WAVERLEY PRIVATE HOSPITAL MEDIA RELEASE New Greenlight Laser Vaporization treatment for enlarged prostate now available at Waverley Private Hospital.
A state of the art laser treatment for men with urinary problems caused by enlargement of the prostate gland is now available at Waverley Private Hospital.
Waverley Private Hospital welcomes urologists Mr. Ross Snow, Mr. Uri Hanegbi and Mr. Jeremy Grummet from Australian Urology Associates, who will be introducing Greenlight Laser Vaporization to Waverley Private in February 2013.
BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) is one of the most common presentations seen in urological practice. Almost half of all men over the age of 60 suffer from BPH. This age-related enlargement of the prostate gland is not malignant but causes a number of troublesome urinary symptoms. As the prostate grows, it compresses the tube called the urethra which drains urine from the bladder and interferes with the normal flow of urine.
Men suffering from this condition typically experience at least one of a number of symptoms which can disrupt their lifestyle by interfering with their usual daily activities. BPH symptoms include frequent urination, a weakened urinary stream, the need to get up at night to pass urine and a feeling that the bladder has not been completely emptied.
Historically, BPH has been treated with medication in the early stages or by having an operation known as a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) if the condition becomes more severe.
Conventional TURP surgery involves cutting away slices of the enlarged gland to relieve the pressure on the urethra at the bladder outlet, resulting in an effective treatment for BPH because it provides long-lasting relief of symptoms. However, this operation involves staying in hospital for 2-3 nights and because of the risk of bleeding in the post-operative period, it is usually necessary to stop taking blood thinning medication prior to surgery.
Greenlight Laser Vaporization is an alternative to prostatic resection to be considered for men with appropriate symptoms and prostatic enlargement, and is well tried and tested. Over 250,000 cases have been performed in different countries around the world and more than 80 articles have been published. This new technique is a potentially less invasive surgical alternative that is just as effective but has fewer side effects than conventional TURP surgery. Instead of cutting away sections of the enlarged prostate gland, the Urologist inserts a telescope up the urethra to the level of the prostate then guides a laser fibre through the scope. The prostate tissue that is obstructing the outlet of the bladder is then vaporized into gas using a high powered laser. Greenlight Laser Vaporization has a number of potential advantages over routine TURP surgery for prostate enlargement. Improvement in the flow rate of urine occurs almost immediately after the laser therapy. There is significantly less bleeding both during and after the operation. Patients undergoing Greenlight Laser usually require a shorter period with a catheter and can therefore typically be discharged home sooner than TURP patients and return to normal activity more rapidly. The length of the hospital stay is reduced from the usual two to three-nights following a TURP to just an overnight stay.
Patients who are taking blood thinning medications such as Aspirin, Cartia, Plavix and Warfarin may not need to cease these drugs prior to a Greenlight Laser procedure, or may be able to reduce them, in the peri-operative period. This may significantly improve the safety of the procedure compared to TURP, as stopping these medications can increase the risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Not all patients with urinary flow problems are suitable candidates for Greenlight Laser Vaporization but the new procedure can generally be used on those who would previously have been treated with a TURP. Patients are referred by their GPs to a urologist who will base the method of treatment on a clinical evaluation. All Appointments (03) 8506 3600 (new referrals welcome) Consulting Locations Mt Waverley
Waverley Private Consulting Suites, 343-357 Blackburn Road
AUA Main Rooms, Ground Floor 322 Glenferrie Road 3144
About Waverley Private Hospital Waverley Private Hospital is a fully accredited 100 bed acute medical, surgical, maternity and day oncology health facility, providing for the healthcare needs of Melbourne's south eastern communities. The Hospital is owned and operated by Ramsay Health Care Ltd, a publically listed Australian company whose name is synonymous with quality in private health care. For more information, please visitor call 03 9881 7772.
Surrey LINk Health and Social Care Bulletin (The HSCB): 5 As the past fortnight has been relatively quiet I thought it would be useful to trail some forth coming events and take a look at health matters accessed on the Internet. Andrew Lansley on Radio 4 The Radio 4 PM programme will be running a series of interviews with the Health Minster Andrew Lansley from Monday 17th Januar
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