Procedures in Office Settings
Urology Procedures in Office Settings
The prostate gland plays a vital role in men’s health, particularly in reproductive and urinary function. As men age, the prostate is increasingly prone to conditions such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) or enlarged prostate and prostate cancer. Urologists can perform procedures in the office setting to help men with conditions such as BPH and prostate cancer.
Understanding Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition that affects men as they age, causing the prostate to enlarge and press on or block the urethra. About 50% of men between ages of 51 and 60 have BPH, and that number jumps to 70% among men aged 60 to 69 and around 80% of men over 70 years of age.¹
Left untreated, BPH causes bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) that can significantly impair quality of life, including:
Frequent urination • Weak urine stream • Poor sleep • Depression
Reduced productivity • Sexual dysfunction
An alternative option to surgery: Minimally invasive BPH treatments are designed to relieve urinary symptoms with less disruption to surrounding tissue than traditional surgical approaches. These procedures are often performed as a one-time treatment, frequently in an office or outpatient setting, and may be completed using local anesthesia or minimal sedation. Patients can often benefit from symptom improvement, rapid recovery, lower procedural burden, and a favorable safety profile as compared to more invasive procedures, while helping preserve quality of life and important functional outcomes.
Key Benefits of Office-Based
Minimally Invasive BPH Treatments
The continued evolution of minimally invasive BPH therapies has expanded the ability to provide effective treatment in the physician office setting. This shift can increase patient access, reduce healthcare resource utilization, lower total cost of care, and deliver meaningful clinical outcomes in a convenient and patient-centered environment.
Preserves Quality of Life
Minimally invasive BPH therapies are designed to provide meaningful symptom relief while minimizing the impact on sexual and urinary function.
Reduced Healthcare Resource Utilization
Many minimally invasive BPH procedures can be performed without general anesthesia and with limited recovery requirements.
Faster Recovery and Return to Daily Activities
Patients typically return home the same day and can often resume normal activities more quickly than with traditional surgical interventions.
Value-Based Care
Office-based minimally invasive BPH procedures can expand patient access to treatment, reduce reliance on higher-cost sites of care, and deliver clinically meaningful outcomes in a cost-efficient setting.
Rahman A, Leslie SW, Desai D. Prostatic Urethral Lift. [Updated 2024 Aug 11]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2026 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK606089/
Roehrborn CG, Gange SN, Shore ND, Giddens JL, Bolton DM, Cowan BE, Brown BT, McVary KT, Te AE, Gholami SS, Rashid P, Moseley WG, Chin PT, Dowling WT, Freedman SJ, Incze PF, Coffield KS, Borges FD, Rukstalis DB. The prostatic urethral lift for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms associated with prostate enlargement due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: the L.I.F.T. Study. J Urol. 2013 Dec;190(6):2161-7.
Radiation Therapy Treatment and
Rectal Spacing for Prostate Cancer
For men receiving radiation therapy for prostate cancer, the rectum is located directly next to the prostate and may be exposed to radiation during treatment. Rectal spacing involves creating temporary separation between the prostate and rectum to help reduce radiation exposure to healthy rectal tissue during treatment.
By increasing the distance between these structures, rectal spacing may help reduce the risk of treatment-related side effects and support the delivery of modern radiation therapy techniques.
Potential benefits of rectal spacing include:
Reduced radiation exposure to the rectum • Lower risk of bowel side effects • Improved quality of life
• Support for dose-escalated and hypofractionated radiation therapy •
Greater protection of healthy tissue • Enhanced treatment planning flexibility
Research & Clinical Outcomes
for Urologic Medical Technologies
Clinical research and outcomes evidence are critical for the evaluation and adoption of office-based urologic procedures and medical devices. Data from prospective studies, randomized controlled trials, and real-world clinical practice help demonstrate safety, effectiveness, patient satisfaction, and durability of outcomes in the outpatient setting. This evidence generates the scientific foundation for regulatory decision-making, clinical guideline recommendations, payer coverage policies, and the broader integration of innovative technologies into office-based urologic care. ² ³ ⁴
Racial Disparities in Urology
Racial and ethnic disparities continue to affect access to and outcomes of office-based urologic procedures. Studies have shown that patients from Black, Hispanic, and other historically underserved populations are less likely to receive timely evaluation and minimally invasive urologic interventions, often due to differences in healthcare access, insurance coverage, referral patterns, socioeconomic factors, and geographic availability of specialized care. These disparities can contribute to delayed treatment, greater disease burden, and poorer clinical outcomes. Addressing inequities through inclusive clinical research, equitable access to innovative technologies, culturally competent care, and targeted outreach is essential to ensure all patients benefit from advances in office-based urologic procedures.⁵ ⁶
Office-Based Care Makes a Difference
When clinically appropriate, procedures performed in the physician office setting can improve patient convenience, reduce the need for hospital-based care, and allow treatment to be performed with minimal disruption to daily life. Patients may benefit from a familiar care environment, streamlined access to treatment, and avoidance of the additional time and resources often associated with facility-based procedures.
Benefits of Office-Based Medical Procedures
Improved Patient Convenience: Familiar setting, shorter wait times.
Lower Total Cost: Reduced facility fees compared with hospital-based care when clinically appropriate.
Operational Efficiency: Streamlined scheduling and faster patient throughput.
High Patient Satisfaction: Less intimidating environment and quicker recovery/discharge.
Physician Control: Greater scheduling flexibility and standardized workflows.
Quality & Safety: Appropriate patient selection with evidence-based protocols and emergency preparedness.
Best suited for appropriately selected patients and procedures performed under established clinical, safety, and regulatory protocols.
"Patients experienced rapid, significant LUTS relief and improvement in quality of life within two weeks — benefits sustained for five years." — Roehrborn et al., L.I.F.T. Study, 2017
Interventional Urology Offices
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Explore Other Types of Office-Based Speciality Care
1. Yale Medicine Fact Sheet – Enlarged Prostate (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/enlarged-prostate-benign-prostatic-hyperplasia-bph
2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Clinical Outcome Assessments (COAs) in Medical Device Decision Making. The FDA notes that clinical outcome assessments provide valuable evidence for benefit-risk evaluations and assessment of device effectiveness and safety.
3. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PMA Clinical Studies. FDA requires valid scientific evidence from clinical investigations to demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of medical devices.
4. Webber CM et al. Patient-reported outcomes and medical device evaluation: from conception to implementation. Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes. 2022. This review highlights the importance of outcomes data in medical device evaluation, clinical care, and reimbursement decision-making. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
5. Sanchez D, Frencher S, Litwin M. Moving urologic disparities research from evidence synthesis to translational research: a dynamic, multidisciplinary approach to tackling inequalities in urology. Urology, 2021; 162, 49-56
6. Kaiser Family Foundation Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Access to Medical Advancements and Technologies. https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/racial-and-ethnic-disparities-in-access-to-medical-advancements-and-technologies/