Common Questions About Greenlight Laser Treatment
How long is the stay in the hospital after a GreenLight procedure?
Usually one night after the procedure, but this may vary according to your general health and any other medical conditions.
Where is the procedure performed?
Nick Brook performs this procedure at Flinders Private Hospital.
Will the GreenLight Laser treatment treatment affect my sexual function?
How long before my symptoms improve?
Most patients experience rapid relief of symptoms and improvement in urine flow within 24 hours of the procedure. However, medical history, health conditions, and other factors can influence treatment and recovery.
Will I continue to need BPH medications after the GreenLight Laser treatment?
As with any medication, ask your doctor what is appropriate for you. Most patients are able to stop taking their BPH medications within a few weeks after GreenLight.
How soon can I return to work and other normal activities?
Most patients can resume normal activities within a couple of days. Strenuous activities can be resumed within 2 weeks. Nick Brook will discuss this and your specific condition with you during your consultation.
How long do the results last?
Clinical studies show that GreenLight laser treatment offers lasting symptom relief for at least 5 years.
Is GreenLight treatment covered by insurance?
Medicare and private insurance plans cover the procedure.
Will I need to have a catheter?
Will I have discomfort after the procedure?
How Soon Can You Drive After Laser Prostate Surgery
Most men can return to office work a few days after Greenlight laser surgery for enlarged prostate. Men who drive or engage in potentially dangerous situations should wait until they are comfortable with their urinary function before returning to work.
At what size of prostate requires surgery?
The EAU guidelines, based on grade A evidence, recommends TURP for prostates between 35 and 80 ml. Over that limit, open surgery seems to remain the only option for treating BPH, according to available clinical evidence.
Recovery After Greenlight Laser Surgery
Please note that these recommendations apply to patients who undergo Greenlight Laser prostatectomy at New York Urology Specialists. Other surgeons may have different recommendations. Please contact your surgeon for instructions.
Patients can have a regular diet after the Greenlight laser of the prostate. For patients who undergo Greenlight laser prostatectomy at New York Urology Specialists, you may drink alcohol socially within reason once youre not taking medications.
You also may engage in regular nonstrenuous activities such as walking. Men should avoid sexual activity for 3-4 weeks after the Greenlight laser procedure to allow the prostate to heal. Similarly, biking and strenuous running should be avoided for 3-4 weeks after the procedure as it may provoke bleeding.
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How Is The Procedure Performed
GreenLight Laser Treatment is a telescope procedure performed under general or spinal anaesthetic to treat symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate.
A small laser fibre is passed down the telescope. The fibre delivers high-powered energy to the prostate, causing heating and then vaporisation of excess prostate tissue. The process is continued until the excess tissue has been reduced. Because of the way the laser works, bleeding is less than with TURP. A catheter is inserted for a short time after the procedure, and when removed, urine flow is restored.
The procedure combines the effectiveness of the traditional operation with fewer side effects. The result is a wide-open channel for urine to pass, with fewer side effects, including reduced bleeding and reduced impotence rates compared to TURP.
Typically, a one night stay is needed, which is less than with most TURPs, and the catheter can be removed much more quickly.
My Greenlight Laser Surgery: I Almost Look Forward To Going To The Toilet Now Sixty
Looking back, I never had would be considered a good flow. During the time it took for me to pass urine, three other blokes would come and go. It got to a point where I felt increasingly self-conscious about it and it put me off going out.
My Dad had the same problem. He ended up having the traditional operation, the TURP and was told after surgery that the main problem was that his bladder neck was much smaller than normal. I remember thinking at the time, I wonder if I have the same thing.
It is one of those problems that you do tend to put up with because it isnt life-threatening and you get used to it. For me, it was a conversation with a customer that made the difference. He had been for GreenLight laser surgery with Mr Alan Doherty and said it was the best money he had ever spent and that the procedure itself was a breeze.
I went to see my GP and explained I was considering the procedure. The GP said he thought my prostate was slightly enlarged and referred me to Mr Doherty. I was convinced by the GreenLight laser approach: medication didnt appeal to me at all and from conversations Ive had with other men, didnt seem to be very effective.
Equally, from the experience of men I know who have had the TURP, that seemed a very tough operation with a long period of recovery. Even after surgery, some of them had problems like incontinence, so I didnt want to have the TURP.
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How Is Greenlight Laser Prostate Surgery Performed
- This procedure is performed under general anaesthesia
- It involves the use of a small telescope and a side-firing greenlight laser source which heats to vaporize the enlarged obstructing prostate tissue, creating an open prostatic urethra
- There are no skin incisions involved
- Greenlight laser prostate surgery takes up to an hour to complete
- Patients should expect to remain in hospital with a catheter for 1-2 nights
What Can You Expect The Day Of Your Procedure
On the day of your procedure, you will come to the treatment center. You should have someone drive you home since this is an outpatient procedure. Keep in mind that different patients may require a different treatment regimen.
