Birmingham Urology Clinic

The term benign prostatic hypertrophy is also used but technically it is incorrect. Hypertrophy means enlargement of the components without an increase in their numbers as happens with muscle fibres. Hyperplasia is an increase in the number of the components and this is typical of glandular enlargement.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is an increase in size of the prostate gland without malignancy present and it is so common as to be normal with advancing age. The prostate secretes about 20-30% of the volume of seminal fluid. It is a hormone-dependent gland and BPH does not occur in castrated men.

It should be borne in mind that lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and BPH are not synonymous. Prevailing European guidelines suggest that because BPH is so common in older men, it should not be looked on as the only possible pathology in patients presenting with LUTS. The doctor assessing a patient with LUTS should take an holistic view bearing in mind the full range of causes and the possibility of co-existing morbidities.