Patients who fail to improve with medications would then be considered for surgical treatment, which can range from minimally invasive therapy performed in the office setting to traditional surgery under anesthesia in the operating room.
The faculty at Emory Urology offers a full spectrum of minimally invasive, transurethral and robotic BPH surgeries, including the most cutting-edge treatments. The type of BPH procedure that is right for you depends on the size of your prostate as well as other medical factors.
Minimally Invasive BPH Procedures
Minimally invasive treatments are procedures that have minimal bleeding risk and are done in the outpatient setting.
REZUM is a water vapor therapy that harnesses the energy in steam to ablate obstructive prostate tissue. The sterile water vapor is instilled during short, nine-second injections delivered through a scope. This minimally invasive procedure can be performed in the office without the need for general anesthesia.
Transurethral BPH Surgeries
These procedures are offered for larger prostates and are done in the operating room under general anesthesia (completely asleep). After passing a scope through the urethra, prostate tissue is excised or ablated, opening the channel for easier passage of urine. Patients typically remain in the hospital overnight for observation and go home the next day. A catheter is usually left in place for 1-2 days after the procedure depending on the size of the patient’s prostate and the condition of their bladder. Once the catheter is removed the improvement in the urine stream is immediately noticeable as the anatomic obstruction has been removed.
Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the most common and longest standing form of endoscopic BPH surgery. This procedure uses electrocautery passing across a loop to excise tissue from the inside out. The resected pieces of prostate are then suctioned out of the bladder.
Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate (HoLEP)
Holmium Laser Enucleation of Prostate (HoLEP) is a newly developed transurethral procedure for very large prostate glands (over 80cc) and patients with other complex medical issues. Again, through a scope, this procedure uses a laser to resect the prostate along the capsule and remove the maximum amount of obstructive prostate adenoma possible for a transurethral procedure. The prostate tissues are then suctioned out of the bladder. Emory is pleased to be the first urology practice in the state of Georgia to offer this state-of-the-art procedure.