Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the most common surgical procedure to treat men with enlarged prostates. The prostate, located at the base of a man's bladder, is a fibrous gland that surrounds the urethra (canal through which urine is discharged). Although it is usually performed on patients with noncancerous conditions, TURP can be performed on patients with prostate cancerprostate cancer who are not good candidates for curative surgery. For prostate cancer patients, TURP may relieve obstructive urinary difficulties in but the procedure cannot cure the disease.

TURP is an in-patient procedure, which means that the patient will be hospitalized after surgery. During the procedure, the patient receives an anesthetic before the surgeon inserts a narrow instrument called a resectoscope into the urethra and removes excess prostate tissue. This creates an opening that allows urine to flow out with less obstruction. Though TURP is considered a form of surgery, it does not require a surgical incision.