Frequent urination, a sudden and urgent need to urinate, or waking up during the night to urinate may be signs of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In fact, many patients visit hospitals because BPH causes various urinary difficulties. However, many of them feel hesitant about surgery. Concerns often arise about whether medication must be taken for life after surgery, whether recovery will delay a return to daily activities, or whether the procedure might affect sexual function.
In response to these concerns, several treatment options have recently been introduced that can improve urinary symptoms without removing prostate tissue. One of these is the iTind procedure.
iTind stands for a temporary implantable nitinol device. The procedure works by inserting a thin device into the prostatic urethra to widen the urinary passage. The implant is made of nitinol, a shape-memory alloy, which expands on its own at the entrance of the bladder. It remains in place for about five days, gently pushing the surrounding prostate tissue outward. This controlled pressure gradually reshapes the urethral passage so that even after the device is removed, the widened urinary channel can remain. The key advantage is that it can provide long-term improvement without surgical incision, using only a temporary implant.
The iTind procedure itself usually takes about five minutes. However, because the device is inserted using a rigid cystoscope, spinal or caudal anesthesia is often used during the procedure.
The iTind procedure is often compared with another BPH treatment called the prostatic urethral lift (UroLift). UroLift works by pulling prostate tissue to each side to widen the urethra, leaving permanent implants inside the body. In contrast, iTind removes the device after the treatment period, meaning no foreign material remains in the body. For patients who are sensitive to implanted devices or concerned about long-term maintenance, iTind may therefore be a preferable option.
However, iTind is only approved for patients who meet certain criteria. According to the guidelines of the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the procedure is indicated for patients aged 50 or older, those with a prostate size between 25 g and 75 g, those with an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) of 10 or higher, and those with a maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) of 12 mL/s or lower. Patients with extremely large prostates or only mild symptoms may not be suitable candidates for the procedure.
Another meaningful benefit of iTind is the preservation of sexual function. Traditional surgical treatments for BPH sometimes cause retrograde ejaculation, but this side effect has rarely been reported with iTind.
Nevertheless, iTind is not a universal solution for all patients. In cases where the median lobe is significantly protruding or when the prostate has enlarged deeply into the bladder, the effectiveness of the procedure may be limited. Therefore, careful patient evaluation must be performed beforehand, and the experience and judgment of the treating physician are crucial.
Dr. Ryu Kyung-ho of Goldman Urology Clinic’s Gangnam branch explained that although the iTind procedure itself appears simple, achieving the best outcomes requires a combination of factors, including careful patient selection and proper use of the device. He emphasized that BPH treatment is closely related to a patient’s quality of life. Many people tend to postpone treatment because their symptoms are still tolerable, but if discomfort continues to recur, it is advisable to consider less invasive treatment options at an early stage.