Benign prostatic hyperplasia (enlargement)
- An increase in the smooth muscle and glands of the prostate, the number of cells and the size of the muscle cells lead to an increase in the size of the prostate.
- An enlarged prostate causes urinary issues, often by constricting the urethra that runs through the prostate area.
- This can lead to incontinence (dripping of urine), while in the long-term urinary tract infections and inflammations can also occur, potentially leading to kidney damage.
Most common symptoms:
- Difficulty when starting to urinate, urine comes out in a very thin, thread-like stream, which means that it takes a long time to complete urination
- Frequent need to urinate
- Sudden need to urgently urinate
- Needing to force urination (having to strain your abdominal muscles)
- Frequent urination at night
- Only small amount of urine, urine comes out in a weak stream
- Bladder still feels full after urinating
- Urinating in several steps/different amounts
- Breaks when urinating, prolonged, takes a long time to urinate
- Urine still dripping after urination (post-drip), inability to hold in urine (incontinence)
- Painful urination, abdominal pain
Methods of treatment:
- In a significant number of cases, symptoms caused by BPH can be treated with medication.
- In more severe cases, when medication either does not work, or stops working after a certain period of time, surgery is performed that involves the removal of the prostate gland.
- Surgical treatment is required if there is complete urinary retention or blistering, bladder diverticulus (protrusion), or if the patient's complaints increase and their quality of life deteriorates despite previously effective treatment.
- Surgery can be performed with open surgical examination or without incision, using an endoscope inserted into the urethra.
