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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffTransurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is used to treat moderate to severe enlargement of the prostate gland (benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH). TURP is the most common surgical procedure for BPH, accounting for about 90 percent of all BPH surgeries.
During TURP, your doctor uses a surgical instrument to trim away extra prostate tissue. In most men, TURP effectively eases pressure on the tube urine passes through as it leaves your body (urethra), relieving the lower urinary tract symptoms of BPH. These symptoms may include difficulty urinating, frequent and urgent need to urinate, and increased frequency of urination at night.
Transurethral resection of the prostate is a less invasive procedure than are open surgery treatment options, and recovery time is usually quicker.
- Burnett AL, et al. Benign prostatic hyperplasia in primary care: What you need to know. Journal of Urology. 2006;175:S19.
- Understanding prostate changes: A health guide for men. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/understanding-prostate-changes. Accessed March 24, 2009.
- Prostate enlargement: Benign prostatic hyperplasia. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://kidney.niddk.nih.gov/kudiseases/pubs/prostateenlargement/. Accessed March 24, 2009.
- Kim HL, et al. Benign prostatic hyperplasia. In: Brunicardi CF, et al. Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. 8th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=818980. Accessed March 24, 2009.
- Cunningham GR. Surgical and other invasive therapies of benign prostatic hyperplasia. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 24, 2009.
- Prostate cancer treatment: Treatment option overview. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/prostate/Patient/page4. March 24, 2009.
- Morgan GE, et al. Anesthesia for genitourinary surgery. In: Morgan GE, et al. Clinical Anesthesiology. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=893115. Accessed March 24, 2009.
