Behind the Mask: Meet Charlotte’s New Pelvic Pain Expert
Our Behind the Mask series, produced in collaboration with atrium healthtells the stories of healthcare heroes in Charlotte.
Dr Nita Desai is a fellowship-trained gynecologic surgeon at Atrium Health Women’s Care Urogynecology & Pelvic Surgery.
What does this mean: Helps patients with conditions like chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic floor dysfunction, and more.
- He also performs the full spectrum of gynecologic surgeries, with a focus on minimally invasive techniques.
The bottom: He moved to Charlotte and joined atrium health in October. Before that, she:
- He completed medical school at Ross University, a residency at Drexel University, and a fellowship at St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center.
- He became a board certified OB/GYN in 2013.
The impact: Dr. Desai is the only pelvic surgeon who specializes in minimally invasive gynecology and pelvic pain in the area.
Dr. Desai. Photo: Atrium Health.
Why did you choose this specialty?
Since medical school, I have always been drawn to women’s health.
- This is why: I felt it was the field where I could have the biggest impact. — not just for individual women, but for your entire family.
The history: During my fellowship in minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, I had the privilege of seeing many patients with pelvic pain and thoroughly enjoyed working with them.
Now, my practice allows me to unite both interests. I can help patients dealing with chronic pain, who may feel they have no options left.
- Even better: I can help them with minimally invasive surgeries, so they feel better even faster.
What is minimally invasive surgery?
What does this mean: They are one-day surgeries that allow patients to recover their lives and that of their families much sooner. Surgery is a bump in the road, not a major stop.
Even just two decades ago, many of these surgeries required large incisions.
- Fortunately, technology and education have improved and we can now perform them with small incisions.
I focus on benign surgeries that treat conditions related to chronic pelvic pain.
- Some examples: I see many patients who have endometriosis, large fibroids, or menstrual bleeding that have not responded to other treatments.
How common is chronic pelvic pain?
Unfortunately, not much is reported because most patients are so used to living with pain.
- In other words: Women are taught that for one week out of every month they are going to be in a lot of pain. We get used to living with it because it’s not something we talk about often.
It’s okay, but: Today, patients are really advocating for themselves in a way that they never were able to 10 or 20 years ago.
- It’s one of the best things to come out of social media; information is power, and even if the information is not perfect, it raises the question.
What Atrium Health says: If you have chronic pelvic pain or need surgery for your gynecologic condition, you have options. Your OB-GYN can help you find the right treatment.
You’ve only lived in Charlotte for a while, but do you already have a favorite place?
I love Haberdish, as well as the donut place around the corner, Reigning Donuts.
Even better: One thing I really missed when I wasn’t in the south was sweet tea, so I drink as much as I can now.
What do you do in your free time?
I spend a lot of time with my family. We love to get together and hang out and have movie nights. Being closer to my family is one of the main reasons I moved south, so it’s been great.
atrium health is providing top-notch healthcare to Charlotte with experts in a variety of specialties.
This content was created in collaboration with Atrium Health.
