Patients
Overview
BPH is the non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate that restricts urine flow. BPH is not usually life threatening but you may have found it to be embarrassing, inconvenient and uncomfortable. Symptoms of BPH include the need to urinate often, the need to urinate suddenly, difficulty emptying your bladder completely, and difficulty sleeping due to frequent urination.
Enlarged prostate, or BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), affects over 14 million men in the US.
BPH occurs in approximately half of all men 50 years and older and up to 90% of men over 80 years of age.
Your physician may use the following to diagnose
and better understand your BPH:
- Physical exam
- Blood and urine tests
- Ultrasound imaging
- Uroflowmetry
- Cystouretheroscopy
What is Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy for BPH and the Prolieve Thermodilitation® System?
The Prolieve® System was developed as a new treatment for Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy for BPH. The Prolieve System is a technology that both heats and dilates the prostate. The purpose of the Prolieve System is to treat the symptoms of BPH in men with an enlarged prostate who would benefit from drug or surgical therapy.
The physician will insert a catheter into your urethra. When microwave energy is turned on, it will be transmitted from a special antenna inside the catheter to provide continuous heat to your prostate. The heat will reduce the enlarged tissue of your prostate. A small balloon that is also part of the catheter will inflate within the section of the urethra close to where the prostate is located. The inflated balloon will cause the tissue to expand. During the entire 45-minute procedure, warm water will be circulating inside the catheter through your urethra. For your safety, the Prolieve System’s computer monitors the temperature surrounding the treatment area by means of a rectal temperature monitor. If the temperature reaches 42°C, the system will shut off automatically.
What are the reasons for undergoing the procedure?
Benefits of the Prolieve System:
- Quality of life has been shown to improve
- The side effects reported have been few
- It is a single 45-minute treatment that is performed at your physician's office
- It reduces the need for multiple-office visits for BPH medications and the related costs and inconvenience
- It is not a surgical procedure
Ask your doctor if you are a candidate for this therapy. The following is a list of tests your physician may order: urine analysis, urine culture, blood tests, uroflowmetry, ultrasound, and cystourethroscopy. Your physician will choose which tests you may have. Only your doctor can decide if the Prolieve Thermodilation System is right for you.
For more information and a list of urologists who perform the procedure, please visit
www.prolieve.com
