Joliet urologist offers new treatment for enlarged prostate

JOLIET – Half of men have enlarged prostate glands by their mid-50s, and virtually all those older than age 70 have them.

The trouble begins when the gland gets large enough that it begins to block the urethra, which is the tube urine passes through on its way out of the body, or pushes up on the bladder.

The condition is benign prostate hyperplasia, which also can cause problems with ejaculation.

Having BPH can be infuriating at best.

But Joliet urologist Dr. Gregory Andros, of Advanced Urology Associates, said he’s been using a new procedure to correct BPH called UroLift and is getting better results than he has seen with other nonsurgical methods of treatment.

Andros’ clinic was just named a Center of Excellence by UroLift in using the procedure to treat men with BPH – the first clinic in the Midwest and the Great Lakes region to be honored with the designation.

One of his patients, Mark Cullen, of Joliet, said he underwent the procedure last fall and is thrilled with it. He even recommended it to a family member, whom he said also had successful results.

“I’ve had trouble the last five years,” said Cullen, 59. “It made it almost impossible to pee. This disease is terrible.”

Men who have the condition, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, can experience a strong and sudden urge to urinate, a slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream, dribbling at the end of urination, an inability to urinate, incomplete emptying of the bladder, incontinence and having to get up several times a night to urinate.

Before the procedure, Cullen said, he had trouble getting urination started. Once it began, it was not a good stream, and then it would suddenly stop. He related it to a real-life home repair situation, where plumbing valves are difficult to turn on and off. Now, he said, the problem is gone.

“It feels like you are using a new set of valves,” Cullen said. “It’s easier to turn them on and off.”

Cullen said he was put on medications for enlarged prostate at first, but when they didn’t work satisfactorily, Andros recommended the new procedure.

The prostate gland is part of the reproductive system and makes up the fluid portion of semen. The gland goes through a couple of growth phases – one during puberty, when it doubles in size, and another that begins around the age of 25 and continues throughout life.

In a man’s 50s, Andros said, the prostate can begin pushing up on the bladder and squeezing in on the urethra. Medications can be effective to relieve symptoms of BPH, he said, but many times they have side effects patients do not like.

There are many minimally invasive procedures used to treat the condition as well, Andros said, but they also can have side effects or are not as effective as they should be.

“When you see multiple different treatments for one condition,” Andros said, “it usually means they’re not that good.”

He began learning about UroLift a few years ago and has performed the procedure in his office for more than two years. The procedure uses implants made of a suture material that loop around the prostate gland and physically pull it away from the urethra and the bladder, allowing a good flow of urine and semen.

Patients are put in an intravenous “twilight” with propofal for the 30-minute outpatient procedure, and when they wake up, Andros said, they are comfortable. He advises a couple of days of taking things easy after the procedure before patients return to their daily lives.

The differences Andros has seen in his patients after UroLift include improved urinary streams and strengths, reduced nocturea and a more complete emptying of the bladder, among other improvements.

The men are able to sleep through the night, travel easier, have less leakage and enjoy a better quality of life and health in general, Andros said.

Men are not eligible for the procedure if the size of their prostate is more than 80 grams or if their bladder has become too thickened, among other reasons.

Most insurers cover UroLift, Andros said, and Medicare does as well.

“Men that have an enlarged prostate should not ignore their symptoms,” Andros said. “Intervening early gives better outcomes.”