Dr. John M. Filtes, MD

During angioplasty, a patient is given a sedative while lying on a table under an x-ray machine. A catheter (a thin, flexible, and hollow tube) is inserted into the patient's skin in the arm or groin and guided into the blocked artery. Dye is injected via the catheter, and x-rays are used to position the tip of the catheter exactly at the blockage. The tiny balloon is guided through the catheter and inflated with saline. It pushes the plaque out of the way, squishing it against the walls of the artery. The balloon may be inflated and deflated several times to let blood pass by. A stent, a tiny tube of metal mesh like a spring, may be inserted to help keep the artery open. Then the x-ray is used again to check that blood is flowing properly, the catheter is removed, and the tiny incision is bandaged.

There are no nerves within veins and arteries, so an angioplasty is generally not painful. However, there may be some discomfort at the site of the incision and when the balloon is inflated. Overall, angioplasty is a very effective and low-risk procedure, useful for helping patients avoid more difficult bypass surgery.

Medication can relieve mild to moderate symptoms of BPH, such as frequent urination, incomplete bladder emptying, a weak urine stream, and straining while urinating. However, other forms of treatment may be more appropriate if an individual has pain with urination, frequent urinary tract infections, or is unable to urinate. The size of the prostate and the severity of their symptoms will determine the type of treatment they need. If the prostate is not very large, doctors will likely recommend a transurethral procedure. This minimally invasive technique involves the insertion of a scope into the urethra. The most common transurethral procedures for BPH are:

• Transurethral incision of the prostate or TUIP, where the surgeon uses the scope to make small cuts in the area of the prostate that meets the bladder. These cuts will open up the pathway for urine and allow it to flow with more ease.
• Transurethral needle ablation or TUNA, where needles are inserted through the scope and into the prostate. The needles use radiofrequency waves to destroy excess prostate tissue.
• Laser prostate ablation, where lasers pass through the scope to melt away the part of the prostate causing urine blockage.
• Transurethral resection of the prostate or TURP, where the inside of the prostate is trimmed and removed one tiny piece at a time using the scope.

If the prostate is too big for a transurethral procedure, an individual may need a simple prostatectomy, which can be done in one of three ways: laparoscopic, robotic, or open. During a laparoscopic simple prostatectomy, a surgeon makes several small incisions on the belly. Then they insert a long tube with a camera into one of the cuts and surgical instruments into the others. Using the camera to see inside the belly, they carefully removes the enlarged part of the prostate. Robotic simple prostatectomy uses the same techniques as the laparoscopic method, but the surgery is done with the help of a robot. For men with very large prostates, open simple prostatectomy may be the best treatment option. This surgery differs from the other approaches in that it requires a much larger incision.

Most transurethral treatments for BPH, like TUIP, TUNA, and laser prostate ablation, are done in the doctor's office or outpatient surgery center. TURP and simple prostatectomy, however, need to be performed in the hospital and require an average stay of one to three days. Patients should wait a week before doing any strenuous activities after a TUIP, TUNA, or laser prostate ablation, and about four to six weeks after a TURP or simple prostatectomy. Although these treatments improve BPH symptoms for most patients, it is important to be aware of the risks involved, such as urine control issues, tightening of the urethra, and erectile dysfunction.

Although biopsy is most often associated with cancer, it can also be used to check for other diseases, such as infections. A biopsy sample can be scraped, cut, collected with a needle, taken with a machine that punches out a tiny piece, or removed with the tiny tools in an endoscope.

In most cases, a biopsy is a simple outpatient procedure. Depending on the procedure, patients may need to stop taking certain medications beforehand, such as blood thinners. It is important for patients to tell doctors if they are pregnant, as certain biopsies require the use of x-rays to guide the needle to the right location. There is usually very little pain associated with a biopsy. Patients will have to wait a few days to hear the results.