Greenlight laser is a safe and minimally-invasive prostate laser treatment for the symptoms of prostate enlargement, or benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Doctors Shekib Shahbaz and Tony de Sousa of Melbourne Urology Centre are highly experienced in performing prostate laser treatment in Melbourne. They offer a highly personalized service, tailoring each patient’s treatment to suit the individual, and can discuss with you all your options, including your suitability for this treatment option.
Who is suitable for prostate laser treatment?
- Greenlight prostate laser treatment may be a suitable option for men who are experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of BPH. These symptoms may include:
- Weak stream of urine
- Inability to completely empty the bladder
- Stop and starting when urinating
- Straining to begin urination
- An increased urge or frequency to urinate
- Interrupted sleep because of the need to urinate
- Other complications of enlarged prostate.
- Greenlight prostate laser treatment may also be a suitable choice for those who have tried and failed other minimally invasive treatment options, or whose prostate anatomy is unsuitable for other treatment options
- It may be an option for those who have failed medical therapy, who do not wish to take medications, or who have experienced side effects from medication
Greenlight prostate laser treatment can be a sound treatment option for men who want to improve their quality of life to what it was before the onset of their BPH symptoms.
What are the advantages of greenlight prostate laser treatment?
Greenlight prostate laser treatment is a minimally invasive, definitive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, which alleviates the bothersome urinary symptoms of the condition. It offers patients long-term improvement in urinary symptoms, with very low revision rates. Patients often have a very fast recovery with minimal downtime following surgery. There is minimal bleeding, and in some cases the Greenlight prostate laser treatment can be performed without the need to stop blood thinning medications. It eliminates the need for lifelong use of medications for BPH.
How is greenlight prostate laser treatment performed?
Greenlight prostate laser treatment is performed either under general or spinal anaesthesia. There are no skin incisions involved. During the procedure, a small camera (known as a cystoscope) is used to direct a side-firing ‘greenlight’ laser source towards the enlarged prostate tissue. The laser heats and vaporizes the obstructing enlarged prostatic tissue, creating and open prostatic urethra (or channel).
The greenlight laser prostate treatment takes up to an hour to complete. Patients can expect to remain in hospital for 1-2 nights with a catheter in place.
What to expect following greenlight prostate laser treatment?
The recovery following greenlight prostate laser treatment is done at home, with most patients being able to resume normal light activities as soon as 3-5 days following their procedure. Complete recovery following the surgery can take up to 4 weeks, during which time strenuous activities should be avoided.
The most common side effects following greenlight prostate laser treatment are burning with urination, blood in the urine, the urgent need to urinate or difficulty controlling the urge. In most cases, these symptoms subside within the first two weeks following the treatment.
What are the procedure outcomes of greenlight prostate laser treatment?
Following greenlight prostate laser treatment, most patients notice an immediate improvement in their urinary flow, pressure and in their ability to fully empty their bladder. Bladder symptoms such as frequency, urgency and nocturia (needing to urinate at night) generally take longer to improve (usually around 3 months following the procedure).
Specialist urologists Mr. Shekib Shahbaz and Mr. Tony de Sousa of Melbourne Urology Centre are experts in Melbourne prostate laser treatment. Contact our rooms to for an appointment to discuss your suitability for this procedure with our specialist urologists.
References:
Urology Care Foundation, (2018), Innovations in Treatment of BPH, [https://www.urologyhealth.org/healthy-living/care-blog/2018/innovations-in-treatment-of-bph/], accessed 26/05/21.
Park, J., Cho, S. Y., Cho, M. C., Jeong, M., Son, H., (2017), 5-year long-term efficacy of 120-W GreenLight photo selective vaporization of the prostate for benign prostate hyperplasia, [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184442], accessed 26/05/21.