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Why it's done
By Mayo Clinic staffProstate gland enlargement is a common condition in men, affecting more than 50 percent of men in their 60s and as many as 90 percent of men in their 70s and 80s.
The prostate gland produces parts of the semen, the fluid that helps nourish and transport sperm. The prostate gland, about the size and shape of a walnut, sits directly below the bladder and surrounds the urethra, the tube that transports both semen and urine to the penis.
The prostate gland grows larger as a natural part of the aging process. Prostate gland enlargement becomes a problem when pressure from the prostate on the urethra restricts urine flow. Problems related to an enlarged prostate include:
- Difficulty urinating
- Frequent urination
- Inability to empty the bladder
- Increased risk of urinary tract infections
Treatment options
Transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP) is rarely the first line of treatment. Other treatment options include:
- Medication. Before recommending surgery or other procedures, your doctor is likely to prescribe a drug or combination of drugs to minimize prostate growth or relax the smooth muscles of the urethra.
- Minimally invasive procedures. A number of different procedures use heat sources to destroy some prostate tissue and lessen pressure on the urethra.
- Surgical procedures. Surgery to treat enlargement of the prostate — including transurethral incision of the prostate — is generally used when drug treatments don't work or prostate enlargement causes serious complications. Most surgical procedures remove portions of the prostate to lessen pressure on the urethra. When transurethral incision of the prostate is performed, the surgeon cuts the prostate gland but doesn't remove any tissue.
Transurethral incision of the prostate is only an option when an enlarged prostate gland is still relatively small. A specialist in urinary tract and male sexual disorders (urologist) can determine if the procedure is the right treatment for you.
- Prostate enlargement: Benign prostatic hyperplasia. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostateenlargement. Accessed March 26, 2009.
- Cunningham GR, et al. Surgical and other invasive therapies of benign prostatic hyperplasia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 26, 2009.
- Keister D, et al. Managing BPH: When to consider surgery. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1375.
- Edwards JL. Diagnosis and management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. American Family Physician. 2008;77:1403.
- Anawalt BD. Male sexual dysfunction. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch227/ch227c.html. Accessed April 2, 2009.
- Fitzpatrick JM. Minimally invasive and endoscopic management of benign prostatic hyperplasia. In: Wein AJ, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/128176228-3/821503196/1445/91.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-7216-0798-6..50090-X--cesec83_6062. Accessed March 26, 2009.
