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Q. I feel the need to go to the bathroom very often and it hurts. Sometimes I’ve noticed a little blood as well. I’m worried. What could be the problem?A. If you are above 50 years old, and these symptoms are accompanied by the inability to urinate, painful ejaculation, pain in your back, hips, thighs or pelvis or the inability to urinate altogether, it is likely that this may be a prostate problem.

Q. What is the prostate and why is it causing these problems?A. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland. It is part of the male reproductive system and wraps around the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. It grows larger as you get older, but if it gets too large, it can cause health issues, as it squeezes the

urethra. Since urine travels from the bladder through the urethra, the pressure from the enlarged prostate may affect bladder control. Contrary to popular belief, having prostate problems does not always mean you have cancer.

Q. What are some common prostate problems?A. For men over 50, the most common prostate problem is prostate enlargement. Older men are at risk for prostate cancer as well. Non-cancerous prostate problems are:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia• (BPH) means your prostate is enlarged, but not cancerous. It is quite common in older men. An enlarged prostate may make it very difficult to urinate or cause dribbling after you urinate. You may also feel the need to urinate a lot, often at night.

Acute bacterial prostatitis •usually starts suddenly from a bacterial infection. It can cause fever, chills, or pain. It

might hurt when you urinate, or you may see blood in your urine.

Chronic bacterial prostatitis• is a recurring infection. This is a rare problem that can be hard to treat. Sometimes taking antibiotics over a long period of time may work.

Chronic prostatitis• , also called Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome (CPPS), is a common prostate problem. It can cause pain in the lower back, in the groin area, or at the tip of the penis.

Prostate problems (Urology)Myths, facts and frequently asked questions

Dr. Vineet Malhotra, Senior Urology Surgeon, Nova Specialty Hospitals, answers all your questions about prostate problems…

Mr. Ali Hassan*, a 72 year old man, was experiencing difficulty while passing urine. The frequent urge to urinate would keep him sleepless during the nights and as a result, took a toll on his general health too.

Post consultation with doctors, he was informed that he had a grossly enlarged prostate that led to these urinary symptoms and prostate surgery was the only solution. Mr. Hassan also had a severe cardiac condition too, and was on anticoagulant therapy (blood thinners). He believed that it would not be safe for him to undergo

A Recent Success Story at Nova Our Senior Urology Consultant

Patient’s Name: Ali Hassan**

www.novaspecialtyhospitals.com

SMS NOVA TO 54242 | TOLL-FREE: 1800 103 6682

A-19/A, Kailash Colony, New Delhi-110 048Ph. No.: 98107 05350, 9958956006 | Fax: 011 4046 5556

any surgery. Eventually, his son discussed the case with Dr. Vineet Malhotra at Nova Specialty Hospitals, and learnt that his father could be treated without having to discontinue any medication. Dr. Malhotra treated him using a Holmium laser for enucleation of the 125 gm prostate enlargement. The patient was successfully treated and was catheter free in 36 hours.

“I would have saved myself and my family a lot of trouble had we known of this safe and simple procedure earlier.”-Ali Hasan

HealthLineVolume 1. Issue 4 The Neighbourhood Health Journal Urology Special

HealthLine

Dr. Ashish Bhanot

6 Foods that help avoid Prostate CancerTomatoes• - Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, may be beneficial in the prevention of prostate cancer and reducing tumour growth among men with prostate cancer

Broccoli• -Researchers propose that one of the phytochemicals found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, called sulforaphane, selectively targets and kills cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells healthy and unaffected

Green tea• - In the Japan Public Health Center study of 49,920 men, researchers found a 48 per cent decreased risk of advanced prostate cancer among men who consumed greater than 5 cups of green

Tea per day•

Legumes & Soybeans• - Legumes such as beans, peanuts and lentils all contain biologically active plant compounds known as phytoestrogens. Isoflavones, a phytoestrogen, may contain cancer-fighting properties, which suppress tumor growth in prostate cancer cells

Pomegranate juice• - Much like red wine or green tea, pomegranate is a rich source of antioxidants and has been touted as a miracle fruit in preventing chronic diseases related to oxidative stress

Fish• – This helps in creating a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which may help prevent the development and progression of prostate cancer

Men with this problem often have painful ejaculation and may feel the need to urinate frequently, but pass only a small amount of urine.

