BPH TREATMENT OPTIONS
You and Your Doctor Choose a Treatment
The treatments to relieve the symptoms of enlarged prostate (BPH) are medications (pills), office-based minimally invasive treatments (MITs), laser surgery, and traditional surgery. No one treatment works for every situation. Generally, after consulting with you, a urologist will recommend one treatment, evaluate the results over time, and, if they aren’t satisfactory, suggest another treatment.
Every treatment has potential side effects. Some side effects are more troublesome than others. As the patient, you will need to weigh these side effects against the overall benefits of the treatment.
Sexual Side Effects
Sexual side effects of treatment are of special interest to many men. The medication (pills) called 5-alpha reductase inhibitors commonly causes less semen to be ejaculated and the inability to get an erection (impotence). Pills called alpha blockers may cause failure to ejaculate, retrograde (or internal) ejaculation, and less semen to be ejaculated. Traditional surgery, also known as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), may cause the inability to get an erection and retrograde ejaculation.
Dr. Shore is a clinical urologist and principle investigator of the Prolieve® System, who specializes in prostate disease and has performed more than 200 office-based minimally invasive treatments for the symptoms of BPH. This article is based on Dr. Shore’s clinical experiences and opinions. Dr. Shore is a paid consultant of Boston Scientific.
*Results based on survey of 348 BPH patients (May 2004).
Some of the information presented on this page has been adapted in part from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): A Patient’s Guide, from the American Urological Association, and from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) from WebMD Inc.
Disclaimer: This material is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for a consultation. You should talk with a urologist regarding your specific symptoms or medical condition.
