Greenlight Laser — An excellent treatment option for BPH

Author: Jeffrey Gevirtz, MD

Are you spending too much time in the men’s room? If you’re bothered by weak flow, frequency and urgency of urination, an inability to empty the bladder fully and sleep interrupted by the need to urinate frequently, you should be evaluated by a board- certified urologist, who can accurately diagnose the cause of your symptoms and discuss the different treatment options available.

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that lies below the bladder and around the urethra in men. With age, the prostate grows in size and compresses the urethra, blocking the bladder outlet. Many men develop bothersome symptoms from this enlargement of the prostate.

There are many treatment options available to help improve the symptoms of prostate enlargement. Medications called alpha blockers can relax the prostate. Other medications can shrink the prostate. The gold-standard surgical treatment is transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). During a TURP the obstructing prostate tissue is removed and the bladder outlet opened.
  
Many patients are unhappy with the cost, side effects and level of symptom relief that medications offer. On the other hand TURP offers excellent symptom relief but possible complications, recovery time and a few days in the hospital are a drawback.

The Greenlight Laser is a safe, effective treatment for the symptoms of prostatic obstruction. During this outpatient procedure the laser is used to vaporize the blocking prostate tissue. Symptom relief is the same as for a TURP with less risk of bleeding, no hospitalization and earlier return to normal activities. The procedure can even be done on men taking anticoagulants. The Greenlight Laser represents an excellent new option for treatment.