Q. How are prostate problems treated?A. A range of treatments can relieve enlarged prostate symptoms -- medications, minimally invasive procedures, and open surgery. The best one for you depends on your symptoms and whether you have other medical conditions. Surgery often does the best job of relieving symptoms. It is recommended that all men below the age of 75 years should get regular Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) tests, which determine whether or not the enlarged gland is cancerous.

Q. What sort of minimally invasive procedures are performed?A. At most hospitals, surgeons perform a Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP), which removes the

tissue growth that is pressing against the urethra. At Nova Specialty Hospitals, our surgeons perform a minimally invasive laser surgery using the latest Holmium laser technology. This procedure uses a high energy vapourising laser to remove the excess prostate tissue. It is very effective in the treatment of BPH.

Q. What is a Holmium laser? How does it work? A. A fine telescope-like instrument is inserted into your urethra. The high powered laser is then inserted through this instrument and used to carefully remove the excess prostate tissue that is causing obstruction of the urethra. The residual pieces of the prostate are removed by the surgeon. This tissue can be analysed to identify whether there was any evidence for cancerous change within the prostate. This differs from other laser procedures, which work by completely destroying the prostate tissue that is removed.

Q. How is the Holmium laser treatment better for me? A. The Holmium laser seals the blood vessels of the prostate tissue. There is therefore, very little blood loss in comparison to other surgical options. The catheter that is inserted after the procedure can usually be removed within 12–24 hours of the surgery. This allows you to leave hospital more quickly, possibly even on the same day post your procedure, and reduces your recovery time.

Q. Will it be painful? How soon can I go back to my daily activities?A. You should not have any pain from the operation, but you may have some discomfort from the catheter. Heavy lifting should be avoided for the first week or so following the procedure. However, return to light exercise and work activities should be possible within a week or so. Otherwise, there should not be much change in your daily routine.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is part of the male reproductive system and wraps around the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. As you grow older, it grows large too and may cause problems as it squeezes the urethra thus impacting bladder control. For men over 50, frequent urge to pass urine, the inability to urinate, painful ejaculation, and lower body pains are all symptoms of an enlarged prostate. The most commonly seen condition is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). It means that the prostate is enlarged, but not cancerous. However, the condition poses a lot of problems and is painful too.

Holmium Laser Surgery: The Advanced Approach

At most hospitals, Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) is performed that removes the tissue growth pressing against the urethra. At Nova Specialty Hospitals, highly experienced surgeons perform minimally invasive surgery with the latest

Holmium laser technology. This procedure uses a high energy vapourising laser to remove the excess prostate tissue and is very effective.

A fine telescope-like instrument is inserted into the urethra. The high powered laser is then inserted through this instrument and used to carefully remove the excess prostate tissue causing obstruction. This tissue is further analysed to identify whether there was any evidence for cancerous change within the prostate.

Maximum Benefits, Fast Relief

Holmium Laser treatment is a successful alternative to TURP. Since it uses laser energy to relieve enlarged prostate symptoms it reduces the traditional complications associated with TURP. With Holmium laser, patients experience minimal pain after the operation and spend less time in the hospital than with TURP. They are also able to resume normal activities within a week.

Leading specialists at Nova cure prostate problems with the latest Holmium technology

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1 medical evaluation by physician

1 Urologist consultation if required**

10% discount on abdomino-pelvic scan

20% discount on other lab investigations**

**Valid till March 31, 2014 with prior appointment

Urology Assesment Clinic*

FOR MORE DETAILS, CALL: 011 4046 5555

T&C apply. Please call for details.

Tips for a Healthy Prostate

Keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly

Eat more fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes, watermelons, guava and papaya contain lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage are also good choices

Having a father or brother with prostate cancer more than doubles a man’s risk of developing this disease

Include more soy in your diet from sources such as tofu, soy nuts or soy flour or powders

Avoid smoking

Eat more selenium-rich foods such as wheat germ, tuna, and other seafood and kidney, eggs, sunflower and sesame seeds, cashews, mushrooms, garlic and onions.

Get a PSA blood test and digital rectal exam annually, beginning at age 50