Enlarged prostate treatment in Snellville, built around what bothers you

Signs men tell us about

• Needing to go often or urgently, and more at night
• Trouble getting started, or a stream that’s weak or starts and stops
• Dribbling after you think you’re done
• Feeling the bladder never fully empties
• Urinary infections, blood in the urine, or being unable to urinate

Size and symptoms don’t always line up. Some men with mild enlargement have strong symptoms; others with a large gland notice little. Other problems can look similar, such as an infection, an inflamed prostate, a narrowed urethra, bladder stones or prostate cancer, and some cold and allergy medicines can make symptoms worse. That’s why we look for the cause before choosing a treatment.

Starting with lifestyle and medicines

Small changes can help: tapering drinks in the evening, a few hours before you turn in, cutting back on caffeine and alcohol, a regular bathroom schedule, staying active, and pelvic floor exercises. Medicines are a mainstay of BPH care; some relax the prostate and others shrink it. Our urologists match the choice to your symptoms and overall health and adjust it over time.

When a procedure makes sense

If symptoms stay troublesome, there are procedures, and the right one depends on prostate size, bladder function, your health and your priorities. Options offered at Advanced Urology include:

• UroLift, small implants that hold prostate tissue out of the way
• Prostate artery embolization (PAE), done by an interventional radiologist through a needle puncture at the wrist or groin
• Aquablation, a robotic water-jet approach
• TURP, transurethral resection of the prostate
• HoLEP and ThuLEP, laser enucleation for a range of prostate sizes, including larger glands
• Robotic simple prostatectomy for some very large glands

Each option, and any anesthesia, comes with its own trade-offs and alternatives; we talk through yours before anything is booked. Many procedures are done in the Snellville surgery center.

UroLift for an enlarged prostate

With UroLift, our urologists place tiny implants through the urethra that hold the enlarged lobes of the prostate apart, opening the channel for urine. It’s done in our Snellville surgery center with anesthesia, and it’s an option for many men whose prostate is under about 80 grams; larger glands usually do better with another approach. In the first week or two, burning with urination, more frequent urination and mild blood in the urine are common and usually settle. Most men are back at work within a day or two. If it doesn’t help enough, the implants can be removed and a different procedure done. Read more on UroLift at Advanced Urology.

A closer look at HoLEP and ThuLEP

Dr. Moshe Shapiro walks through how laser enucleation works, what recovery involves and the changes to expect, including to ejaculation. Read the HoLEP & ThuLEP guide.