title: Interstitial laser therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia in the anticoagulated patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Interstitial laser therapy (ILT) was performed without discontinuing warfarin anticoagulation therapy in eight patients (mean international normalized ratio 2.8 +/- 0.8) with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Three patients were in urinary retention and had failed voiding trials. Five had severe symptoms (mean American Urological Association symptom score 22 +/- 7) and had failed medical therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Interstitial laser therapy was performed using the Indigo model 830e LaserOptic Treatment System with the patient under local anesthesia. Mean operative time was 25 minutes and mean total laser energy was 6,785 J.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After surgery, spontaneous voiding was achieved by 7 of the 8 patients at 1 week and by all 8 patients at 3 weeks. At 3-month follow-up, mean American Urological Association symptom score was 13 +/- 5, and mean peak urinary flow rate had increased to 12.2 +/- 3.2 mL/s from 8.8 mL/s (excluding retention) before surgery. Interstitial diode laser therapy appears to be a safe and effective technique for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia in the fully anticoagulated patient.
authors.affiliation: Division of Urology, University of California, San Diego, and Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Diego, California, 92103-8897, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Polepalle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monga
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014859:Warfarin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D014859:Warfarin