Benign prostate pathology

The prostate is a gland every man has, localised at the pelvic area, next to the bladder surrounding the urethra, whose function is related to the production of the sperm components.


As any organ of the human body, it can be part of different pathologies, either benign or malignant. The most frequent pathology (which will affect to approx 75% of men throughout their lives) is the benign prostatic hyperplasia, that is, the benign prostatic growth which will condition the obstructive and irritative urinary clinic, which we know as prostatism and which may need pharmacological treatment or even surgical treatment in a high percentage of the cases.


Examination: The diagnosis of the prostatism is usually simple and minimally invasive: a proper anamnesis, a digital rectal examination and complementary explorations such as urine culture, PSA and urologic ultrasounds. Sometimes, other examinations may be necessary such as flow pressure or cystoscopy.


Testing for prostate cancer is essential in order to get focused on the specific treatment for prostatism which consists on:


  • Hygiene and dietetic measures

  • Pharmacological Treatment:
    – Phytotherapy.
    – Alpha-blockers.
    – Combinations on active substances:
    · Alpha-blockers- Five-alpha-reductase inhibitors.
    · Alpha-blockers- anticholinergics.
    – New treatments: Tadalafil, active substance widely used on treating erectile dysfunction, which has proved effectiveness on prostate treatment and which allows therefore, a joint treatment for those patients suffering from prostatism and erectile dysfunction.

  • Surgical treatment: On those cases where all the above mentioned is insufficient or when a clinical disease progression occurs.
    – Biporlar prostatic TUR.
    – Photovaporization of the prostate using Green Laser.
    – Prostatic enucleation with Holmium laser (HoLEP).

Other pathologies affecting this organ would be prostate cancer or urinary infections known as prostatitis, which will be developed in other sections.