Benign Prostate Conditions
The prostate is a donut shaped organ that sits at the base of a man’s bladder. The urethra -- the tube we urinate through -- runs right through the middle of the prostate.
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a very common condition where the prostate grows in size as we age. Unfortunately, men can experience urinary symptoms that accompany BPH. These symptoms include a weakened urinary flow, increased waking at night to urinate as well as hesitancy to the urine flow. Some men also experience urgency and frequency and some studies are now showing an association between BPH and erectile dysfunction. These symptoms can often have a profound effect on the quality of one's life. For some men, the process is so severe that they are unable to get all the urine out of the bladder. This "retained" urine puts them at increased risk for urinary tract infections. In the worst cases, there can be permanent injury to the bladder or kidneys. Fortunately there are various treatment options that include medication regimens, minimally invasive in-office procedures as well as surgical interventions.
TUMT: Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy is an in-office procedure that uses heat energy to treat BPH symptoms. The procedure takes about 45 minutes and is well tolerated in the office. For the right patient, it is an ideal choice in that it can provide significant improvement in symptoms while avoiding a surgical procedure. TURP: Transurethral Resection of Prostate is a surgical procedure where the obstructing portion of the prostate is removed. The surgery is performed with small instruments that are advanced through the urethra – so no incisions are made on the outside of the body. Transurethral Ablation of Prostate: This surgical procedure is much like the TURP in that the obstructing portion of the prostate his removed. In this procedure, a high energy laser his used to vaporize the prostate tissue.
For more information on BPH, please see the following:
