Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Treatment

The Minimally Invasive Urology Institute (MIUI) at The Miriam Hospital located in Providence, Rhode Island offers comprehensive treatments for enlarged prostate conditions, and is one of a few hospitals in the nation to offer UroLift treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

BPH: A Serious Problem

What Is the Normal Prostate Size?

An average prostate is the size of a walnut or golf ball, weighing approximately 25 grams. An enlarged prostate can grow to the size of a tennis ball, about 80 grams.

What Are the Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate?

It’s important to note that fewer than half of all men with enlarged prostates have symptoms. Therefore, men should start receiving prostate screenings from their physicians at age 50 or earlier if there is a family history of prostate disorders.

Symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia might include:

• Difficulty urinating
• Incontinence
• Strong and more frequent need to urinate
• Dribbling at the end of urination
• Inability to empty bladder completely
• Difficulty beginning urination or a slow urine flow

Is There a Way to Shrink Your Prostate Without Treatment?

Research shows that a healthy diet and lifestyle may help men maintain prostate health, but medical treatment is needed to manage the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Are You at Risk for BPH?

All men should get regular prostate exams once they reach their 50th birthday. Those who are at risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia are:

• 40 years old or older; or
• have a family history of BPH; or
• don’t exercise regularly; or,
• have medical conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

Can Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Be Cured?

While benign prostatic hyperplasia has no cure, it can be treated, and patients can live full lives. 

What Are the Treatment Options for BPH?

iTind Procedure

One of the newest treatment options for benign prostatic hyperplasty, this non-surgical approach uses a temporary stent to gently and gradually increase space in the prostate for urine flow. This minimally invasive outpatient procedure achieves noticeable improvements in urine flow within a five to seven-day period, and the temporary stent is easily removed during an office visit with the surgeon, allowing for a swift return to normal activities. Moreover, ITind is adaptable to prostates of varying sizes, making it a tailored solution for a wide range of patients. ITind does not require prolonged post procedure medications or post-operative catheterization and preserves sexual function.

Thulium Fiber Laser Enucleation (ThuLEP)

Thulium fiber laser enucleation (ThuLEP) is a minimally invasive procedure that utilizes the latest technology to treat men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate. Using a high powered laser, the ThuLEP procedure is a treatment for the efficient removal of prostate tissue that is obstructing the flow of urine. Without any incisions, this procedure is ideal for men with large prostate size but equally as effective for smaller size prostates.
More about ThuLEP

GreenLight Laser Prostatectomy

GreenLight laser prostatectomy is a minimally invasive, outpatient solution for men with an enlarged prostate. During the procedure, the patient is sedated and the physician inserts a cystoscope, or thin tube with a very small camera through the penis and into the urethra. The urethra is the small tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. A laser is then passed through the cystoscope. The laser delivers energy that is used to vaporize or remove prostate tissue that is blocking the flow of urine when urinating. GreenLight laser prostatectomy is an outpatient procedure, allowing patients to return home the same day of the procedure.
More about GreenLight laser prostatectomy

UroLift

Performed using cystoscopy, UroLift is an outpatient procedure in which the enlarged prostate is pulled and held back using suture-like implants, allowing the unobstructed passage of urine. It does not involve any cutting, heating or removing of prostate tissue and does not cause sexual dysfunction. The patient resumes normal urinary function and daily routines.
More about Urolift

Robotic Simple Prostatectomy for BPH

A robot-assisted simple prostatectomy is a minimally invasive procedure for patients with an extreme enlargement of the prostate or for those with significant obstruction or urinary retention concerns. Previously performed as an open surgery with a larger incision, a robot-assisted simple prostatectomy allows the surgeon to more precisely remove the inner part of the prostate. The benefits of performing this surgery with robot assistance include: smaller surgical incisions of one inch or less, less intraoperative blood loss and need for blood transfusion, reduced postoperative pain and discomfort, shorter hospital stay and faster overall recovery. In June 2017, the MIUI successfully performed the first robot-assisted simple prostatectomy for BPH in New England.
Watch WJAR-TV 10 health reporter Barbara Morse Silva's story.

Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)

A resectoscope, which is a type of endoscope, is inserted into the urethra where an attached wire loop is used to remove excess prostate tissue that is blocking urine flow. An endoscope is a device with a light attached that is used to look inside body cavities and organs. The resulting image is displayed on monitors in the operating room, giving the surgeon a clearer view of body structures.

Medical Management

For many patients, the obstructive and irritative symptoms of BPH can be controlled with medication.

Learn about the differences between BPH and prostate cancer