Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a pervasive albeit unfortunate aspect of aging for the majority of men ages 50 and older. Most men living with BPH symptoms of moderate to severe urinary problems take prescription medications that have not provided adequate relief. A recent men’s health survey reported that two out of three patients are frustrated with their current BPH prescription. These medications are known to cause dizziness, headaches, nasal congestion, fatigue, loss of libido and erectile dysfunction.
Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate (T.U.R.P.), for the past 30 years considered the operative gold standard of care for BPH, comes with the risks of urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Due to associated drawbacks, patients have often been hesitant to receive therapies. Yet statistics show that 87 percent of men who elect watchful waiting have experienced increasingly pronounced symptoms, significantly worse outcomes when they do finally elect to have T.U.R.P., and in some cases irreversible bladder damage. Fortunately for those now coming of age, newer therapies to resolve BPH demonstrate drastically improved outcomes. Summit Health and its urologists were early adopters of minimally invasive technologies and individualized interventions affording tremendous quality of life strides.
Since the UroLift System came to market, numerous studies have confirmed it is a durable treatment option for resolution of BPH, yielding a high rate of patient satisfaction. UroLift works by inserting permanent, implantable clips into the prostate to compress the tissue and relieve obstruction at the bladder outlet. In 90% of cases, a catheter is not required afterwards and the procedure is done under minor sedation with minimal to no sexual side effects. The procedure is indicated for men with enlarged prostates up to 100 grams. Summit Health urologist Matt Ashley, MD, started performing the UroLift procedure early in his career and is now designated as a UroLift Center of Excellence by Teleflex, the device manufacturer for UroLift. “UroLift has changed the paradigm for BPH treatment. Because recovery is easier, many patients hesitant to undergo an interventional procedure are now willing to do so,” he explains.
