For patients and families
Start here.
Find information about your condition, gather your records, and contact the team at NYU Langone.
01 / Understand
Find your question
- What is a ureteral stricture (or UPJ obstruction)?
- What is a urethral stricture, and how is it repaired?
- What is a urinary fistula?
- Can radiation injury affect the urinary tract?
- What urinary diversion complications do you evaluate?
- I've had surgery elsewhere that didn't work. Can a redo operation help?
Is this the right practice for my problem?
Dr. Zhao is a reconstructive urologic surgeon. His practice is focused on surgical reconstruction of the urinary tract, especially complex ureteral, urethral, bladder, fistula, and urinary diversion problems. He does not provide general urology care and generally does not treat conditions that do not require surgery or complex reconstruction. Many non-surgical issues are best managed by your local urologist, primary care doctor, or, for infection-related questions, an infectious disease specialist.
02 / Prepare
Gather your records
The most useful items are:
- Imaging: CT urogram, MRI, retrograde/antegrade studies, or ultrasounds. The actual images matter, not just the reports; for many patients, asking the imaging center for CDs is still the simplest way to get a complete copy.
- Operative notes from any prior urinary-tract surgeries.
- Procedure and cystoscopy reports, including stent or tube changes.
- A brief timeline of your symptoms and treatments, plus recent kidney-function labs.
Having these ready before your first call makes the review more useful. Contact the office and speak with the scheduling team about the best way to submit records for your case.
From the patient FAQ: What records should I gather before reaching out?
03 / Contact
Appointments at NYU Langone
All appointments and surgery are scheduled through NYU Langone Health. Sending your records first helps the team review your case before you visit.
This is a personal educational website by Lee C. Zhao, MD, MS. Content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Viewing this content does not create a physician-patient relationship. Not affiliated with NYU Langone Health.