Minimally-Invasive 'Urolift' Procedure A New Option For Men With Enlarged Prostates

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Experts say as men age, their prostate gland can become enlarged and affects how often they have to go to the bathroom, among other disruptions. Now, there's a newer in-office procedure being offered in Minnesota to relieve the symptoms.

It's something men don't want to talk about, so many suffer in silence. For Wayne Dalida, each day would drive his bus, he'd worry.

"It's not just going to the bathroom a lot, it's you can't completely go. You feel discomfort, some pain," Dalida said.

It disrupted his life. Dalida would be up five times a night, and he'd plan places to go based on knowing where the bathrooms were.

"The family just thought boy dad has to go to the bathroom a lot. I didn't like it, I didn't know what to do about it," Dalida said.

He said the problem persisted for a good 20 years before he considered seeing a doctor.

Urologist Dr. Dean Tortorelis sees countless men with an enlarged prostate.

"When you're young, it's wide open; as you get older, it starts growing and causing an impingement and does not allow urine to flow down so you get symptoms of slow stream, have to pee multiple times, you feel like you don't empty your bladder," Tortorelis said.

Symptoms can start in the late 30s. By 80, most men are affected. Tortorelis said the enlarged prostate can be treated with medication, a catheter, or surgery.

However, now there's another option: Urolift from NeoTract, Inc.

"It's a minimally-invasive procedure that can be done in the office with minimal anesthesia and almost within the next couple of days have symptom relief. This clip is placed into the urethra and it compresses the prostate. It opens up this channel, if you can see that this is closed, it compresses the prostate and then allows the passage of urine," Tortorelis said.

Tortorelis said as with any procedure there are risks.

"There's risk of bleeding, there's risk of infection but overall it's a safe effective procedure that has quick and fast outcomes," Tortorelis said.

Wayne said he felt relief within days.

"Things were tight and being squeezed and now everything's loose, that's the best way to describe it," Dalida said.

And he said it made his marriage and life in general, better.

"Everything is better. I can drive my bus without feeling like I gotta go, I gotta go, I gotta go. I can go home and go to bed. I don't even have to think about getting up," Dalida said.

Tortorelis said most insurance covers the procedure. He is one of handful of doctors in Minnesota currently offering Urolift to patients. Patients who are interested would first need to be evaluated to see if they're a candidate. Click here to learn more.