Pictured is the medical team and staff at the Jamestown division of Western New York Urology Associates, located at 117 Foote Ave. The practice was recently designated as one of eight “UroLift Centers of Excellence” in the country. P-J photo by A.J. Rao

“Benign prostatic hyperplasia,” or BPH, may not exactly ring a bell for most folks. But with nearly 40 million men in the U.S. affected by it, the condition is hardly an anomaly.

Indeed, BPH involves the enlarging of the prostate and its obstruction of the urinary system, affecting more than half of all men in their 60s.

Symptoms include depression, difficulty sleeping and other urinary problems, pushing many patients toward medications and surgery — both of which can result in additional side effects or complications.

To offer a new alternative, a revolutionary procedure called the UroLift System was approved by the FDA in 2013.

Developed by NeoTract Inc., the UroLift System offers a minimally invasive procedure, in which permanent implants are delivered to relieve prostate obstruction without cutting, heating or removing prostate tissue.

The results have proved fruitful for patients, and according to NeoTract Inc., the UroLift System is being offered nationwide by many urologists as a proven alternative to traditional BPH treatments. Of those offering UroLift, only a handful have been identified as offering the very best in quality and service — one of which is in our own backyard.

On Wednesday, it was announced the Jamestown division of Western New York Urology Associates, located at 117 Foote Ave., is one of eight practices in the entire country designated as a “UroLift Center of Excellence.”

The honor was given by NeoTract Inc to recognize that the Jamestown division has achieved a high level of training and experience with the UroLift System while providing exemplary care to men suffering from urinary tract symptoms.

“We’re here to honor WNY Urology, but specifically the Jamestown division and what (they’ve) accomplished as a team,” said Tyler Binney, vice president of sales at NeoTract Inc. “This is not something that we just hand out to any practice that’s using UroLift. We have strict criteria … and to be one of eight is an extreme honor.”

Binney specifically acknowledged Dr. Peter Walter, who he referred to as the “visionary” who brought the UroLift System to the area.

Walter, in turn, credited his medical team and staff, calling the experience “humbling.”

“We’re obviously very proud of this distinction,” he said. “It’s a testament to the type of practice that we’ve tried to build here over the years.”

Walter said many people in Jamestown may think state-of-the-art care is only available in larger cities, but in the field of urology, the Jamestown division offers the highest quality of care.

“This recognition serves to reassure patients that if they decide to have a procedure such as this, they know they’re having it done by physicians who are experienced and recognized for the good results they’ve achieved,” he said. “This recognition helps patients get that level of confidence needed when you’re going to any type of medical treatment … you want to really trust the physicians and the organization.”

The Jamestown division adopted the UroLift System in 2015. Walter said 200 patients have already been treated by the system and that a large part of the center’s distinction comes from their ability to identify appropriate patients for the procedure.

The Jamestown division is the only “Urolift Center of Excellence” in New York state.