Prostate health is something that every older man has considered at least once. Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most representative of these conditions. It is typified by aberrant prostate tissue growth with aging, which compresses the urethra and results in several urinary problems.
Thus, middle-aged and older people’s quality of life can be considerably diminished when benign BPH develops. However, a lot of patients who are thinking about having surgery for benign BPH frequently put off getting it because they are afraid of the procedure and the recovery time. ITind is a minimally invasive procedure that has recently emerged and is being used in this reality. Effectively reducing benign BPH symptoms without excising prostate tissue is what makes this procedure unique.
Benign BPH is a progressive condition whose symptoms progressively worsen if treatment is not received. Medication can provide a short-term improvement, but many times, side effects from prolonged use or a decreased response to treatment cause symptoms to resurface. Furthermore, recurrence cannot be completely ruled out over time if bladder function is already compromised or some prostate tissue remains after surgical resection treatment.
iTinD treats BPH differently from traditional surgical methods. The shape-memory alloy nitinol used to make the iTinD device can revert to its initial form when body temperature changes. To physically widen the constricted urethral space, it is first inserted into the urethra folded and then gradually unfolded, compressing the prostatic urethra and bladder neck.
After five to seven days of operation, the implanted device is taken out of the body. Urination becomes much smoother due to the prolonged maintenance of the enlarged urethral space. The most noteworthy aspect is that no foreign substances are left in the body following the procedure. Furthermore, the procedure takes less than 20 minutes, iTinD can be done without general anesthesia, and same-day discharge is feasible. As a result, elderly patients are not overburdened by it. Furthermore, numerous clinical findings have demonstrated that it significantly reduces the risks associated with general surgery, including bleeding, infection, urinary incontinence, and diminished sexual function, while also improving urination symptoms.
Nevertheless, not every patient can benefit from the iTinD procedure. Appropriateness may differ based on bladder function, urethral structure, and prostate size. Consequently, a thorough assessment must be done before the procedure, including a PSA test, cystoscopy, residual urine volume measurement, uroflowmetry, and transrectal prostate ultrasound.
Additionally, surgical resection or other treatments might be more suitable than iTinD in situations where bladder function has declined due to long-term neglect or when symptoms of benign BPH are severe. As a result, developing a treatment plan specific to each patient’s condition and timely scheduling treatment for benign BPH are crucial.
Dr. Ryu Kyung Ho of Goldman Urology in Gangnam stated, “Benign BPH is a urological disease that requires active treatment, and the iTinD procedure can be a new alternative for elderly patients who have postponed treatment or those who are afraid of surgery,” and offered guidance, “We hope that patients can prepare for a more comfortable and healthy old age through precise diagnosis and choosing the right treatment for themselves.”
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