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The prostate is a gland the size of a walnut and produces semen. The prostate is located just below the bladder, wrapped around the top part of the urethra (tube that carries urine from the bladder).
As men age, the number of prostate cells increase. Why this happens is unknown, but it is thought to be related to decreasing hormone levels in the body. This condition affects 23 million men world wide, most of them over the age of 50. BPH is not life threatening, nor is it cancerous.
Symptoms of BPH include:
- Urinary retention (inability to pass urine).
- Urinary tract infections.
- Incontinence (loss of control of the release of urine)
- Hematuria (blood in urine).
- Frequency and/or urgency.
Treatments include:
- Prescription drug therapy.
- PVP Laser of the Prostate.
This treatment combines effectiveness of the TURP (see below) with the comfort and ease of minimally invasive heat treatment. With an anesthetic in the hopsital, the laser vaporizes enlarged prostate tissue with very little blood loss. Relief of urinary symptoms and recovery are both fast.
- Cooled ThermoTherapy
Available since 1997, Cooled ThermoTherapy is a non-surgical, office-based treatment used to treat BPH in a 30-minute treatment. Cooled ThermoTherapy uses precisely targeted microwave energy to heat and destroy enlarged prostate tissue while a cooling mechanism protects healthy, surrounding tissue. The treatment is performed on an outpatient basis and requires local anesthesia and/or oral medications. Within weeks, the majority of men notice improvements in their symptoms and overall quality of life.
- Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP). A TURP is a procedure performed under a general anesthetic where the surgeon removes excess prostate tissue. This is done through a cystoscope in a surgery setting. The tissue removed is sent to a lab to be sure the tissue is cancer free. The patient generally spends one night in the hospital. Recovery may be up to 6 weeks.
If BPH is left untreated, it may lead to more serious conditions such as urinary retention, bladder stones, urinary and kidney infections.
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