What is Enlarged
Prostate?

Laser surgery is a less invasive alternative to traditional surgery

Laser surgeries are a new option for relieving enlarged prostate (BPH) symptoms. Laser surgery is often performed when other treatments have not worked well and the patient does not want to undergo traditional surgery because of the need for months of recovery and healing.

Laser surgeries are for men with moderate to severe BPH symptoms. During the treatment, the inner portion of the prostate gland is evaporated with laser energy.

Holmium Laser Treatment

Holmium Laser Treatment is a surgical procedure, but is less invasive than traditional surgery.

With Holmium Laser Treatment, laser energy precisely vaporizes obstructing prostate tissue. The treatment is just as effective as traditional surgery (TURP) but has fewer risks for complications after surgery than TURP¹. Because Holmium energy does not penetrate too deeply, the procedure avoids thermal injury to surrounding tissue that could delay symptom relief.

Patients report little post-procedural bleeding and few sexual side effects. Unlike traditional surgery, Holmium Laser Treatment can be performed on patients taking anticoagulant medications such as Coumadin^® (warfarin sodium). Click here to learn more about Holmium Laser Treatment

Other laser systems (including Greenlight PV^®)

Different laser systems use different laser wavelengths to vaporize obstructing prostate tissue. Longer wavelengths allow deeper laser penetration into the prostate tissue. However, the longer wavelengths also increase the chance of injury to surrounding tissue.

A laser treatment with longer wavelengths—such as green lasers—may result in the need for a catheter and in an increased incidence of complications after the surgery. Some patients report a burning sensation during urination, blood in the urine, and urgency/frequency of urination for several weeks after treatment with a green laser. Ejaculation problems may also occur.

Next page: Traditional Surgery

Coumadin is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Company.

Greenlight PV is a trademark of Laserscope

1. Use of the Holmium Laser for Ablation (vaporization) of the Prostate and incision of the bladder neck. Dr. Peter Gillings, Tauraga, New Zealand and Dr. Aklrid Das, Las Vegas, Nevada

Disclaimer: This material is provided for information purposes only and is not a substitute for a consultation. You should talk with a urologist regarding your specific symptoms or medical condition.