AUA recommends use of UroLift System for managing lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to BPH

NeoTract, a wholly owned subsidiary of Teleflex Incorporated focused on addressing unmet needs in the field of urology, today announced that the American Urological Association (AUA) has recommended the use of the UroLift^® System as a standard of care treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

In its newly released clinical guidelines developed by a panel of experts in the field, the AUA recommends that the UroLift Prostatic Urethral Lift procedure should be considered for the management of men's lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to BPH. The guidelines, last revised in 2010, were distributed to peer reviewers prior to approval by the AUA Board of Directors.

The AUA notes that, given the strong observed relationship between erectile dysfunction and BPH, this group of men is at high risk for sexual dysfunction. The organization recommends that patients should be counseled about the sexual side effects of any surgical intervention and should be made aware that surgical treatment can cause ejaculatory dysfunction and may worsen erectile dysfunction. The UroLift System is the only minimally invasive treatment option that has been shown to provide rapid and durable symptomatic and urinary flow rate improvement without inducing sustained sexual dysfunction.

"The AUA is strongly committed to doing what is best for patients. With the inclusion of the UroLift System in these new guidelines, the AUA provides support of the UroLift System as a treatment in the best interest of patients," said Dave Amerson, president of the NeoTract Interventional Urology business unit. "Following treatment with the UroLift System, thousands of men have avoided invasive surgery, are no longer needing medications, and are back to living their lives, without giving up normal sexual function. We are hopeful that this recommendation from AUA will mean that many more men will choose the UroLift System."

BPH is marked by bothersome urinary symptoms that can cause loss of productivity, depression, interrupted sleep, and decreased quality of life. It is not a pre-cursor to prostate cancer, but is twelve times more common, especially as men age. Over 40 percent of men in their 50s have BPH and over 70 percent of men in their 60s have the condition. The incidence rate climbs to 80 percent for men over the age of 70. If BPH is left untreated, the condition can worsen over time and cause permanent bladder damage.

UroLift System Results to be Featured in Late-Breaker at AUA Annual Meeting

Additionally, the company announced activities planned for the 113^th American Urological Association Annual Meeting, taking place May 18-21 at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. These presentations include:

Friday, May 18

• Video session presentation by Dr. Thomas Mueller: Performance of Prostatic Urethral Lift in Men with Prostate Volumes <30 grams and >80 grams (7:30 - 9:30 a.m., MCC WEST, 3002)

Saturday, May 19

• UroLift technique video presentation by Dr. Gregg Eure: Surgical Techniques: Tips & Tricks: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (3:00 - 4:00 p.m., MCC South, Esplanade)

Sunday, May 20

• Late-breaking abstract presentation by Dr. Daniel Rukstalis: Multi-Center Prospective Study of the Prostatic Urethral Lift for Obstructive Median Lobe: The MedLift Study, An Extension of the LIFT Randomized Study (4:05 - 4:15 p.m. in MCC North, Hall E)
• Moderated poster presentation by Dr. Steven Kaplan: Predictors of Response to the Prostatic Urethral Lift Treatment (1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in MCC West, 3006)

Source: http://www.neotract.com/