title: Neodymium:YAG visual laser ablation of the prostate: 7 years of experience with 230 patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We evaluated the short and long-term outcome of neodymium:YAG visual laser ablation prostatectomy for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 230 patients with symptomatic BPH underwent visual laser ablation prostatectomy. Evaluation measures included the American Urological Association symptom score, maximum urinary flow rate, post-void residual urine volume and morbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median followup was 36 months (range 6 to 79). Of the patients 220, 196, 180, and 167 were available at 6 months, 1, 2 and 3 years, respectively. Moreover, 98 patients were followed for a minimum 5 years. At 6 months maximum urinary flow rate increased from 6.7 to 17.9 ml. per second, post-void residual urine volume decreased from 159 to 52 ml. and the American Urological Association symptom score was reduced from 22 to 7.2. Improvement in the evaluation parameters also continued at 5 years. Early complications consisted of prostatitis, urinary retention, and bleeding in 6 (2.6%), 3 (1.4%) and 1 (0.4%) patient, respectively. Irritative symptoms persisting greater than 4 weeks were seen in 28 (12.2%) patients. Late complications were bladder neck contracture, urethral stricture, and urinary retention in 3 (1.4%), 2 (0.9%) and 2 (0.9%) patients, respectively. Of the 153 sexually active men 5 noticed erectile impotence at 6 months. There were 20 (12.0%) patients who reported retrograde ejaculation. The reoperation rate was 5.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results further confirmed that visual laser ablation prostatectomy is a safe and effective treatment for BPH. It has minimal morbidity and durable therapeutic effects. However, the major disadvantage is postoperative irritative voiding symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Haydarpaå Numune Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Feridun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sengör
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gürdal
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.forename: Ergin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yücebaş
authors.forename: Melih
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beysel
authors.forename: Kubilay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Erdoğan
mesh_terms: D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000209:etiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006417:Hematuria / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery*; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014525:Urethral Stricture / Q000209:etiology; D001748:Urinary Bladder Neck Obstruction / Q000209:etiology; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology; D014563:Urodynamics