You've been told you have an enlarged prostate. You've been told that TURP is the gold standard treatment, the go-to surgery for relief from your symptoms.
But what if we told you there are other options out there? Options that don't involve a scalpel or general anesthesia?
First off, let's talk about what TURP is and why it used to be so popular.
TURP stands for Transurethral Resection of the Prostate. It's a surgery that involves inserting a resectoscope (a special instrument with a cutting loop and an irrigation system) through the penis and into the urethra.
The surgeon then uses this tool to remove tissue from the prostate, which should alleviate your symptoms.
Sounds great, right? Except there are some pretty significant downsides to TURP. For starters, it's a major surgery. That means you'll be under general anesthesia for the procedure, which comes with its own set of risks.
Afterward, you'll likely experience pain and discomfort, and you may need to take time off work to recover. Oh, and did we mention that TURP can cause erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence?
Now, before you start panicking, let us reassure you: there are other options out there.
One such option is Urolift.
Urolift is a minimally invasive procedure that involves placing small implants into the prostate to hold it in place, thus relieving pressure on the urethra.
It's performed under local anesthesia (meaning you'll be awake during the procedure), which means no general anesthesia risks or post-op grogginess.
Recovery time is typically just a few days, and side effects are minimal. Best of all? There's no increase in erectile dysfunction or urinary incontinence associated with Urolift.
So why isn't everyone opting for Urolift instead of TURP? Well, it's new. And new things can be scary. But remember: TURP used to be the new thing once upon a time too. And look how far we've come since then.
We now have options like Urolift that offer relief from enlarged prostate symptoms without resorting to major surgery.
Remember: every patient deserves access to the best possible care, and your journey towards healing doesn't have to involve a scalpel.
