Transurethral resection of the prostate - When it's necessary
- Introduction
- When it's necessary
- Who can use it
- How it is performed
- Recovering from surgery
- Risks of surgery
- Alternatives to surgery
- Advantages-and-disadvantages
- Expertview
A transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is usually recommended for prostate enlargement that is causing problematic urinary symptoms and fails to respond to treatment with medication.
The severity of urinary symptoms from prostate enlargement is assessed based on problems with your normal pattern of urination.
You may experience some or all of the following problems at least half the time you try to urinate:
- problems starting to urinate
- a weak urine flow or stopping and starting
- having to push or strain to pass urine
- a frequent need to urinate
- waking up frequently during the night to urinate (nocturia)
- a sudden urge to urinate, which can result in incontinence if you are unable to find a toilet quickly enough (urge incontinence)
- being unable to empty your bladder fully
The first treatment option for problematic urinary symptoms from prostate enlargement is medication, such as:
- finasteride or dutasteride – which help to reduce the size of the prostate
- alpha blockers – which help relax the muscles of your bladder, making urination easier
These medications do not work for everyone because the degree of prostate enlargement is often too large to be controlled using medication. If this is the case, a transurethral resection of the prostate is usually recommended.
The procedure may also be recommended if you develop a complication from not being able to empty your bladder fully. Examples are:
- repeated urinary tract infections
- repeatedly passing large amount of blood in your urine
- kidney failure (loss of normal kidney function)
- bladder stones
- difficulty with fully emptying the bladder
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