As men age, their prostate grows larger. Men in their 20s usually have a prostate the size of a walnut, but by age 40, it may have grown slightly larger. By the age of 60, a man’s prostate could reach the size of a lemon.
While an increase in prostate size is a normal part of the aging process, an enlarged prostate can create less-than-ideal symptoms and lead to more serious medical issues if left untreated. Men can find relief with a new minimally invasive procedure called UroLift. Here, Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, New York, details this procedure further and discusses how it helps with an enlarged prostate.
The Role of the Prostate
Located inside the groin, the prostate is a rubbery gland that is an important component of the male reproductive system. The role of the prostate is to supply part of the seminal fluid (semen), mixing with the sperm from the testes. The fluid supplied by the prostate helps the sperm to travel and survive during reproduction.
Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate
Prostate enlargement affects approximately 42 million men in the United States. Because the prostate naturally grows in size, the chances of developing this condition increase with age. Men with an enlarged prostate commonly experience the following symptoms:
- Needing to urinate frequently (eight or more times a day during the day or night)
- A slowed or delayed start to urination, or a weak urine stream that stops and starts
- A strong and sudden urge to urinate
- The feeling of incomplete bladder emptying
- Kidney or belly pain
- Dribbling or weak/intermittent urinary stream
- Elevated PSA levels
What Is UroLift?
Previously, enlargement of the prostate (also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH), was treated with various medications or surgery. These treatment options relax or shrink the prostate, but were known to have side effects, including sexual performance side effects and potentially affecting blood pressure in older men. Other common side effects included a risk of fainting or experiencing light-headedness.
UroLift offers men a proven alternative to medication or major surgery, and it is shown not to cause new and lasting sexual dysfunction. The safe and minimally invasive procedure is the only enlarged prostate treatment method that does not require physicians to heat, cut, or destroy prostate tissue.
While under sedation, patients have implants placed in the prostate, similar to sutures. Permanently placed, these implants squeeze the prostate tissue, opening the prostate, significantly reducing symptoms. The outpatient procedure generally takes only 30 minutes to complete.
Isn’t TURP More Effective?
Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is considered the surgical standard for treating prostate enlargement. TURP is a proven method with 95-90% success rates and can permanently improve urinary symptoms and flow rate. However, as effective as it is, TURP has drawbacks compared to UroLift and does involve some risk.
TURP entails surgical means to remove prostate tissue. While the procedure itself takes around 90 minutes, patients must remain in the hospital overnight for monitoring and are required to wear a catheter for the first 24 hours. This surgery can result in bleeding, infection, and side effects.
Of the patients who elect to undergo TURP, only 9% need to be retreated within five years because their prostate continued growing. UroLift offers similar results with only 13% needing retreatment. That combined with avoiding surgery and the need to be on medication, it is easy to understand why so many more patients are choosing UroLift.
UroLift Procedure at Richmond University Medical Center
Patients who are interested in the UroLift procedure should seek out medical professionals who are well-versed and highly experienced. The Urology Services Center at Richmond University Medical Center proudly boasts the prestigious designation of being certified as a UroLift Center of Excellence. This recognition is reserved for medical professionals who have attained the highest level of training and experience with the UroLift system.
The Richmond University Medical Center team performs the UroLift procedure more than a dozen times a month, with more and more patients considering it for enlarged prostate treatment.
Schedule an Appointment Today in Staten Island
While prostate growth is a part of aging, men do not have to live with the uncomfortable and embarrassing symptoms. Richmond University Medical Center encourages patients in Staten Island to weigh their options when it comes to enlarged prostate treatment and consider UroLift.
Men with prostate enlargement seeking a better quality of life can learn more about this life-changing procedure when they contact us today, or make an appointment with our team of board-certified urologists.
