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HoLEP : A New Solution for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia ( BPH )
By : Advanced Urology ( Singapore ) Dr . Lie Kwok Ying
The advantages of HoLEP are that you can treat any size prostate , with no incisions , less bleeding , a shorter hospital stay , abundant tissue for analysis and good longterm functional results .
When it comes to treatment of the prostate , most patients typically want to avoid invasive procedures . �hen �r . H , a patient suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia ( ��H� was told that he will benefit from transurethral resection of the prostate ( T���� , he did some research and decided to undergo HoL�� ( Holmium Laser �nucleation of the �rostate� , a newer established technique for treating ��H .
Typically , a normal prostate is about the si�e of a walnut , weighing about �� grams . �ut with ��H , the prostate can get as big as a grapefruit and weigh as much as ������� grams , choking off the urethra , so the urine cannot flow normally . �espite its prevalence � ��H affects up to �� percent of men between the age of �� and �� and up to �� percent of men older than �� � many of the current procedures available to treat the condition don ’ t work well for men with very large prostates , including T��� . �ith T��� and other surgical procedures , you are limited as to how big a prostate you can operate on . The bottom line is that it is very difficult to cut away adequate tissue when you ’ re dealing with a very large prostate .
The advantages of HoL�� are that you can treat any si�e prostate , with no incisions , less bleeding , a shorter hospital stay , abundant tissue for analysis and good long�term functional results . The e�cess tissue is also removed more completely than with T��� , which means there is less need for repeat treatment . Indeed , while the retreatment rate of T��� is over � percent , with HoL�� , it approaches �ero . �urthermore , HoL�� can be safely performed on patients who are on blood thinners such as antiplatelet agents .
�r . Lie �wok �ing performed a HoL�� on �r . H , who was discharged from the hospital the ne�t day . �ithin two weeks or so , he was mostly back to normal and was able to fly back home . �est of all , after his surgery , he
does not need to take any ��H medications which he has been on for the past 8 years .
What are the advantages of HoLEP ?
� Symptom improvement – severe urinary symptoms become mild or non�bothersome . As men pass urine more quickly , they spend less time in the toilet and empty their bladders more completely and pass urine less often
� The improvement lasts longer than any other ��H procedure
� �o upper si�e limit of the prostate . The only endoscopic procedure is recommended for men with prostates more than ���cc . Any si�e or shape of the prostate can be treated unlike other procedures � �ften less bleeding than after a T��� � �ischarge is often quicker than T��� at ��� days � �nlike greenlight laser operations , large quantities of prostate tissue sent for pathological analysis � �or men with urinary retention , HoL�� is a very effective form of treatment � Can be performed on patients who are on blood thinners Disadvantages of HoLEP � �eeds specialised equipment and training � �ossible temporary stress urinary incontinence
Advanced Urology is the largest group of urology specialists in private practice in Singapore . We are conveniently located in the 6 major private hospitals across Singapore . Founded in 2018 , our team comprises of 6 highly experienced urologists who are all respected in their individual subspecialities . For any inquires , do reach out to us at enquiry @ urology . com . sg or call + 65 8866 1838 .
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com JULY 2022
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