Prostate Green Laser

What is green laser?

The green laser (Greenlights or prostate laser) can treat the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). This disease affects about 80% of Italians over the age of 50, and is characterized by an increase in the volume of the prostate gland.

BPH causes the urethra to flatten and the bladder tissue to thicken, causing the patient to have difficulty with urination because the urine flow is not fluid and the urine stagnates in the bladder. For this reason, people suffering from this problem have a sensation of incomplete emptying after urinating and feel the need to urinate frequently.

The Greenlight treatment was developed to treat this condition with a minimally invasive treatment in an outpatient center. Local, epidural or spinal anesthesia is used.

Green laser is a minimally invasive treatment.

Why is it performed?

The obvious advantages of this method make it the most suitable procedure for those suffering from cardiovascular diseases and coagulation disorders, since, unlike traditional surgery, it is not necessary to interrupt vital treatment based on anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents. Even those who have a pacemaker can undergo the operation, as it does not involve the use of an electric scalpel, which would interfere with the action of the pacemaker.

The green laser can safely treat large prostates, which until a few years ago were not operated on with the minimally invasive method, and it also allows a biopsy to be performed during the same procedure to confirm or rule out the suspected presence of prostate cancer.

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What does it consist of?

The green laser is applied endoscopically: a laser fiber introduced into the urethra through a cystoscope extracts with extreme precision only the excess prostate tissue, converting it into vapor. This instrument allows instantaneous coagulation of the blood vessels, reducing the risk of bleeding.

The laser used is 180W, or high power, and has a wavelength of 532 nanomillimeters.

Postoperative recovery

After surgery, a single night of hospitalization and the use of the catheter for 24 hours is foreseen, so the patient can return to daily activities after a few days.

Thanks to the immediate coagulation of the tissues during the procedure, the risk of bleeding is minimal, and the risk of developing impotence, relapse and urinary incontinence as a consequence of the green laser is minimal, whereas these same factors are contraindications of traditional surgery.

The results are immediate and the patient returns to normal urination after surgery.

Alternative treatments

Other treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia include:

  • pharmacological treatments;
  • transurethral resection;
  • thermo-dilation with Prostatron;
  • total or partial prostatectomy with open surgery;
  • high-intensity focused ultrasound;
  • hydrogen-induced thermotherapy;
  • prostate stents;
  • transurethral needle ablation;
  • transurethral microwave thermotherapy.