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Non-Surgical BPH Treatment

There are a number of non-surgical BPH treatments. One type of non-surgical BPH treatment is Cooled ThermoTherapy™ from Urologix.

Cooled ThermoTherapy – is a non-surgical, office-based treatment for BPH that uses microwave energy to heat and destroy enlarged prostate tissue. Unlike other treatments, Cooled ThermoTherapy uses cooling technology to minimize discomfort during treatment. Cooled ThermoTherapy has been FDA approved since 1997.

Learn more about the enlarged prostate treatment called Cooled ThermoTherapy™

Prostate Therapy Medication

Medication is often the first-line treatment against enlarged prostate symptoms. However, drugs may need to be taken once or twice a day for the rest of your life. Over time, the cost can become a large expense and drugs are not effective for all patients. Side effects may include fatigue, headache, dizziness, impotence and loss of sex drive.¹

• Significant cost of lifetime use of current medications – if you stop taking them they stop working.
• Over 50% of patients who start a regimen of medications for BPH discontinue the treatment within three years.²

¹Flomax®, Tamsulosin hydrochloride, Patient Information About Flomax Capsules, Table 3, Treatment Emergent Adverse Events Occurring in ≥2% of Flomax (tamsulosin hydrochloride) capsules or placebo patients in the U.S. short-term placebo-controlled clinical studies, Page 14, July 17, 2006.
²Long-Term Risk of Re-Treatment of patients using Alpha-Blockers for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms. J. De La Rosette, et al. The Journal of Urology, Vol. 167, 1734-1739, April 2002.

Enlarged Prostate Treatment Surgery

Surgery may be considered when symptoms have not improved with another non-surgical BPH treatment. It removes large amounts of prostate tissue and is performed in a hospital or surgical center and requires general anesthesia. Surgical treatment options for BPH carry a higher risk of complications, including: retrograde ejaculation, impotence and incontinence.

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
TURP is one of the most common forms of surgery and is typically very successful. Although TURP is often successful, it has significant drawbacks.¹ This procedure requires a hospital stay of 1-2 days.² Ten percent of patients need another procedure in 5 years.³ And, on average, patients require a catheter for 10 to 14 days following surgery.⁴

Laser Surgery, Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate (PVP)
Laser surgery is another surgical procedure similar to a TURP except tissue is removed through laser energy. This procedure requires an average hospital stay of 1 day.⁵ Some experience post operative pain, discomfort and bleeding up to six weeks following treatment.⁶

¹Leveillee, Raymond J., et. al., Prostate Hyperplasia, Benign, http://www.emedicine.com/MED/topic1919.htm, last updated August 1, 2006.
²Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia, http://www.webmd.com/hw/mens_conditions/hw60259.asp, Accessed January 10, 2008.
³American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc., Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): A Patients Guide, pages 14-15, 2003.
⁴Davies, John, A Patient’s Guide to TURP – Your Prostate Operation, page 11, July 2005.
⁵Bouchier-Hayes, David M., et. al, A Randomized Trial Comparing Photo-Vaporization and Trans-Urethral Resection of the Prostate in Patients with BPH, Journal of Urology, Vol. 173, No.4, April 2005.
⁶SteadyHealth.com, Health Topics Forum Index -> Men's Health -> Prostate Problems, http://www.steadyhealth.com/painful_urination__6_weeks_after_pvp_laser_surgery_t71755_st10.html. Accessed January 11, 2007.

“I feel great, I don’t even think about my former symptoms any more.”