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Adenocarcinoma:
A cancer that develops in the glandular lining of an organ. More than 95% of prostate cancers are adenocarcinomas.

Adrenal glands:
Two glands located above the kidneys (one above each kidney). They produce several kinds of hormones, including a small amount of sex hormones.

Androgens:
Male sex hormones produced by the testicles and, in small amounts, by the adrenal glands.

Antiandrogen:
A drug that blocks the action of male sex hormones.

Anus:
The opening at the lower end of the rectum through which solid waste is eliminated.

Absorbent products: Pads and garments, disposable or reusable, worn to absorb leaked urine. Absorbent products include shields, undergarment pads, combination pad-pant systems, diaperlike garments, and bed pads.

Anemia: A condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in hemoglobin, or in total volume.

Artificial urinary sphincter (AUS): Sometimes complicated cases of incontinence require implantation of a device known as an artificial urinary sphincter. People who might benefit from this treatment include those who are incontinent after surgery for prostate cancer or stress incontinence, trauma victims and people with congenital defects in the urinary system. The artificial sphincter has three components, including a pump, balloon reservoir, and a cuff that encircles the urethra and prevents urine from leaking out. The cuff is connected to the pump, which is surgically implanted in the scrotum (in men) or labia (in women). The pump can be activated (usually by squeezing or pressing a button) to deflate the cuff and permit the bladder to empty. After a brief interval, the cuff refills itself and the urethra is again closed. Because the artificial sphincter is an implant, it is subject to the risks common to implants, such as infection, erosion (breaking down of tissue) and mechanical malfunction. Yet with appropriate pre-surgical evaluation, operative techniques and postoperative follow-up, many problems can be avoided and incontinent patients can experience an improved quality of life with this device.

Autologous: Derived from the same individual.

Benign:
Not cancerous: does not spread to other parts of the body.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia:
A noncancerous condition in which an overgrowth of prostate tissue may push against the urethra and the bladder, blocking the flow of urine. Also called benign prostatic hypeRTRophy or BPH.

Biological therapy:
Treatment with substances called biological response modifiers that can stimulate the immune system to fight disease more effectively. Also called immunotherapy.

Biopsy:
The removal of a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

Bladder:
The hollow organ that stores urine.

Bone scan:
Pictures of the bones that can show areas of rapid growth that may be a sign of cancer. To create these pictures, a radioactive substance is injected into the bloodstream. The substance collects in any areas of rapid growth. A scanner can pinpoint these areas.

Behavioral techniques: Different methods to help "retrain" the bladder and get rid of the urgency to urinate. (see biofeedback, bladder training, electrical stimulation, habit training, pelvic muscle exercises, prompted voiding).

Benign prostatic hyperplasia: A condition in which the prostate becomes enlarged as part of the aging process.

Benign tumor: A tumor that is not cancerous

Bilateral: A term describing a condition that affects both sides of the body or two paired organs, such as kidneys.

Biofeedback: A procedure that uses electrodes to help people gain awareness and control of their pelvic muscles.

Bladder: A hollow muscular balloon shaped organ that stores urine until it is excreted from the body.

Bladder training: A behavioral technique that teaches the patient to resist or inhibit the urge to urinate, and to urinate according to a schedule rather than urinating at the urge.

Brachytherapy: Involves the placement of tiny radioactive pellets into the Prostate gland. By utilizing ultrasound to place the seed pellets, damage to surrounding tissues is minimized. Approximately 13,500-16,000 rads of radiation energy is delivered directly to the Prostate. This procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. It is a one time procedure with very effective results. The 10-year follow-up outcome data parallels that of Radical Prostatectomy.

Cancer:
A general term for more than 100 diseases in which abnormal cells multiply without control. Center cells can spread through the bloodstream and lymphatics to other parts of the body.

Carcinoma:
Cancer that begins in the lining or covering of an organ.

Chemotherapy:
Treatment with anti-cancer drugs.

Clinical trials:
Studies conducted with cancer patients, usually to evaluate a promising new treatment. Each study is designed to answer questions to find better ways to treat patients.

CT or CAT scan: (see Imaging Section)
Also called computed tomography scan or computed axial tomography. The study is sometimes done with dye injected through an IV which sometimes gives you a flushed feeling.  Images are obtained in a slice like fashion. The example below shows a slice through the level of the kidneys. A small stone can be seen at a white spot in the right kidney. The study give excellent visualization of all abdominal organs, but doesn't give a good 3 dimensional view of the urinary tract.

