Cm. Dixon, A COMPARISON OF TRANSURETHRAL PROSTATECTOMY WITH VISUAL LASER-ABLATION OF THE PROSTATE USING THE UROLASE RIGHT-ANGLE FIBER FOR THE TREATMENT OF BPH, World journal of urology, 13(2), 1995, pp. 126-129
The use of right-angle laser fibers for the treatment of benign prosta
tic hyperplasia (BPH) has gained widespread acceptance over the past s
everal years. The number of right-angle fibers introduced into the mar
ketplace has continued to grow, but most fibers have not been evaluate
d thoroughly with properly designed clinical trials. The Urolase fiber
has undergone the most extensive clinical trials conducted to date. T
his report reviews the significant clinical trials with particular emp
hasis on the comparison of transurethral prostatectomy with visual las
er ablation of the prostate. From these initial results, it would appe
ar 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 degre
e of symptomatic improvement as compared with transurethral resection
of the prostate. It is important to consider that these are some of th
e earliest clinical trials assessing the efficacy of laser prostatecto
my and that technological advancements are likely to improve the clini
cal outcome.