UroLift for BPH

What Is UroLift?

UroLift was FDA-approved in 2013 as a new surgical treatment for BPH.  Unlike the TURP or Greenlight XPS™ laser PVP, which hollow out a channel inside the prostate, UroLift involves small implants deployed into the prostate to open up the urinary channel and "tent" the prostate open.  UroLift can be performed under local anesthesia (numbing medicine) in Dr. Hong's office without being put to sleep.  Urolift can also be performed under "twilight" anesthesia in Dr. Hong's office.  Once a patient is comfortable, Dr. Hong deploys several small implants (8 mm long) into the prostatic urethra (the channel through which you urinate), which then anchor to keep the prostate open.  

The entire UroLift procedure takes 5-10 minutes and does not require a Foley catheter, or tube in the bladder, to stay in afterwards.  Pain and discomfort are minimal, though you should expect a few days of blood in the urine and some irritation when urinating.  A major advantage of UroLift over the TURP or Greenlight surgeries is the quick recovery time, only a few days rather than weeks.  Another major advantage is that there is minimal effect on sexual function, especially ejaculations.  TURP and Greenlight procedures can result in "retrograde ejaculations", or when the semen shoots into the bladder upon orgasm instead of coming out the penis resulting in "dry ejaculations."  UroLift avoids this effect in more than 90% of cases.  So if your ability to preserve ejaculations is important to you, for example if you are considering fathering a child, then UroLift may be your best surgical option.  

Patient Benefits

Results using UroLift are better than with medical therapy alone.  Most times, patients currently taking medical therapy for BPH, such as Flomax or finasteride, will be able to come off medical therapy after UroLift.  We do not expect UroLift results to be as dramatic as with the Greenlight laser or with TURP, but the results are expected to be significantly noticeable and durable.  

Additional treatment benefits include:

• Immediate results
• Short recovery time
• Minimal sexual dysfunction
• Minimal discomfort
• Minimized need for anesthesia, can be done with just local anesthesia
• Minimized bleeding
• No need for catheterization after surgery
• Outpatient procedure, can be done in the office
• More cost effective than TURP 
• Suitable for patients on blood thinners

Dr. Hong is one of the few doctors in the country who offers UroLift in his office, and can be done with local or sedative anesthesia.  His unparalleled level of experience allows him to provide in-office services with the same safety and efficiency that you would receive in a hospital setting. At the same time, the co-pay is much more affordable in the office than that required at a hospital, if you so choose to have UroLift in the office.

Schedule an Appointment

The UroLift procedure is safe and effective.  Contact us today to learn more about UroLift Technology, or to schedule an appointment with us.