Cytoscope:
A lighted instrument used to look at the inside of the bladder.

Catheter:
A tube passed through the body for draining fluids or injecting them into body cavities. It may be made of elastic, elastic web, rubber, glass, metal, or plastic.

Catheterization:
Insertion of a slender tube through the urethra or through the anterior abdominal wall into the bladder, urinary reservoir, or urinary conduit to allow urine drainage.

Chancre:
A hard, syphilitic primary ulcer, the first sign of syphilis, appearing approx. 2 to 3 weeks after infection. The ulcer begins as a painless lesion or papule that ulcerates. Occurs generally singly, but sometimes may be multiple.

Chemolysis
Certain types of kidney stones can be dissolved with the application chemicals. Uric acid stones, for example, can be dissolved with a solution of sodium bicarbonate in saline. Cystine stones may be treated successfully with a combination of acetylcysteine and sodium bicarbonate in saline. Struvite and carbon apatite stones can be treated with an acidic solution of hemiacidrin. The procedure involves infusing the chemical solution into the affected area by means of a ureteral catheter in a series of treatments over time until the stone is dissolved. The patient's urine must be cultured regularly throughout the course of treatment to guard against urinary infection and prevent the buildup of excessive chemical levels, particularly magnesium, which can cause other health problems.

Colon: The large intestine.

Corpora cavernosa:
Two chambers in the penis which run the length of the organ and are filled with spongy tissue. Blood flows in and fills the open spaces in the spongy tissue to create an erection.

Creatinine:
A waste product that is filtered from the blood by the kidneys and expelled in urine.

Cryotherapy:
During an operation probes are placed in the prostate. The probes are then frozen which kills the prostatic cells.

cystocele:
A herniation of bladder into vagina

Cyst:
A lump filled with either fluid or soft material, occurring in any organ or tissue; may occur for a number of reasons but is usually harmless unless its presence disrupts organ or tissue function.

Cystectomy: Surgical removal of the bladder.

Cystoscopy:
A flexible scope is inserted into the urethra and then into the bladder to determine abnormalities in the bladder and lower urinary tract.

Differentiation:
The use of the differences between prostate cancer cells when seen under the microscope as a method to grade the severity of the disease

Digital rectal examination:
The use by a physician of a lubricated and gloved finger inserted into the rectum to feel for abnormalities of the prostate and rectum

Doubling time:
The time that it takes a particular focus of cancer to double in size

Downsizing:
The use of hormonal or other forms of management to reduce the volume of prostate cancer in and/or around the prostate prior to attempted curative treatment

Downstaging:
The use of hormonal or other forms of management in the attempt to lower the clinical stage of prostate cancer prior to attempted curative treatment (e.g., from stage T3a to stage T2b); this technique is highly controversial.

Dysuria:
Urination which is problematic or painful.

Detrusor-external sphincter dyssynergia (DESD)
Damage to the nervous system can create a lack of coordination between the bladder and the external sphincter muscle, which is the muscle that controls the emptying of the bladder. As a result the bladder cannot empty completely which creates a buildup of urinary pressure. DESD is a combination of thses two factors and can lead to severe urinary tract damage and life-threatening consequences.

Diabetes mellitus:
A common form of diabetes in which the body cannot properly store or use glucose (sugar), the body's main source of energy.

Diuretic: A drug that increases the amount of water in the urine, removing excess water from the body; used in treating high blood pressure and fluid retention

Estrogen:
A female sex hormone.

Ejaculation: Ejection of semen during male orgasm.

Ejaculation, retrograde: The discharge of semen into the bladder rather than through the urethra and out of the body.

Electrohydraulic lithotripsy (EHL):
This technique uses a special probe to break up small stones with shock waves generated by electricity. Through a flexible ureteroscope, the physician positions the tip of the probe 1 mm from the stone. Then, by means of a foot switch, the physician projects electrically generated hydraulic shock waves through an irrigating fluid at the stone until it is broken into small fragments. These can be passed by the patient or removed through the previously described extraction methods. EHL has some limitations: It requires general anesthesia, and is generally not used in close proximity to the kidney itself, as the shock waves can cause tissue damage. Fragments produced by the hydraulic shock also tend to scatter widely, making retrieval or extraction more difficult.

