New and innovative techniques that help in preserving sexual function for men who are undergoing surgical therapy for an enlarged prostate continue to emerge. Those techniques have been a significant contribution to our field, particularly for men who wish to preserve their ejaculatory function but may not be candidates for less invasive approaches. Preservation of ejaculation often gets viewed in a positive light by the patients and their partners, and for many men, that factor weighs heavily when they review all their options for BPH. Two of the newer techniques have been providing a significant improvement in the sparing of men's ejaculatory function when compared with the traditional technique for Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (or TURP). Those techniques have been providing comparable improvements in both symptoms and quality of life. In this episode, Dr. Pohlman reviews the two ejaculate-preserving TURP techniques. Stay tuned for more!

Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), also called Prostate Gland Enlargement, is a common condition for many men as they get older. About half of all men between the ages of fifty-one and sixty have BPH. And up to ninety percent of men over eighty have BPH. It is important to understand that BPH is a benign or non-cancerous condition, which means that it does not lead to prostate cancer. Even so, BPH and prostate cancer can co-exist simultaneously. That means that men getting evaluated for BPH should also get screened for prostate cancer when appropriate. 

As a urologist, Dr. Pohlman feels very fortunate to be practicing in an era with new advances in technology that allow him to better care for his patients who are suffering from an enlarged prostate. Be sure to listen in today to hear about the new and innovative techniques that help preserve sexual function for men undergoing surgical therapy for an enlarged prostate.

Disclaimer: The Prostate Health Podcast is for informational purposes only. Nothing in this podcast should be construed as medical advice. By listening to the podcast, no physician-patient relationship has been formed. For more information and counseling, you must contact your personal physician or urologist with questions about your unique situation.

Show highlights:

• Dr. Pohlman explains what happens when the prostate enlarges with age.
• Dr. Pohlman shares some of the more common urinary symptoms that occur when the prostate enlarges with age.
• Dr. Pohlman discusses one of the driving factors for a paradigm shift in the treatment of BPH.
• Dr. Pohlman explains what retrograde ejaculation is and how it affects men.
• Retrograde ejaculation can also result from medication used to treat enlargement of the prostate.
• Many men have been shifting to MIST therapies that have no risk of retrograde ejaculation. Dr. Pohlman discusses some of those therapies.
• Dr. Pohlman explains why retrograde ejaculation can result from the TURP procedure.
• Dr. Pohlman talks about how the theory that the bladder neck musculature needs to contract for the process to work normally, has been challenged.
• Dr. Pohlman reviews two ejaculate-preserving TURP techniques, both of which he has incorporated into his practice.

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You can access Dr. Pohlman’s free mini webinar, where he discusses his top three tips to promote men’s prostate health, longevity, and quality of life here.

Articles:

Ejaculatory Preserving Middle Lobe Onl-Transurethral Resection and Vaporization of the Prostate: 12-Year Experience

Ejaculation-Preserving Transurethral Resection of Prostate and Bladder Neck: Short- and Long-Term Results of a New Innovative Resection Technique