Private Optilume Procedure

The treatment is generally performed in an office or outpatient surgical centre. A Canadian provider describes a procedure time of approximately 15–20 minutes, although your full visit is longer because of preparation, anaesthesia, cystoscopy, catheter placement, and monitoring.

Basic steps

Check-in and safety review

• The team confirms your symptoms, testing, allergies, medications, urine culture, and treatment plan. An active urinary tract infection must be treated first.

Anaesthesia

• Local anaesthesia with light sedation is commonly used. Some centres may use regional or general anaesthesia based on your health, anatomy, and preferences.

Cystoscopy

• A small camera is passed through the urethra. The urologist examines the urethra, prostate, bladder neck, and bladder.

Measurement and positioning

• The urologist confirms the length of the prostatic urethra and selects the matching balloon size.

Pre-dilation

• The first double-lobe balloon is positioned across the prostate. Controlled inflation opens the channel between the lateral prostate lobes.

Drug-coated balloon treatment

• The paclitaxel-coated balloon is positioned under direct cystoscopic vision. The coating hydrates for about one minute, and the balloon is generally inflated for at least five minutes.

Removal and final check

• The balloon is completely deflated and removed. No implant remains in the body.

Urinary catheter

• A Foley catheter is usually left temporarily to drain the bladder while swelling settles. A Canadian provider commonly removes it after two to three days, but timing varies.

Discharge

• Most patients go home the same day. Arrange a ride and follow the centre’s rules after sedation or anaesthesia.

Follow your urologist’s plan if it differs from this general timeline.

First 24–72 hours

You may have:

• Burning or discomfort around the catheter
• Blood-tinged urine
• Urgency or bladder spasms
• Pelvic or penile discomfort
• Tiredness from sedation or anaesthesia

Drink fluids as directed. Keep the catheter tubing free of bends, secure it to your leg, and empty the bag before it becomes heavy. Take prescribed antibiotics, pain medication, or bladder-spasm medication exactly as instructed.

Catheter removal

The catheter is commonly removed after a few days. You may be asked to urinate at the clinic so the team can measure flow and check how much urine remains in your bladder.

A stronger stream may be noticeable after catheter removal, but swelling and irritation can temporarily cause urgency, frequency, or burning.

Days 3–7

Many people return to desk work and light activities within a few days. Avoid heavy lifting, intense exercise, cycling, motorcycles, horseback riding, and prolonged pressure on the perineum until cleared.

Weeks 2–6

Irritative urinary symptoms should gradually settle. Urine flow and bladder emptying may continue to improve.

Follow-up

Your urologist may repeat:

• International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)
• Uroflowmetry
• Post-void residual bladder scan
• Urinalysis or culture
• PSA testing when clinically appropriate

Sexual activity and contraception

Optilume BPH contains paclitaxel, which can remain in semen after treatment.

• Abstain from sex or use a condom for at least 30 days to reduce a partner’s exposure.
• If your partner could become pregnant, use highly effective contraception and avoid fathering a child for at least 12 months after treatment, according to the current device instructions.
• Discuss fertility plans before the procedure. The effect on sperm and sperm production is not fully known.

Red flags—call your care team or seek urgent care

• The catheter stops draining and your bladder becomes painful or swollen
• You cannot urinate after catheter removal
• Fever, chills, increasing pain, or foul-smelling urine
• Heavy bleeding, large clots, or bright-red urine that does not improve
• Severe lower-abdominal or pelvic pain
• Rash, facial swelling, wheezing, or breathing trouble
• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or fainting

Exact fees depend on the clinic, province, anaesthesia plan, testing, and follow-up. Ask for a written, itemized quote and confirm what happens if the procedure is postponed because of infection or another finding.

Cost in Canada (private)

Typical range: $4,000 – $9,000+

Costs vary by province, provider expertise, clinic, and condition complexity. Optilume is not covered by provincial insurance.

Cost in the United States

Range estimate: US$5,500–$9,500+

These are estimates—not guaranteed patient prices. Prices vary due to state, provider experience, clinical vs ambulatory centre setting, anaesthesia team.

What may be included

• Urologist’s Optilume BPH procedure fee
• Dedicated Optilume BPH pre-dilation and drug-coated balloon kit
• Cystoscopy and standard procedural supplies
• Facility and nursing fees
• Local anaesthesia or sedation
• Temporary Foley catheter
• Routine early follow-up

What may not be included

• Initial urology consultation
• PSA, urinalysis, urine culture, or blood work
• Uroflowmetry and post-void residual measurement
• Cystoscopy or prostate ultrasound performed before treatment
• Treatment of a urinary infection
• Anaesthesia fees when billed separately
• Prescriptions after discharge
• Unplanned emergency care or hospital transfer
• Travel and accommodation
• Follow-up outside the treating province
• Future BPH medication or retreatment

Tips for comparing quotes

Confirm that the quote is specifically for Optilume BPH, not the Optilume urethral-stricture procedure. Ask whether it includes both BPH balloons, the urologist, facility, anaesthesia, catheter care, and follow-up. Clarify what happens financially if anatomy discovered during cystoscopy makes another BPH treatment more appropriate.

