Question 1

Is HoLEP surgery covered by health insurance? (BPH in Gangnam)

Accepted Answer

You inquired about HoLEP surgery among prostate hyperplasia treatment methods. First, if there is no improvement despite taking medication for a long time, you can consider procedures or surgery for prostate hyperplasia.

There are various treatment methods such as HoLEP surgery, Urolift, and Rezum therapy, so it is important to choose the best treatment method for each individual patient.

Among these, HoLEP surgery uses a Holmium laser to completely separate the hyperplastic prostate tissue between the outermost membrane and the enlarged tissue and remove it from the body. HoLEP (Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate) is a frequently chosen surgery recently because it allows for rapid recovery and less bleeding among prostate hyperplasia surgeries.

Many patients worry about 'cost' first when they hear about surgery. This is especially true for those in professional life or families caring for elderly parents. Many people eventually decide on surgery because their urine stream is not refreshing even after taking medicine for a long time and they wake up frequently at night.

The cost of HoLEP surgery is relatively low compared to other surgeries because health insurance applies.

The total cost of HoLEP surgery is usually formed in the 2-3 million won range. Of course, if you have private insurance, some items may be coverable, so it is good to check with your insurance company in advance.

As explained earlier, HoLEP surgery, unlike conventional laser surgery that burns away tissue, completely removes the hyperplastic prostate tissue and takes it out of the body, so it can see an effect similar to open surgery. The advantage is that since the surgery is performed with an endoscope, there is almost no pain or bleeding caused by the surgery.

If you are considering choosing a treatment method for prostate hyperplasia, I recommend you consult with a urologist at a hospital where all treatment methods, including HoLEP surgery, Rezum therapy, and Waterjet robotic surgery, are possible before making a decision.

Since the size and location of prostate hyperplasia vary from person to person, it is important to choose a treatment method that fits the individual.

Also, since the appropriate treatment method can vary depending on the degree of individual symptoms, duration of illness, and presence of complications, you must choose the best method for you to be effective in treatment.

I hope my answer was helpful in researching HoLEP surgery. Thank you.

Question 2

Do I need to see a urologist for frequent urination?

Accepted Answer

It must be very uncomfortable for you to visit the bathroom so many times during a short outing and even before going to sleep. Urinating 6-7 times during a 2-hour outing is significantly higher than the average frequency.

These symptoms can be caused by various factors such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or overactive bladder, and it is necessary to check for symptoms like urgency or a feeling of residual urine.

Rather than visiting a tertiary (large) hospital right away, I recommend visiting an urology clinic first for basic tests. Most urinary discomforts can be diagnosed and managed effectively at urology clinics equipped with proper diagnostic systems, so do not worry too much.

For now, try to reduce beverages that irritate the bladder, such as caffeine or alcohol, and if symptoms persist, it is important to find where the irritation is coming from—whether it's the bladder muscle or nerves—to regain a comfortable daily life.

At our urology clinic, we identify each patient's symptoms and health status based on rich clinical experience at each branch and provide customized treatment plans.

Since finding the cause is the first step in treatment, I recommend seeing a urologist if symptoms continue. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Question 3

Will Aquablation surgery for BPH be effective? (Gangnam Station BPH)

Accepted Answer

I believe you must be suffering a lot in your daily life due to urinary discomfort caused by prostate hyperplasia. The Aquablation treatment you inquired about is a robotic surgical method that removes enlarged prostate tissue using a high-pressure waterjet.

The characteristic is that since it does not use thermal energy, it can reduce damage to surrounding tissues and the possibility of sexual function side effects is lower compared to conventional surgical methods. Also, since the robot system removes tissue as much as the pre-planned range, the surgery time is shortened and the recovery is relatively fast.

However, it is necessary to check if it is a medical institution equipped with the equipment, and the appropriate treatment method can vary depending on the size or shape of your prostate. Therefore, a consultation process is necessary to see if this method is suitable for you through an examination.

After Aquablation surgery, you can expect results such as an improvement in the thickness of the urine stream and residual urine sensation, and an overall improvement in the quality of life.

If you neglect symptoms, it can also affect bladder function, so I hope you visit early and receive necessary measures. It is helpful to check your urination status carefully and manage it through regular checkups.

Choosing the treatment that is essential for you through sufficient consultation is the shortcut to regaining a healthy daily life.

At our urology department, based on rich clinical experience at each branch, we identify the symptoms and health status of each patient in detail, make an accurate diagnosis, and provide a tailored treatment plan accordingly.

