A 62-year-old Bahraini resident discovered relief from a painful, intimate problem thanks to treatment at Bahrain Specialist Hospital.
The most common prostate problem for men over 50 is enlargement, also known as benign prostate hyperplasia or simply BPH, which can cause annoying symptoms including difficulty in urination, frequent urination and loss of bladder control. However, despite prostate complications being a common ailment among aging men, many patients are not comfortable discussing their condition. One such case came to the fore recently at Bahrain Specialist Hospital.
The hospital has highlighted the case of a Pakistani-Canadian national, who was suffering from enlarged prostate for a few months and bilateral hernia for a few years before he found relief through surgery.
“When he came to us, the 62-year old Bahrain resident had faced persistent difficulty in passing urine for several months,” explained Dr Krishanu Das, Consultant Adult and Paediatric Urologist and transplant surgeon at Bahrain Specialist Hospital. “He had been visiting a urology clinic for remedial measures and was on medication for many months for an enlarged prostate. But this was not effective in controlling his urinary symptoms.
“We did a detailed medical evaluation and found that surgical intervention was essential to address the prostate and hernia issues. The patient was advised [to have] a single surgery for both.
“Initially, the patient was reluctant to discuss these issues and wasn’t comfortable getting the surgery done despite the problems he had been facing. However, after an elaborate explanation, he felt at ease and was relieved of his symptoms through the most effective and advanced Holmium Laser surgery for prostate.
“Holmium laser surgery for prostate (HOLEP) is a minimally invasive treatment and a cutting-edge technology that uses high-power laser energy to remove enlarged prostate tissue. It is rapidly gaining popularity as the best option for endoscopic treatment of enlarged prostate and is widely performed in most expert centres worldwide.
“Advantages include less bleeding, shorter in hospital stay, shorter time to be on a catheter – a tube to drain urine post-surgery – fewer complications like electrolyte disturbances. It scores over other techniques of prostate surgery by removing more prostate tissue. Larger prostates can be dealt with easily using this technique and it is also an ideal technique for patients who need surgery for prostate and are on blood thinner medications and heart ailments.”
The patient also thanked the hospital, crediting Dr Krishanu Das for giving him the comfort level to discuss his condition and the confidence to undergo the surgery. He further thanked the staff for their support and technical expertise that helped make the surgery a success.
Prostate enlargement begins after 40 years and about half of men over 50 years and 90 per cent over the age of 80 are affected. The management options vary from lifestyle measures and medications to surgery in selected cases.
When the bladder does not empty completely, you become at risk for developing urinary tract infections. Other serious problems can also develop over time, including bladder stones, blood in the urine, incontinence and acute urinary retention – an inability to urinate. A sudden and complete inability to urinate is a medical emergency; you should see your doctor immediately. In rare cases, bladder and/or kidney damage can develop from BPH.