Enterocele: Herniation of small bowel into vagina

Estrogen:
Hormones responsible for the development of female sex characteristics; produced by the ovary.

External beam radiation therapy:
A 25-28 treatment protocol that utilizes External Beam Radiation. Approximately 6800-7400 rads of radiation energy is delivered to the Prostate. There can be some radiation effect on surrounding tissues.

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL):
Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy uses highly focused impulses projected from outside the body to pulverize kidney stones.

Flutamide:
An antiandrogen used in the palliative hormonal treatment of advanced prostate cancer and sometimes in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant hormonal treatment of earlier stage of prostate cancer.

Frequency:
The need to urinate often.

Genitorurinary system:
The parts of the body that play a role in reproduction, in getting rid of waste products in the form of urine, or in both.

Hormone:
A chemical substance that is formed in one part of the body, travels through the blood, and affects that function of cells elsewhere in the body.

Hormone therapy:
Treatment that prevents cancer cells from getting the hormones they need to grow. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer keeps the cancer cells from getting male hormones. Treatment may involve removing the testicles or giving female hormones or other drugs to prevent the production of male hormones or to block their effect on cancer cells.

Habit training: A behavioral technique that calls for scheduled toileting at regular intervals on a planned basis. Unlike bladder training, there is no systematic effort to motivate the patient to delay voiding and resist urge.

Hormonal therapy: Involves the use of anti-androgens. An androgen is a male hormone needed for the production of testosterone. By depriving the cancer cells of the testosterone they need for growth, tumors regress in size and cellular activity. Side effects include gynecomastia, the enlargement of breast tissue, hot flashes, and loss of libido ( desire to have sex ). Some long term hormonal therapy is associated with the loss of muscle mass, osteoporosis, and malaise ( loss of energy ).

Hydrocele: A painless swelling of the scrotum, caused by a collection of fluid around the testicle; commonly occurs in middle-aged men.

Hypermobility: A condition characterized in which the pelvic floor muscles can no longer provide the necessary support to the urethra and bladder neck. As a result, the bladder neck drops when any downward pressure is applied and causing involuntary leakage. This condition is the most common cause of stress urinary incontinence.

Hyperplasia: Excessive growth of normal cells of an organ.

Impotence:
Inability to have an erection.

Incision:
A cut made during surgery.

Incontinence:
Inability to control the flow of urine from the bladder.

Intravenous pyelogram:
X-rays of the kidneys, ureters, and bladder taken after a dye is injected into a vein. Also called IVP.

Insemination:
The placement of semen into a woman's uterus, cervix, or vagina.

InterStim continence control therapy:
A therapy used in treating urge incontinence. A device, about the size of a pacemaker, that is implanted into the sacral nerves of the lower spine, where it delivers electrical impulses that help regulate bladder function. Click here to see a picture.

Interstitial laser:
A laser probe is placed within prostatic tissue. Laser energy is then used to destroy prostatic tissue which makes urination easier.

Intrinsic sphincter deficiency (ISD):
Weakening of the urethra sphincter muscles. As a result of this weakening the sphincter does not function normally regardless of the position of the bladder neck or urethra. This condition is a common cause of stress urinary intinence.

Irritable bladder:
Involuntary contractions of muscles in the bladder, which can cause lack of control of urination.

Kegel exercises:
Exercises is to strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, which leads to more control and prevents leakage.

Kidney:
One of a pair of organs located at the back of the abdominal cavity. Kidneys make urine through blood filtration.

Kidney stone:
A hard mass composed of substances from the urine that form in the kidneys.

Laparoscopy:
Surgery using an laparoscope to visualize internal organ through a small incision. Generally less invasive than traditional surgeries requiring a shorter recovery period.

Lithotripsy:
A procedure done to break up stones in the urinary tract using ultrasonic shock waves, so that the fragments can be easily passed from the body.

Local therapy:
Treatment that affects a tumor and the tissue near it.

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist:
A substance that closely resembles LHRH, which controls the production of sec hormones. However, LHRH agonists affect the body differently than dose LHRH. LHRH agonists keep the testicles from producing hormones.