Finding the exact cause is the first step in treatment, so if uncomfortable symptoms persist, I recommend you receive an examination at a urology clinic.

I hope the answer was helpful. Thank you.

Question 4

BPH Symptoms - Weak Urine Stream (Gangnam Station BPH Symptoms)

Accepted Answer

Hello, this is Dr. Kyung-ho Ryu, a Doctalk-Naver KnowledgeiN consulting physician.

You're considering tests for BPH symptoms. First, benign prostatic hyperplasia is a very common condition where the prostate tissue gradually enlarges as aging progresses, compressing the urethra and causing various urinary dysfunction symptoms.

Generally, the prevalence rate increases rapidly after the 50s, but recently, due to various environmental factors such as westernized eating habits, stress, and prolonged sedentary lifestyle, symptoms can also appear in relatively younger age groups.

BPH Symptoms

✔️ Weak stream: The urine stream becomes thin and weak.

✔️ Hesitancy: It's difficult to start urinating and requires straining.

✔️ Intermittency: The urine flow stops and starts.

✔️ Delayed urination: It takes a long time to urinate.

✔️ Frequency: You go to the bathroom frequently.

✔️ Nocturia: You wake up multiple times at night to urinate.

✔️ Urgency: Sudden urge to urinate that's hard to hold.

✔️ Residual urine sensation: Feeling like urine remains in the bladder after urinating.

BPH Tests

Diagnosing BPH is a comprehensive process that goes beyond simply checking the size of the prostate, including the severity of symptoms the patient experiences, bladder function status, and ruling out other serious conditions.

✔️ Interview and symptom questionnaire: Check how often you urinate, how urgent it is, how many times you wake up at night, etc., based on the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS).

✔️ Digital rectal examination (DRE): A test where the prostate is directly felt through the anus. It's a necessary basic examination that can simply check size, firmness, and abnormalities.

✔️ Uroflowmetry + residual urine measurement: Measures urine stream strength, urination time, and how much urine remains in the bladder after urination to identify functional problems.

✔️ Urinalysis and blood test (PSA): Checks for infection or prostate cancer possibility through basic urinalysis and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels.

BPH patients can effectively control symptoms through medication. However, if symptoms don't improve despite long-term medication, or if complications such as acute urinary retention, recurrent urinary tract infections, bladder stones, or kidney function decline occur, surgical treatment is considered.

Currently, surgical treatments for BPH range from relatively minimally invasive procedures like UroLift to highly effective HoLEP surgery.

It's important to comprehensively consider the patient's prostate size, symptom severity, and preferences to select the most suitable treatment that will yield the best results for the individual.

BPH Surgical Treatments

✔️ Waterjet robotic surgery: Can be performed regardless of prostate size or shape, using high-pressure spray to precisely and consistently ablate prostate tissue with micro-level minimal invasion without heat energy generation.

✔️ HoLEP surgery: Uses holmium laser to separate between hyperplastic tissue and capsule, removing hyperplastic tissue entirely like peeling an orange, leaving no hyperplastic tissue with minimal bleeding, side effects, and low recurrence rate.

✔️ UroLift: Instead of ablating or burning the prostate with laser, this surgical method simply binds and fixes the left and right sides of the enlarged prostate tissue to widen the urethra. No hospitalization needed and can be easily performed under local anesthesia, making it suitable for those with heart disease or other conditions where anesthesia is burdensome.

✔️ Plasma TURis: Surgery that uses low-temperature plasma to instantly vaporize and remove blood vessels and hyperplastic tissue.

✔️ Rezum procedure: Transurethral prostate ablation using steam, can proceed under local anesthesia, making it possible even for elderly or those with underlying conditions. Also gaining attention as a promising procedure with low possibility of retrograde ejaculation while having treatment effects comparable to surgery.

✔️ iTind surgery: Surgical method that widens narrowed prostate urethra area with a stent, removed within 5-7 days after surgery. Even after device removal, the prostate urethra area remains in an expanded state, allowing normal urination. Same-day discharge is possible with minimal retrograde ejaculation and low possibility of long-term complications.

I recommend seeing a urologist for diagnosis if BPH symptoms persist. Thank you.

Question 5

Question about Balanitis!

Accepted Answer

Hello, this is Dr. Kyung-ho Ryu, a Doctalk-Naver KnowledgeiN consulting physician.

You've been diagnosed with balanitis. To conclude first, just because you've been diagnosed with balanitis doesn't necessarily mean you must have circumcision.

