Prostate Enlargement BPH

Prostate Enlargement BPH Treatment Abroad

Overview

An enlarged prostate is often called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It is not cancer, and it does not enhance your risk to develop prostate cancer.

An enlarged prostate means the gland has grown bigger and it occurs in almost all men as they get older. As the gland grows, it can press on the urethra and cause urination and bladder problems.

The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate increases with age. A small incidence of prostate enlargement has been seen in men over age 40. On the other hand, more than 90% of men over age 80 have the condition.

Symptoms of Prostate Enlargement:

Less than half of all men with BPH have symptoms of the disease, which may include:

• Dribbling at the end of urinating;
• Inability to urinate (urinary retention);
• Incomplete emptying of your bladder;
• Incontinence;
• Needing to urinate two or more times per night;
• Pain with urination or bloody urine (these may indicate infection);
• Slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream;
• Straining to urinate;
• Strong and sudden urge to urinate;
• Weak urine stream.

The diagnosis will be accurately put by a urology specialist based on several tests that include the severity of the sysmptoms and careful examination and tests.

Treatment of Prostate Enlargement and Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

The treatment you choose for prostate enlargement will be based on how bad your symptoms are and how much they bother you. Your doctor will also take into account other medical problems you may have.

If you are over 60, you are more likely to see symptoms, however, the majority of men with an enlarged prostate have only minor symptoms. If you have Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia BPH, you should have a yearly exam to monitor your symptoms and see if you need changes in treatment.

Medicines for Prostate Enlargement

• Alpha 1-blockers to relax the muscles of the bladder neck and prostate;
• Finasteride and dutasteride lower levels of hormones produced by the gland and reduce its size, increasing urine flow rate;
• Antibiotics (chronic prostatitis or inflammation of the prostate);
• Saw palmetto to ease symptoms.  

Surgery for Prostate Enlargement

Prostate surgery may be recommended if you have:

• Incontinence;
• Recurrent blood in the urine;
• Inability to fully empty the bladder (urinary retention);
• Recurrent urinary tract infections;
• Decreasing kidney function;
• Bladder stones.

The choice of a specific surgical procedure is usually based on the severity of your symptoms and the size and shape of your prostate gland.

Types of Surgery for Prostate Enlargement

Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP)
This is the most common and most proven surgical treatment for BPH. Transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP is performed by inserting a scope through the penis and removing the prostate piece by piece.

Prostatectomy

There are several types of prostatectomy:

• Radical prostatectomy - removes the entire prostate through an open surgical or laparoscopic surgical approach.
• Da Vinci Robotic Surgery for performing radical prostatectomy
• Open Prostatectomy - usually performed using general or spinal anesthesia. An incision is made through the abdomen or perineum (the area behind the scrotum). Only the inner part of the prostate gland is removed. The outer portion is left behind. This is a long procedure. Most people need to stay in the hospital for 5 to 10 days. This treatment is most often done on men who have very large prostate glands.Most men who have prostate surgery have improvement in urine flow rates and symptoms.

The less-invasive procedures for prostate surgery use heat to destroy prostate tissue or cold - such as:

• Cryotherapy for prostate
• Radio frequency: Transurethral needle ablation (TUNA)
• Microwave: Transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT)
• Electrical current: Transurethral electrovaporization (TUVP)
• Hot water: Water-induced thermotherapy (WIT)
• Laser: Interstitial laser coagulation (ILC) , holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), and photoselective vaporization (PVP)

Patients who receive these procedures are more likely to need surgery again after 5 or 10 years. However, these procedures may be a choice for:

• Younger men (many of the less-invasive procedures carry a lower risk for impotence and incontinence than TURP, although the risk with TURP is not very high)
• Elderly patients
• Patients with severe medical conditions, including uncontrolled diabetes, cirrhosis, alcoholism, psychosis, and serious lung, kidney, or heart disease
• Men who are taking blood-thinning drugs

Men who have had BPH for long time with slowly worsening symptom may develop:

• Sudden inability to urinate
• Urinary tract infections
• Urinary stones
• Damage to the kidneys
• Blood in the urine

BPH may come back over time even after having surgery.

The Cost of Prostate Enlargement Surgeries Worldwide:

The average cost of a TURP procedure in the United States is roughly between $5,000 and $6,000, (without including urologist and anesthesiologist fees). For those men who are traveling abroad for TURP - to India, the procedure can cost around $3,000, while trained and certified urologists in Thailand, Costa Rica or Croatia charge an average of around $3,500. In Mexico TURP prices is around $2,800.

The cost of prostatectomy procedures will depend on the type of surgical approach. USA prices of radical prostatectomy may be as much as $10,000, though cost may vary depending on geographical location. Robotic technologies such as da Vinci may cost up to $24,000.  However, medical travelers to Mexico, Thailand or India may save up to 50% of costs, paying an average of $4,000 for non- robotic prostate removal, while patients in Turkey may pay approximately $6,000 for the same procedure.

The cost of HoLEP can be significantly higher compared to TURP, averaging just over $11,000 depending on the location of the facility. Because the treatment is not yet mainstream, a handful of facilities around the world perform the procedure. 

To learn more about the costs of surgery and treatments for prostate enlargement and benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH in worldwide urology health care centers click the button below and contact us.

You will receive your free quote depending on your specific condition.