It’s a health problem that is both widespread and difficult to treat: 8 in 10 older men in the U.S. suffer from an enlarged prostate.
Until now, most conventional treatments for the condition – also known as prostatic hyperplasia or BPH – have been iffy at best.
Either they don’t work, they have devastating side effects, or both.
But a new minimally invasive outpatient treatment can relieve common BPH symptoms at least as effectively as other treatments while almost completely avoiding their troubling complications.
After extensive clinical trials, the UroLift System was approved by the FDA in September of 2013. It has been used in Europe for several years.
Many men instinctively recoil from any procedure that touches their prostate, including the digital rectal exam that’s part of an annual physical, says Paul Perito, M.D., a Miami-based urologist who has performed 40-50 UroLift System procedures.
But once they see how simple and safe it is, their reservations usually vanish, Dr. Perito tells Newsmax Health.
“I’ve got guys lining up and saying, ‘Let’s do it! Let’s get it done right now!”
Because BPH can constrict the urethra – the tube that drains urine from the body – it produces bothersome urinary symptoms that can make a man miserable.
Sufferers frequently feel the need to urinate, which interferes with sleep and other activities. They also often have a difficult time urinating and have a sense of being unable to empty the bladder completely.
Conventional treatments all have major drawbacks. They include medications such as alpha blockers and alpha reductase inhibitors, thermotherapies and laser treatments which destroy prostate tissue, and transurethral resection surgery of the prostate (TURP).
Widely considered the “gold standard,” TURP involves the surgical removal of prostate tissue.
Unfortunately, all of these treatments have serious side effects. Medications can cause dizziness, headaches, or sexual dysfunction without providing any significant relief.
Thermotherapies, laser treatments, and TURP often have long recovery times and irreversible side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, and retrograde ejaculation (dry orgasm).
Faced with such dismal prospects, many older men simply choose to suffer with BPH.
The UroLift System involves the insertion of a tiny scope through the tip of the penis, which is then guided through the urethra to the prostate.
During this short procedure, which can be performed in as little as two minutes, the surgeon places thin polyester implants around both sides of the prostate to draw tissue away from the urethra.
The implants acts like window curtain tie-backs to relieve pressure on the urethra and restore normal urinary function.
The procedure involves no destruction of tissue. Minor side effects such as urinary urgency generally subside within two to four weeks, and patients are free to resume sexual activity as soon as they feel ready, says Dr. Perito.
So far, the UroLift System has not been associated with any cases of serious complications, he says.
Most men with mild-to-moderate BPH are good candidates for the procedure. However, the FDA recommends against performing the procedure on men whose prostates weigh 80 or more grams.
At present, it’s unknown if Urolift is a permanent solution. But Dr. Perito says it’s possible that the pressure from the implants may actually help shrink the prostate over time.
If you think you may be a candidate for the UroLift System, talk to your doctor. So far, about 20 urologists nationwide have been trained to perform the procedure. But that number is quickly increasing as more urologists enroll in the training program, according to the system’s manufacturer.
The full version of this article appeared in Health Radar newsletter. To read more, click here.
© 2025 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.