The current inflammation can be sufficiently treated through antibiotic or anti-inflammatory prescriptions and appropriate ointment application.

However, if inflammation repeatedly recurs despite thorough hygiene management, or if the foreskin is too tight to expose the glans smoothly, making it difficult to maintain cleanliness, circumcision can be a fundamental solution.

This is because frequent inflammation can cause the foreskin to harden (adhesion) or lead to chronic pain.

If the foreskin naturally retracts well, the priority should be to calm the inflammation through medication. If the same symptoms continue to recur afterward, causing inconvenience in daily life, it's not too late to carefully decide on surgery after consulting with a urology specialist.

At our urology clinic, based on abundant clinical experience at each branch, we carefully assess each patient's symptoms and health status to make an accurate diagnosis and provide a customized treatment plan accordingly.

Finding the cause is the first step in treatment, so if uncomfortable symptoms persist, I recommend seeing a urologist.

I hope this answer helps. Thank you.

Question 6

I have difficulty holding urine both day and night. Is it overactive bladder?

Accepted Answer

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a condition where, unlike cystitis, there is no inflammation in the bladder, but symptoms of frequent urination and inability to hold urine occur. Normally, people do not feel significant discomfort until the bladder holds about 400-500ml of urine. However, for those with OAB, the bladder muscles contract even with small amounts of urine, creating a strong urge that is difficult to suppress.

If you find yourself going to the bathroom more than 8 times a day, experiencing urgency where it's hard to hold it, or waking up during the night to urinate (nocturia), you may suspect an overactive bladder.

Finding the cause is the first step in treatment, so if uncomfortable symptoms persist, I recommend seeing a urologist. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Question 7

Prostatitis

Accepted Answer

It must be very embarrassing and you might hesitate to visit a hospital since you're experiencing urination issues and discomfort during ejaculation at such a young age.

However, problems like prostate inflammation or decreased function are quite common even in men in their 20s. It's nothing to be ashamed of, so please try to stay calm.

The sensation of heat near the prostate area during urination, feeling residual urine, or feeling like urine is trapped at the end of the urethra can be signs of prostatitis. The stinging or burning sensation felt during ejaculation is also one of the reactions that occur when inflammation develops in the tissues around the prostate.

If not addressed promptly, it can progress chronically and decrease the quality of your daily life, so it is recommended that you visit a clinic.

Habits like sitting for long periods, excessive fatigue, and stress can adversely affect prostate health. Avoiding actions that put pressure on the perineum and taking warm sitz baths to relieve body tension can also be helpful.

Our urology clinic provides customized treatment plans by closely identifying each patient's symptoms and health status based on rich clinical experience at each branch.

Finding the cause is the first step toward treatment, so if uncomfortable symptoms persist, I encourage you to receive a urology consultation. I hope this answer was helpful. Thank you.

Question 8

Cystitis, Acute Pyelonephritis Symptoms - Frequency and Urgency

Accepted Answer

Hello, this is Dr. Kyung-ho Ryu, a Doctalk-Naver KnowledgeiN consulting physician.

When cystitis or pyelonephritis occurs, the tissue around the bladder is stimulated by inflammation, which can cause abdominal bloating where the belly feels distended.

The sore feeling in your lower back should be examined with the possibility of pyelonephritis in mind. If the inflammation has not stayed as simple cystitis but has risen to the kidneys, lower back pain along with chills or fever may appear. If you develop a fever or the pain worsens, it's good to take appropriate measures before the condition deteriorates.

In situations where pyelonephritis is suspected, rather than simply enduring it with medication alone, I recommend getting examined as soon as possible.

At our urology clinic, based on abundant clinical experience at each branch, we carefully assess each patient's symptoms and health status to make a diagnosis and provide a customized treatment plan accordingly.

Finding the cause is the first step in treatment, so if uncomfortable symptoms persist, I recommend seeing a urologist. I hope this answer helps. Thank you.

Health Q&A

Is HoLEP surgery covered by health insurance? (BPH in Gangnam)

Do I need to see a urologist for frequent urination?

Will Aquablation surgery for BPH be effective? (Gangnam Station BPH)

BPH Symptoms - Weak Urine Stream (Gangnam Station BPH Symptoms)

Question about Balanitis!

I have difficulty holding urine both day and night. Is it overactive bladder?

Prostatitis

Cystitis, Acute Pyelonephritis Symptoms - Frequency and Urgency