EVALUATING THE COST OF LASERS FOR THE TREATMENT OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA

Cost is an extremely complex equation with many variables, but itemize d hospital bills are useful in analysis because they reflect costs as defined by an institution. Using this data source, we found that the t otal cost of an outpatient visual laser-assisted prostatectomy ($6,872 .42) is almost the same as that of transurethral resection with a 3-da y hospital stay ($6,925.00). Use of local anesthesia, improvement in t he efficiency of tissue vaporization, and increases in fiber durabilit y to permit multiple use would reduce laser prostatectomy costs. The t rue economic impact of laser prostatectomy awaits a long-term analysis that takes into account the costs of late complications and of reoper ation.