Urological Procedures

Every year, thousands of clients that are uninsured, under-insured or self-insured turn to North American Surgery Inc. to have their surgeries performed close to home at or below the cost of overseas procedures. Why travel great distances and take unnecessary risks for uninsured medical procedures such as urological surgery when affordable alternatives exist in the US? If you need urological surgery, but you are uninsured, North American Surgery can help you.

What kinds of urological procedures can you help arrange?

Timely Medical Alternatives can help get you immediate care for the following urological conditions:

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate): The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system, located inside the body, just below the bladder and in front of the rectum and is about the size of a walnut. It is common for men to find that their prostate has become enlarged as they age. Doctors call this condition benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH. The symptoms vary, but usually include:

• the need to urinate more frequently or urgently, especially at night
• a weak or interrupted stream
• leaking or dribbling

Note: Having BPH does not appear to increase the risk of prostate cancer but many of the symptoms are similar so your doctor will always want to rule out cancer.

In treating BPH, doctors will commonly recommend surgical removal of the prostate. The most frequently recommended procedure is called transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). As the name suggests, the surgery is performed through the urethra, meaning there is no scar. Sometimes, however, when the gland is greatly enlarged or there are other complicating factors, the doctor will recommend what’s called “open surgery.” This means the surgeon makes an incision across the lower abdomen and will result in a longer recovery time. Laser surgery is another, newer, option.

A growing number of non-surgical options are also available, including HIFU, or high-intensity focused ultrasound. This treatment has been available in Canada since 2005 and so far shows excellent results and lower side effects than surgical procedures. (It is so new that not all physicians are familiar with it and you may have to ask.) Other non-surgical treatments include:

• microwave treatment (TUMT)
• needle ablation (TUNA)
• water-induce thermotherapy.

Prostate cancer: Prostate cancer occurs when malignant cells form in the tissues of the prostate. There are frequently no symptoms associated with prostate cancer so you should have regular screening with your family doctor via physical exam and blood test (PSA.) This becomes especially important as you age. For those who have symptoms, these might include:

• the need to urinate more frequently or urgently, especially at night
• a weak or interrupted stream
• difficulty urinating
• pain or burning during urination.
• blood in the urine or semen.
• pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn’t go away.
• painful ejaculation.

To treat prostate cancer, a wide variety of therapies – often used in combination with each other – are available. These include:

• surgery: including TURP, radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy
• radiation: brachytherapy
• hormone therapy
• cryosurgery
• chemotherapy
• high intensity high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

This last treatment has been available in Canada since 2005 and so far shows excellent results and lower side effects than the surgical procedures. (It is so new that not all physicians are familiar with it and you may have to ask.)

The best choice of treatment for you depends on your age and stage of cancer. You should discuss your options thoroughly with your doctor.

Kidney stones: Kidney stones are created when minerals and other substances in your urine combine, over time, to form crystals on the inner surfaces of your kidneys. If the crystals remain tiny enough, they will travel through the urinary tract and pass out of the body in the urine, without being noticed. If they become larger, however, they can cause excruciating pain as they go through your system. Doctors do not fully understand why some people form kidney stones and others don’t.

A primary form treatment for kidney stones is lithotripsy (ESWL) which is a series of shock waves, used to break up the stones and crush them into particles the size of sand. It requires sedation or light anesthesia because of possible pain caused by the shock waves. Other treatments include: percutaneous nephorolithotomy and removal of the stone using a ureteroscope. Some calcium stones are cause by overactive parathyroid glands (in the neck). Most often this is the result of a small benign tumour in one of the glands and, if this is the case, the tumour can be removed surgically.

What are the risks of these urological procedures?

The risks associated with prostate surgery include but are not limited to the risk of anesthesia, bleeding, infection, pneumonia, urinary incontinence and impotence. The risks will vary with the different kind of surgery – and with your health. Non-surgical procedures such as HIFU are thought to carry less risk. Your surgeon is the best person to assess your risks and discuss how to minimize them.

The risks associated with lithotripsy include blood in the urine, bruising, bleeding and discomfort as the pieces of stone pass through the urinary tract. Some people will require a second treatment if the stone doesn’t shatter completely.

How long will it take me to recover from urological surgery?

Depending on the nature of the procedure, and your overall health, recovery may take several months. If you have had surgery for BPH or prostate cancer, you may be sent home with a catheter, which will be removed after several days. During this initial recovery it’s important to avoid any straining or sudden movements that could tear the incision. Here are some guidelines common to recovery from all urological procedures:

• Continue drinking a lot of water to flush the bladder.
• Avoid straining when having a bowel movement.
• If constipation occurs, ask your doctor if you can take a laxative.
• Don’t do any heavy lifting.

What to do if you are Uninsured, Under-Insured or Self-Insured

North American Surgery Inc. acts as a facilitator, bringing our clients together with private medical clinics and hospitals that can provide the needed services and/or procedures in a timely manner and at affordable prices to the uninsured. If you are uninsured and want more information about private medical care, contact North American Surgery Inc. today.