Why it's done

TUIP helps reduce urinary signs and symptoms caused by BPH, including:

• Frequent, urgent need to urinate
• Difficulty starting urination
• Slow (prolonged) urination
• Increased frequency of urination at night
• Stopping and starting again while urinating
• The feeling of not being able to completely empty the bladder
• Urinary tract infections

TUIP might also be done to treat or prevent complications due to blocked urine flow, such as:

• Recurring urinary tract infections
• Kidney or bladder damage
• Inability to control urination or an inability to urinate at all
• Bladder stones
• Blood in the urine

TUIP can offer several advantages over other methods of treating BPH, such as transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and open prostatectomy. The advantages can include:

• Lower risk of bleeding. TUIP can be a good option for men who take medication to thin their blood or who have a bleeding disorder that doesn't allow their blood to clot normally.
• Minimal hospital stay. TUIP can be done on an outpatient basis, although some men need to stay overnight for observation. TUIP might be a safer option than surgery if you have certain other health problems.
• Lower risk of dry orgasm. TUIP is less likely than some other BPH treatments to cause the release of semen during ejaculation into the bladder rather than out of the penis (retrograde ejaculation). Retrograde ejaculation isn't harmful, but it can interfere with the ability to father a child.