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Glossary of BPH-Related Terms

Glossary

AUASS (American Urological Association Symptom Score)  The American Urological Association Symptom Score is the result of a seven-question test designed to help a doctor determine the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms in order to prescribe the best course of treatment for him. See also IPSS.

Bladder/Detrusor Decompensation – Often due to an obstruction caused by BPH / enlarged prostate, the bladder muscle or detrusor must work harder to expel urine through the partially blocked urethra. Decompensation occurs when the bladder muscle loses some or all of its ability to contract and expel urine. This is often caused by an untreated urethral obstruction. The result of a decompensated detrusor can include urinary incontinence and frequent urinary tract infections.

Bladder stones – Buildups of mineral in the urinary bladder. Learn more about Bladder Stones

BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) – The medical term for an enlarged prostate. It is one of the most common medical conditions among mature men. BPH is not cancer, but a part of the aging process that occurs when the number of prostate cells increases. The progression of BPH causes the prostate gland to compress the urethra.

Cooled ThermoTherapy™ – This is the leading office-based treatment for BPH. Urologists have used it to treat more than 225,000¹ men. A unique cooling mechanism is the key to Cooled ThermoTherapy’s safety, effectiveness and long-lasting results.

Detrusor – The muscle that makes up the bladder wall. Some men with untreated urinary obstruction caused by an enlarged prostate may begin to experience thickening of the bladder wall muscle or detrusor. This is commonly due to the bladder contracting harder and more often to push out urine past the obstruction. This thickening may result in urinary retention, a sometimes painful condition, or incontinence as the bladder reaches its capacity.

Enlarged prostate – Also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Erectile dysfunction – The inability to have or maintain an erection of the penis.

IPSS (International Prostate Symptom Score) – It is the most widely used gauge of the lower urinary tract symptoms associated with the constriction of the urethra caused by an enlarging prostate. Symptoms measured include urgency and frequency of urination, problems with urination, and nocturia (getting up at night to urinate). See AUASS.

Laser surgery – A variety of laser procedures have been introduced over the past few years as an alternative to traditional TURP.

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS) : Symptoms can include:

Symptoms Related to Bladder Emptying

  • Difficulty starting a urine stream (hesitancy and straining)
  • Decreased strength of the urine stream (weak flow)
  • Dribbling after urination
  • Feeling that the bladder is not completely empty
  • An urge to urinate again soon after urinating

Symptoms Related to Bladder Storage

  • Waking at night to urinate (nocturia)
  • Frequent urination
  • A sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate

Learn more about LUTS.

Non-surgical BPH procedures – These procedures utilize targeted heat energy and catheter technologies to destroy enlarged prostate tissue and relieve pressure on the urethra. They are performed with local anesthesia and/or oral medications in a urologist’s office or hospital outpatient setting.

Post-Void Residual (PVR) – The amount of urine left in the bladder after the patient has urinated. An elevated PVR means that too much urine remains in the bladder after voiding. In men, this may be caused by an enlarged prostate that is restricting the flow of urine.

Prostate – A gland that surrounds the neck of the bladder and the urethra in the male. It is partly muscular and partly glandular and consists of a median lobe and two lateral lobes. The gland secretes a fluid that forms part of the seminal fluid.

Prostiva® RF Therapy  Prostiva® Radio Frequency (RF) Therapy is a non-surgical, office-based prostate therapy used to treat BPH. Prostiva RF Therapy uses low level radio frequency energy to destroy enlarged prostate tissue.

Reintervention  Secondary procedures for benign prostatic hyperplasia or complications of therapy.

Retrograde Ejaculation  Ejaculation in which seminal fluid is discharged in the wrong direction, traveling up towards the bladder instead of outside the body through the urethra.

TUMT (TransUrethral Microwave Thermotherapy) – a minimally invasive, in-office BPH treatment option that utilizes microwave technology.

TUNA (TransUrethral Needle Ablation) – a minimally invasive, in-office BPH treatment option utilizing radio frequency technology.

TURP (TransUrethral Resection of the Prostate) – is the most common surgical BPH procedure. The inner portion of the prostate is surgically removed.

Urethra – A lumen for the discharge of urine extending from the bladder to the outside of the body.

Urinary incontinence – The involuntary discharge of urine. Learn more about urinary incontinence.

Urinary retention – Inability to empty the bladder.

Urinary tract infection – Any infection of any of the organs of the urinary tract. Learn more about urinary tract infections.

1 Data on file at Urologix, LLC.