AUA BPH Symptom Score Index In order to help assess the severity of BPH symptoms, the American Urological Association (AUA) BPH Symptom Score Index was developed. The diagnostic system includes a series of questions that target the frequency of the urinary systems and as a result, helps identify the severity of BPH - ranging from mild to severe.
BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia)
Enlargement of the prostate gland not caused by cancer.
Bladder
A pouch of flexible muscle where urine is temporarily stored before it is release out of the body through the urethra.
Bladder irrigation
Continuous circulation of fluid in and out of the bladder through a catheter to monitor bleeding and prevent catheter obstruction after TURP procedure.
Holmium Laser
A light-based treatment designed to remove excess prostate tissue that restricts urine flow.
Catheter
A thin, flexible tube that is passed into the bladder to allow urine to drain.
Cystoscope
A narrow, tube-like optical instrument passed through the urethra to examine abnormalities or obstructions.
Hyperplasia
Excessive growth of normal cells of an organ.
Impotence
The inability to achieve penile erection or to maintain an erection until ejaculation.
Incontinence
The involuntary discharge of urine.
Prostate
A walnut-shaped gland in men that surrounds the urethra at the neck of the bladder. The prostate supplies fluid that goes into semen.
Retrograde Ejaculation
Release of semen backward into the bladder instead of forward through the urethra. The semen is later harmlessly flushed out during urination.
TURP
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate. Surgical procedure that uses an electrical loop to cut and remove prostate tissue one piece at a time. During TURP, an instrument is inserted up the urethra to remove the section of the prostate that is blocking urine flow. TURP usually requires hospitalization and is done using a general or spinal anesthetic.
ULTRASOUND IMAGING
A technique in which high-frequency sound waves are bounced off internal organs and the echo pattern is converted into a 2 dimensional picture of the structures beneath the transducer.
URETHRA
The tube through which urine is passed from the bladder out of the body.
UROLOGIST
A doctor that specializes in diseases of the male and female urinary systems and the male reproductive system.
