Transurethral needle ablation of the prostate is a new form of thermal therapy that uses radiofrequency energy for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia. The inner region of the prostate is selectively ablated with temperatures approaching 100 C while the prostatic urothelium is preserved. Significant objective and subjective improvements in the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia are seen, as judged by the changes in symptom scores and in peak flow rates. The transurethral needle ablation procedure is a simple, efficacious, low-cost treatment that can be performed under topical xylocaine anesthesia in an outpatient setting.