What is BPH?
The prostate is a small gland located right below the neck of the bladder and is part of the male reproductive system. The urethra, which carries urine from the bladder outside the body, runs through the prostate gland.
A healthy prostate gland is approximately the shape and size of a walnut. As men age, the prostate gland often becomes enlarged. This very common process is called Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate. This causes the prostate to press against the urethra, causing chronic and sometimes troublesome lower urinary tract symptoms that can severely affect your quality of life. These include:
- Difficult urination
- Frequent need to urinate
- Weak stream
- Difficulty to start or stop urination
- Not being able to sleep through the night
- Difficulty in voiding completely
- Leakage
- Sexual dysfunction
- And more.
The prevalence of histological BPH is 50% in men aged 51–60 years and increases to 90% in those aged 81–90 years. This non-cancerous growth of the prostate affects over 500 million men worldwide and is one of the leading reasons men visit a urologist 6,7,8.
The American Urological Association (AUA) has created a symptom index to help you and your physician understand and measure the severity of your symptoms. While only your doctor can make a diagnosis, this quiz can help you toward seeking proper care.
Mark your responses below, click SUBMIT to receive your total score, and bring this to your doctor to discuss your options.
Treatments for BPH
If you have been diagnosed with an enlarged prostate due to BPH, it is important to be monitored by a urologist. If left untreated, BPH can affect erectile function and libido, and can lead to urinary tract infections (UTI), stones in the bladder or kidney, urinaryretention and kidney damage.
The good news is that there are many treatment options available. Ask your doctor which one is right for you.
Wait & Watch
If your symptoms are mild and do not affect your quality of life to a great degree, your doctor may recommend a conservative “wait and watch” approach. Together you and your doctor will monitor your condition by tracking your symptoms.
Medication
There are a number of prescription medications to manage BPH symptoms. These include alpha blockers, which relax the muscles around the neck of the bladder making it easier to urinate, and alpha reductase inhibitors which are used to shrink the prostate. While medications often offer some relief of symptoms, and reductase inhibitors have been shown to shrink the prostate over time, you must continue taking them over the long-term to maintain this relief. These medications have also been reported to cause side effects which include dizziness, headaches, and sexual dysfunction4,5.
iTind Treatment
The iTind (Temporarily Implanted Nitinol Device) treatment is a new minimally invasive treatment which takes 5 to 7 days with immediate results. The treatment gently reshapes the urethra, widening the opening through which urine can flow. The iTind procedure does not cause any of the side effects associated with prescription medications, and initial studies have shown that it preserves sexual function and urinary incontinence and avoids complications that are typically associated with major surgery. Some patients experience side effects during the procedure, but they are generally only mild to moderate and resolve once the device is removed.
Unlike other non-surgical BPH procedures, the iTind involves no heating or removal of prostate tissue, and no permanent implant is left behind1,2,3.
Permanent Implants
Another option is to permanently implant strings with anchors which will compress the prostate tissue to ease the flow of urine. Most permanent implants are placed via a minimally invasive procedure through the urethra that allows relatively fast recovery time and effective relief of symptoms in some patients. However, reliance on a permanent implant in the prostate carries certain risks, such as migration to other areas of the body or becoming encrusted which can lead to bladder stones. If this happens or symptoms recur, the implants must be surgically cut out of the prostate tissue4,5.
Heat Therapies
Thermotherapies use radio frequency (RF), microwave or steam to heat the prostate tissue to shrink it. These treatments provide moderate symptom relief for some patients, are generally considered safe and can be performed under local anesthesia. However, applying heat to the prostate can cause the tissue to swell and therefore often require a few days or weeks of post-operative catheterization. For some patients this may result in a longer time to returning to normal life4,5.
Laser
Laser resection of the prostate is a less-invasive surgical procedure. Known as either photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) or holmium laser enucleation (HoLEP). Since prostate tissue is removed, there is sometimes swelling and discomfort during healing and this can lead to longer recovery before going back to everyday activities. Apart from bleeding, the risks and complications are similar to those seen with TURP and typically a catheter is required after the procedure4,5.
Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP)
TURP is the most common surgery to treat BPH where patients undergo general anesthesia to remove prostate tissue. TURP is considered the “gold standard” with long-term results. Potential side effects and complications from the surgery include bleeding, infection, urethral strictures, erectile dysfunction, retrograde ejaculation and urinary incontinence. In some instances patients may have a catheter inserted into their bladder for several days after the procedure to help expedite recovery. Some surgeons prefer transurethtral vaporization of the prostate, which is a similar technique to TURP but the tissue is vaporized instead of being cut out. This leads to a potential faster recovery time after treatment.
While symptom relief may not be immediate, successful procedures do produce long-term symptom relief in most patients4,5.
What is iTind?
iTind is a clinically-proven treatment that relieves lower urinary tract symptoms due to an enlarged prostate, or BPH1,2,3. The iTind procedure reshapes the anatomy of the prostatic urethra, gently creating a wider opening for urine to flow freely, without burning or cutting out tissue, and without leaving behind a permanent implant. The treatment is straightforward, does not require overnight hospitalization, and has none of the side effects associated with prescription medication. It has also been shown in initial studies to avoid complications typically associated with major surgery. Developed to meet the needs of active patients, the passive 5 to 7-day treatment period helps minimize downtime and does not compromise sexual function1,2,3. That means you are back to yourself, and back to your daily routine, in no time at all.
For more information, read our FAQs.
Why choose iTind?
The iTind procedure is a new alternative to prescription medication or invasive surgery. Ask your doctor about iTind if you do not want to take a pill every day, or if you have tried standard drug treatments and were unsatisfied with the level of symptomatic relief or the way they made you feel. iTind might also be the right choice for you if you are interested in preserving your sexual function, are worried about having a permanent implant, or are concerned about undergoing a surgery that would involve a long recovery and downtime.
