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Gregory Larsen Treats 100th Patient with the UroLift® System for Enlarged Prostate

NEW ORLEANS – Dr. Gregory Larsen, Urologist at Ochsner Baptist – A Campus of Ochsner Medical Center, announced that his 100th patient has been treated with the UroLift® System, a proven, minimally invasive technology to treat men suffering from symptoms associated with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia, or BPH. Ochsner Baptist began offering the treatment in fall 2017.

“The UroLift System preserves sexual function which is important to men and their partners,” says Dr. Larsen. “Patients like that they can have the treatment done in the hospital, in under an hour, with local anesthesia. And best of all, they experience rapid symptom relief and return to normal routines quickly,” he adds.

Nearly 40 million men in the United States are affected by BPH. Not to be confused with prostate cancer, BPH occurs when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra becomes enlarged with advancing age and begins to obstruct the urinary system. Symptoms of BPH often include interrupted sleep and urinary problems, and can cause loss of productivity, depression and decreased quality of life.

Five-year data from a randomized study shows the UroLift System offers not only rapid improvement, but also durable relief for patients with BPH. After five years, patients treated with the UroLift System continue to experience symptom relief with minimal side effects, with few patients requiring additional treatment for relief. A second randomized clinical trial called BPH6 demonstrated that the minimally invasive UroLift System compares very well to the reference standard surgery, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), with regard to efficacy, and is superior to TURP at preserving sexual function and offering a more rapid recovery.

Medication is often the first-line therapy for enlarged prostate, but relief can be inadequate and temporary. Side effects of medication treatment can include sexual dysfunction, dizziness and headaches, prompting many patients to quit using the drugs. For these patients, the classic alternative is surgery that cuts, heats or removes prostate tissue to open the blocked urethra. While current surgical options can be very effective in relieving symptoms, they can also leave patients with permanent side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction and retrograde ejaculation.

Ochsner Baptist is located in the heart of Uptown New Orleans at 2700 Napoleon Avenue. The facility is fully accredited and staffed by more than 600 trusted, skilled physicians and specialists, featuring a 24-hour emergency department, all-private inpatient rooms, an intensive care unit, state-of-the-art operating rooms and two cardiac catheterization labs. Ochsner Baptist is also home to a health center with physicians’ offices such as primary care, urology, orthopedics, back and spine services, pain management, and many more.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Larsen, please call 504-894-2887.