Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Urology

Aurora BayCare Urological Surgeons offers treatment for BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, in men.

What is BPH?

BPH, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, also is known as enlarged prostate. BPH is a non-cancerous growth of the prostate gland. This growth causes compression of the urethra.

What are the symptoms of BPH?

Men with BPH may experience:

A weakened urine stream
Frequent urination at night
Incomplete bladder emptying
Possible urinary retention

How is BPH treated?

BPH can be treated with medication or surgery.

Medication options include:

Alpha blockers (Flomax), which relax muscles in the prostate and bladder to make it easier to urinate.
5-alpha reductase inhibitors (finasteride or Avodart), which help shrink the prostate over a period of 6 to 12 months. A smaller prostate gland usually means fewer symptoms.

Surgical options include:

Transurethral resection of the prostate, in which tissue in the central portion of the prostate is removed to stop the blockage of urine flow.
UroLift®, a minimally invasive treatment in which enlarged prostate tissue is lifted, compressed and pinned back with stitches, preventing that tissue from blocking the urethra and the flow of urine. Some of our urological surgeons have received national recognition for demonstrating their expertise with UroLift.
Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate, or HoLEP, which uses a laser to remove tissue that is blocking urine flow through the prostate. This procedure is most often done on men with large prostates. The laser procedure is done endoscopically, with no incision.