Dr. Vineet Malhotra, Senior Urology Surgeon, Nova Specialty Hospitals, answers all your questions about prostate problems…

1. BENGALURU | CHENNAI | DELHI | HYDERABAD | JAIPUR | KANPUR | MUMBAI | OMAN
Q. I feel the need to go to the
bathroom very often and it
hurts. Sometimes I’ve noticed a
little blood as well. I’m worried.
What could be the problem?
A. If you are above 50 years
old, and these symptoms are
accompanied by the inability
to urinate, painful ejaculation,
pain in your back, hips, thighs or
pelvis or the inability to urinate
altogether, it is likely that this
may be a prostate problem.
Q. What is the prostate
and why is it causing these
problems?
A. The prostate is a walnut-sized
gland. It is part of the male
reproductive system and wraps
around the tube that carries
urine out of the bladder. It grows
larger as you get older, but if
it gets too large, it can cause
health issues, as it squeezes the
urethra. Since urine travels from
the bladder through the urethra,
the pressure from the enlarged
prostate may affect bladder
control. Contrary to popular
belief, having prostate problems
does not always mean you
have cancer.
Q. What are some common
prostate problems?
A. For men over 50, the most
common prostate problem is
prostate enlargement. Older men
are at risk for prostate cancer
as well. Non-cancerous prostate
problems are:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia•
(BPH) means your prostate is
enlarged, but not cancerous. It
is quite common in older men.
An enlarged prostate may
make it very difficult to urinate
or cause dribbling after you
urinate. You may also feel the
need to urinate a lot, often at
night.
Acute bacterial prostatitis•
usually starts suddenly from
a bacterial infection. It can
cause fever, chills, or pain. It
might hurt when you urinate,
or you may see blood in
your urine.
Chronic bacterial prostatitis•
is a recurring infection. This
is a rare problem that can
be hard to treat. Sometimes
taking antibiotics over a long
period of time may work.
Chronic prostatitis• , also called
Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome
(CPPS), is a common prostate
problem. It can cause pain in
the lower back, in the groin
area, or at the tip of the penis.
Prostate problems (Urology)
Myths, facts and frequently asked questions
Dr. Vineet Malhotra, Senior
Urology Surgeon, Nova
Specialty Hospitals, answers
all your questions about
prostate problems…
Mr. Ali Hassan*, a 72 year old man, was
experiencing difficulty while passing urine.
The frequent urge to urinate would keep him
sleepless during the nights and as a result,
took a toll on his general health too.
Post consultation with doctors, he was
informed that he had a grossly enlarged
prostate that led to these urinary symptoms
and prostate surgery was the only solution.
Mr. Hassan also had a severe cardiac
condition too, and was on anticoagulant
therapy (blood thinners). He believed that
it would not be safe for him to undergo
A Recent Success Story at Nova Our Senior
Urology
Consultant
Patient’s Name: Ali Hassan**
www.novaspecialtyhospitals.com
SMS NOVA TO 54242 | TOLL-FREE: 1800 103 6682
A-19/A, Kailash Colony, New Delhi-110 048
Ph. No.: 98107 05350, 9958956006 | Fax: 011 4046 5556
any surgery. Eventually, his son discussed
the case with Dr. Vineet Malhotra at Nova
Specialty Hospitals, and learnt that his
father could be treated without having to
discontinue any medication. Dr. Malhotra
treated him using a Holmium laser for
enucleation of the 125 gm prostate
enlargement. The patient was successfully
treated and was catheter free in 36 hours.
“I would have saved myself and my family a
lot of trouble had we known of this safe and
simple procedure earlier.”
-Ali Hasan
HealthLineVolume 1. Issue 4 The Neighbourhood Health Journal Urology Special
HealthLine
Dr. Ashish Bhanot
6 Foods that help avoid Prostate Cancer
Tomatoes• - Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found
in tomatoes, may be beneficial in the prevention of
prostate cancer and reducing tumour growth among
men with prostate cancer
Broccoli• -Researchers propose that one of the
phytochemicals found in broccoli and other cruciferous
vegetables, called sulforaphane, selectively targets and
kills cancer cells while leaving normal prostate cells
healthy and unaffected
Green tea• - In the Japan Public Health Center study
of 49,920 men, researchers found a 48 per cent
decreased risk of advanced prostate cancer among
men who consumed greater than 5 cups of green
Tea per day•
Legumes & Soybeans• - Legumes such as beans,
peanuts and lentils all contain biologically active plant
compounds known as phytoestrogens. Isoflavones,
a phytoestrogen, may contain cancer-fighting
properties, which suppress tumor growth in prostate
cancer cells
Pomegranate juice• - Much like red wine or green tea,
pomegranate is a rich source of antioxidants and has
been touted as a miracle fruit in preventing chronic
diseases related to oxidative stress
Fish• – This helps in creating a balance of omega-3
and omega-6 fatty acids which may help prevent the
development and progression of prostate cancer

2. Men with this problem often
have painful ejaculation and
may feel the need to urinate
frequently, but pass only a
small amount of urine.
