Dr. William Kobak's Headshot

William Kobak, MD, FACOG

Professor of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Director of Women’s Pelvic Health Program

Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery

Center for Women’s Health:
Phone: (312) 413-7500
Fax: (312) 413-8331

Women’s Pelvic Health:
Phone: (312) 996-3448
Fax: (312) 413-3894

Academic Office:
Phone: (312) 355-1661
Fax: (312) 996-4238

Medical School Residency Fellowship

Indiana University

University of Southern California

Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Biography

Dr. Kobak is board-certified in Obstetrics & Gynecology and Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery.

Dr. Kobak has advanced fellowship training in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (also known as ‘Urogynecology’). Dr. Kobak is skilled in minimally invasive surgery, including robotics. He has extensive experience in vaginal reconstructive surgery, and expertise in many surgical and non-surgical approaches to the treatment of pelvic floor disorders.

Dr. Kobak is also recognized for his work in urinary incontinence, voiding dysfunction, neurogenic incontinence, and female pelvic pain including vulvodynia.

Dr. Kobak has been recognized as a Castle Connolly’s Top Doctor® from 2016-21.

Recent Publications

Schlaeger, J. M., Pauls, H. A., Powell-Roach, K. L., Thornton, P. D., Hartmann, D., Suarez, M. L., Kobak, W. H., Hughes, T. L., Steffen, A. D., Patil, C. L. Vulvodynia, “A Really Great Torturer”: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study Examining Pain Experiences and Drug/Non-drug Pain Relief Strategies.Journal of Sexual Medicine. July 24, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.05.004.

Schlaeger, J. M., Patil, C. L., Steffen, A. D., Pauls, H. A., Roach, K. L., Thornton, P. D., Hartmann, D., Kobak, W. H., Yao, Y., Suarez, M. L., Hughes, T. L., Wilkie, D. J. Sensory Pain Characteristics of Vulvodynia and their Association with Nociceptive and Neuropathic Pain: An Online Survey Pilot Study. PAIN Reports. 2019 February. doi: 10.1097/PR9.0000000000000713.

Hu, C, Sanit, M, Adelaga O, Kajdasczy-Balla A, Popescu G, Kobak W. Imaging Collagen Properties in the Uterosacral Ligaments of women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse Using Spatial Light Interference Microscopy (SLIM). Frontiers in Physics May 2019. doi: 10.3389/fphy.2019.00072

Steffen AD, Burke LA, Pauls HA, Suarez ML, Yao Y, Kobak WH, Takayama M, Yajima H, Kaptchuk, TJ, Takakura N, Wilkie DJ, Schlaeger JM. Double-blinding of an acupuncture randomized controlled translational science award resources. Clin. Trials Journal July 2020.

Sugrue J, Kobak W. “Management of patients with rectocele”. Seminars in Colon & Rectal Surgery 2016, Mar;27(1):51-58.

Kim T, Sridharan I, Ma Y, Zhu B, Chi N, Kobak W, Rotmensch J, Schieber JD, Wang R. Identifying distinct nanoscopic features of native collagen fibrils towards early diagnosis of pelvic organ prolapse. Nanomedicine 2016;12(3):667-675.

For a list of Dr. Kobak’s publications, please click the following link:

Research Funding

NIH/NICHD R01, “Double-Blind Phase 2 RCT: Effect of Acupuncture on Patient Vulvodynia Outcomes” 2017-2023, Co-Investigator (PI: J. Schlaeger, University of Illinois at Chicago)

NIH/NINR F31, Characterization of Vulvodynia and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) Pain in Women, Co-Sponsor (P.I. J.E. Glayzer, University of Illinois at Chicago)