CDH Is First in Region to Offer Laser Treatment for Enlarged Prostate

GreenLight Laser Therapy may provide relief for area men suffering from an enlarged prostate. BPH, a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate, affects more than half of all men over the age of 60.

GreenLight Laser Therapy uses laser energy to remove enlarged prostate tissue. This is a quick, outpatient procedure that delivers immediate and dramatic symptom relief without the side effects or expense of medication or the risks associated with invasive surgery.

“Men can now have a safe and effective surgical treatment for their enlarged prostate, with a much shorter recovery period than the standard operation,” said Dr. Donald Sonn, one of the urologists who performs the procedure at Cooley Dickinson.

Although BPH is a common health problem, many men lack awareness and do not understand the condition, its symptoms, treatment solutions, and overall health risks that have been linked to delaying treatment. Common symptoms of BPH — including frequent urination, especially at night; weak urine flow; pain or burning during urination; and starting or stopping during urination — can have an impact on quality of life.

Until now, treatment for BPH has been limited to medication or an invasive surgical procedure known as a TURP, transurethral resection of the prostate. Traditionally, TURP procedures have been associated with higher risks and complications, such as impotence and incontinence, and typically require a several-day stay in a hospital and a four-to-six-week recovery period.

Since August 2007, Sonn and surgeons from the Urology Group of Western New England, an affiliated physician practice, have performed 15 GreenLight Laser Therapy procedures at Cooley Dickinson Hospital’s Kittredge Surgery Center. For more information about the GreenLight Laser, visit www.greenlighthps.com.