Minimally Invasive Prostate Procedures
About 50% of the men who are unable to urinate need a catheterization. Half of the men who undergo the procedure will be able to urinate after having the catheterization.
Prostate Surgery
Prostate surgery may be recommended if you have
- Incontinence
- Frequent blood in the urine
- Urinary retention
- Frequent urinary tract infections (UTI)
- Kidney failure
- Bladder stones
Your doctor will decide on which surgical procedure to perform based in part on the severity of your symptoms, your age and medical history, and the size and shape of the prostate gland. The most common surgeries performed for BPH are listed below.
Transurethral resection of the prostate (also known as TURP, or TUPR for transurethral prostatic resection)
The most common surgery for BPH, TURP accounts for 90% of all surgeries performed to treat enlargement of the prostate. It is considered to be the most effective treatment for BPH, with 80-90% of patients experiencing positive results.
Performed with spinal or general anesthetic, during TURP an instrument is inserted up the urethra to remove the section of the prostate that is blocking urine flow.
A catheter is inserted through the urethra to irrigate and drain the bladder after the surgical procedure is complete.
Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP)
A procedure where incisions are made in the prostate in order for the to press less on the urethra, reducing the blocking of urinary flow
Open prostatectomy
Used less often today, an open prostatectomy is the oldest of the surgical methods to treat BPH. In this procedure an incision is made through the abdomen to reach the prostate in order to perform the surgical removal of part of the prostate – the inner part of the gland is removed, and the outer portion is left behind. Used primarily in cases where the prostate is very large.
The most common complications that occur with surgeries are erectile dysfunction (ED), urinary incontinence, and ejaculation of semen into the bladder (retrograde ejaculation). Other less invasive surgeries, which are often used on younger men (as they carry a lower risk of impotence and incontinence) or the elderly, include:
Laser therapy (also referred to as transurethral laser coagulation or transurethral laser vaporization)
A procedure where a laser us used to make incisions in, or to remove a part of, the prostate
Transurethral microwave therapy (TUMT)
Approved by the FDA in 1996, a procedure where microwave energy is used to destroy a portion of the prostate
Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA)
A procedure where a heated needle is used to destroy a portion of the prostate
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