- Rapid symptom relief in the majority of patients
- Preserves sexual function
- Straightforward, outpatient procedure
- Temporary implant removed after 5 to 7 days
- Minimal downtime
- No need for a catheter
- Durable results as demonstrated in clinical studies out to 3 years1,2,3
As with any medical procedure, individual results vary. Men with moderate to severe BPH symptoms are generally good candidates for the procedure. Speak with your doctor to see if the iTind procedure is right for you.
Some patients experience side effects during the procedure, but they are generally only mild to moderate. Side effects, if experienced, include pain or burning with urination, blood in the urine, pelvic pain, an urgent need to urinate and/or the inability to control the urge. Most of these side effects occur during the 5 to 7 day treatment period and resolve once the device is removed.
How does iTind work?
The iTind treatment is a simple procedure performed by a urologist either in the hospital or a clinic. The device is placed in the prostatic urethra in a folded configuration. During the 5 to 7-day treatment, it slowly expands and exerts gentle pressure at three precise points to widen the opening through which urine flows through the prostatic urethra and then out of the body. After 5 to 7 days, the device is completely removed. Clinical trials demonstrate that the newly remodeled prostatic urethra will continue to provide long-lasting relief of BPH symptoms1,2,3.
Step 1
In your doctor’s office you may receive some light sedation and a local anesthetic. A cystoscope is a miniature camera which will be inserted into your urethra to place the iTind device in your prostatic urethra. Once in place you should be able to urinate freely, so there is no need for a catheter and you will be released to go home.
Step 2
During the next 5 to 7 days you may resume most normal activities, depending on how comfortable you feel. The most common side effect reported while the iTind is in place is pressure around the area of the perineum and increased urgency and frequency to urinate. Some patients also experience some light blood in their urine and slight burning when urinating.
Step 3
After 5 to 7 days, your doctor will completely remove the iTind device using a flexible silicone catheter. Then it’s back to work. Back to play. Back to life!
FAQ
The iTind is a 5 to 7 day treatment to treat lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate.
The iTind is inserted into the prostatic urethra in a folded configuration. Over the next 5 to 7 days it slowly expands to gently widen the opening through which urine can flow. After 5 to 7 days the device is completely removed. There is no permanent implant, heat treatments or tissue ablation. No prostate tissue is removed and initial studies have shown that there is no impact on sexual function.
Together with your urologist you will review your symptoms, routine and lifestyle needs. The iTind procedure is a new alternative to prescription drugs or major surgery, and is ideal for sexually active men who want a minimally-invasive treatment that preserves a high quality of life.
Your doctor will insert the iTind device into the prostatic urethra in the hospital or clinic. Typically, no catheter is required and you can usually return home within a few short hours. After 5 to 7 days at home, you will return to your doctor’s office and the iTind device will be completely removed. There may some slight discomfort during the 5 to 7 days, but symptom relief should be quite rapid for most patients. After the device is removed you can return to your daily routine.
Most patients experience only mild to moderate discomfort while the iTind is in place, however patient experience is variable.
The most common side effects experienced are the feeling of pressure in the area of the perineum, an increased frequency and urgency to urinate, light blood in urine, and slight burning upon urination. However, any side effects experienced typically subside once the iTind is removed.
After insertion of the iTind device, you may be kept for a few hours for observation. Upon returning home you may resume most normal activities depending on your personal level of comfort.
Most patients start to experience symptom relief right after the removal. Symptoms typically continue to improve over the following 6 to 12 weeks.
In clinical studies there have been no indications of long-term adverse side effects. Since the iTind device is completely removed after it has done its job to widen the opening at the prostatic urethra, there is no risk of implant migration, encrustation, or tissue overgrowth that could complicate removal. Moreover, there are no obstacles in maintaining a regular prostate screening program, including physical exams or any type of imaging, such as MRI, if needed.
The device positioning helps to ensure that no damage is caused to sperm ducts or sphincters, avoiding risks of sexual dysfunction. Sexual function was preserved among patients treated in the relevant clinical studies.
Durability has been demonstrated out to three years in terms of symptom improvement, urinary flow and quality of life in a significant number of patients. The iTind treatment does not preclude retreatment or other BPH treatments, should they be needed or desired in the future.
If you have had a previous surgical treatment on your prostate, or have a large median lobe, you may not be a candidate for the iTind procedure. Consult with your doctor to determine whether the iTind is right for you.
Clinical data demonstrates three years durability of the first generation TIND and efficacy at 24 months of the second-generation iTind. Both studies demonstrated preservation of sexual function and urinary continence and a very high safety profile.
You can read more about the clinical data here.
The iTind treatment is approved for use in the European Union, UK, Israel, Australia, Brazil and has recently received FDA clearance for use in the USA.
Medi-Tate develops and manufactures iTind for the treatment of BPH. The company is based in Israel. Read more about our company. Medi-Tate Ltd. is now part of the Olympus Group. Visit olympusamerica.com
Contact Us
17 Hauman st., Hadera, Israel
Tel: +972-77-700-6745 | Fax: +972-4-770-1838
Email: info@itind.com
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References:
1. Porpiglia et al., BJUi, 2015 (TIND).
2. Porpiglia et al., BJUi, 2018 (TIND).
3. Porpiglia, et al., BJUi, 2018 (iTind).
4. Kadner, et al., World J Urol, 2020 (iTind)
5. AUA Guidelines 2019
6. EAU Guidelines 2019.
7. Berry et al, J Urol 1984.
8. US Census Bureau – International Database by Region, Age and Year.
9. Wei, JT et al., Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia 2007