Lymph:
The almost colorless fluid that travels through the lymphatic system and carries cells that help fight infection.

Lymph nodes:
Small, bean-shaped organs located along the channel of the lymphatic system. The lymph nodes store special cells that can trap bacteria or cancer cells traveling through the body in lymph. Also called lymph glands.

Lymphatic system:
The tissues and organs that produce, store, and carry cells that fight infection and disease. This system includes the bone marrow, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and channels that carry lymph.

Lurpon:
Hormone used to shrink the prostate.

MRI:
A procedure in which a magnet linked to a computer is used to create pictures of areas inside the body. Also called magnetic resonance imaging.

Malignant:
Cancerous; can spread to other parts of the body.

Metastasis:
The spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. Cells in the metastatic (secondary) tumor are like those in the original (primary) tumor.

Menopause:
The period that marks the permanent cessation of menstrual activity, usually occurring between the ages of 40 and 58.

Metastasis: The spreading of a cancerous tumor to another part of the body.

Microwave:
A catheter is placed within the bladder and positioned within the prostate, then the antenna emits microwaves. This procedure increases the passageway allowing for easier urination.

Mixed incontinence: Having both stress and urge incontinence.

Neoadjuvant:
Added before; for example, neoadjuvant hormone therapy is hormone therapy given prior to another form of treatment such as a radical prostatectomy

Nerve sparing:
A term used to describe a type of prostatectomy in which the surgeon saves the nerves that affect sexual and related functions

Nephrectomy: Removal of an entire kidney.

Nocturia:
The need to urinate frequently at night

Oncologist:
A doctor who specializes in treating cancer. Some oncologists specialize in a particular type of cancer treatment. For example, a radiation oncologist treats cancer with radiation.

Orchiectomy:
Surgery to remove the testicles.

Open nephrolithotomy: is the most invasive procedure for removing kidney stones. Because it is so traumatic, most kidneys can withstand no more than two such operations. Deep anesthesia is required, after which the surgeon makes a large (10-20 centimeter) incision in the patient's back or abdomen, depending upon where the stone is located. Either the ureter or the kidney isopened and the stone extracted. Most patients require prolonged hospitalization afterward, and recovery may take up to two months.

Orchiectomy: The surgical removal of one or both of the testicles.

Orchitis: Inflammation of a testicle.

Overactive bladder: A condition characterized by involuntary bladder muscle contractions during the bladder filling phase which the patient cannot suppress.

Overflow Incontinence:
Leakage of small amounts of urine from a bladder that is always full.

Pathologist:
A doctor who identifies diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope.

Pelvic:
Referring to the area of the body located below the waist and surrounded by the hip and pubic bones.

Perineal prostatectomy:
Surgery to remove the prostate through an incision made between the scrotum and the anus.

Prognosis:
The probable outcome or course of a disease; the chance of recovery.

Prostate:
A male sex gland; it produces a fluid that forms part of semen.

Prostatectomy:
An operation to remove part or the entire prostate.

Prostate-specific antigen:
A protein whose level in the blood goes up in some men who have prostate cancer or benign prostatic hyperplasia. Also called PSA.

Prostatic acid phosphatase:
An enzyme produced by the prostate. Its level in the blood goes up in some men who have prostate cancer. Also called PAP.

Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCN):
Percutaneous means "though the skin." In PCN, the surgeon or urologist makes a 1-centimeter punture under local anesthesia in the patient's back, through which an instrument called a nephroscope is passed directly into the kidney and, if necessary, the ureter. Smaller stones may be manually extracted. Large ones may need to be broken up with ultrasonic, electrohydraulic or laser- tipped probes before they can be extracted. A tube may be inserted into the kidney for drainage.

Pelvic muscle exercises:
Pelvic muscle exercises are intended to improve your pelvic muscle tone and prevent leakage for sufferers of Stress Urinary Incontinence. Also called Kegel exercises. (see biofeedback)

Periurethral bulking injections:
A surgical procedure in which injected implants are used to "bulk up" the area around the neck of the bladder allowing it to resist increases in abdominal pressure which can push down on the bladder and cause leakage.

Post-void residual (PVR) volume:
A diagnostic test which measures how much urine remains in the bladder after urination. Specific measurement of PVR volume can be accomplished by catheterization, pelvic ultrasound, radiography, or radioisotope studies.

