Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments Of An Enlarged Prostate

Surgeries Continued

As previously mentioned, laser surgery is a viable option for helping to treat an enlarged prostate. Laser surgery is an effective procedure that uses a high energy vaporizing laser to destroy prostate tissue and is typically done under general anesthesia and may require hospitalization. Laser surgery relieves symptoms of BPH instantly, yet some men may experience painful urination for a few weeks after. Generally, this procedure results in less blood loss compared to other types of surgeries.

Open Prostate Surgery or a Prostatectomy is used when a transurethral procedure cannot be performed, therefore, open surgery involving an incision into the abdomen is used instead, allowing the surgeon to remove damaged tissue from the prostate. An open prostatectomy is generally performed when the prostate gland is significantly enlarged, the bladder is damaged, and there is evidence of bladder stones or the urethra is narrowed. With this procedure, the inner part of the prostate is removed and is done under general or spinal anesthesia, and recovery can range from a few weeks to several months.

Minimally Invasive Treatments

Minimally invasive procedures can be done in a doctor’s office and do not involve surgery. Transurethral needle ablation or TUNA is a procedure that destroys prostate tissues to relieve symptoms and increase urine flow by heating prostate tissue with high-frequency radio waves inserted by needles directly in the gland. A stent, or a tiny metal coil, can be inserted into the urethra to widen it and keep it open to allow proper urine flow. Many doctors do not like using stents because a stent can shift positions and worsen the condition.