MANAGEMENT OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA BY TRANSURETHRAL LASER-ABLATION IN PATIENTS TREATED WITH WARFARIN ANTICOAGULATION

Transurethral laser ablation of the prostate gland was used to treat b enign prostatic hyperplasia in 10 patients on warfarin anticoagulant t herapy who had either significant clinical symptoms or who were in uri nary retention. Anticoagulant therapy did not require alteration at an y stage during treatment. All patients noticed improvements in symptom score assessments, flow rates and residual urine volumes following th is procedure, and no significant complications were encountered. The h emostatic nature of neodymium:YAG laser energy as applied in this proc edure appears to result in a technical improvement upon conventional t ransurethral resection for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostat ic hyperplasia in patients taking warfarin anticoagulant therapy.