Men in the MDI region suffering from an enlarged prostate, known as benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), now have a treatment available that avoids side effects and expense of medication, and the risks associated with invasive surgery.
Urologist Surapaneni Ramanadha Rao, MD has begun offering the minimally invasive surgical procedure known as GreenLight™ Laser Therapy for BPH at Mount Desert Island Hospital. BPH, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, affects more than half of all men over the age of 60.
GreenLight™ Laser Therapy uses laser energy to remove enlarged prostate tissue. A quick, outpatient procedure, GreenLight™ Laser Therapy delivers immediate and dramatic symptom relief without the side effects or expense of medication or the risks associated with invasive surgery.
“Men can now have a safe and effective surgical treatment for their enlarged prostate, with a much shorter recovery period than the standard operation,” said Dr. Rao.
Although BPH is a common health problem, many men lack awareness and do not understand the condition, its symptoms, treatment solutions and overall health risks that have been linked to delaying treatment. Common symptoms of BPH including frequent urination – especially at night; weak urine flow; pain or burning during urination; and starting or stopping during urination, and they can have an impact on quality of life.
Until now, treatment for BPH has been limited to medication or an invasive surgical procedure known as a TURP, transurethral resection of the prostate. Traditionally, TURP procedures have been associated with risks and complications, such as bleeding, incontinence, and possible impotence and typically require a several-day stay in a hospital and a four-to-six-week recovery period.
Dr. Rao also performs incontinence procedures with mesh implantation in female patients and he is one of only six physicians in Maine who performs robotic surgery for cancers of kidney and prostate.
For more information on Dr. Rao’s practice, call 288-4177, or 288-5082, extension 7627.