Q. How are prostate
problems treated?
A. A range of treatments can
relieve enlarged prostate
symptoms -- medications,
minimally invasive procedures,
and open surgery. The best
one for you depends on your
symptoms and whether you
have other medical conditions.
Surgery often does the best
job of relieving symptoms. It is
recommended that all men below
the age of 75 years should get
regular Prostate Specific Antigen
(PSA) tests, which determine
whether or not the enlarged
gland is cancerous.
Q. What sort of minimally
invasive procedures are
performed?
A. At most hospitals, surgeons
perform a Transurethral
Resection of the Prostate
(TURP), which removes the
tissue growth that is pressing
against the urethra. At Nova
Specialty Hospitals, our surgeons
perform a minimally invasive
laser surgery using the latest
Holmium laser technology. This
procedure uses a high energy
vapourising laser to remove the
excess prostate tissue. It is very
effective in the treatment of
BPH.
Q. What is a Holmium laser?
How does it work?
A. A fine telescope-like
instrument is inserted into
your urethra. The high powered
laser is then inserted through
this instrument and used to
carefully remove the excess
prostate tissue that is causing
obstruction of the urethra. The
residual pieces of the prostate
are removed by the surgeon.
This tissue can be analysed to
identify whether there was any
evidence for cancerous change
within the prostate. This differs
from other laser procedures,
which work by completely
destroying the prostate tissue
that is removed.
Q. How is the Holmium laser
treatment better for me?
A. The Holmium laser seals
the blood vessels of the
prostate tissue. There is
therefore, very little blood loss
in comparison to other surgical
options. The catheter that is
inserted after the procedure
can usually be removed within
12–24 hours of the surgery.
This allows you to leave
hospital more quickly, possibly
even on the same day post your
procedure, and reduces your
recovery time.
Q. Will it be painful? How
soon can I go back to my daily
activities?
A. You should not have any
pain from the operation, but
you may have some discomfort
from the catheter. Heavy
lifting should be avoided for
the first week or so following
the procedure. However, return
to light exercise and work
activities should be possible
within a week or so. Otherwise,
there should not be much
change in your daily routine.
The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that is part
of the male reproductive system and wraps around
the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. As
you grow older, it grows large too and may cause
problems as it squeezes the urethra thus impacting
bladder control. For men over 50, frequent urge
to pass urine, the inability to urinate, painful
ejaculation, and lower body pains are all symptoms
of an enlarged prostate. The most commonly seen
condition is benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
It means that the prostate is enlarged, but not
cancerous. However, the condition poses a lot of
problems and is painful too.
Holmium Laser Surgery: The Advanced
Approach
At most hospitals, Transurethral Resection of the
Prostate (TURP) is performed that removes the
tissue growth pressing against the urethra. At Nova
Specialty Hospitals, highly experienced surgeons
perform minimally invasive surgery with the latest
Holmium laser technology. This procedure uses a
high energy vapourising laser to remove the excess
prostate tissue and is very effective.
A fine telescope-like instrument is inserted into
the urethra. The high powered laser is then
inserted through this instrument and used to
carefully remove the excess prostate tissue
causing obstruction. This tissue is further analysed
to identify whether there was any evidence for
cancerous change within the prostate.
Maximum Benefits, Fast Relief
Holmium Laser treatment is a successful alternative
to TURP. Since it uses laser energy to relieve
enlarged prostate symptoms it reduces the
traditional complications associated with TURP.
With Holmium laser, patients experience minimal
pain after the operation and spend less time in
the hospital than with TURP. They are also able to
resume normal activities within a week.
Leading specialists at Nova cure prostate
problems with the latest Holmium technology
HealthLine HealthLine
1 medical evaluation by
physician
1 Urologist consultation if
required**
10% discount on abdomino-
pelvic scan
20% discount on other lab
investigations**
**Valid till March 31, 2014 with
prior appointment
Urology Assesment Clinic*
For MORE DETAILS, call: 011 4046 5555
TC apply. Please call for details.
Tips for a Healthy Prostate
Keep a healthy weight and exercise regularly
Eat more fruits and vegetables. Tomatoes,
watermelons, guava and papaya contain
lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Cruciferous
vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and
cabbage are also good choices
Having a father or brother with prostate cancer
more than doubles a man’s risk of developing
this disease
Include more soy in your diet from sources such
as tofu, soy nuts or soy flour or powders
Avoid smoking
Eat more selenium-rich foods such as wheat
germ, tuna, and other seafood and kidney,
eggs, sunflower and sesame seeds, cashews,
mushrooms, garlic and onions.
Get a PSA blood test and digital rectal exam
annually, beginning at age 50