title: GreenLight laser vs diode laser vaporization of the prostate: 3-year results of a prospective nonrandomized study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Laser vaporization of the prostate is one of the alternatives to transurethral resection of the prostate. Short-term studies report a comparable outcome after laser vaporization with the 532 nm 120-W GreenLight high-performance system (HPS) laser and the 980 nm 200 W high-intensity diode (diode) laser. In this study, we analyzed the intermediate-term results of both techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2007 to January 2008, 112 consecutive patients with symptomatic benign prostate enlargement were nonrandomly assigned to treatment with the GreenLight laser or the diode laser. Perioperative parameters, postoperative functional outcome, complications, and the reoperation rate at 3 years were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement of voiding symptoms (International Prostate Symptom Score, quality-of-life) and micturition parameters (maximum flow rate, postvoid residual volume) showed no significant difference between the HPS group and the diode group. A significantly higher reoperation rate was observed in the diode group in comparison to the HPS group (37.5% vs 8.9%, p=0.0003) due to obstructive necrotic tissue (16.1% vs 0%, p=0.0018), bladder neck stricture (16.1% vs 1.8%, p=0.008), and persisting or recurrent adenoma (5.4% vs 7.1%, p=0.70), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both lasers lead to comparable improvement of voiding parameters and micturition symptoms. Treatment with the 200 W diode laser led to a significantly higher reoperation rate, which might be attributed to a higher degree of coagulation necrosis. Thus, a careful clinical application of this diode laser type is warranted.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Urology, University Hospital Basel , Basel, Switzerland .
authors.forename: Sanwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonkat
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Püschel
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bachmann
authors.forename: Malte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rieken
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis / Q000601:surgery; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation; D020728:Transurethral Resection of Prostate / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome