For the past 50 years, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has been the most common treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The authors have conducted visual laser ablation of the prostate (VLAP) for BPH as a minimum invasive surgery. The results were compared with those of VLAP, VLAP+transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), and TURP as other treatments for BPH. In the VLAP group, 50 of 52 (96.2%), 36 of 40 (90.0%) and 31 of 36 (86.1%) were categorized as having more than a Fair Response (FR) at 3, 6 and 12 months, postoperatively. In the VLAP+TUIP group, 24 of 29 (82.8%), 19 of 22 (86.4%) and 9 of 11 (81.8%) were classed as having more than a FR at 3, 6 and 1 2 months, postoperatively. Forty-one of 42 (97.6%), 1 7 of 1 7 (100.0%) and 6 of 6 (100.0%) patients reaction to TURP was more than FR in overall response at 3, 6 and 12 months, postoperatively. The need for a blood transfusion, perforation of the prostate capsule and transit incontinence persisting for more than 1 month occurred in 1 of 45 (2.2%), 1 (2.2%) and 4 (8.9%) patients in the TURP group. Bladder neck contracture was seen in 4 of 52 (7.7%) in the VLAP group. Average postoperative catheter duration was shorter in the VLAP+TUIP (5.7 ± 8.4 days) than in the VLAP group (10.3 ± 10.4 days). Although TURP remains the standard treatment for BPH, VLAP results in less morbidity compared to TURP. VLAP with TUIP appears to lessen the risk of postoperative urinary retention and provide better results in longer follow-up studies.
Keywords: benign prostatic hyperplasia; transurethral resection of the prostate; visual laser ablation of the prostate.