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MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: If you have benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, your prostate gland is enlarged. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men. Just beneath your bladder, your prostate gland surrounds your urethra, the tube through which urine and semen exit your body. Your seminal vesicles and prostate make fluid that combines with sperm cells to create semen. During normal urination, urine flows from your bladder through the part of your urethra inside your prostate, then through the rest of your urethra to leave your body. For unknown reasons, your prostate gland may enlarge as you get older. If you have benign prostatic hyperplasia, your prostate may grow large enough to compress the part of your urethra that runs through it. As a result, your enlarged prostate may slow the flow of urine out of your body when you urinate. Left untreated, your prostate can get larger and reduce urine flow even more. This may keep you from fully emptying your bladder. See your doctor right away if you are unable to urinate. Your risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia is higher if you are age forty or older, have a family history of BPH, have other health problems, such as obesity, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, or type two diabetes, don’t exercise, or have erectile dysfunction. The symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia include frequent urination or urge to urinate, especially at night, a weak, or interrupted urine stream, and straining to urinate. Over time, untreated benign prostatic hyperplasia may cause the following complications: inability to urinate, damage to your bladder and kidneys, urinary tract infections, bladder stones, and blood in your urine. If you have benign prostatic hyperplasia with mild or no symptoms, your doctor may recommend watchful waiting, which includes getting your prostate checked every year to make sure your symptoms or health are not getting worse. If you have moderate symptoms that bother you, your doctor may recommend medications, such as alpha-blockers, or those that treat erectile dysfunction, called PDE5 inhibitors. Both of these medications relax muscle tissue in your bladder, urethra, and prostate. This can help improve your urine flow. Five alpha reductase inhibitors may also be prescribed. This medication helps to improve urine flow over several months by reducing the size of your prostate. You may receive a combination of these drugs. If medication isn’t relieving your symptoms, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure called transurethral resection of the prostate, or TURP. During this procedure, your surgeon will insert an instrument, called a resectoscope, through your urethra to reach your prostate. Then, a wire loop at the end of the resectoscope will be used to shave off tissue, which will widen your urethra. Other minimally invasive variations on this type of procedure use lasers, microwaves, radio waves, or electrical energy* from tools inserted through the cystoscope to remove some or all of your prostate gland. If your prostate is very large, your doctor may recommend an open prostatectomy procedure. In open prostatectomy, your surgeon will make an incision in your lower abdomen. After exposing your prostate*, your surgeon will make an incision in its outer capsule. Next, the tissue inside your prostate will be removed, and the capsule incision will be closed with sutures. Finally, your skin incision will be closed with sutures or staples. You can’t prevent benign prostatic hyperplasia, but the following lifestyle changes can make your symptoms less severe: Avoid medication that can make it harder for you to urinate, such as antihistamines and decongestants; stop drinking fluids for a few hours before bedtime; avoid drinking alcohol or fluids that contain caffeine; try to empty your bladder by double voiding. To double void, urinate, wait a moment, and then try to urinate again. To find out more about benign prostatic hyperplasia, talk to your healthcare provider.
"Medical Legal Art has always performed quality and efficient work. The
doctors that review the exhibits are always amazed at the precise
descriptions and drawings."
Michael Beckman
Viles Law Firm, P.A.
Fort Meyers, FL
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I look forward to our continued professional relationship."
Kenneth J. Allen Kenneth Allen & Associates
Valparaiso, IN
"The Doe Report is a visual feast of medical information for personal injury
lawyers."
Aaron R. Larson, Esq. President ExpertLaw.com
"I wanted to take some time out to let you know what a wonderful job you did
with the 'collapsed lung/fractured rib' illustrations. They were both
detailed and accurate. My medical expert was comfortable working with them
and he spent at least an hour explaining to the jury the anatomy of the
lungs, the ribs and the injuries depicted in the illustrations. Needless to
say, the jury was riveted to the doctor during his testimony.
The jury returned a verdict for $800,000.00 and I'm sure we would not have
done so well if not for the visualizations we were able to put forth with
your assistance. Lastly, my special thanks to Alice [Senior Medical
Illustrator] who stayed late on Friday night and patiently dealt with my
last minute revisions."
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
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advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
