Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia
GreenLight laser therapy
Alongside the conventional forms of surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (including transurethral resection techniques using various generators as well as open and laparoscopic adenomectomy in the case of larger adenomas), the Department of Urology of the University of Tübingen offers GreenLight laser therapy for the gentle treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This technique significantly reduces the length of stay at the hospital.
Besides transurethral resection, laser vaporisation using the PTP laser or “GreenLight laser” is available for the gentle ablation of excess prostatic tissue with little bleeding:
Greenlight PVP Laser Fa. Laserscope
The benefit of this innovative technology consists in the tissue-conserving vaporisation of prostatic tissue without noticeable bleeding. Even patients who are taking aspirin can be treated. This technique makes it possible to considerably reduce the excess prostatic tissue nearly without any bleeding.
Laser beam exiting glass fibre
This technique is applied in all male patients who have difficulties urinating due to enlargement of the prostate. Prior to the treatment, prostate cancer needs to be excluded by blood analysis (PSA) and palpation of the prostate with the finger, since the vaporised tissue cannot be examined for cancer cells under the microscope.
The length of hospital stay following the GreenLight laser therapy is only a few days, since the ablation is very tissue-conserving, the bleeding is very low and the recovery period for the patient is very short.
Similarly to conventional prostate resection (TUR-P), an instrument is introduced into the urethra. However, the prostatic tissue is not resected using an electrical loop, but is vaporised (Fig. 2). This is why the procedure involves very little bleeding, allowing the treatment of patients who are taking anticoagulants.
Trouble-free urination is already possible shortly after the procedure. In most cases, the urethral catheter can be removed after one day.