Laser therapy helps men with urine blockage

Removing a portion of the prostate gland with laser therapy, a procedure termed HoLEP, may be "the ideal treatment" for men with urinary blockage due to Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a new study suggests.

BPH is a common condition in older men in which the prostate gland swells and can block the flow of urine. The new findings are based on a study of 164 consecutive men treated by HoLEP between January 2000 and August 2004.

An important finding, study author Dr. James E. Lingeman noted, is that "all of the patients in this large series (urinated) after HoLEP, even though all were in urinary retention prior to HoLEP and many had poor bladder function."

Additionally, all of the men remain catheter free, Lingeman and colleagues from Methodist Hospital/Clarian Health Partners and Indiana University in Indianapolis note in The Journal of Urology.

What Is Benign prostatic hyperplasia?

The prostate is a small gland approximately the size and shape of a walnut that is located at the base of the penis. It sits in front of the rectum and directly below the bladder. The prostate is an integral part of the male reproductive tract. It produces fluid that helps to move the sperm through the urethra during sexual climax.

At birth, the prostate gland is tiny. When testosterone levels rise during puberty, the prostate grows rapidly, doubling in size by age 20. Growth slows down for the next two decades and the prostate usually does not cause problems for many years. Less than 10 percent of 30-year-old men have an enlarged prostate. When a man reaches his 40s, the prostate goes through a second growth spurt. Half of all men have an enlarged prostate by the time they reach age 60, and by age 85, 90 percent of the men are affected.
More information: Benign prostatic hyperplasia

The average age of men in the series was 72.1 years and the average duration of urinary blockage was 28.9 days.

It should be noted, Lingeman said, that complications, such as the need for blood transfusion, following HoLEP were "very low and lower than other forms of treatment for patients with BPH and urinary retention."

The current study, the authors conclude, suggests that HoLEP is a "particularly safe and effective" treatment for men with urinary retention.

SOURCE: Journal of Urology, September 2005.