Urology

You may be able to control BPH symptoms by making lifestyle changes such as following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Getting regular exercise. Maintaining a healthy weight. Reducing stress in your life. Limiting caffeine, alcohol and other beverages in the evening. And avoiding decongestants and antihistamines and other medications that can aggravate symptoms.

Alpha blockers relax the muscles in the bladder and prostate, making it easier to urinate. And alpha reductase inhibitors help shrink the prostate gland by blocking hormones.

GreenLight Laser Therapy is a proven treatment that has helped more than 1 million men around the world gain relief from the frustrating and life-changing symptoms of BPH. Do you have BPH? Click here to take the quiz.

What is GreenLight Laser Therapy?

GreenLight Laser Therapy uses a laser to remove excess prostate tissue. The laser treatment is delivered through a thin, flexible fiber, which is inserted into the urethra through an instrument called a cystoscope.

How does GreenLight Laser Therapy work?

A small fiber is inserted into the urethra through a cystoscope. The fiber carries laser energy that quickly removes prostate tissue. The tissue removal will allow urine to pass through freely. Natural urine flow is rapidly restored, and urinary symptoms are quickly relieved in most patients.

Do I have to stay in the hospital after a GreenLight procedure?

GreenLight Laser Therapy is generally an outpatient procedure. Typically, no overnight stay in the hospital is required, but it will depend on your individual condition.

What are the risks of GreenLight Laser Therapy?

All surgical treatments have inherent and associated risks. The GreenLight Laser System is intended for removal of soft tissue, including vaporization of the prostate for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Potential risks include irritative symptoms, bleeding, retrograde ejaculation and urinary tract infection.

How long does it take until symptoms are relieved?

Most patients experience relief of symptoms and improvement in urine flow within 24 hours of the procedure. However, medical history, your health conditions and other factors can influence treatment and recovery.¹

How soon can I return to work or normal activity?

Most patients can resume normal activities within a couple of days. Strenuous activities can be resumed within a short time.1 Your doctor will discuss any restrictions and your specific condition during your visit following your procedure.

Does the GreenLight procedure affect sexual function?

In a recent study, 86% of patients reported improved or unchanged sexual satisfaction; 14% worsened. Similar outcomes were seen for erectile function.²

Is GreenLight Laser Therapy covered by insurance?

Medicare and most private insurers cover the GreenLight Laser Therapy procedure. It is the responsibility of the patient to contact their insurance provider for specific coverage information.

How do I know if I am a candidate for GreenLight Laser Therapy?

The GreenLight procedure is generally appropriate for most symptomatic BPH patients. Your provider will assess your symptoms and desired outcomes and determine the best course of treatment for you.

Make an appointment today with Dr. Geswaldo to see if GreenLight Laser Therapy may be an option for you! Call 505.727.6200 to schedule an appointment.

This is a surgical procedure in which a surgeon removes all or part of the prostate gland through small incision(s) in the lower abdomen. The procedure may or may not involve the use of a robot.

Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy is a natural alternative to surgery. Rezūm Therapy treats the source of BPH — your enlarged prostate. This short, in-office procedure uses the natural energy stored in a few drops of water to shrink the prostate so urine can flow freely. There are no incisions, no general anesthesia, and most patients return to regular activities within a few days. And it preserves sexual function.

During each 9-second treatment, sterile water vapor is released throughout the targeted prostate tissue. When the steam contacts the prostate tissue, all the stored energy is released into the tissue. Your doctor will determine the amount of treatments you need, based on the size of your prostate.

Over time, your body’s natural healing response absorbs the treated tissue, shrinking the prostate. With the extra tissue removed, the urethra opens, reducing BPH symptoms.

Most patients begin to experience symptom relief in as soon as two weeks, and maximum benefit may occur within three months. Patient responses can and do vary.

Who might benefit from Rezūm water vapor therapy?

Rezūm Therapy may be an option for those who have given up on watchful waiting and lifestyle changes, men who are dissatisfied with, have stopped or don’t want to start taking BPH medications, and men not interested in other minimally invasive or surgical BPH procedures.

For years, the primary options for treating BPH were through medications or invasive surgery. Rezūm Therapy is a natural, in-office therapy option for men who do not want to take medication or are dissatisfied with medication symptom relief and want to avoid invasive surgery or implants to treat their BPH.

Market research indicates that preserving sexual function is a priority for men when it comes to BPH treatments. Clinical studies show Rezūm Therapy treats the cause of BPH symptoms while preserving sexual function.

Rezūm Therapy can be performed in a short visit at our office, clinic or another outpatient setting. This treatment is considered a covered benefit by Medicare and most private insurance. Patients should verify their benefits with their insurance company in advance of the scheduled procedure.

Clinical studies show that most men experience symptom relief as soon as two weeks after treatment with Rezūm Therapy, and maximum benefit may occur within three months^. Most men can return to regular activities within a few days of the procedure. As with any procedure, patient responses can vary.

Make an appointment today to see if Rezūm may be an option for you! Call 505.727.6200 to schedule an appointment.

Some men with BPH have found success with over-the-counter nutritional supplements such as saw palmetto, beta-sitosterol and pygeum to alleviate symptoms. It’s best to talk to your doctor before you begin any supplements.

TURP is the most common surgery to treat BPH. During this procedure, patients undergo general anesthesia, and prostate tissue is removed. TURP is often considered the “gold standard” for long-term results.

After prostate tissue has been removed, the body needs time to heal. The remaining prostate tissue may actually swell and become inflamed before the desired shrinking effect occurs. Patients may suffer an uncomfortable recovery period that includes short-term problems
such as bleeding, infection, erectile dysfunction, and urinary incontinence. Patients have to
have a catheter that is attached to a urine bag inserted into their bladder for several days after the procedure.

Symptom relief may not occur immediately, but lasts for a long time in many patients once it does occur.

There can be long-term side effects after TURP such as dry orgasm (retrograde ejaculation), erectile dysfunction or incontinence (leaking of urine).

The UroLift System treatment is a revolutionary, minimally invasive approach to treating an enlarged prostate, or BPH, that lifts or holds the enlarged prostate tissue out of the way so it no longer blocks the urethra. There is no cutting, heating or removal of prostate tissue.

Clinical data has shown that the UroLift System treatment is safe and effective in relieving lower urinary tract symptoms due to BPH without compromising sexual function. The goal of the UroLift System treatment is to relieve symptoms so you can get back to your life and resume your daily activities.

Most common side effects are light blood in the urine, some pain or discomfort when urinating, some increased urge to go and discomfort in the pelvis that typically resolve within two to four weeks after the procedure.

Advantages of the UroLift System:

• Rapid symptom relief, better than reported for medications
• Risk profile better than reported for surgical procedures such as TURP
• Preservation of sexual function
• Return to normal activity in days not months
• Increased quality of life
• No ongoing BPH medications
• 19 clinical study publications; 4 years published clinical data

How the UroLift works:

The UroLift System treatment is a straightforward procedure that is performed by a urologist. The urologist places tiny implants to hold the prostate lobes apart, like open curtains on a window, to relieve compression on the urethra. This allows urine to flow normally again. The UroLift System treatment can be done in the physician’s office under local anesthesia. Typically, patients return home the same day without a catheter.²