The Urolift procedure; patient views and questions

It's interesting how the approaches to the procedure vary. I had it done here in Arizona in July. It was  an 'in-office' procedure that, once the vallium and Oxycodone kicked in, took all of 15 minutes after which I left with no cath and was playing golf less two weeks later. 

 I had not heard  the caveat about subsequent laser procedure but the little card they gave me specifies to any radiologist,  the maximum settings for MRI machinery to avoid the implants from heating up too much.   I just got back from a two week vacation in the EU where we had 10 hour plane trips two hour train and car rides all handled very well, a feat that I would not even have attempted 6 months ago. I'm now 2 months post procedure and very happy with the outcome

Best to you. 

Bill in AZ

Hi John,

I had mine done in the UK at The Countess of Chester hospital on 14th September on the NHS. It is available now but probably only at a limited number of hospitals. It was the first batch done by Mr Awsare there, but he had a mentor from either Bristol or Bath to guide him on the first day. If you check around I am sure you'll find an NHS hospital closer to you that can do the procedure.

Hope this helps.

John.

Hi Bill, Great news ,keep it up.I have to do a cystocopy and prostate ultra sound ,to see if i quailfy for uro lift?Did you have to do these tests also.

I;m in Chicago 3 urologists here just started doing Uro Lift.I don't feel comfortable with this. At 87 years  i don' know if this or GL is the way the go.

You said you just had this done in July,2016,I wonder of age has something to do with this procedure??

thanks for the info?

Frank,

Yes, an evaluation should be done. Not everyone is a candidate.  My cyctoscopy was used to determine prostate size as well as configuration. The manufacturer discourages the use of the product based on the size of the prostate as well as if there is what's called a 'median lobe'.  Be sure to speak to the Urologist about these aspects and drill for answers if the person finds the prostate 'a bit large' or finds the presence of a median lobe but feels that they still 'pull it off'. A considerable number of posts here, where the result was somewhat less than satisfactory, also have the notation that, 'well he said it was a bit large' or there's a bit of median lobe' but he went ahead. The manufactuer has these cautions for a reason.

They may also go beyond the prostate into the bladder. In my case, I had had retention issues and they want to understand the bladder condition.  I'm not real up on all of it but it sounded like there is a point where, if stretching has occurred, they want to understand the degree because if it's too much, the bladder might not 'recover' and PVR would be larger than they'd like. A view into the bladder also would note that you were clear of anything like tumours etc.

They may have more considerations than I've noted here based on other health concerns you may have but that was about it for me. In a report issued a bit ago, it's been reported that 86% if recipients were still good at 4 years. 14% had something happen.  

Personally, I'm hoping for 10 years. No telling what advancements will be made by then. 

Hope things work out for you.

Bill in AZ

 

THanks very much for this info!!

rank have the uro-lift  It may help you and you will not have to have a surgery  Ken

Hi Bill Thanks for that info. DId you have complete rentention?My bladder was stretched  also. After 5 months on foley catheter PVR once a month,still taken Avordart,and flomax,i still have retention. I started self cath 2 weeks ago. Are you happy with the Uro Lift procedure?

thanks Bill for this info. 

I had only one 'acute retentive episode' where I went to an ER and was cathed to relieve it. I had been on flomax for about 4+ years. It was that episode that started my research into various solutions. I liked what I was reading about Urolift and found a doctor here that was doing them. I had an evluation and was considered a candidate. It was done in July. So far I am happy with the result.  Before,  everything I did was done with   factoring in the bathroom stop need. That is gone.

I'm not sure about the bladder issues and how they relate to Urolift candidacy. I do know that during my evaluative cystoscopy he went in and looked at the bladder walls for evidence of stretching. How he took that into account I'm not sure.  

OK firsdt update to my last post. Urolift operation took place yesterday. 4 implants inserted. Surgeon decided no cather was neccessary which a bonus. No pain whatsoever from the actual implants. However experiencing the usual feeling of peeing battery acid, day 2 slightly less painful tahn day one so going in right direction. Switched parcetamol for Tramadol and also taking Naproxen as anti inflamatory which hoping might help the healing. Already I would say im peeing less than I was as would usually be up 4/5 time per night. last night only twice. this morning going about once per hour. Have been told it will take some weeks for the bladder to adapt to the removal of the constriction. Will continue to report back but so far looking good.

Hi Bill,

Happy you are satisfied with your Urolift. Could you please tell us, other than your episode of acute urinary retention, what were your symptons prior to the Urolofit and what symptons of bph, if any, do you have now? If possible, a before and after IPSS score would be great. (see link below). Also, do you know what your retention was prior to the procedure and what it is now? I assume you are off Flomax these days? Have you gone into acute retention since the Urolift? Lastly, what was the size of your prostate and did you have a large median lobe?