Before treatment, your physician may give you medication to help you relax during the procedure. You may also receive medication to help you avoid infections.You may be asked to empty your bladder.
You will be brought into the procedure room and moved into the treatment bed where you will lie on your back. You will be provided anesthesia that will allow you to sleep through the entire procedure. Depending on the treatment center, other types of anesthesia may be used, including spinal block or a nerve block.
Once you are asleep or the anesthesia block takes effect, your physician will insert a cystoscope through your urethra. The laser fiber is introduced through the cystoscope and advanced into the urethra at the location of the prostate. The physician systematically vaporizes the enlarged prostate tissue until the obstruction is removed.
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Back On The Golf Course 2 Weeks Later
Condition: BPH Treatment: Aquablation Name: Mr S, Derbyshire
Being lucky enough to enjoy being retired and considering myself to be reasonably fit, the affects of BPH were beginning to have a detrimental affect on my quality of life. My prostate started giving me problems in my mid-fifties with frequent visits to the toilet at night. I went to see my doctor who confirmed an enlarged prostate but suggested that apart from an annual PSA test I should leave everything alone for as long as possible on reflection I think this was good advice.At the beginning of 2018 it was apparent that I was only getting 2 hours of sleep between visits to the toilet as many as 4/5 times each night. Following further examinations, I was prescribed tablets as a first option to relax the prostate and I took these for 6 months however there was no significant improvement and the Consultant suggested a TURPs procedure.
On the Sunday morning I was discharged and took a train journey home to the Midlands. While a little more tired than normal the bleeding had stopped by the Monday and as far as I was concerned it was business as usual. I felt great and had to remind myself not to do too much too soon just two weeks later I was back on the golf course.
Who Can Have This Treatment
All patients with an enlarged prostate, known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia are suitable, including those on anticoagulants. Because we use powerful, third generation laser technology and proven techniques, we can treat men with large prostates, including those who have gone into retention and are dependent upon a catheter.
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How Does Greenlight Laser Surgery Work
During GreenLight laser surgery, we vaporize prostate tissue that is blocking the outlet of the bladder. We do this by placing a scope near the prostate while patients are under anesthesia and using it to guide a laser fiber up to the prostate to gently vaporize the prostatic tissue. The laser is absorbed by hemoglobin molecules in the red blood cells during the process, which results in less bleeding than other treatments. After we eliminate the prostatic tissue, individuals return home with a urinary catheter that they either remove themselves or at the hospital the next day.
Other treatment options, such as transurethral resection of the prostate , surgically shaves the prostate down from the inside. Surgeons primarily used TURP to treat BPH in the past and typically its just as effective as GreenLight laser surgery in the long run. But TURP can be more invasive, requiring patients to stay the night at the hospital, and can result in longer recoveries. Patients who undergo TURP also often have a longer period until the bleeding in their urine resolves.
Scheduling Appointments For Enlarged Prostate Treatment At New York Urology Specialists
We have excellent reviews from patients and their partners. Information for out-of-state and international patients. Find out our office hours or directions to our office.
We offer affordable appointment prices with or without insurance. We offer weekday, weekend, and evening office hours.
Dr. Alex Shteynshlyuger is a board-certified urologist and specialist in the treatment of urinary problems in men. He is one of the few urologists who offers a full range of treatment options for BPH . He specializes in all aspects of care for men with an enlarged prostate and urinary problems, including frequent urination at night, difficulty emptying the bladder, urinary urgency, and incontinence. He has successfully treated thousands of men with urinary problems, including urinary retention, painful urination, and frequent urination.
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Risks And Complications Of Prostate Laser Surgery
Post-surgery bleeding through the urethra is normal, and it may last a few days to a few weeks. If your bleeding appears to be increasing rather than decreasing, if you notice that you are passing clots, or if the blood you are passing is very thick, you need to follow up with your surgeon.
Burning sensations and a need to pass urine frequently are also normal after surgery, however, if it continues and you are worried, please ask your healthcare provider about the possibility that you have a urinary tract infection, which needs to be treated with antibiotics. UTIs become more likely in men who had a catheter in place for longer. As your bladder has become used to a situation in which you have difficulty urinating, you may find, after your surgery, that the opposite becomes true and that you need to pee more often. This resolves with time.
Some men experience a narrowing of the urethra, causing a difficulty in urinating once again, after their surgery. This is due to scar tissue and will require additional treatment. Likewise, there is the possibility that you will need follow-up surgery because your excess prostate tissue was removed inadequately or because it returned over time.
What Happens During The Greenlight Procedure
The following is intended as a general overview. Your experience may differ. Please talk to your doctor about potential risks and questions you may have about the procedure.
