Dr. Michael Safir Southern California Center For Advanced Urology

Treating BPH

The severity of your BPH symptoms is a major factor in determining treatment. However, the physical condition of your prostate, which is evaluated during Dr. Safir’s diagnosis, is also important; for example, very large prostates may respond better to certain treatments than others.

Non-surgical BPH treatments

Milder cases of BPH may be treated with medication. There are generally three main classes of oral medications used to treat BPH:

• Alpha-blockers – to reduce obstruction and improve urine flow.
• Anticholinergics – to treat symptoms of overactive bladder like urinary urgency and frequency.
• Avodart (dutasteride) – a much newer drug to reduce DHT levels and shrink the enlarged prostate.

Why consider BPH surgery?

BPH is a physical problem - an enlarged prostate. Only surgery can permanently correct the actual physical problem. Fortunately, modern BPH surgery, as performed by Dr. Safir, is easier on the patient and more effective than ever before.

Minimally invasive BPH procedures

Today’s technology has made possible a number of minimally invasive surgical procedures for BPH treatment. With these procedures, the enlarged prostate is treated without the need for general anesthesia or hospitalization; they can be performed right in Dr. Safir’s Los Angeles area urology offices or a surgicenter next door! Major advantages include less pain and substantially reduced recovery time.

GreenLight Laser PVP

The GreenLight Laser PVP (Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate) is Dr. Safir’s preferred procedure for the treatment of BPH. This minimally invasive surgical technique has truly revolutionized BPH treatment, destroying problematic enlarged prostate tissue with heat instead of the surgeon’s scalpel.

• It is just as effective as TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate – considered the “gold standard” for BPH treatment) and more effective than any other minimally invasive procedure.
• It gives you the same immediate relief from BPH symptoms as TURP, but with much less pain, faster recovery, and without the risks of scarring, urinary incontinence, and impotence.
• The GreenLight BPH treatment is performed in an outpatient surgery center adjacent to Dr. Safir’s West Hills or Beverly Hills urology offices using general anesthesia. In most cases, the GreenLight procedure takes less than an hour.
• You can go home in a couple of hours and even go back to work within a couple of days.

BPH can also be treated with other types of lasers, microwaves, or radio-frequency (RF) energy. Dr. Safir can explain to you the different minimally invasive therapies he offers and recommend the most appropriate treatment for your individual situation.

Surgical BPH treatments

If GreenLight or other minimally invasive therapies are not an option, Dr. Safir may perform more conventional surgery, usually using one of the following techniques:

• TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate): This surgery takes about 90 minutes. You will usually stay in the hospital for a couple of days to recover. If the prostate is considered too large for GreenLight or other minimally invasive treatment, TURP is the best option.
• TUIP (transurethral incision of the prostate) is a procedure in which incisions are made in the prostate extending to the bladder neck. TUIP is a less invasive BPH treatment than TURP, and usually requires only an overnight hospital stay. It is limited to patients who have a less severe degree of prostate enlargement.

What should I do next?

You should see Dr. Safir! Click here to make an appointment, or call 1-800-DR-SAFIR today.

Dr. Michael Safir is not only a board-certified urologist; he is also a nationally-renowned urologic surgeon. He specializes in the rapidly developing field of reconstructive urology. Dr. Safir is one of only a handful of urologists worldwide to have completed separate fellowship training in reconstructive female urology surgery (at UCLA) and male genitourinary surgery (at UCSF). The American Board of Medical Specialties has just recently recognized female pelvic reconstructive surgery as a distinct subspecialty.

Dr. Safir lectures at medical conventions and seminars, and travels throughout the country training other urologists and gynecologists in the latest, advanced techniques for surgical treatment of urinary incontinence and pelvic prolapse.

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