Laser therapy offers men relief for urinary problems relate to enlarged prostate
A new treatment, now available at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, may provide relief for men suffering urinary symptoms from an enlarged prostate. Also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), this noncancerous enlargement of the prostate affects more than half of all men over the age of 60.
GreenLight Laser therapy is often an outpatient procedure that can deliver short-term dramatic symptom relief with less potential side effects then previous more invasive procedures. Patients can frequently discontinue long-term expensive medications. More than 250,000 men worldwide have been treated with the GreenLight Laser Therapy. This treatment uses laser energy to vaporize the enlarged prostate tissue. The result is a more open voiding channel for urine to flow through.
BPH affects more than 26 million men in the United States each year. As the prostate enlarges, pressure can be put on the urethra restricting the flow of urine. Common symptoms of BPH include frequent urination, especially at night, week urine flow, pain or burning during urination and an intermittent urinary stream. The inconvenience of these symptoms can have a devastating impact on the quality of life.
Urologist Roger A. Evans, FACS, Manchester Urology Associates of Dover, said the new procedure is very effective in treating enlarged prostate. “I have seen a variety of new BPH procedures come and go over the years,” Dr. Evans said. “The data now supports the Green Light ablative laser therapy as a well tested option for patient's long-term relief."
Treatment options for BPH typically have been limited to a lifetime of medication, TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), a more invasive surgical procedure or in rare cases an open surgical prostatectomy. Now men with BPH have the option to choose a less invasive well tested procedure.
Choosing a treatment for an enlarged prostate involves careful consideration to determine if the treatment is right for the individual. Researching the different treatment options can help each patient determine the best individual option. For more information, please call Manchester Urology Associates at Dover at (603) 742-1444.
