Dr. Julien Dagenais, MD

Medication can relieve mild to moderate symptoms of BPH, such as frequent urination, incomplete bladder emptying, a weak urine stream, and straining while urinating. However, other forms of treatment may be more appropriate if an individual has pain with urination, frequent urinary tract infections, or is unable to urinate. The size of the prostate and the severity of their symptoms will determine the type of treatment they need. If the prostate is not very large, doctors will likely recommend a transurethral procedure. This minimally invasive technique involves the insertion of a scope into the urethra. The most common transurethral procedures for BPH are:

• Transurethral incision of the prostate or TUIP, where the surgeon uses the scope to make small cuts in the area of the prostate that meets the bladder. These cuts will open up the pathway for urine and allow it to flow with more ease.
• Transurethral needle ablation or TUNA, where needles are inserted through the scope and into the prostate. The needles use radiofrequency waves to destroy excess prostate tissue.
• Laser prostate ablation, where lasers pass through the scope to melt away the part of the prostate causing urine blockage.
• Transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP, where the inside of the prostate is trimmed and removed one tiny piece at a time using the scope.

If the prostate is too big for a transurethral procedure, an individual may need a simple prostatectomy, which can be done in one of three ways: laparoscopic, robotic, or open. During a laparoscopic simple prostatectomy, a surgeon makes several small incisions on the belly. Then they insert a long tube with a camera into one of the cuts and surgical instruments into the others. Using the camera to see inside the belly, they carefully removes the enlarged part of the prostate. Robotic simple prostatectomy uses the same techniques as the laparoscopic method, but the surgery is done with the help of a robot. For men with very large prostates, open simple prostatectomy may be the best treatment option. This surgery differs from the other approaches in that it requires a much larger incision.

Most transurethral treatments for BPH, like TUIP, TUNA, and laser prostate ablation, are done in the doctor's office or outpatient surgery center. TURP and simple prostatectomy, however, need to be performed in the hospital and require an average stay of one to three days. Patients should wait a week before doing any strenuous activities after a TUIP, TUNA, or laser prostate ablation, and about four to six weeks after a TURP or simple prostatectomy. Although these treatments improve BPH symptoms for most patients, it is important to be aware of the risks involved, such as urine control issues, tightening of the urethra, and erectile dysfunction.

While incisions for the laparoscopic and robotic approaches will always be on the lower abdomen, there are two possible incision locations for the open procedure. More commonly, the cut will start just below the belly button and end at the pubic bone. The other possible but less frequently used incision location is the area between the base of the scrotum and anus. After the cut is made, the surgeon will separate the prostate from the tissues surrounding it. Extra care will be taken to cause as little injury as possible to the blood vessels and nerves. Patients will wake up from surgery with a small pouch that drains fluids from the belly and a long tube that drains urine from the bladder.

Radical prostatectomy is recommended for cancer that is contained within the prostate. If cancer has spread to other parts of the body, non-surgical treatments like chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy may be more appropriate.

The average hospital stay is one day for a laparoscopic or robotic radical prostatectomy, and one to three days for an open radical prostatectomy. Patients are advised to stay in bed until the morning following the operation. Strenuous activities like running and heavy lifting must be avoided for four to six weeks. Although radical prostatectomy aims to remove all of the cancer cells, patients will still need to see their doctor regularly after surgery to make sure that the cancer does not return.