As to the doctor looking at the walls of your bladder for stretching, it was probably part of the evaluation in that a very stretched (flaccid) bladder would probably retain urine even if the procedure itself was successful. Did he do any urodynamic testing before the operation. 

Thanks for sharing your experience. 

Jim

Hi Bill,

Forgot to add the link to the IPSS scoring in my previous post.

Here it is: https://patient.info/forums/discuss/what-is-your-international-prostate-sympton-score--453484

My symptoms for some 4-5 years were a progressive inability to 'empty' leading to more frequent need. It became a (not to funny) joke that you never passed up a bathroom or a chance to go. If I was unable to get relief as when driving a distance I would, as I called it, "get behind". At that point it could take 20 minutes of 3-4 tries to get 'empty' again...pain in the butt.  

I have mixed feelings about my situation. On the one hand, had my primary care doctor early in the progression have me see  urologist I may have had some sort of the tissue removal procedures. As it was, the 'delay' allowed this particular option to have been available.  

I don't know what my 'score' was as I never even had a PVR leading up to the procedure as I had never seen a Urologist during my BPH urinary

issues. But my prostate was just over 40cc with no median lobe. His initial assessment after the cystoscopic evaluation was three implants but during the procedure, in consultation with the manufacturer rep there too, they decided on four. I stopped tamsulosin 1 week after the procedure and have not had any problems since.  Hoping for the best now. I'm now 4+ months post procedure. 

Your take on the bladder evaluation does sound like what he was looking for now that I think about it. Don't recognize the term 'urodynamic testing '.

Hi Bill,

Sounds like you found the right procedure at the right time. 

As to the IPSS "score", you don't have to know your PVR. It's just a brief survey that takes only a couple of minutes. If you have time, it might be helpful to others to see what your score was both before the Urolift and what it is today. 

The link to the survey is in the first post of this thread here:

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/what-is-your-international-prostate-sympton-score--453484

Again, glad things are working out for you.

Jim

John  Im glad these are doing good for you make sure you drink alot of water.  It will get better  Uro-lift almost 2 years ago  Take care  Ken

Looking at the survey I would say about a 28-31 on it as I recall things.

Hi John, First i want to thank you for showing me how to self cath. I am so glad to hear the Uro Lift has been good to you. Were you able to urinate without self cath before the Uro Lift? I have this problem.Thanks for all your info.

looking forward to your reply!!

Update - 1 week post urolift. Pain when urinating continued to reduce throughout the week after 5/6 days i would describe discomfort as negligable. Thanks to Ken for advice to drink a lot of water. My consultant had not mentioned same but found similar advice on another website suggesting 1.5-2 litres of water per day. It has certainly helped to speed things up and i think ease the urinating pain. I have to say I have not been consious of any discomfort whatsoever from the implants at any time. Blood only present in urine for first 24 hours or so. My early optimism regarding reduction in frequency was however misplaced. Am am urinating at about same frequesncy as I was prior operations, ie 3/5 time during the night and about every hour throughout the day. Still taking the Tamsulosin (Flomax) as directed by my consultant, will continue with same for 4-6 weeks to aid recovery. Also taking a dose of naproxen each day as anti inflamatory. Weeks course of Anto biotics now completed. I am now hoping that my emptying of the bladder will improve and become more efficient reducing the frequency of urinating, which for me was the reason for undergoing the surgery. 

Hi John, Your Urologist sounds great. Urolift could last up to to 10 years. At 87 i wonder if their is an age limit to Uro Lift? By now i assume you had the Uro Lift. I hope all went well.

 

Hi John,

While your increased water intake may well help with pain, it may be causing you more frequent urination. Also, of course, your prostate has been insulted, and you can expect it to take a while for the swelling to subside.

Neal

Update 3 weeks after Urolift. Everything settled down. Urinating maybe once at night max twice which better than prior operation (4/5 times)

About to start up Gym and cycling again. So far all good.

Jim, I sent several messages to -bruce81068 regarding the name of the Dr at U.I.C that did his Uro Lift. I live in chicago .He doesn't answer my messages. Can you tell me how to send a private message to him,on this fforum?

Thanks

frank,

Find one of Bruce's posts and click on his name. That will take you to a profile page and you will see his name again on top of that page. Right under it you will see "message". Click on "message" and a form will open up so you can send him a  private message.

Jim

I saw a few of his post  he had it done somewhere else not in chicago..  I'm going to see if my doctor know anyone in chicago for you to go see  I will let you know  Ken . 

hi, Ftank!  I'm sorry uou haven't been able to reach me.  I don't live in Chicago.  My Urolift was done in Dayton, Ohio.  i have just moved to Columbus, but I don't have a urologist here.

Hi Bill I live in AZ. Who did your Urolift?

Hi Paul,

I'm in The Tucson area and Mine was done by Dr. Tristan Berry in Tucson. 

Bill