Georgia Urology Now Treating Patients with UroLift System
Dr. Brent Sharpe performs innovative treatment for enlarged prostate
Georgia Urology, the largest urology practice in the Southeast, utilizes the latest medical technology to better serve its patients. This tradition continues as Dr. Brent A. Sharpe begins treating patients with the UroLift® System, an innovative treatment for enlarged prostate now available at Georgia Urology’s Gainesville and Braselton locations.
The availability of this treatment option is an expansion for the practice, as Georgia Urology’s Dr. Ronald Anglade and Dr. A. Paul Sherlag were among the first physicians to treat patients with this new treatment method. Learn more about Georgia Urology’s experience with the UroLift® System.
Currently, Georgia Urology has eight physicians who offer the UroLift treatment option. Other doctors who are skilled with the system are Dr. Carl C. Capelouto, Dr. Walter Z. Falconer, Dr. Charles Kaplan, Dr. Lewis S. Kriteman, and Dr. Jeffrey G. Proctor.
The UroLift System is the first permanent implant to treat symptoms due to urinary outflow obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in men 50 years of age or older. Cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2013, the UroLift System is designed to relieve symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, while preserving sexual function.
“Part of the responsibility of a physician is to stay on top of the latest medical breakthroughs,” Dr. Sharpe said. “I’m impressed with UroLift as an alternative to drug therapy or more invasive surgery. It offers a lower risk of side effects than traditional surgery, and the substantial relief and quality of life it provides patients is remarkable.”
The UroLift System permanent implants, delivered during a minimally-invasive procedure, act like window curtain tie-backs to hold the lobes of an enlarged prostate open. Patients recover from the procedure quickly, and return to their normal routines with minimal downtime.
Data from clinical trials showed that patients receiving UroLift implants reported rapid symptomatic improvement, improved urinary flow rates, and sustained sexual function. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. Most common adverse events reported include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure.
Georgia Urology is the largest urology practice in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast. Georgia Urology has 30 locations and six ambulatory surgery centers. The practice is comprised of more than 40 physicians, many of whom are fellowship-trained and hold advanced specialty training in oncology, laparoscopy, infertility, incontinence, and pediatrics. Georgia Urology physicians use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and advanced treatment techniques, including robot-assisted technology and minimally invasive procedures, in order to manage all urological problems in men, women, and children. It is the practice’s mission to deliver the highest possible quality of care to all patients and to be the preeminent urology practice in Georgia.
About UroLift
The UroLift System provides an alternative to tissue removing surgery for the treatment of an enlarged prostate. Performed through the urethra, a urologist uses the UroLift System to push aside the obstructive prostate lobes and positions small, tailored permanent UroLift implants to hold the prostate lobes in the retracted position. This opens the urethra while leaving the prostate intact. Adverse reactions associated with UroLift System treatment were comparable to other minimally invasive surgical therapies as well as standard cystoscopy. The most common adverse events reported during the study included pain or burning with urination, blood in the urine, pelvic pain, urgent need to urinate, and the inability to control urine because of an urgent need to urinate. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure.
