For decades, the definitive surgical treatment for prostate gland enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), has been a procedure called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), in which the inside part of the prostate gland is removed surgically via a scope inserted through the urethra. While frequently successful, TURP carries a significant risk of treatment-related complications, ranging from problems with urine control, loss of sperm fertility and erectile dysfunction, to retrograde ejaculation (passing of semen into the bladder rather than through the urethra) and urethral stricture (tightening of the urinary outlet from scar tissue).
Now, an alternative surgical technique called water ablation is among a number of minimally invasive options that are showing promise as alternatives to TURP for the treatment of BPH.