worked out really well. read more

I had a urethroplasty done with Dr. Gelman and his expertise with the condition is unmatched by any others. He was also very passionate about helping me as he even called me on a Saturday morning to discuss my issues. His assistant Denise is also very knowledgable about the procedure and does a great job with scheduling as it does not take months just to get an appointment. Overall, an extremely efficient group of people that are professional and caring. read more

I had a prostatectomy at Johns Hopkins. After 6 weeks I had a bladder neck contracture and it recurred not less than 8 times. Doctors at Hopkins were no help in resolving. That is when I saw Dr. Gelman who was brilliant in his treatment and surgical procedure. It worked - no more stricture after more than two years of Hopkins docs trying to resolve! This literally changed the quality of my life Importantly, Dr Gelman was compassionate and understanding of what I had been through. I appreciated his bedside manner, his clarity in explaining what to expect and his diligence. His staff was very helpful, efficient and courteous to me. read more

My experience with Dr Gelman was fantastic. He and his entire team were professional and knowledgeable throughout my care. All issues have been resolved and the follow ups have been easy to book. Their team is also incredibly thorough and efficient - they would take care of everything in as few appointments as possible so I didn't have to constantly go back to the office. I would recommend Dr Gelman and his team to anyone. read more

Dr. Gelman is without hesitation the best around. He devotes his practice to urethra reconstruction issues.

My urethal stricture was 1.7 cm from near the prostate forward and urination was painful and slow going back to childhood. On Feb 04, 2020 that changed when urination completely stopped so I immediately called the urology at UCI where Dr. Gelman thoroughly explained my situation. The on Feb 26, 2020 Dr. Gelman performed the incredible surgery of repairing my uretha. What can I say but WOW to be able to urinate without pain and completely empty my bladder in a matter of seconds is a dream come true. Thank you Dr. Gelman and God Bless read more

I was recommended on behalf family member. Joel was unprofessional on different topic not related to work he was performing. A little racial if you asked me. I don't recommend coming here. read more

I cannot find enough good thing to sat about Dr. Gelman and his staff! I had a severe stricture in my urethra and had reconstructive surgery in Las Vegas, NV, where I live. After a 4 week recovery, they removed my catheter and we found out that the surgery was NOT successful. I immediately started doing some research for other doctors and found Dr. Gelman. I scheduled an appointment with his office and they were able to get me in very quickly. Dr. Gelman also spoke to me on the phone twice before I made the trip down there. When I got there Dr. Gelman rushed me into an emergency surgery to have a suprapubic catheter placed until I was ready for a re-do surgery. After 3 months I came back and had the surgery done. The procedure itself was much easier and cleaner, a shorter recovery time, and better follow up from my first surgery. 6 months later, I am completely healed and extremely grateful to Dr. Gelman and his staff!!! read more

Dr. Gelman and his team of caring professionals changed my life. I was suffering for years with a urethral stricture. A previous attempt was made a few years ago using a laser by a different doctor. Unfortunately, that repair was only temporary and the stricture returned. After much suffering, I was referred to Dr. Gelman and sent him an email explaining my condition. The following Sunday morning I received a phone call from Dr. Gelman who spent a half hour talking to me. I was completely shocked and amazed that he took the time to call. That phone call started my journey to where I am today, structure free and finally getting the relief I so desperately needed. If you have a similar condition, do yourself a favor and contact Dr. Gelman. read more

We are thankful to have been referred to Dr. Gelman. He has wonderful bedside manners and was very clear in his explanations of what was causing my dad to have urinary retention, of the long-term options that could correct the issue, and of what to expect before, during, and after the surgery. Dr. Gelman always made sure that we were comfortable with our understanding of what was going on before we left. Further, his office administrator, Denise, is a godsend as well. She was helpful with scheduling appointments, and answering our questions quickly and with detail. It really made the process of preparing my dad for surgery and of recovering from surgery significantly less stressful. One thing to note, however, (and another poster mentioned) is that Dr. Gelman only takes a few types of insurance so we paid out-of-pocket. But with his results, we were happy to do so in order to have my dad to live a pain-free, comfortable life. After the surgery, my dad has experienced improvement in his urination, and no longer has anxiety over having urinary retention. A urologist had told me that my dad's surgery was extremely difficult, and not many urologists are successful. However, Dr. Gelman currently has a 95% rate of success with this type of surgery. He is extremely skilled, has excellent bedside manners, genuinely cares for his patients, and his office administrator is amazing. My family and I would highly recommend Dr. Gelman to others. read more

