“Benign prostatic hyperplasia” (BPH) occurs when an enlarged prostate chokes the urethra to the point where the urine flow becomes restricted. Until recently, the minimally invasive surgical procedure reserved for men who cannot tolerate or do not respond to medications has been “transurethral resection of the prostate” (TURP), which uses an electrical loop to hollow the enlarged tissue blocking the urethra. Laser and other energy sources may also be used. Now, instead of cutting or destroying the problematic prostate tissue, men with problematic BPH also may have the choice of undergoing “prostatic urethral lift” (Urolift), which involves placing implants in the lateral lobes of the prostate to pull back excess tissue and keep it from blocking the urethra.
P.S. Urolift is an outpatient, office-based procedure.