Urolift is aimed at relieving and improving men’s waterworks symptoms resulting from benign enlargement of the prostate
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The Prostatic Urethral Lift (PUL) procedure, or Urolift, was the first so called minimally invasive surgical treatment (MIST) aimed at relieving and improving men’s waterworks symptoms resulting from benign enlargement of the prostate (BPH) whilst protecting all aspects of sexual function, both ejaculatory and erectile. Urolift offers an ambulatory surgical treatment as an alternative to both medical therapy and standard surgical techniques where tissue is removed to create a wide cavity through the prostate. Significant, rapid and sustained improvement in symptoms are demonstrated in a large body of high quality clinical data, this unique dataset meaning that Urolift is the only MIST recommended in the European Association of Urology guidelines. Urolift being suggested as a potential option in men who want to avoid the risk of any impact upon sexual function, so common after standard surgical approaches, including dry ejaculation and some loss of erectile function.
Urolift may be performed with local anaesthetic or under heavy sedation. The procedure takes 5 to 10 minutes and some 90% of men will pass urine afterwards thus avoiding the need of a urinary catheter (tube draining urine from the bladder). During the procedure, a telescope is passed down the waterpipe (urethra) to the prostate. The prostate is then compressed, pushing the occlusive prostate tissue to one side (much like drawing back curtains) and the urolift implant is then deployed, holding that tissue in place. Urolift implants are delivered sequentially on each side of the prostate creating a channel through the prostate and reducing the resistance of the flow of urine through the gland, leading to an improvement in urinary symptoms. On average, 4 implants are deployed to achieve the required outcome.
Whilst, it is unlikely that Urolift would last as long any of the more standard approaches where tissue is removed to create a wide hole or cavity through the prostate, data suggests a re-treatment rate of some 13% over 5 years - so it is reasonable to say that 70 -80% men will gain sustained benefit for more than 5 years.
Urolift is truly a minimally invasive option. The procedure is quick, the vast majority of men avoid a catheter and are discharged within a few hours passing urine normally. Some blood in the urine and discomfort are common in the first few days, but tend to settle in about a week and over 90% are back to ALL normal activities in 3 to 4 weeks.
Urolift is not necessarily the best option in all men. The severity of the symptoms, the size and shape of the prostate may mean that Urolift may not deliver the level of symptom improvement desired. This requires careful discussion with an expert urologist.
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The specialists at OneWelbeck Men's Health use the latest innovations in healthcare to accurately diagnose and treat a wide range of urological conditions.