Innovative treatment for enlarged prostates at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital

1/27/2016

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. (Jan. 28, 2016) – Michael Rittenberg, M.D., recently performed Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital’s first procedure using an innovative device that treats enlarged prostates through a permanent implant

Dr. Rittenberg performed three of the minimally invasive procedures on Jan. 27. The permanent implant treats symptoms due to urinary outflow obstruction caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia in men 50 years of age or older. Benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, is an enlarged prostate usually brought on by age.

Performing this procedure cuts down on recovery time, Dr. Rittenberg said. This was the first time this device was used for this procedure in Northeastern Pennsylvania.

“The procedures were fairly quick and simple and the patients did very well in the immediate post-op,” Dr. Rittenberg said. “It’s a great alternative to the traditional transurethral resection or laser procedures and there is no recovery time. The can resume all normal activities as soon as the procedure is complete.”

The permanent implants, which are delivered during a minimally invasive procedure, act like window curtain tie-backs to hold open the lobes of an enlarged prostate.

Data from clinical trials shows that patients receiving the implants reported rapid symptomatic improvement, improved urinary flow rates, and sustained sexual function. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life.

“I had a patient come in two weeks ago and tell me he wanted to have whatever is the latest procedure,” Dr. Rittenberg said. “This is something that was available to him and others, without having to travel far to have it done.”