Enlarged Prostate (BPH)
IN LATER YEARS
The longer you live, the more likely you’ll develop an enlarged prostate. More than half of men in their 60s and as many as 90 percent in their 70s and 80s have some symptoms of BPH.
Prostate enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
The prostate is a gland that sits below the bladder and on top of the rectum. The prostate is the first part of the urethra (the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the tip of the penis). The prostate continues to grow during most of a man’s life and can begin to cause problems in later years. An enlarged prostate squeezes the urethra like a clamp on a garden hose. This prostate enlargement can sometimes cause difficulty with urination.
Possible Causes
BPH Symptoms
- Weak or slow urinary stream
- Frequent need to urinate especially at night
- The feeling you’re unable to empty your bladder
- Urgent feeling that you need to urinate
Prostate Centers at Urology of St. Louis | IR Centers
Prostate Artery Embolization
A new procedure known as prostate artery embolization (PAE) has emerged as an alternative to more invasive surgical procedures.
In PAE, small particles are injected directly into the arteries (blood vessels) that supply blood to the prostate, leading to devascularization (decrease in blood supply) of the obstructive portion of the prostate.
As the prostate reduces in size (because the blood supply is slowed), obstruction along the urinary pathway is lessened and pressure on the bladder is reduced.
UroLift® System Treatment
UroLift is a minimally-invasive procedure that lifts and holds the enlarged prostate tissue so it no longer blocks the urethra. Typically performed as an outpatient procedure using only sedation, it employs using small implants introduced with a cystoscope to increase the opening of the urethra. Patients usually go home the same day without a catheter.
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BPH Treatment Options
Prostate Centers at Urology of St. Louis | IR Centers
As a leader in comprehensive urologic care, Prostate Centers at Urology St. Louis is proud to offer a new minimally invasive treatment option for the treatment of enlarged prostate in our new, office-based, outpatient Interventional Radiology suite located in the Walker Medical Building. Patients are treated with personalized care by our staff and physician on the day of their procedure. No general anesthesia is required, and the patient can return home within hours of the procedure.
For mild-to-moderate symptoms of BPH, a drug regimen may be the answer. Finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart) inhibit production of the hormone DHT and can either prevent progression of growth of the prostate or actually shrink the prostate in some men. Terazosin (Hytrin), doxazosin (Cardura), tamsulosin (Flomax) and alfuzosin (Uroxatral) relax the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow and to reduce bladder outlet obstruction.
For mild-to-moderate symptoms of BPH, a drug regimen may be the answer. Terazosin (Hytrin), doxazosin (Cardura), tamsulosin (Flomax) and alfuzosin (Uroxatral) relax the smooth muscle of the prostate and bladder neck to improve urine flow and to reduce bladder outlet obstruction. These medications can improve urinary symptoms within a few weeks.
Finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart) inhibit production of the hormone DHT and can either prevent progression of prostate growth or actually shrink the prostate in some men. They can take 3 to 6 months to work. They can also affect PSA levels, which must be accounted for when screening for prostate cancer.
Rezūm is a minimally-invasive water vapor therapy treatment that precisely targets the prostate’s obstructive tissue with controlled doses of steam to eliminate the tissue which is later absorbed by the body. This shrinks the prostate and relieves the pressure that makes urination difficult. The outpatient procedure takes only seconds and is performed under light sedation.
Learn more by watching these videos:
How it Works: Rezum Water Vapor Therapy
What is Rezum Water Vapor Therapy?
Joe’s experience with Rezum Water Vapor Therapy (Full Story)
Doctor Becomes Patient: Dr. Sethi’s Experience with Rezum Water Vapor Therapy
The prostate tissue is surgically removed using electrocautery. The procedure is done in the hospital and requires an overnight stay. Your urologist will recommend this procedure based on factors found during prostate imaging or cystoscopy. A catheter may be needed after the procedure for a short time.
A specialized laser is used to remove prostate tissue. HoLEP is often used for very large prostates for maximum removal of tissue and to create a wide-open channel for urine elimination. The procedure is done in the hospital and requires an overnight stay. A catheter is left after the procedure for a short time.
Your urologist may recommend opening up the prostate channel with a robotic surgical procedure or traditional open surgery. Surgery is usually reserved for severely-enlarged prostates that are unlikely to respond to other treatment options. This procedure requires a catheter afterward and a hospital stay.