After approximately 5 years, multiple trips to the urologist, needless procedures and misdiagnosis or being told that nothing can be done for the urethral stricture we finally received the expert advice, opinion, diagnosis and corrective surgery we had been praying for from Dr. Gelman. From the very first call and reaching his associate, Denise Calhoun we were pleasantly surprised and grateful for the thorough, compassionate and knowledgeable information we received. During the following 6 months she was our lifeline to information about every aspect of the process and procedures that would entail. We travelled from the East Coast (MD) to the West Coast (CA) on three separate occasions. First, to meet with Dr. Gelman for a consultation and diagnosis and the second time for the urethral reconstructive surgery. The second trip we lived in "The Ayres Hotel Orange" a little over a month for recovery. The result, a successful surgery. The third and last visit was for the 4 month follow up. Everything was just perfect. It was worth every minute and every dollar spent to have an exceptional surgeon. We know without a doubt that had we not found Dr. Gelman we would still be suffering and searching for answers. Throughout the entire process and procedure Dr. Gelman displayed confidence, courtesy and was incredibly informative and precise. He is a true expert in his field and a class act. We are so grateful for the excellent care and treatment given by Dr. Gelman, his staff and the hospital. I'm so glad what I was able to find Dr. Gelman's website. Every detail was accurate. I am sending this review to every site I can think of in order to help others find Dr. Gelman. J. Howes from Maryland read more

Absolutely the best medical professional experience I've ever had, hands down. If you're reading this, you are probably considering urologists, and maybe even doing research on medical procedures pertaining to urethral strictures. I've lived with an undiagnosed stricture for over 20 years, and at age 37 had it diagnosed,was referred to Dr. Gelman who recommended and subsequently performed a Urethral Reconstruction. If you visit his website you can read all about the procedure, and I can attest to information listed there. It was a life changing decision I made, and although not cheap and not exactly fun to go through, I'd do it all over again for the results. If you're in the same boat I was, I can't emphasize enough that you should goto Dr. Gelman and have this procedure! People come from all over the world to Dr. Gelman because they want the leading surgeon in this specialized field. read more

I cannot say enough positive things about Dr. Gelman and his staff. I have endured over 25 years, and 4 surgeries with past Doctors to "correct" a urethral stricture. Each of the previous surgery to correct the issue, turned out to only be a temporary fix, only to have the problem recurr within a few years. At that point, I had given into a lifetime of "maintenance" procedures. However, I was then referred to Dr. Gelman. To contact Dr. Gelman was a life changing decision. Not only did he immediately diagnose my problem, he was able to visually show it to me via advanced xrays..something past Doctors were unable to do. I was shocked to see what the problem acutally was. Dr. Gelman had a game plan to correct my problem, and true to his word, FINALLY corrected the issue. I am forever in debt to Dr. Gelman for correcting this issue and giving me a far more comfortable lifestyle. A very sincere thank you to Dr. Gelman. read more

I have had two surgeries with Dr. Gelman . The first was an exploratory surgery where Dr. Gelman diagnosed my urethral stricture condition. In August 2014 the second surgery was performed to correct my severe urethral stricture, that I've dealt with most of my life. While his expertise as a surgeon is known throughout the country I would equal that to the care and follow through I have received from him, his staff and Denise. His personal touch with phone calls and informative answers for all my questions went beyond the normal call of duty. I am grateful to Dr. Gelman, for he has truly changed my life. read more

Having gone through so many urologists, I can say without a doubt that Dr. Gelman is the best urologist anyone will ever be able to find along with Denise and all the staff. Truly fortunate to have found him and have had him as my doctor. I have already made many recommendations and will continue to do so. read more

First off I am afraid of any kind of surgical procedure and not a fan of hospitals. My experience with Dr Gelman, Denise, and his staff was the best I've ever had. I had a surgery when I was a young kid and it created a stricture within my urethra making it difficult to urinate. Due to my fear of a 2nd surgery I worked around the issue for over 25 years. I finally found Dr Gelman and he is the reason that I chose to go through 2 additional surgeries to correct the problem. These surgeries exceeded my expectation and changed my life for the better. The reason Dr Gelman is amazing is the quality of his work, care, and attention to detail. For me that was the most important. However in addition, Dr Gelman and his staff surprisingly made the entire experience "pain free". My expectation of reconstructive surgery and memories of my first surgery as a child was that pain would be involved. Dr Gelman's staff is incredible starting with Denise. Throughout all of my appointments, Dr Gelman and his staff were always on time and thorough. Dr Gelman is honest and sets the appropriate expectations. I give Dr Gelman and his staff my highest recommendation. The reconstructive surgery he performed changed my life! I feel so lucky to have found him. I wish every doctor performed at the same level as Dr Gelman. He is the benchmark for the best in the medical field. read more

