A COMPARISON OF TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATECTOMY WITH VISUAL LASER-ABLATION OF THE PROSTATE USING THE UROLASE RIGHT-ANGLE FIBER FOR THE TREATMENT OF BPH

The use of right-angle laser fibers for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) has gained widespread acceptance over the past several years. The number of right-angle fibers introduced into the marketplace has continued to grow, but most fibers have not been evaluated thoroughly with properly designed clinical trials. The Urolase fiber has undergone the most extensive clinical trials conducted to date. This report reviews the significant clinical trials with particular emphasis on the comparison of transurethral prostatectomy with visual laser ablation of the prostate. From these initial results, it would appear that laser ablation using the Urolase fiber is a safe and effective surgical therapy for men with symptomatic BPH. From our analysis, it would appear that transurethral prostatectomy provides a greater degree of symptomatic improvement as compared with transurethral resection of the prostate. It is important to consider that these are some of the earliest clinical trials assessing the efficacy of laser prostatectomy and that technological advancements are likely to improve the clinical outcome.