Evaluating the degree of urinary obstruction:

D.P. is a 63-year-old man who has been experiencing progressive difficulty with initiating the urinary stream and frequently needs to get up in the night three or more times to urinate. A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is obtained and a prostate examination performed. The PSA is not significantly elevated. The prostate is enlarged.

Discussion Questions

1. What is the likely cause of D.P.'s urinary problem? What are the risk factors?

2. What is the danger of leaving this untreated?

3. What further testing would be helpful in evaluating the degree of urinary obstruction?

4. What are the treatment options for D.P.?5.  How would his treatment be different had he been diagnosed with prostatic cancer?