Minimally Invasive Management of BPH
(Benign male enlargement of the prostate)
Throughout a man's life, his prostate may grow and start to cause problems as he ages. For many years, a prostatectomy was the only treatment for this very common problem. Although effective, such major surgery requires patients to spend significant time in the hospital and at home in recovery. It also is associated with more side effects. Fortunately, today's technological advances now provide urologists with an array of minimally invasive techniques to treat BPH. What are some of these new treatments available? The following should help answer that question as well as others.
What is the prostate?
The prostate, a part of the male reproductive system, is about the same size and shape as a walnut and weighs about an ounce. It is located below the bladder and in front of the rectum and surrounds the urethra, the tube-like structure that carries urine from the bladder out through the penis. The main function of the prostate is to produce ejaculatory fluid.