What happens immediately after an MIT or surgical procedure?

• After a minimally invasive procedure, you will be given fluids to drink and will be asked to remain at the clinic or hospital until you urinate (this can take between a few minutes to a few hours). In some cases your doctor may decide to insert a catheter to ensure your comfort. The catheter may need to stay in place for one to three days.
• After a surgical procedure, you will need to stay in hospital for three to five days. Your doctor will insert a catheter to clean and drain the bladder. This catheter will stay in place for three to five days during your hospital stay.

How soon can you expect relief of your BPH symptoms?

The time needed before relief of symptoms depends on the treatment chosen:

• Medications vary from a few days to a few months depending on the medication used.
• Minimally Invasive Therapies may take 2 to 6 weeks to significantly improve your symptoms and 3 to 6 months to improve the uroflow.
• Surgery may take 2 to 6 weeks to significantly improve your symptoms and uroflow.

The effectiveness of treatment may vary from one person to another.

Potential Complications

Unfortunately, incontinence, impotence and retrograde ejaculation are possible complications of all BPH treatments. The severity, frequency and reversibility of these complications vary with the treatment chosen:

• Surgery can lead to severe and irreversible complications, such as incontinence and sexual side effects.
• With oral medication, complications are usually mild, but reversible if the treatment is discontinued.
• Minimally Invasive Therapies generally have a low rate of severe and irreversible complications.

Sexual side effects

Any intervention on the prostate has potential sexual side effects, such as retrograde ejaculation and impotence. Depending on the type of treatment, the risk of such complications goes from very low with some Minimally Invasive Therapies to very high with surgery (TURP).

Overview of treatment options