My son had surgery with Dr. Gelman and dealing with the office regarding surgery costs was ridiculous. I feel mislead by what I was told. In addition, we did not receive one follow up call after my son's surgery asking how he was doing. I feel it's because we opted for the less expensive surgery than what Dr. Gelman was recommending. Fortunately my son is fine but they would never know because they never asked. read more

I'm so grateful to Dr. Gelman and to his staff and the hospital for the excellent care and treatment I received. I was diagnosed with a urethral stricture by my own urologist and he suggested that I seek treatment from Dr. Gelman. Dr. Gelman was out of my insurance network but his assistant Denise was amazing about following up with insurance and helping me to finally get authorization to see Dr. Gelman. After seeing Dr. Gelman and having several tests it was decided that surgery was the best option for me to correct my stricture and have the lowest chance of recurrence. The recovery was rough, which was to be expected, but Dr. Gelman did an amazing job and 4 months later I can't believe what a huge difference the surgery has made. Dr. Gelman and his staff helped to change my life for the better and I'm so glad that I was able to go to the best doctor, staff, and facility to have my surgery. I would recommend that anyone who needs reconstructive surgery to do whatever you can to try and go see Dr. Gelman, he's the best!! read more

This experience could not have went better. My husband has been suffering for years and two previous surgeries with other urologists. He explained everything each step of the way. He showed us the before and after x-rays. He called after each visit to see how my husband was doing. Hands down the best you could hope for with any scary serious surgery. He and his staff are warm, personable, professional and excellent at their area of expertise. read more

In the spring of 2013, I acquired a bladder neck contracture following robotic prostate surgery. My urologist's approach to treatment included painful dilations of the bladder neck and trips to the emergency room when that didn't work. I called Dr. Gelman for an evaluation. Following the evaluation Dr. Gelman explained that he wanted to perform a bladder neck incision. His confidence in the procedure gave me the trust that I needed to go forward. Two weeks later I had the surgery. Since the surgery, my bladder neck contracture has been cured without causing problems with incontinence. I feel that the cost of the surgery was reasonable and clearly explained to me. For these reasons, I would like to recommend Dr. Gelman and his staff to anyone who is having complications following prostate surgery. If you don't feel confident in your doctor's approach, give Dr. Gelman a call or leave him a message on his website. You won't regret it. read more

!!SEE DR. GELMAN FIRST!! I feel compelled to warn every person out there, with any urinary issues, not to make the same life changing mistake I did by not seeking a true specialist first. My life was going great at 35 years old, until one morning I had a little trouble urinating. It was enough to where I thought I should have it checked, so my PCP sent me to a urologist in my home town. The urologist took a look and said I had a small stricture, and that a simple "five minute" procedure (DVIU) would have me urinating "better than ever." Again I really wasn't sure that I even needed any fix because I had only one instance of difficult urination, but I trusted the doctors advise anyhow. Long story short,,, I had made the worst decision of my life. After that procedure I did not have the use of my penis in any way at all, and experienced severe pain like no one should. I was living a nightmare. Weeks later, after two emergency situations and the second removal of a catheter, my doctor told me about Dr. Gelman. He said that I "might" want to call him because my stricture was bigger than he originally thought. I am happy to tell you that this A-HOLE has since lost his licence. After asking Dr. A-HOLE to please give me a referral, I almost instantly received a phone call from Dr. Gelman personally, and I flew to see him right away. After giving me an X-ray, which Dr. A-HOLE never did, you could see that my urethra had been nearly obliterated up to 10 centimeters. Dr. Gelman warned me of the severity of my situation and scheduled reconstructive surgery that could only be done after my urethra had time to stabilize (3 months). I took a risk leaving his office that day by not getting a super-pubic catheter put in, in the case that my urethra did become fully obliterated. Of course one week later, it did. But no fear, Dr. Gelman waited for me to fly in the day that happened to put one in himself, so my bladder wouldn't explode... Three months later on the day of the surgery, I was scared silly. Dr. Gelman needed to reconstruct a 10 centimeter obliteration (not easy), but I was put at ease once I saw how excited Dr. Gelman was to be performing this. You can easily tell that he lives for these kinds of challenges, and has dedicated his life to his craft. I felt that even if this fails, Dr. Gelman will do whatever it takes to make it right somehow. Fortunately that was not necessary. One month after the surgery I truly could urinate better than ever. Three months later after taking another X-ray, it looks like I will not have any complications in the future. My sex life has now returned and life is enjoyable again. Unfortunately for me I will never truly know what the actual cause of this stricture was because I did not go to Dr. Gelman first. I can tell you though that he is one of the most professional, passionate, dedicated, fascinatingly gifted, inventive, and caring doctors in the world. I thank God for him and his staff. I have nothing but gratitude, start to finish this is a world class operation, and in my opinion you take a risk going anywhere else... read more