by Gregg R. Eure, M.D., F.A.C.S
There are several treatment options available to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia, also called BPH.
When symptoms are mild, your doctor may monitor your condition before deciding treatment is necessary. As the condition progresses, medications may be prescribed to help manage them – but medications can have sexual side effects and don’t help indefinitely.
Other treatments for BPH are designed to directly target the enlarged prostate via repositioning or removal of the prostate tissue. TURP, a surgical procedure, is effective but invasive and retrograde ejaculation is a common side effect.
Some newer procedures use lasers or heat to remove prostate tissue. Symptom relief does not occur immediately, and patients often need to have a catheter briefly during the recovery period. Additionally, there can be sexual side effects.
One of the newest options available is the UroLift® System, a minimally invasive procedure that treats the symptoms of BPH by lifting and holding the prostate tissue out of the way.
With UroLift there is no cutting, heating or removal of prostate tissue. The procedure takes less than an hour, and clinical data from studies of UroLift have shown no compromise of sexual function. Because UroLift is performed in the office under local anesthesia, the recovery time and return to daily activities is faster than with more invasive procedures performed under general anesthesia.
