Non-invasive options for an enlarged prostate

What does "non-invasive" mean here?

For an enlarged prostate, "non-invasive" usually covers two groups of treatments:

• No procedure at all - lifestyle measures and medications.
• Minimally invasive procedures - day-case treatments that do not cut prostate tissue away. They use heat, steam, or small implants to relieve the obstruction.

Lifestyle and medications

Many men do well with simple lifestyle changes (drinking less in the evening, avoiding caffeine, treating constipation) and one of the medications used for an enlarged prostate. The detailed short version: managing an enlarged prostate covers the three main medication families.

The minimally invasive procedures Dr Kooner offers

• Rezum. Small bursts of water steam are injected into the prostate to shrink the tissue over the next few months. Done in theatre under sedation or short anaesthetic. Short version: Rezum.
• iTind. A small temporary nitinol device is placed for about a week. It gently reshapes the prostate channel and is then removed. No tissue is destroyed. Short version: iTind.
• UroLift. Small implants are used to hold the prostate lobes apart, opening up the channel without heat or cutting. Short version: UroLift.
• Microwave therapy. Heat is delivered through a special catheter under sedation. Short version: microwave therapy.
• TUNA. Radiofrequency heat is delivered through small needles into the prostate. Short version: TUNA.

When is a less invasive option a good choice?

Less invasive options can be a good fit if:

• You want to preserve normal ejaculation.
• You want a shorter recovery and a quicker return to work.
• Your prostate is in the size range the procedure is designed for.
• You are happy to accept that some of these procedures may not relieve symptoms as completely as a TURP or laser, and that a small number of men need a further procedure later.