Understanding the American Urological Association Guidelines
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You may not have heard of the American Urological Association (AUA). It’s definitely worth understanding what they do and how some of their guidelines may affect your treatment plan for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or an enlarged prostate.
What is the AUA?
The AUA is a leading association for urologists all over the world. Its mission is to promote the highest standards of urological care.
What are AUA guidelines and how do they affect me?
AUA guidelines provide a recommended methodology for urologists to follow and apply to their patients’ needs. The guidelines are developed with thorough clinical data and science reviews, and help doctors stay up-to-date on current diagnosis and treatment practices.
Guidelines for BPH Treatment
The first set of guidelines for BPH procedures and surgeries was created in 2018. Since then, they were updated in 2019, and again in 2020.
These guidelines outline the AUA’s recommendations for doctors to evaluate BPH and different BPH procedures. The updates in 2020 discussed Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy, an enlarged prostate treatment. The guidelines note that Rezūm Therapy may be offered to patients whose prostate volume is less than 80 g and to those who want to preserve their sexual function.1
Your doctor will advise you on the best BPH treatment options for you based on your anatomy and desired outcomes. You can learn more about Rezūm Therapy by visiting this page. Your doctor can tell you if you are eligible for this treatment option and its potential benefits/side effects.
If you want, you can take a few minutes to review the AUA guidelines before you speak with your doctor about your treatment plan. You can find them here.
AUA Patient Resources
While the AUA is a resource for doctors, its Urology Care Foundation focuses on patient education. On this website, you can find free patient guides in several languages on many conditions, including BPH. They also offer healthy lifestyle habits and research updates on various conditions, among other resources. You can view and download the free guide for BPH here.
The Urology Care Foundation website also has a free patient magazine called UrologyHealth Extra and a Urology Health podcast. They offer many ways to learn more about specific conditions and they provide general urological healthy habits, tips, recipes, suggested exercises, etc.
You can now arm yourself with the latest information on BPH as you get ready to speak with your doctor. The first step is to understand the condition and possible next steps depending on the severity of your symptoms.
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Find a Doctor
Use our Doctor Finder to get in direct contact with urologists who specialize in using Rezūm Water Vapor Therapy to treat BPH.
References:
- Parsons JK, Dahm P, Köhler TS, et al. Surgical management of lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia: AUA Guideline Amendment 2020. J Urol. 2020 Oct;204(4):799-804.
All treatments have inherent and associated risks. The Rezūm System is intended to relieve symptoms, obstructions, and reduce prostate tissue associated with BPH. It is indicated for men ≥ 50 years of age with a prostate volume 30cm3 ≤ 80cm3. The Rezūm System is also indicated for treatment of prostate with hyperplasia of the central zone and/or a median lobe. Potential risks include but are not limited to painful urination (dysuria), blood in the urine (hematuria), blood in the semen (hematospermia), decrease in ejaculatory volume, suspected urinary tract infection (UTI), and urinary frequency, retention or urgency. You should talk with your doctor about benefits and risks before moving forward with any treatment option.
Caution: U.S. Federal law restricts this device to sale by or on the order of a physician.
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