For the majority of individuals suffering from an enlarged prostate drug treatment is the solution and can reduce prostate symptoms to a reasonable level. For others however drug treatment is not helpful or is not a practical option and the doctor may well recommend one of a number of minimally invasive surgical procedures.
The first procedure to examine is catheterization which involves the use of a catheter inserted through the penis and into the bladder as a drain and is generally considered only as a temporary solution. Catheterization is largely used for men who are waiting for drug treatment to take affect (several drugs used to treat an enlarged prostate gland take 6 to 12 months before they show results) or for other surgical treatments. Catheterization may also be used to assist in the treatment of infections.
The second procedure to think about is called Holmium laser enucleation prostate (HoLEP). This procedure, which is done under anesthesia and requires a short 1 to 2 days in hospital, uses a resectoscope which is inserted through the penis and into the urethra. Once positioned a laser beam is then used to vaporize tissue from the prostate gland.
A similar treatment to HoLEP is interstitial laser coagulation. This treatment is again done under anesthesia although patients are not usually required to remain in hospital. In this treatment a cystoscope, which is a metal tube through which a laser and visual lens can be passed, is used and tissue is burnt away from the prostate with laser energy.
If a patient is unable to accept anesthesia what is known as a prostatic stent can be used. Stenting involves the placement of a spring-like device into the urethra at the point at which it passes through the prostate to keep the urethra open. Unhappily there are one or two difficulties associated with this form of treatment and it is generally used only for people who are suffering from additional medical problems and for whom surgery presents too much of a risk.
Transurethral microwave thermotherapy of the prostate (TUMT) is yet another type of minimally invasive surgery that does not require full anesthesia or hospitalization and is done with a local anesthetic and with oral pain medication. Here a catheter is inserted through the penis and microwaves heat up and shrink areas of the prostate gland.
Yet another office-based procedure is TUNA (transurethral radio frequency needle ablation of the prostate). For this procedure light anesthesia and medication are used to make the patient sleepy and prostate tissue is heated using radio frequency energy transmitted through a number of needles placed directly into the prostate gland. This treatment initially produces a swelling of the prostate gland which is followed by shrinkage and patients will normally have to use a catheter for a short time after this treatment.
As you can see there are clearly a variety of different types of minimally invasive surgery available for the treatment of an enlarged prostate gland and patients must discuss these with their doctor to decide which would best suit their specific circumstances.
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