Insurance and financing options

• Provincial insurance: Optilume BPH is not currently listed as a routinely covered benefit under Canadian provincial health plans.
• Private health insurance: Most private insurers do not cover Optilume. Check with your provider.
• Financing plans: Some clinics offer monthly payment options. Learn more about financing private surgery.
• Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC): Eligible medical expenses may qualify for a non-refundable tax credit. Learn more about claiming the METC.

Choosing the right urologist is as important as choosing the procedure. Optilume requires careful diagnosis, accurate sizing, direct cystoscopic visualization, and a plan if symptoms persist.

Experience and procedure volume

Ask how many Optilume BPH procedures the urologist performs each year. Experience with the urethral-stricture version of Optilume is not the same as experience with the BPH system.

Ask about experience across BPH treatments, including:

• Optilume BPH
• Rezūm
• TURP
• HoLEP
• GreenLight laser
• Aquablation

A balanced urologist should explain why Optilume fits your anatomy and goals rather than recommending the same treatment to every patient.

Credentials and training

• Confirm active licensure with the provincial college.
• Look for Royal College certification in urology.
• Ask whether the urologist completed device-specific Optilume BPH training.
• Ask about experience managing urinary retention, bleeding, infection, and catheter problems.

For more detail, read How to understand surgeon credentials in Canada.

Diagnostic rigour

A careful assessment should confirm that BPH is the main cause of your symptoms. Similar symptoms can come from overactive bladder, urethral stricture, prostate or bladder cancer, infection, stones, neurologic disease, or weak bladder muscle.

Your assessment may include:

• Medical and medication history
• Digital rectal examination
• Urinalysis or urine culture
• PSA testing when appropriate
• IPSS questionnaire
• Uroflowmetry
• Post-void residual measurement
• Prostate volume and prostatic urethral length
• Cystoscopy or ultrasound when needed

The PINNACLE trial included men aged 50–80 with prostate volumes from 20 to 80 g. Real-world candidacy requires an individual assessment, especially for very large prostates, a prominent middle lobe, prior BPH surgery, urinary retention, or suspected bladder weakness.

Outcomes and safety

Ask the urologist for recent, procedure-specific results:

• Average symptom-score improvement
• Improvement in urine flow
• Catheter duration
• Urinary retention and recatheterization rates
• Urinary infection rate
• Bleeding or clot-retention rate
• Ejaculatory and erectile outcomes
• Medical and surgical retreatment rates
• Emergency visits or hospital transfers

Treatment alternatives

A high-quality consultation should compare Optilume with:

• Continued monitoring
• Alpha-blockers, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, tadalafil, or combination medication
• Rezūm or another minimally invasive treatment
• TURP, HoLEP, GreenLight, or Aquablation
• Simple prostatectomy for selected very large prostates

Ask how each option differs in durability, symptom improvement, catheter time, anaesthesia, bleeding risk, sexual effects, and retreatment.

Facility accreditation and emergency planning

Choose a provincially regulated or accredited facility with:

• Sterile cystoscopic equipment
• Staff experienced in endoscopic prostate procedures
• Appropriate anaesthesia monitoring
• Protocols for bleeding, infection, urinary retention, and allergic reactions
• A clear hospital-transfer pathway
• Written after-hours instructions

Transparent pricing

Request an itemized quote showing:

• Consultation and testing
• Optilume device
• Urologist and facility fees
• Anaesthesia or sedation
• Catheter supplies and removal
• Routine follow-up
• Possible additional charges

Questions to ask at your consultation

Diagnosis and candidacy

• Are my symptoms mainly caused by BPH?
• What are my prostate volume and prostatic urethral length?
• Do I have a middle lobe or another feature that changes the plan?
• Is my bladder muscle working well enough to benefit?
• Why do you recommend Optilume instead of Rezūm, TURP, HoLEP, or medication?

Experience and safety

• How many Optilume BPH procedures have you performed?
• What are your rates of infection, retention, bleeding, and retreatment?
• What happens if you find a urethral stricture or unexpected anatomy?
• Where would I be transferred if hospital care were needed?

Recovery

• How long will I need a catheter?
• When can I drive, work, exercise, and have sex?
• Which medications should I continue or stop?
• When will you measure my flow and bladder residual?

Sexual function and fertility

• How could treatment affect ejaculation or erections in my case?
• What contraception precautions should I follow?
• Should I consider sperm banking before treatment?

Costs and logistics

• Is the device included in the quote?
• Are anaesthesia and follow-up billed separately?
• What could increase the cost?
• How will follow-up work if I live out of province?