Laser Treatment Means Quicker Recovery From Enlarged Prostate

Mayo Clinic
Tuesday, 6 January 2004

Many older men can commiserate on this one: frequent nighttime bathroom trips usually occur because of an enlarged prostate. A condition that becomes increasingly common as men age, an enlarged prostate can constrict the urethra and make it harder for urine to pass through.

Medication sometimes solves the problem, but surgery has been considered the most effective treatment. Recently, advances in laser treatments give men new treatment options, often with faster recoveries and minimal side effects.

The January issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter describes one laser therapy pioneered by a Mayo Clinic urologist that has been successfully used on prostate glands of varying sizes. The procedure is called photoselective vaporization of the prostate, or PVP. A high-energy laser vaporizes prostate tissues. Urine flow usually improves right away. Side effects, such as swelling, are minimal. Men who undergo PVP generally return to work within one or two days, much sooner than those who undergo the traditional surgical procedure.

For more information, or to contact Mayo Clinic, see their website at: www.mayoclinic.org