Too Many Men Suffer Too Long with Enlarged Prostate Symptoms

By Tracy Simons | Silver Cross Hospital

“I encourage all of my buddies to be smarter than me, and not delay getting their annual prostate exam,” said 63‐year‐old Robert Carhart, Jr. “I became lazy and neglected to get my annual exam for a couple years.” During this time, the Morris resident began to have problems when he urinated and finally got help when his primary doctor referred him to get a prostate exam with Dr. Luke Cho.

“I was regretting not getting my annual exam and was so scared that I was going to have cancer,” said Carhart.

Fortunately, Carhart’s results showed that he had an enlarged prostate and no sign of cancer. So to correct the problem, Dr. Cho performed the state-of-the-art, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) procedure at Silver Cross Hospital in July 2014.

Since then, Robert has been free from any pain or urinary issues, and during his six month check‐up gained more peace of mind that he does not have cancer.

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“I was the first to offer the HoLEP procedure in Will County, and Silver Cross is the only hospital in Will County that offers the HoLEP procedure,” said Luke Cho, M.D., board certified urologist with Advanced Urology Associates. “In fact, very few urologists in the entire Chicago area offer the HoLEP procedure probably due to a high learning curve to perform the procedure as well as the need for specialized equipment. I am grateful to Silver Cross Hospital in providing the best urological laser equipment, which in turn allows me to offer the HoLEP procedure to my patients.”

According to the American Urological Association’s Urology Care Foundation, the prostate may become larger and start to cause problems as men age. An enlarged prostate is also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia. The prostate of a 50‐year‐old man is about the size of a walnut or chestnut. But some prostates may grow to the size of a grapefruit or more. As the prostate enlarges, it can squeeze the urethra and therefore cause obstruction of the bladder.

If left untreated, this can result in many serious health problems such as urinary tract infections, bladder damage and even kidney damage.

“So many patients, like Robert, hesitate to have an annual prostate exam and suffer too long with problems,” said Dr. Cho. “Fortunately Robert’s issues were easily corrected by HoLEP. During the procedure, a laser is used to thoroughly remove the prostate tissue which is causing obstruction of the urethra and bladder. In addition, the tissue that is removed is analyzed to make sure there is no prostate cancer present. The HoLEP procedure is proven to be an effective and safe method to treat an obstructing prostate. Although other laser prostate procedures exist, I feel HoLEP is one of the most effective and safest procedures, especially for extremely large prostates.

“Prior to offering HoLEP, the only other option for the extremely enlarged prostate was an invasive surgery involving a large abdominal incision and the potential for large amounts of blood loss. On the other hand, the HoLEP procedure is performed without any incisions, with minimal blood loss and virtually no pain.”

Who is at risk for enlarged prostate?

Family history and aging are the biggest known risk factors for an enlarged prostate. Obesity and high blood sugar may also be risk factors.

Men should see a healthcare provider about the possibility of a prostate problem if they have any of the following symptoms: frequent urination (day or night), sudden urgent need to urinate (in which one has to immediately stop what they are doing), straining to urinate, a weak urinary stream, feeling like your bladder is not completely empty after urinating, blood in urine, pain or burning with urination, and urinary infections of the bladder and kidneys.

“It’s important to know that an enlarged prostate is not prostate cancer. However, only a urologist can determine if urinary symptoms as mentioned above are due to either an enlarged prostate or prostate cancer. Sometimes men can have both an enlarged prostate and prostate cancer,” said Dr. Cho. “So whether a prostate is enlarged or not, men should talk to their physician about whether a prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) blood test is the right option for them to avoid any future health problems.”

“Dr. Cho is the best doctor,” said Carhart. “His down‐to‐earth personality makes you feel comfortable to ask him any questions. He takes his time explaining everything, and even called me when I went home after my procedure to see how I was doing.”

Royal Treatment

Carhart feels he was treated like royalty by the staff at Silver Cross Hospital.

“The care I received at Silver Cross was awesome. The nursing staff cared for me like a king,” exclaimed Carhart. “They were so attentive and concerned that I was comfortable my entire stay. Since I never was hospitalized before, I was unsure what to expect. But not only was my care exceptional, I was pleasantly surprised to have my own private room which was extremely clean and quiet.”

About Luke Cho, M.D.

Luke Cho, M.D., received undergraduate degrees in philosophy and biochemistry from Northwestern University in Evanston and the University of Illinois at Chicago. He earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Cho served his residency at Yale New Haven Hospital / Yale School of Medicine, in New Haven, CT, where he served as Chief Resident in Urology in 2000. Dr. Cho is certified by the American Board of Urology and he is a member of the American Urological Association. He specializes in adult urology with emphasis on laparoscopy (including robotic surgery certification), endourology (percutaneous nephrostolithotomy) and male infertility.

His office is in Joliet with Advanced Urology Associates. To schedule an appointment, please call (815) 726‐3110.