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What Happens After Laser Prostate Surgery
How long do you bleed after prostate surgery?
People who have undergone a prostatectomy should expect to see a small amount of postoperative bleeding after the catheter has been removed this is during urination in the days after the surgery and lasts for up to a maximum of six weeks after surgery.
What is the success rate of green light laser surgery?
The postoperative success rate was assessed as 82.1%, 80.8% and 76.1% for each 1-, 3-, and 5-year. Thirty-eight patients had immediate postoperative complications, which were managed successfully with nonsurgical methods.
How long does it take to regain bladder control after prostate surgery?
Continence After Your Prostate Robotics Surgery Most people regain control in the weeks after we remove the catheter. The vast majority of men who had normal urinary control before the procedure achieve it again within 3 to 18 months after the surgery.
Why Am I Peeing So Much After Green Laser Prostate Surgery
Frequent urination and urinary urgency after Greenlight laser often occur immediately after surgery. These symptoms should dissipate fairly soon, typically in the first 4-8 weeks. The persistent or worsening urinary frequency may indicate incomplete bladder emptying or underlying partial urinary retention.
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Frequent Urination And Urgency After Greenlight Laser
Frequent urination and urinary urgency after Greenlight laser often occur immediately after surgery. These symptoms should dissipate fairly soon, typically in the first 4-8 weeks. The persistent or worsening urinary frequency may indicate incomplete bladder emptying or underlying partial urinary retention. Persistent or worsening urinary symptoms may also indicate the presence of urethral stricture. In men who had a large median lobe these symptoms may be a result of irritability of the bladder trigone that can occur after surgery.
How Does Greenlight Work
GreenLight Laser Therapy is a procedure performed with a small fiber that is inserted into the urethra through a cytoscope. The fiber delivers high-powered laser light. Blood inside the enlarged prostate tissue instantly absorbs the laser light, heating the tissue and causing it to vaporize. This process is continued until all of the enlarged prostate tissue has been removed.
GreenLight has been acclaimed for its ability to precisely vaporize tissue without causing damage to underlying structures. Natural urine flow is rapidly restored and urinary symptoms are quickly relieved in most patientsall with minimal blood loss, minimal postoperative discomfort, and a short hospital stay.
The good news is that GreenLight Laser Therapy offers a minimally invasive alternative to surgery in the treatment of BPH.
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What To Do If My Symptoms Are Not Improved After The Greenlight Pvp Laser Of Prostate
While the urine stream is the first symptom to improve after the Greenlight laser of the prostate, other symptoms may take a few months to improve. In particular, urinary urgency, burning with urination, and frequent urination can take a few months to improve.
Usually, symptoms improve slowly over time. If the symptoms are severe, medical treatment with medications for overactive bladder such as Vesicare, Myrbetriq, oxybutynin, and Detrol is sometimes necessary.
If symptoms do not improve sufficiently as expected within the first 3 months after surgery, cystoscopy, uroflow and bladder ultrasound, as well as urodynamic testing, may be necessary to determine the cause of lack of improvement.
Infrequently, patients may develop urethral stricture or bladder neck contracture. In these situations, the urine stream may become worse a few weeks to a few months after the procedure. If this occurs, re-evaluation is necessary.
Did you know?Dr. Shteynshlyuger has performed over 1,000 surgeries and procedures for enlarged prostate, including Rezum, Urolift, prostate enucleation, laser ablation of the prostate, and TURP. He performs over 100 prostate procedures a year.
Will I Need To Wear A Catheter
Many patients do not require a catheter following the procedure. If one is required, it is typically removed in less than 24 hours. However, patients with compromised bladder function or those who require prolonged catheterization as a result of severe urinary symptoms may require a catheter for a longer period of time.
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What You Need To Know About Your Recovery Period
Following your prostate laser surgery, your surgeon will give you a few essential guidelines. Those guidelines will include taking medications we’re mainly talking about antibiotics here exactly as prescribed, and finishing the full course. Though bleeding from your urethra is only to be expected after your procedure, and this bleeding may continue for several days to even several weeks, you’ll also receive instructions on when to come back in. Bleeding that gets worse rather than better, passing clots, and blood that is very thick are all situations that warrant a timely follow-up visit.
Besides those instructions, your surgeon will tell you to take it easy after your surgery, for a set amount of time depending on the exact form of prostate laser surgery you underwent. Yep, that means sitting on the couch or lying in bed reading newspapers or browsing the web, not engaging in exercise, heavy lifting, marathons, or sexual intercourse!
Following these instructions will contribute to a timely recovery and prevent complications. If, however, you have done something your surgeon told you not to do, and especially if you are experiencing more pain and discomfort after that act, you do need to immediately check in with your surgeon… and then listen to their further advice!