Prostaglandin:
Any of various oxygenated unsaturated cyclic fatty acids of animals that have a variety of hormonelike actions (as in controlling blood pressure or smooth muscle contraction).

Prostate:
A muscular, walnut-sized gland that surrounds part of the urethra. It secretes seminal fluid, a milky substance that combines with sperm (produced in the testicles) to form semen.

Prostatectomy: Surgical removal of the prostate.

Suprapubic / retropubic prostatectomy:
This involves the removal of obstructing prostatic tissue through a supra-pubic incision ( a cut below the belly button ). The Prostate is not wholly removed. Suprapubic Prostatectomy requires incising the bladder to remove the obstructing tissue while a Retropubic approach involves incising the Prostatic capsule to remove the obstructing tissue. Both approaches utilize an abdominal incision. Radical retropubic prostatectomy: Removal of prostate through an abdominal incision. The prostate is completely removed. The advantage is that the lymph nodes can be sampled at the time of the operation and the nerve-sparing procedure is easier to do via this operation.
perineal prostatectomy: A Perineal incision is utilized. The advantages are: less blood loss, easier visualization of the bladder / urethral anastomosis and decreased recovery time because the incision does not involve muscle or any other vital tissue
 
Prostatic stent:
Inserted through a cystoscope, it is a wire device that expands after placement thus pushing prostate tissue away from passageway allowing for easier urination.

Prostatitis: Inflammation or Infection of the prostate

Prostatron:
Also called TUMT or Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy. A catheter is placed within the bladder and positioned within the prostate, then the antenna emits microwaves. This procedure increases the passageway allowing for easier urination.

Pubovaginal sling:
A surgical procedure in which a man-made or cadaveric piece of material is placed under the bladder neck to support and immobilize. This technique improves sphincter function and decreases bladder neck movement, improving continence.

pyelonephritis:
Inflammation of the kidney, usually due to a bacterial infection.

Pyuria:
The presence of pus in the urine; usually an indication of kidney or urinary tract infection.

Quality of life:
An evaluation of health status relative to the patient's age, expectations, and physical and mental capabilities

Radiation therapy:
Treatment with high-energy rays from x-rays or other sources to damage cancer cells. The radiation may come from a machine (external radiation therapy) or from radioactive materials placed inside the body as close as possible to the cancer (internal radiation therapy or radioactive seed implant).

Radical prostatectomy:
Surgery to remove the entire prostate. The two types of radical prostatectomy are retropubic prostatectomy and perineal prostatectomy.

Rectal exam:
A procedure in which a doctor inserts a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feels the prostate through the wall of the rectum to check the prostate for hard or lumpy areas.

Rectocele: A herniation of rectum into vagina

Rectum:
The last 5 or 6 inches of the large intestine leading to the outside of the body.

Remission:
Disappearance of the signs and symptoms of cancer. When this happens, the disease is said to be "in remission." Remission can be temporary or permanent.

Retropubic prostatectomy:
Surgical removal of the prostate through an incision in the abdomen.

Scrotum:
The external pouch of the skin that contains the testicles.

Semen:
The fluid that is released through the penis during orgasm. Semen is made of up of sperm from the testicles and fluid from the prostate and other sex glands.

Staging:
Doing exams or tests to learn the extent of a cancer, especially whether it has spread from its original site to other parts of the body.

Systemic therapy:
Treatment that affects cancer cells throughout the body.

Sexually transmitted disease (STD):
Infections that are most commonly spread through sexual intercourse or genital contact.

Sling procedures:
Surgical methods for treating urinary incontinence involving the placement of a sling, made either of tissue obtained from the person undergoing the sling procedure or a synthetic material. The sling is anchored to retropubic and/or abdominal structures.

Sphincter:
A ring of muscle fibers located around an opening in the body that regulates the passage of substances.

Stress test:
A diagnostic test that requires patients to lift something or perform an exercise to determines if there is urine loss when stress is placed on bladder muscles.

Stress urinary incontinence:
Urinary Incontinence: The involuntary loss of urine during period of increased abdominal pressure. Such events include laughing, sneezing, coughing or lifting heavy objects.

Testosterone:
A male sex hormone.

Transurethral resection of the prostate:
The use of an instrument inserted through the penis to remove tissue from the prostate. Also called TUR or TURP.

