and typically require a minimum
48-hour catheterization after sur-
gery. For that reason, a significant
percentage of these procedures
can't be done in the outpatient set-
ting.
The prostatic urethral lift proce-
dure offers a middle ground
between medication therapy and
the more invasive TURP. Men who
are on medications, but tiring of
the associated side effects, can opt
to undergo the lift procedure to
get off the therapy.
Although the lift isn't quite as
effective as TURP in terms of
increasing urinary flow rates,
patients recover quickly and return
to normal life activities within three
to five days. Two-thirds of patients
don't need to be catheterized after
the procedure. Half of my patients
with enlarged prostates undergo
the TURP procedure and half
undergo the lift (I perform about 10
per month). Men with large
prostates might require the more
invasive TURP procedure, but
those with moderate sized or a
smaller symptomatic prostate are
1 0 2 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 2 0
• FLOW RATE Surgeons place a series of small implants
to open the prostatic urethra.
