UroLift System for BPH Procedure

To learn more about Urolift directly from the company's website, please click the button below

What is UroLift?

Urolift is a new, minimally invasive treatment that alleviates BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) symptoms. It delivers immediate results, rapid symptom relief, preservation of sexual function, quick return to normal activity, small likelihood of a catheter placed after the operation, and an increased quality of life.

Figure 1: The mechanism of Urolift device, figure from Urolift

Urolift was cleared by the F.D.A in 2013. It was designed to open the prostatic urethra (the inside of the prostate) without applying incisions (cuts), surgical resection (scraping of prostate), or thermal ablation (heating) to the prostate. The Doctor places small, permanent implants into the prostate to lift and hold the enlarged tissue out of the way, relieving pressure on the urethra and allowing the urine to flow.
The obstructed prostate lobes are pushed aside by small UroLift permanent implants. The implants hold the lobes out of the way like tiebacks on a window curtain.

Benefits:

The UroLift System treatment has consistently demonstrated an excellent safety profile.
Perioperatively, UroLift typically requires lighter anesthesia (either local anesthesia and oral sedation or intravenous conscious sedation) than TURP or laser (typically general anesthesia)
Bleeding is much less than TURP (transurethral resection of prostate)
Postoperative catheterization has been shown to be 30%-35% (compared to standard protocol for TURP) with a mean duration of 0.9 days (compared to 1-5 days for TURP)
Preservation of sexual function. In all studies to date, there has been 0% incidence of de novo, sustained erectile dysfunction or ejaculatory dysfunction

Alternatives, though they may not be as beneficial as the UroLift System:

Most common adverse events include:

Immediate healing response and tissue inflammation may occur
Urinary retention
Routine catheterization for days
4-6 weeks of irritant voiding symptoms
Potential permanent sexual dysfunction
- Erectile dysfunction
- Retrograde ejaculation- dry orgasm
Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved in 2-4 weeks.
Urge incontinence (leakage of urine with urgent need to urinate)

Your urologist will do tests to make sure the anatomy (configuration) of your prostate does not have a median lobe (a lobe in the middle of the prostate) and size of your prostate is not very large before doing a Urolift.

You should let your doctor know of any and all allergies and medications that you are currently taking including over the counter medications such as: aspirin, Ibuprofen, naproxen, blood thinners (you should ask your doctor when you should stop blood thinner before the operation).
You should take antibiotics before the procedure, as prescribed by your doctor. You should use a Fleet Enema (medication to be instilled into your rectum to increase bowel movement and cleanse the rectum) as directed by your doctor (usually a few hours before the procedure).
Normally, when the procedure is performed under local anesthesia, you can have a light breakfast and/or light lunch.
It is usually recommended that you have someone to drive you to and from the procedure.

If you are taking any medications (you should stop Aspirin immediately)
The primary contraindication to UroLift is an obstructive or protruding median lobe of the prostate. Additional contraindications can be found in the UroLift System Instructions for use

You have a fever >101F (we also recommend going to the emergency room for immediate treatment)
You are unable to urinate
You have severe bleeding with thick blood like ketchup.