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ENLARGED PROSTATE/BPH

Your Prostate Health. Our Priority.

What is an Enlarged Prostate?

An enlarged prostate, or BPH, becomes a problem for many men as they age. This can start as early as age 40. By age 60, about 7 in 10 men will have symptoms related to BPH.

The prostate is normally the size of a walnut and aids in sexual reproduction. As the prostate grows, sometimes getting as big as a baseball or softball, it can begin blocking the flow of urine from the bladder to the urethra. The blockage will lead to weak stream, straining, and starting and stopping of flow. It will also lead to problems with the bladder, which results in frequency, urgency, and feeling like you can't empty.

In some cases, the blockage can result in bladder failure requiring a permanent catheter, kidney failure, bladder stones, and recurrent urinary infections.

enlarged prostate vs normal prostate

Dedicated to Finding the Right Solution for You

There are a number of treatment options for BPH that depend on the severity of your symptoms, the size of your prostate, and the degree of blockage. Your urologist may recommend additional work-up, such as cystoscopy (camera into the bladder) or urodynamics (test of how well your bladder muscle is working) before recommending a procedure.

Treatments include medications to relax or shrink the prostate, procedures to remove the inside of the prostate, and procedures to lift the prostate. Click the links below for more information on specific treatments.

UroLift for Benign Prostate Enlargement

UroLift® is a minimally invasive approach to treating symptoms of an enlarged prostate (BPH). It works by lifting or holding the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way so it no longer blocks the urethra, relieving urinary symptoms.

Our urologists are the most experienced in Des Moines with the UroLift procedure, including Dr. Kevin Birusingh who has been awarded the UroLift Center of Excellence distinction.

Advantages
  • Minimally invasive procedure with fast recovery
  • Outpatient procedure which can be done with local anesthesia or light sedation
  • Lower risk for Foley catheter after the procedure
  • Preserves sexual function (no increased risk of erectile dysfunction or retrograde ejaculation)
  • Covered by most insurance providers and Medicare
  • Significant improvement in symptoms in as little as two weeks
Risks

Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy

Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy treats the source of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) using sterile water vapor, or steam. Over time, the body’s natural healing response absorbs the treated tissue, shrinks the prostate, opens the urethra, and reduces BPH symptoms.

Treat the cause of your BPH by reducing prostate tissue so you can get back to your life.

Our urologists are some of the most experienced experts in the Rezūm procedure, including Dr. Ryan Schulte who has received a Center of Excellence designation.

Advantages
  • Relieves BPH symptoms safely and effectively.
  • Eliminates the need for BPH medication.
  • Can be performed in a doctor’s office, clinic, or another outpatient setting.
  • Provides symptom relief in as soon as two weeks.
  • Return to regular activities within a few days.
Risks

GreenLight™ Laser Therapy

GreenLight™ Laser Therapy is an outpatient procedure that uses laser technology to remove your overgrown prostate tissue and rapidly restore natural urine flow, often within 24 hours of the procedure.

GreenLight™ Laser Therapy has helped over 900,000 men worldwide get relief from symptoms related to an enlarged prostate and is an alternative for men who don’t want to take medication for BPH.

Our physicians are experts in the GreenLight procedure, with five being awarded a GreenLight Center of Excellence designation: Dr. Kevin Birusingh, Dr. Mark Kellerman, Dr. Brian Gallagher, Dr. Ryan Schulte, and Dr. Trevor Wild.

GreenLight Laser Therapy, or photovaporization, is an effective minimally invasive treatment for an enlarged prostate (BPH). It is an established standard of care, with over one million men successfully treated worldwide.

Using a specialized laser, the inner portion of the prostate can be vaporized or melted away to relieve the blockage and significantly improve urinary symptoms. This can be done for any size prostate, including very large prostates.

Once under general anesthesia, the procedure takes about an hour. It is an outpatient procedure, so you will go home the same day. Some men will need a catheter for a few days. Compared to traditional treatments, there is a lower risk of bleeding, less catheterization time, and a faster recovery.

Following the procedure, some of your symptoms may temporarily worsen including urinary urgency and frequency. After about 4-6 weeks, those symptoms will resolve and you will see a significant improvement in your baseline symptoms.

Advantages
  • Significantly less chance of severe blood loss
  • Same-day surgery in most cases
  • Significantly faster recovery
  • A typically shorter length of time with urinary catheter and stay in hospital
Risks

SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel

SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel is an FDA-cleared, absorbable, injectable gel that helps to reduce the radiation dose delivered to the rectum in men undergoing radiation therapy for prostate cancer, decreasing the likelihood of side effects. With the gel spacer in place, doctors can better target your cancer while still preserving healthy tissue.

SpaceOAR™ Hydrogel has been clinically shown to help minimize urinary, sexual, and bowel side effects and help protect the quality of life for prostate cancer patients.

Advantages
  • Minimize potential side effects of prostate cancer radiation therapy
  • Fewer bowel complications
  • Fewer urinary complications
  • Fewer sexual complications
Risks

Urology Center Of Iowa
Clinic Locations

Main Office

Phone
515-400-3550

Fax
515-400-3551

Address
12129 University Ave, Clive, IA 50325

Broadlawns Office
Knoxville Hospital
Ringgold County Hospital Mt Ayr
Greene County Medical Center
Decatur County Hospital
Pella Regional Hospital
Adair County Health System

Need A Urologist?

Contact us at one of our locations to schedule an appointment.