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Treating BPH with the Urolift Procedure

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a problem that affects roughly 12 million men in the United States alone. Even though the word “benign” is in the name, it can have a devastating effect on one’s quality of life. If you are concerned about prostate health, read on to learn more about the Urolift procedure to treat BPH.

According to the Mayo Clinic, BPH (also known as prostate gland enlargement) is caused by continued growth of the prostate, which happens to men throughout their lives. It is unclear why BPH occurs, but it may be due to hormonal causes. The prostate is located on top of the bladder, and it grows it begins to block the flow of urine.

Symptoms of BPH

• Difficulty starting urination
• Dribbling at the end of urination
• Feeling of urgency when needing to urinate
• Frequent need to urinate
• Incomplete emptying of the bladder
• Starting and stopping while urinating
• Straining while urinating
• Weak urine stream

A doctor or healthcare provider can determine whether these symptoms are the result of BPH or of something that should be treated differently, such as a urinary tract infection or prostate cancer.

For men with BPH, these symptoms can cause a host of secondary problems, including depression, impaired sex life, lowered productivity, mediocre quality of sleep and social isolation. In rare cases, BPH leads to complications that can include kidney and bladder damage.

Treatments for BPH

Treatments for BPH have traditionally included medication and surgery. Medications include alpha blockers, which help relax the tissues of the bladder and prostate, making urination easier. Alpha blockers work best in men with small prostates and have side effects that include dizziness and problems with ejaculation.

Another class of medications used to treat BPH is 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, which help to shrink the prostate. These can also cause problems with ejaculation and must be taken for up to six months before they begin to have an effect. Some doctors prescribe what is called “combination therapy,” or alpha blockers and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors used in combination.

Tadalafil, known by the trade name Cialis, is sometimes used in conjunction with these medications to treat both BPH and erectile dysfunction.

For those unwilling to deal with the side effects or unable to take these medications, surgical and minimally invasive treatment options include:

• Embolization: This procedure limits blood flow to the prostate to shrink it.
  
  
• Laser Therapy: This therapy uses a laser to shrink the prostate by removing or destroying excess tissue.
  
  
• Open or Robot-Assisted Prostatectomy: This open surgical procedure to remove excess tissue requires a brief hospital stay.
  
  
• Transurethral Incision of the Prostate (TUIP): This procedure goes in through the urethra and makes two small incisions in the prostate to make urine flow more productive.
  
  
• Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy (TUMT): This procedure uses a small microwave radiation emitter inserted through the urethra to destroy a small amount of prostate tissue.
  
  
• Transurethral Needle Ablation (TUNA): This method uses a scope to insert small needles into the prostate and destroys a small amount of prostate tissue with radio waves.
  
  
• Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP): Using a scope that goes in through the urethra, a surgeon removes a large amount of prostate tissue.

Infections, bleeding, temporary inability to urinate and problems with ejaculation are all possible side effects of these procedures. A newer alternative is the minimally invasive prostate lift procedure, Urolift.

The Urolift Procedure

The Urolift procedure for BPH is a minimally invasive. This procedure uses a permanent implant that compresses the sides of the prostate that surround the urethra to increase the flow of urine. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2013 and has been used successfully in other countries for several years before that.

Benefits of Urolift include:

• Better outcomes than other procedures
• Does not affect sexual function
• Minimal downtime
• No cutting
• No tissue removal
• Short recovery time

Research has shown that the Urolift implant works effectively up to three years after procedure. This is a relatively new procedure, so longer-term studies have not yet been done.

Side effects of Urolift implantation have been recorded and include pelvic pain, painful urination, urge incontinence and blood in the urine. In most men, these side effects were mild to moderate and lasted four weeks or less. Many patients can return to normal activities one week after the procedure and report relief of symptoms in as little as two weeks following the implantation.

The Urolift procedure can be performed either under general anesthesia or using local anesthesia only, depending on the patient.

Men with BPH who are concerned about their long-term prostate health have plenty of options when it comes to treating BPH symptoms. Urolift is an alternative to medications that have unwanted side effects or more invasive surgical procedures. Talk to your doctor to learn if this is a good option for you.

 

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