A professor of Surgery in the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Linus Okeke, has said Benign Prostrate Enlargement (BPH) is caused by old age and not increased sexual activities.
He added that BPH was not a death sentence as it could be treated satisfactorily.
Okeke was delivering his inaugural lecture, entitled: “Lord, That I May Urinate” at the Trenchard Hall, UI, Ibadan.
The don said: “BPH occurs in the ageing male. It is purely caused by ageing because there is imbalance between the blood levels of androgen and estrogen and this imbalance is responsible for this enlargement.
“The more prevalence is put at two out of 10 men less than 50 years and rises to nine out of 10 in patients over 80 years.
“However, the enlargement affects different individuals to varying degrees.
“But unpublished data shows that the society at large believes that prostrate enlargement is due to too much sexual intercourse, especially with multiple partners.”
On how to prevent the prostrate gland from enlarging, Okeke said there are two ways: “If a boy is castrated before puberty as is said to be practised in some kingdoms and if a boy dies before reaching adulthood”.
He said nobody is too old to have prostrate operation, adding that in experienced hands, age is not a restriction to operating on patients with enlarged prostrate.
Okeke said:”Although not all patients with BPH will require an operation, when operation is needed, it can be done as a day case in most patients without any wound on the body and they can return to normal activities the same day.”
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