Tumor:
An abnormal mass of tissue.

Testosterone:
The sex hormone that stimulates development of male sex characteristics and bone and muscle growth; produced by the testicles and in small amounts by the ovaries.

Transient urinary incontinence:
Temporary episodes of urinary incontinence that are gone when the cause of the episode is identified and treated, such as a bladder infection.

TUMT (transurethral microwave thermotherapy): See Prostatron.

TUNA (transurethral needle ablation):
The instrument is placed into prostate tissue through cystoscope the tissue between the needles is destroyed via thermal energy.

TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate):
A surgical telescope is used to core out the inside of the prostate (urethra) creating a larger channel making the passage of urine easier. This is the gold standard for treatment of BPH.

Ultrasonic lithotripsy:
Similar to ureteroscopy, ultrasonic lithotripsy uses an optical scope and electronic probe, inserted into the ureter under epidural (spinal) anesthesia, to locate the stone. High-frequency ultrasound waves then are directed at the stone to break it up gradually. The fragments can either be passed naturally by the patient or removed by grasping forceps, basket extraction or suction through the scope instrument. The instrument is not flexible, however, so ultrasonic lithotripsy typically can be employed only when a straight path directly from outside the body to the stone is possible.

Underactive bladder:
A condition characterized by a bladder contraction of inadequate magnitude and/or duration to effect bladder emptying in a normal timespan. This condition can be caused by drugs, fecal impaction, and neurologic conditions such as Diabetic neuropathy or low spinal cord injury or as a result of radical pelvic surgery. It also can result from a weakening of the detrusor muscle from vitamin B12 deficiency or idiopathic causes. Bladder underactivity may cause overdistension of the bladder, resulting in overflow incontinence (see overflow incontinence).

Ureteroscopy:
A flexible, fiberoptic instrument resembling a long, thin telescope is inserted through the urethra and bladder up to the ureter to visualize the tube. Often used for retrieval of kidney stones.

Urge UI:
The involuntary loss of urine associated with a sudden and strong urge to void (urgency).

Urge/urgency: A strong desire to void.

Urinalysis:
A group of physical and chemical tests done on a sample of urine to check for various disorders, including those of the kidneys and urinary tract.

Urinary incontinence:(UI)
Involuntary loss of urine sufficient to be a problem. There are several types of Ul, but all are characterized by an inability to restrain voiding.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs):
UTIs are caused by bacteria that invade the urinary system and multiply, leading to an infection.

Urodynamic tests:
Diagnostic tests to examine the bladder and urethral sphincter function.

Ultrasonography:
A technique that uses sound waves that cannot be heard by humans to produce pictures of areas inside the body. The pictures created by a computer that analyses the echoes produced by the waves as they bounce off tissues.

Urethra:
The tube that carries urine or semen to the outside of the body.

Urologist:
A doctor who specializes in disease of the urinary organs in females and the urinary and sex organs in males.

Vesica sling procedure:
A surgical sling procedure used to stabilize the bladder neck and provide support for the urethra using autologous or synthetic sling material. This procedure treats both hypermobility and ISD.

Varicocelectomy: The cutting away of a varicocele.

Varicocele embolization:
An outpatient procedure in which the varicocele is closed off (occluded) by means of a balloon catheter (flexible tube with a tiny detachable balloon), steel coil, and/or sclerosing (vessel-hardening) solution.

Vasoepididymostomy:
A microsurgical procedure that uses a microscopic camera and very small operative tools to correct obstructions in the genital tract. The procedure requires removal of the blockage in the epididymis (the coiled tube that extends the length of each testis and connects with a larger duct - the vas deferens) and re-attachment of the epididymis to the vas deferens.

Vasovasostomy:
Vasovasostomy is a vasectomy reversal, the re-connection of the severed ends of the vas deferens restoring the flow of sperm through the vas deferens.

Vapotrode:
A type of cautery electrode that vaporizes Prostatic tissue. This creates a larger prostatic channel which makes urination easier.

Watchful waiting:
Active observation and regular monitoring of a patient without actual treatment.

Zolodex:
Hormone used to shrink the prostate.

Zometa:
Am intravenous bisphosphonate medication used to maintain bone density, and prevent skeletal related events from cancer and cancer treatment induced osteoporosis