Abstract
Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common condition in elderly men, and its incidence rate increases with age. The condition needs to be diagnosed and treated in accordance with the clinical practice guidelines for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Although treatment can be initiated differently depending on disease severity, pharmacotherapy is initially provided in most cases, and then surgical treatment is considered when patients’ responses to pharmacotherapy are unsatisfactory. In addition to trans-urethral resection of the prostate, which is the long-standing gold standard in surgical treatment, procedures employing lasers have been developed and are becoming widely used. Given the age-related increases reported in the incidence rates of nocturia-related falls and consequent fractures and mortality, the option of surgical treatment should not be ruled out solely because of old age. However, postoperative complications specific to elderly patients can occur, and thus careful consideration is necessary when deciding on surgery. Comprehensive evaluation using the patient’s age as one of influencing factors is essential when deciding an appropriate treatment plan for each patient.
