Treatment Options

The most common treatments for BPH are:

These treatment methods all have advantages and disadvantages that you should think through and discuss with your doctor. The best solution for you may be to keep a watchful eye on the problems and delay treatment for a time. In some cases, BPH patients get better without therapy. It is also important to emphasize that virility can be lost as a result of BPH treatment. Therefore, if you are planning to have children, therapy should be discussed with your doctor.

Microwave thermotherapy (CoreTherm)

The problemcausing parts of the prostate are heated up to 50°C using microwaves transmitted through a treatment catheter that is inserted via the urethra. These microwaves destroy the tissue, thus enabling normal urinary flow to resume. Prostalund has enhanced this method by developing a temperature sensor, which checks that the right temperature and therefore the right effect are obtained during therapy CoreTherm. This procedure can take as little as 1030 minutes, and can be carried out at a hospital or doctor's office. The patient can go home the same day. CoreTherm has an 80% success rate and very low risk for complication. The majority of patients experience a full effect within three months.

Problems that can result from treatment:

Urinary infections
Blockage when you want to urinate
(urinary obstruction)
Dry ejaculation
Urge

Surgery

An operation via the urethra (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate TURP)

The operation is carried out using a tube with an optical device that is inserted in the urethra. An electrical coil burns away part of the prostate. This operation takes around 15 70 minutes, and requires hospital stay. After the operation, the problems remain. It can take several months before the patient experiences the full effects.

Invasive surgery

img_half__surgery

If the prostate is considerably enlarged, a TURP is not enough. The doctor usually recommends an invasive operation, which is a more involved procedure. An incision is made through the abdominal wall and the nodes in the prostate are removed. The hospital stay is 8 10 days. The majority of patients are satisfied after the operation and experience a marked improvement. But, as with a TURP, it can take several months before patients feel the full effects.

Problems that can result from treatments:

Diminished erection capability
Urinary infections
Constriction of urethra
Blood loss requiring blood transfusion
General blood poisoning (sepsis)
Anestheticrelated risks
Urinary incontinence
Ejaculation occurs in the bladder (dry ejaculation)

Drug treatment

There are drugs that can gradually reduce the size of the prostate and ease related problems. The medicine alleviates the symptoms, but in many cases the improvement is only temporary. Certain patients experience improvement, while others note only a small effect or none at all.