What is Transurethral Resection of Prostate ?
Transurethral Resection of Prostate or T.U.R.-Prostate or T.U.R.P. is a treatment of choice if the enlarged prostate gland compresses on the urethra resulting in obstruction of urinary outflow. In the TURP, the glandular tissue is removed in small chips or pieces as opposed to Radical Prostatectomy where the prostate gland is removed in it's entirety. T.U.R.P. is an endoscopic procedure where the prostate gland can be visualized while it is being resected.
Prostatic surgery or Prostatectomy comprises other form of surgery such as Suprapubic prostatectomy, Transurethral resection of the prostate(TURP), Open prostatectomy, Laser prostatectomy, Transurethral needle ablation,(TUNA). On the basis of the size of the prostate gland, different kind of prostatic procedures are decided. TURP is performed on the glands bigger than 30 grams and less than 80 grams. But if the prostate gland is bigger than 90 grams, open prostatectomy is performed. Prostatic surgery is not performed on the patients having bood clotting disorder or bladder disease (neurogenic bladder).
• Irregular or absent periods
• Hormone imbalance
• Smoking or alcohol use
• Endometriosis
• Fibroids
• History of infertility
Laser Prostatectomy
Laser prostatectomy or Laser for prostatic surgery is recently developed minimally invasive treatment modalities for patients having BPH i.e benign prostatic hyperplasia or benign prostatic hypertrophy. The term Benign prostatic hyperplasia or benign prostatic hypertrophy means increase in size of the prostate gland in the men above 50 years of age. Laser Prostatectomy is used mainly to remove the prostate gland when there is no cancer in it but its size enlarges due to which it creates problem in the urinary tract. Laser prostatectomy is a short and easy procedure, usually after which the patient can return to their home on the day of operation itself.
• Procedure for laser prostatic Surgery
Patients who has a history of BPH are recommended by their doctors to undergo laser prostatic surgery as because they cannot be treated by the medical therapy. Before the surgery the patients has to undergo several preoperative measurements like American Urologic Association symptom score, Uroflowmetry, Prostate-specific antigen and Transrectalultrasonography (TRUS). Laser prostatectomy uses beams of light to destroy prostate tissue. It is mainly done under the use of regional anesthesia. This laser beam helps in destroying any prostate tissue which blocks the opening of the urethra and bladder outlet. After the laser prostatic surgery, the rate of urine flow improves and reduces the symptoms of BPH. A Foley catheter may be placed in the patient body after the surgery to help in emptying the bladder. For few days after the surgery catheter usually remains in place.
Types of Minimally Invasive Laser Prostate (TURP) Surgery in India
Greenlight Laser Treatment For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
The GreenLight Laser treatment therapy is the most effective, novel and advanced technique for the treatment of an enlarged prostate, which is clinically referred to as Benign Prostratic Hyperplasia (BPH).The treatment involves a laser beam therapy which evaporates the enlarged prostatic tissue that presses on the outlet of the urinary bladder causing urinary outflow obstruction symptoms. The procedure involves the use of a high powered system (80-120 watts), which generates laser beams, which vaporizes the extra prostatic tissue. This is unlike other procedures like Transurethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP), which use electrical current to burn the tissue, and also puts the surrounding structures at risk of being burnt and destroyed.
The procedure is also referred to as Laser Ablation of the prostate or Photo-selective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) or photo vaporization of the prostate. This procedure has a greater efficacy (compared to other laser treatments like interstitial laser therapy-Indigo and Holmium laser therapy-Lumenis) with fewer side- effects, complications and risks.
Conventional vs Laser Prostatectomy / TURP:
The Laser TURP procedure is much more advanced & beneficial than the conventional procedure. The differences in the two are:
• For the conventional TURP, the resectoscope, a combined visual and surgical instrument is used, whereas the Laser procedure involves use of advanced laser energy to cut excess gland, thus there is no loss of blood & shorter hospitalization is required
• Blood thinning agents have to be stopped a week to 10 days before the procedure for conventional TURP, which puts the heart at risk, whereas the laser TURP is done with the blood thinning agents on board, which is highly beneficial for cardiac patients.
• Conventional TURP allows tissue removal at only 1gram/min, whereas laser can vaporize tissue as fast as 3-4 grams/ min.
• For prostates larger than 100gm, open surgery is required in case of conventional TURP, whereas lasers can effectively perform surgery in such large prostate cases
Advantages of Laser TURP:
1. Safer & Faster
2. No blood loss
3. Shorter hospital stay & faster recovery
4. Highly beneficial for
o Patients on blood thinning agents like heparin, aspirin, clopidegrol etc.
o Patients with kidney dysfunction
o Patients whose prostate gland size more than 60 gm
o Patients whose prostate gland size more than 60 gm
o Patients who are at poor risk for anesthesia
o Patients with cardiac complications or who have undergone joint replacement surgery
People from different parts of the world, especially countries like Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Western countries, come down to India to consult with reputed urologists. Our hospitals are staffed with physicians trained in reputed medical universities abroad, and are equipped with the most modern diagnostic and surgical equipment.
We are associated with some of the best urologists in the country who can perform Laser TURP at state-of-the-art hospitals using advanced Diode lasers. Another advantage of getting the procedure done in India is the cost aspect. Laser TURP in India will cost only a fraction of what you would have to pay elsewhere.
