Tiny implants,
immediate relief
The UroLift System places tiny permanent implants that lift the enlarged prostate lobes away from the urethra and hold them open, and flow often improves right away. No cutting, no heat, and typically no catheter.
Medically reviewed by Hari Sawkar, MD, board-certified urologist · Updated August 2026
How UroLift works
An enlarged prostate squeezes the urethra and obstructs flow. Rather than cutting or heating tissue, UroLift places tiny permanent implants that pull the prostate lobes apart and hold them open, like tiebacks on a curtain, so urine can pass freely again.
Because nothing is removed, cut, or heated, relief is immediate and recovery is quick. The procedure is done right in the office, usually in under an hour, and most men leave without a catheter. Dr. Sawkar is recognized as a UroLift Center of Excellence.
Local anesthesia
A numbing agent is applied in the office. No general anesthesia is required for most men.
Scope placed
A slim scope is passed through the urethra to view the prostate and plan each implant.
Implants placed
Tiny permanent implants are delivered to lift the lobes apart and hold them open.
Immediate relief
The urethra opens as the implants hold the tissue aside. Most men feel a rapid improvement in flow.
Why men choose UroLift
Nothing cut, heated, or removed
The implants simply hold the enlarged tissue aside. No prostate tissue is cut, burned, or taken out.
Done in the office
Performed in under an hour, typically under local anesthesia, with no general anesthesia for most men.
Usually no catheter
Most men go home the same day without a catheter and return to regular activities within days.
Rapid, lasting relief
Flow often improves right away, and the durable implants are designed to hold that relief over time.
Is UroLift right for you
UroLift does its best work in a specific lane, and an in-office prostate measurement confirms the fit before anything is scheduled.
Small to moderate glands
Roughly 20 to 80 cc is the sweet spot, with select larger glands also treatable. Above that range, other options usually serve you better.
Sexual function is the priority
UroLift is the only BPH procedure whose pivotal trial reported no new, sustained ejaculatory or erectile dysfunction. For many men that settles it.
You want the office, not the OR
Local anesthesia, under an hour, home the same day, usually without a catheter. The fastest recovery of any BPH procedure.
You want off the daily pills
Most men taper off BPH medication after treatment, trading a management strategy for a fix.
UroLift is not the answer for everyone. Very large glands and some median lobes point instead toward PAE, Rezūm, or Aquablation, and because Dr. Sawkar offers all four, the recommendation follows your measured anatomy. Whichever page brought you here, the consultation starts from the full menu.
What the evidence shows
UroLift's pivotal randomized trial, the L.I.F.T. study, followed men for five full years, which is longer than most BPH devices can claim. Dr. Sawkar's practice is recognized as a UroLift Center of Excellence, a designation tied to training and case volume.
Fast, real relief
Symptom scores improved rapidly, with much of the benefit felt within two weeks, and flow measurably better without removing any tissue.
Function preserved
Across five years of follow-up, the trial reported no new, sustained retrograde ejaculation or erectile dysfunction attributed to the implants.
Durable for most
Relief held through year five for the large majority; roughly one in seven men eventually chose a repeat or different treatment, and every other option stays open.
Recovery, in plain terms
Expect some burning with urination, urgency, and a little pink in the urine for the first days, the same short irritation most men describe after a cystoscopy. Desk work resumes in a day or two, the irritation settles over two to four weeks, and the flow improvement is usually noticeable from the first week. There is no incision to protect and typically no catheter to manage, which is exactly why men who want life back quickly choose this door.
Common questions about UroLift
Does the procedure hurt
Most men describe pressure and brief stinging rather than pain. It is performed under local anesthesia in the office, takes well under an hour, and you drive home the same day if no sedation was used.
How long do the implants last, and can they be removed
The implants are permanent and designed to hold for life. If your prostate grows enough over the years to need more treatment, they do not block any future option, and they can be removed if ever needed.
Can I have an MRI with UroLift implants
Yes. The implants are MRI conditional, meaning scans can be performed safely under standard conditions. Mention them to the imaging team and bring your implant card.
How is UroLift different from Rezum
Both are office procedures for small to moderate glands. UroLift holds tissue open with implants and works immediately, usually with no catheter. Rezum shrinks tissue with water vapor over a few months and involves a short-term catheter. Your anatomy and your patience for the timeline usually decide it.
Will UroLift affect ejaculation or erections
It was designed specifically not to. The pivotal trial reported no new, sustained ejaculatory or erectile dysfunction across five years of follow-up, which is unique among BPH procedures.
See if UroLift is right for you
Same-day and next-day appointments. UroLift is typically covered by Medicare and most commercial plans, with telehealth consultations available. For the fastest response, send the office a secure message; the reply comes back by text.
Chief of Urology, Providence St. Joseph Hospital · UroLift Center of Excellence · Orange County's highest-volume Aquablation surgeon