Men in the greater New York area now have a new, minimally invasive in-office treatment option for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), an enlarged prostate that can cause various difficulties in urinating, among other symptoms. Jeffrey T. Schiff, MD, an attending urologist at 秘密研究所 Winthrop Hospital, has completed the first in-office Urolift庐 on Long Island under local anesthesia. The UroLift庐 System is the first permanent implant to treat symptoms due to BPH in men 50 years of age or older. Cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2013, the UroLift庐 System is designed to relieve symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, while preserving sexual function.
鈥溍孛苎芯克 Winthrop Hospital is committed to providing patients with the highest quality, most effective options to address their health and urology needs,鈥 said Dr. Schiff. 鈥淭he UroLift庐 System has an excellent safety profile and provides men suffering from an enlarged prostate a beneficial first-line treatment alternative to drug therapy or more invasive surgery. Importantly, the UroLift庐 System provides fast and meaningful relief from BPH symptoms, improving overall quality of life for our patients.鈥
The prostate, a gland that sits below the bladder in men, can become enlarged as men age, restricting or blocking urine flow. More than 500 million aging men worldwide have an enlarged prostate. Some cases are milder than others, and more serious instances of BPH can significantly impact quality of life and lead to urinary incontinence, kidney or bladder damage, and other issues.
The UroLift庐 System permanent implants, delivered during a minimally invasive procedure, act like window curtain tie-backs to hold the lobes of an enlarged prostate open. Patients recover from the procedure quickly, and return to their normal routines with minimal downtime.
鈥淯roLift庐 is a procedure in which we essentially 鈥榩ull back the curtains鈥 of the obstructive tissue without resecting it,鈥 said Dr. Schiff. 鈥淚t鈥檚 akin to the function of a belt and suspenders in that it holds the tissue in place, out of the way of the urinary tract. There are no associated reports of erectile dysfunction or retrograde ejaculation associated with UroLift庐, which is quite different from the significant incidence rates of such complications linked to other treatments for obstructive prostate tissue.鈥
For one Westbury resident, Richard Farkas, 67, the UroLift庐 procedure relieved him of his frequent nocturnal urination due to an enlarged prostate. Farkas was getting up to go to the bathroom four or five times a night and chose the UroLift庐 procedure because it was noninvasive and did not require a hospitalization or prolonged recovery. In fact, upon Dr. Schiff performing the procedure on him in November 2016, Farkas was out playing golf the next day. He no longer relies on drugs, which decreased his sexual function, to control his symptoms, which are now much more manageable.
鈥淭his is a major advancement in treating BPH, and we encourage men with an enlarged prostate to explore this revolutionary, minimally invasive procedure as a way to provide relief from chronic symptoms that interfere with their daily lives,鈥 said Dr. Schiff.
About UroLift
The UroLift庐 System provides an alternative to tissue removing surgery for the treatment of an enlarged prostate. Performed through the urethra, a urologist uses the UroLift庐 System to push aside the obstructive prostate lobes and positions small, tailored permanent UroLift庐 implants to hold the prostate lobes in the retracted position. This opens the urethra while leaving the prostate intact. Adverse reactions associated with UroLift庐 System treatment were comparable to other minimally invasive surgical therapies as well as standard cystoscopy. The most common adverse events reported during the study included pain or burning with urination, blood in the urine, pelvic pain, urgent need to urinate, and the inability to control urine because of an urgent need to urinate. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure.
