Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or benign prostatic hypertrophy, are the medical terms for the condition commonly known as an enlarged prostate, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, or NKUDIC. The prostate is a male reproductive gland that surrounds the tube that carries urine out of the body. For unknown reasons it often grows as a man ages, squeezing the tube and making urination difficult. This can cause pain, urgency and difficulty urinating and can lead to some serious complications.
Drugs
There are several drugs that can treat prostate enlargement in different ways, according to the NKUDIC. Some, like finasteride and dutasteride, can slow the growth of the prostate and sometimes even shrink it to relieve symptoms. Others, like terazosin and tamsulosin, work by relaxing the muscles around the prostate and bladder to make it easier for urine to pass through. Sometimes these drugs are used in combination.
Minimally Invasive Procedures - TUMT
When drugs don't work, there are a number of medical procedures that shrink the prostate without requiring surgery, according to the NKUDIC. Transurethral microwave thermotherapy, or TUMT, uses microwaves to heat and destroy part of the prostate to reduce symptoms. This is not a cure, but it can reduce urinary frequency, straining and problems with urine flow. It does not address problems in completely emptying the bladder.
Minimally Invasive Procedures - TUNA
Transurethral needle ablation, or TUNA, uses a low-energy radio wave to burn away part of the prostate, according to the NKUDIC. This procedure can improve urine flow and other symptoms.
Transurethral Surgery
Surgery is considered the best long-term solution for an enlarged prostate, according to the NKUDIC. In transurethral surgery, or TURP, which is used about 90 percent of the time, no incision is needed. An electrical loop instrument is passed up through the urethra and used to cut away prostate tissue so it no longer blocks the flow of urine. Sometimes a procedure called transurethral incision of the prostate, or TUIP, is performed in men with an obstructed bowel, according to the American Urological Association Foundation. In this procedure the surgeon widens the urethra by making several cuts in the prostate and the neck of the bladder.
Open Surgery
Sometimes when TURP can't be used because the prostate is too big or there is other damage that needs to be repaired, an open surgery is performed, according to NKUDIC. The surgeon removes enough of the prostate to allow urine to pass more easily.
Other procedures
There are several newer procedures being developed to improve the treatment of enlarged prostate, according to NKUDIC. These include minimally invasive procedures that use hot water and ultrasound to shrink the prostate. There are also several different laser surgeries in development.
