Are you an adult male and experiencing symptoms such as urinating smaller amounts and more frequently, straining to pass your urine, poor or weak stream of urine?
If you are experiencing the above symptoms then you may have benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH which is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland (which is a walnut sized structure located between the penis and the bladder it produces semen). When enlarged it may block the tube that takes urine from the bladder, through the penis and out of the body.
BPH can result in complications such as recurrent urinary tract infection, bladder stones, bleeding in the urine (haematuria), acute urinary retention or hydroureteronephrosis.
Your doctor will take a thorough medical history, complete a detailed physical examination and do some investigations such as electrolyte studies, PSA, urine culture, ultrasound or even an endoscopy of the lower urinary tract in order to properly diagnose BPH
Your doctor may observe you in the initial period after diagnosis if the symptoms are not bothersome and you have no related complications. Medical therapy can be administered to reduce the size of the prostate and also to relax the muscles within the prostate, bladder neck and urine tube in this area to allow easier passage of urine. If medical therapy fails or there are complications of BPH or there is severe BPH then surgery is recommended. The gold standard for surgery is TURP or transurethral resection of the prostate.
Transurethral resection of the prostate is a procedure done to remove all or part of the prostate gland and is the most common surgical treatment for BPH. TURP takes less than 90 minutes and can be done under general or regional anesthesia. During the procedure the surgeon inserts a thin tube-like telescope called a resectoscope into the penis through the urethra and up to the prostate gland. An electrical loop at the end of the scope is used to remove obstructing prostate tissue and seal blood vessels. The area then is irrigated and all tissue is removed. A hospital stay of three days is normally required during which time a catheter will remain in place to remove urine and any remaining debris from surgery.
There are possible risks associated with anesthesia, including respiratory or cardiac malfunction. Other complications include the possibility of:
- Bleeding requiring blood transfusion
- Infection requiring antibiotics and in some cases hospitalization
- Fluid – Electrolyte imbalance during and immediately after surgery. Mild degree will not need treatment
Risks can be reduced by following the surgeon's instructions before and after surgery.