Surgical BPH Treatments

Your physician can help you decide which treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is right for you. Surgical treatments are a good option for many men. A few of the more common types of procedures include:

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is a type of prostate surgery to alleviate severe symptoms from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). No incisions are needed in transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). A physician uses an instrument called a resectoscope through the urethra to reach the prostate. The surgeon uses the scope’s electrical loop to cut and remove the obstructing tissue one piece at a time. The pieces of tissue are carried by fluid into the bladder and then flushed out of the body. The TURP procedure requires a temporary catheter and short hospital stay. It is the most common surgery for BPH.

Laser Surgery

In laser surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH, a laser fiber is passed into the urethra near the prostate using a cystoscope. Then, several bursts of energy are delivered through the laser fiber, which vaporizes the prostate tissue. No incisions are needed. There is little blood loss because blood vessels are sealed during the treatment. However, laser surgery may not be effective on very large prostates. A temporary catheter and short hospital stay are needed.

Transurethral Incision of the Prostate (TUIP)

Used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia BPH, transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) is similar to transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Instead of removing tissue, doctors make the urethra bigger with a few tiny cuts in the bladder neck, where the urethra joins the bladder, and in the prostate. A physician inserts a cystoscope into the urethra and uses an electric current or laser beam to widen the urethra to enable better urine flow. No incisions are needed. A temporary Foley catheter and short hospital stay is needed. This procedure is often used for men who have a smaller prostate but serious blockage and men who need surgery but do not want to remove the prostate completely.

Other BPH Treatments