My Procedure

Temporary implantable nitinol device (iTind)

iTind is a small folded wire device placed in the prostate channel through a scope. Over 5 to 7 days it presses gently on the prostate to reshape the channel, and then it is removed, leaving nothing behind.

Also called iTind, temporary implantable nitinol device, TIND, temporary prostate implant, prostate stent that comes out, temporary prostate device, nitinol device prostate, BPH treatment with nothing left behind

Where
Clinic procedure room or outpatient surgery center
Anesthesia
Light sedation or local numbing for placement; numbing gel for removal
Time in the room
About 20 to 30 minutes to place; a few minutes to remove
Hospital stay
Same day
Going home with
The device stays in for 5 to 7 days; most men do not need a catheter
Back to normal
A few days after removal
Back to work
Many men work while the device is in, if their job allows easy bathroom access
See the steps
BladderProstateUrethraBladder neck
Where it happens. The highlighted part is what this procedure treats.

Overview

In BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia), the inner prostate grows and narrows the urethra, the tube that carries urine out. iTind is a temporary device made of nitinol, a flexible nickel-titanium metal. It is folded inside a scope, placed in the prostate part of the urethra, and allowed to open.

The device has three thin struts that press on the prostate at set points. Over about a week, steady gentle pressure reshapes the tissue and creates three shallow grooves, widening the channel. The device is then removed in the clinic. Nothing is left behind, and no tissue is cut or heated.

The AUA guideline lists iTind as an option for prostates about 25 to 75 grams without a blocking middle lobe. In the main trial, men did not have new lasting problems with erections or ejaculation. The improvement is usually smaller than with surgery that removes tissue, and long-term data are still more limited than for older treatments.

The parts of your body involved

The prostate sits below the bladder and wraps around the urethra. In BPH, the side lobes press inward and narrow the channel. iTind sits inside that channel, between the bladder neck and the bottom of the prostate, and pushes outward at three points.

  • Prostatic urethra

    The part of the urethra inside the prostate, where the device sits.

  • Side lobes

    The overgrown prostate tissue that the struts press against.

  • Bladder neck

    The bladder's outlet, at the top of the device.

  • Middle lobe

    If a large middle lobe is present, iTind is usually not a good fit.

Why it’s done

iTind is for men with bothersome BPH symptoms who want a short procedure, no permanent implant, and the best chance of keeping sexual function, and who accept a smaller improvement than tissue-removing surgery.

  • Symptoms despite medicines

    Pills are not helping enough or cause side effects.

  • Nothing left behind

    The device is removed after about a week.

  • Protecting sexual function

    No new lasting erection or ejaculation problems were seen in the main trial.

  • No cutting or heat

    The channel is reshaped by pressure alone.

Other options

  • Watching and waiting or medicines

    Lifestyle changes or medicines such as tamsulosin, finasteride, or tadalafil.

  • UroLift

    Permanent implants hold the lobes apart, with quick recovery.

  • Rezum

    Steam shrinks the prostate over weeks; can treat a middle lobe.

  • Optilume BPH

    A drug-coated balloon splits and widens the channel.

  • TURP or HoLEP

    Larger, more lasting improvement, but most men have dry orgasms afterward.

Getting ready

Tick items off as you go. Your checklist is saved on this device only.

Weeks before

The week before

The day of

In the operating room, step by step

Press play or pick a step. Each drawing shows what your surgeon is doing at that moment. Your team may do some steps differently.

Leg supportsSurgeonVideo screen
1 / 7

1. Getting comfortable

You lie back with your legs in supports. You may get light sedation through an IV, or numbing gel in the urethra.

  1. You lie back with your legs in supports. You may get light sedation through an IV, or numbing gel in the urethra.

  2. A scope is passed through the urethra into the bladder. The urologist checks the bladder and the shape of the prostate.

  3. On the screen, the prostate lobes press together. The urologist confirms there is no middle lobe in the way.

  4. The folded device is pushed through the scope into the bladder, where it opens. It is then gently pulled back into the prostate channel and lined up so the struts press at the planned points.

    More detail

    The struts sit at about the 12, 5, and 7 o'clock positions, which are the usual places a surgeon would make cuts in a prostate incision procedure. A small leaflet helps hold the device in position.

  5. The scope is removed and you go home. Over 5 to 7 days, the struts slowly reshape the tissue. You urinate around the device. A thin removal thread may be taped in place at the tip of the penis.

  6. Back at the clinic, numbing gel is placed in the urethra. A soft, open-ended tube is passed over the removal thread, and the device folds back into the tube as it is pulled out. This takes a few minutes.

  7. With the device out, the reshaped channel stays more open. Healing continues over the next few weeks.

After the operation

Right afterward

  • Short rest

    You rest until any sedation wears off.

  • Urinating

    You urinate before leaving to make sure you can pass urine around the device.

  • Catheter if needed

    Rarely, if you cannot urinate, a catheter is placed and the plan is adjusted.

  • Medicines

    You may get pain relief and medicine for bladder spasms or urgency.

At home

  • While the device is in

    Urgency, frequent urination, burning, pelvic or rectal discomfort, and some blood in the urine are common. Most men find it manageable.

  • The removal thread

    If a thread is taped at the tip of the penis, keep it secure and do not pull on it.

