Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a medical condition that affects the prostate gland in men, resulting in an enlarged prostate. While the causes of BPH are not yet fully understood, it is believed that the condition is often caused by hormonal imbalances that arise as men age. Over the years, scientists and doctors have been able to develop a number of different treatments for enlarged prostate conditions and the symptoms that it may cause. These treatments vary widely from simple medications that are meant to relieve symptoms to surgical procedures that aim to reduce the size of the prostate. Each type of treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages, which is why patients need to have a good talk with their doctors to come to a decision upon which form of treatment will be best for the patient. In this article, we will cover some of the basics of BPH and its various treatments, and then we will go into a more detailed discussion on minimally invasive procedures for treating BPH.
The prostate gland and benign prostatic hyperplasia at a glance
- The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system, and the gland is responsible for producing a fluid that is mixed with the semen to make it more active.
- Located below the bladder and in front of the rectum, the prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube where urine flows from the bladder, through the penile cavity, and out of the body.
- Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a non-cancerous (non-malignant) enlargement of the prostate gland.
- Because of its location, when the prostate is enlarged, it can cause obstruction of urine flow from the bladder and through the urethra.
- Some of the most common symptoms of enlarged prostate include difficulty urinating, frequent urge to urinate, dribbling of urine, and (in worse cases) urine retention.
- An estimated 50% of all men over the age of 50 have BPH, but only about 10% of those diagnosed require medical or surgical attention.
What is a minimally invasive treatment?
Before we go into detail about the different minimally invasive treatments that are available for BPH, let’s first define what types of treatment are regarded as “minimally invasive”. The concept of minimally invasive treatment covers a rather wide range of procedures, typically including all procedures that are not as invasive as open surgery, as well as all procedures that involve minimal damage to biological tissues (thus the procedure cannot be classified as a non-invasive treatment). In comparison to open surgery procedures, minimally invasive procedures usually have a faster recovery time, a shorter hospital stay, and less operative trauma for the patient.
What types of minimally invasive treatments are there for enlarged prostate?
Usually, BPH treatment can be carried out with watchful waiting, using medications to relieve symptoms and periodic checkups to ensure that the case is not getting worse. When it comes to treating worse cases of BPH, minimally invasive treatments can be a good choice, especially among patients who find the symptoms of BPH unbearable. In general, minimally invasive BPH treatments can be less risky than open surgery BPH treatment, called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). TURP can cause a number of complications, including erectile dysfunction, urinary incontinence, and blood loss. In minimally invasive procedures for treating BPH, heat is used to destroy excess prostate tissue, helping to reduce the size and relieve symptoms. Here are some of the most common types of minimally invasive treatments for enlarged prostate:
- Laser-based treatments - Interstitial laser coagulation (ILC), photo selective vaporization (PVP), and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP).
- Electrical current treatment - Transurethral electrovaporization (TUVP)
- Hot water treatment - Water-induced thermotherapy (WIT)
- Radio frequency treatment - Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA)
- Microwave treatment - Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT)
One of the major disadvantages of minimally invasive procedures is that none of the treatments mentioned above are as effective at treating benign prostatic hyperplasia as TURP. While TURP is more expensive, more invasive, and may require longer healing and recuperation stages, it is normally a one-time treatment. Minimally invasive treatments, on the other hand, may require patients to come back years later for another surgery procedure.
Cases where minimally invasive treatments are best for BPH patients
As with most forms of medical and surgical treatments, it will take some serious deliberation to find out which type of treatment is best for the patient. Here are some of the conditions in which minimally invasive treatments may be a good choice for the patient:
- When the prostate is enlarged to a point where it causes too much pain or to the point where it may cause other medical complications
- When the patient is young and doesn’t want to take the higher chances of impotence and incontinence that are associated with TURP
- When the patient suffers from medical conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, psychosis, or kidney disease, that may worsen with a TURP operation
- Patients who are on medications that may complicate a TURP operation
Sit down with your doctor and have him or her talk you through all of your options. Ask all of the questions in your head so that you can have a better idea of what type of treatments are available and which one will benefit you most.