LASER PROSTATE SURGERY
WHY IS A PROSTATE LASER SURGERY DONE?
Prostate laser surgery helps minimise urinary symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia, including:
FREQUENT AND URGENT NEED TO URINATE
- Slow urination
- Difficulty in urinating
- Stopping and starting again while urinating
- Increased frequency of urination at night
- Urinary tract infections
- Unable to empty the bladder
What is Prostate Laser Surgery?
Prostate laser surgery is used to relieve moderate to severe urinary symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate — a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). During the procedure, the doctor inserts a scope through the tip of the penis into the tube that carries urine from your bladder (urethra). The prostate surrounds the urethra. A laser passed through the scope delivers energy that shrinks or removes excess tissue that is preventing urine flow. The procedure is done under either general anaesthesia or spinal anaesthesia.
Types of Prostate Laser Surgery
The different kinds of prostate laser surgeries include:
- Photoselective Vaporization of the Prostate (PVP): The excess prostate tissue melts away, and the urinary channel broadens with the help of a laser.
- Holmium Laser Ablation of the Prostate (HoLAP): This procedure is like PVP, but it uses a different type of laser..
- Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP): Laser removes the excess tissue blocking the urethra. The prostate tissue is then cut into small pieces that are easily removed. HoLEP is a suitable option for men who have a severely enlarged prostate.
Advantages of Prostate Laser Surgery
- Low risk of bleeding due to which it is a good treatment option for men who take medication to thin their blood or who have a bleeding disorder that doesn’t allow their blood to clot normally.
- Laser surgery can be done on an outpatient basis or with just an overnight hospital stay.
- Recovery from laser surgery generally takes less time than recovery from TURP or open surgery.
- Improvements in urinary symptoms following laser therapy are noticeable right away, while it can take several weeks or even months to see any noticeable improvement with medications.