  • Drinking

    Drink normally and spread fluids through the day. Limit caffeine and alcohol.

  • Activity

    Avoid strenuous exercise and cycling while the device is in.

  • Sex

    Avoid sex while the device is in. After removal, most men can resume when comfortable, often within about a week.

  • After removal

    Mild burning and a little blood for a few days are common. Symptoms improve over the following weeks.

Recovery timeline

  1. Day 0
    Device placed

    Home the same day, usually without a catheter.

  2. Days 1 to 7
    Device in place

    Urgency, burning, and pelvic discomfort are common.

  3. Days 5 to 7
    Device removed

    A quick clinic visit.

  4. Weeks 1 to 4
    Healing

    Irritation fades and flow improves.

  5. 6 to 12 weeks
    Follow-up

    Symptoms, flow, and emptying are checked.

  6. Long term
    Durability

    In the main trial, improvement lasted through 3 years for most men.

What it feels like

Men describe the week with the device as the hardest part: a constant awareness of something inside, with urgency and some discomfort. Removal is quick, and relief usually follows over a few weeks.

  1. Placement

    Pressure and an urge to urinate; often little memory of it with sedation.

    What helpsAsk for sedation if you are anxious.

  2. The device week

    Feeling the need to urinate often, some burning, and a dull ache in the pelvis or rectum. Some men feel self-conscious about the thread.

    What helpsPain medicine, spasm medicine if prescribed, loose underwear, and knowing it is only for a few days.

  3. Removal day

    Nervous about pulling something out, then surprised how quick it is.

    What helpsNumbing gel and slow breathing. It takes a few minutes.

  4. The weeks after

    A gradually better stream and fewer night trips.

    What helpsPatience; healing continues for several weeks.

  5. Intimacy

    Relief that erections and ejaculation are usually unchanged.

    What helpsTalk with your urologist if anything changes.

How well it works

Most men notice improved urination within weeks after removal. The improvement is usually less than surgery that removes tissue.

  • Symptoms

    In the main trial, symptom scores improved by roughly 40 to 50 percent and stayed improved through 3 years for most men.

  • Sexual function

    No new lasting erection or ejaculation problems were seen in the main trial.

  • Retreatment

    Some men need another treatment later. Long-term data beyond a few years are still limited.

  • Later options

    Because nothing is left behind, any other treatment can be done later.

Risks

Every operation has risks. These are the ones people ask about most, with honest odds where good numbers exist. Your surgeon’s own results matter more than averages.

Common

Urgency and frequency

While the device is in and for a short time after.

Discomfort

Pelvic, perineal, or rectal ache during the device week.

Blood in the urine

Usually mild.

Burning with urination

Usually short-lived.

Less common

Not able to urinate

May need a catheter for a short time.

Urine infection

Treated with antibiotics.

Not enough improvement

Some men need another treatment.

Rare

Device moving out of position

May need to be removed early.

Allergic reaction

Possible in people with a nickel allergy.

Call your care team or go to the emergency room if

  • Fever of 101°F (38.3°C) or higher, or shaking chills
  • Not able to urinate for 6 hours, or a painful, full lower belly
  • Thick red urine or clots that block the flow
  • Severe pain that does not improve with your medicines
  • The device or thread seems to have moved or come out

Questions to ask your surgeon

  1. Is my prostate the right size and shape for iTind?
  2. Will I be sedated for placement?
  3. What will the week with the device feel like?
  4. Will there be a thread outside my body?
  5. How much improvement should I expect compared with other options?
  6. What are the chances I will need another treatment?
  7. How many iTind procedures have you done?
  8. What happens if I cannot urinate while the device is in?

Words you may hear

Nitinol
A flexible nickel-titanium metal that springs back to a set shape.
Strut
One of the thin wire arms of the device that presses on the prostate.
Prostatic urethra
The part of the urethra that runs through the prostate.
Middle lobe
Prostate growth that pushes up into the bladder outlet.
BPH
Benign prostatic hyperplasia: non-cancer growth of the prostate.
Cystoscope
A thin scope with a camera to look inside the urethra and bladder.
Retreatment
Needing another procedure for the same problem later.
IPSS
A symptom questionnaire scored from 0 to 35.

Common questions

Is anything left inside me?

No. The device is removed after 5 to 7 days.

Can I urinate with the device in?

Yes. Urine flows around and through the device. Most men do not need a catheter.

Will it affect my sex life?

In the main trial, men did not have new lasting erection or ejaculation problems.

Does removal hurt?

It is quick and done with numbing gel. Most men feel pressure and brief discomfort.

Can I have other treatments later?

Yes. Because nothing is left behind, all other options remain open.

Sources this page draws on

  • American Urological Association, Management of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Attributed to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH): AUA Guideline
  • European Association of Urology, EAU Guidelines on the Management of Non-neurogenic Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
  • MT-02 study investigators (Chughtai and colleagues), Randomized sham-controlled trial of the second-generation temporary implantable nitinol device
  • Urology Care Foundation, Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Written November 2026. This page explains what usually happens. It is not medical advice and does not replace a conversation with your own surgeon, whose plan for you comes first.

Related procedures

UroLiftEnlarged prostate
RezumEnlarged prostate
Optilume BPHEnlarged prostate
TURPEnlarged prostate
CystoscopyTests