A 2020 TOP DOC Dr. Paul Lucas, Director of The Vascular Center at Mercy, leads a clinical team providing diagnosis and treatment for circulatory problems, including aneurysm, stroke, swelling of the leg and blockages.
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, includes disorders that cause inflammation of the intestines. IBD is treated at Mercy by expert gastroenterologists.
Pulmonologists at The Lung Center at Mercy treat patients with lung conditions including COPD, lung cancer and interstitial lung disease.
Mercy offers emergency care on the Downtown Baltimore campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (410-332-9477) with access to a trained emergency medicine team, diagnostic services and consultations with specialists.
In case of an Emergency, Dial 911 and follow the instructions of the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) team.
Mercy Medical Center's downtown campus includes our Main Hospital - The Mary Catherine Bunting Center, McAuley Plaza and The Weinberg Center.
General visiting hours at Mercy are 11:00 am to 8:30 pm. Hours vary by floor, please check with the nursing staff or call 410-332-9555.
This animation shows the anatomy of the prostate gland, and its enlargement in a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia. Common treatment options are also shown.
At The Urology Specialists of Maryland at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, our doctors treat a broad spectrum of urologic disorders including enlarged prostate or benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition that is common in older men.
The prostate is a gland that is part of the reproductive function in men. It is usually fully developed around age 25, but as men age, it grows and can lead to conditions such as urinary incontinence and prostate inflammation (prostatitis). Or, it could be a symptom of prostate cancer, the most common form of cancer for older men. In many cases, it is merely an annoyance but not a serious problem.
The prostate gland is wrapped around the tube (urethra) that carries urine from the bladder out of the body. If the prostate becomes enlarged (benign prostatic hyperplasia - BPH), it can block the urethra and cause:
A physical exam that includes a full medical history is the first step in diagnosing the cause of an enlarged prostate. Your doctor may also request urine test, blood tests and conduct a digital rectal exam, allowing the doctor to feel the size of the prostate. A PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test may also be ordered to evaluate the possibility of prostate cancer.
An enlarged prostate is a naturally-occurring condition in aging men. There are some simple practices that can help reduce or control symptoms:
An enlarged prostate can also be treated with prescriptions. If symptoms are severe, including the inability to urinate, frequent urinary tract infections or frequent bladder stones, your doctor may recommend surgery to treat the enlarged prostate. Types of surgery for an enlarged prostate include the following:
Dr. Damon Davis is a Board Certified urologist with The Urology Specialists of Maryland at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland.
Hear from a patient who learned he had prostate cancer and had to make important decisions about his care.