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New outpatient laser shrinks enlarged prostate: Interstitial laser thermotherapy is effective and convenient

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Urologists at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville are offering a new laser treatment option for symptoms of an enlarged prostate. The procedure destroys excess prostate tissue with a special laser threaded through the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the bladder. Mayo Clinic urologists Drs. Gregory Broderick and Todd Igel perform the in-office procedure, called interstitial laser thermotherapy, under local anesthesia.

The prostate gland sits at the base of a man's bladder and surrounds the upper part of his urethra. During puberty, the prostate undergoes a growth spurt. It continues to grow slowly as a man ages. In their 40s, most men have a second prostate growth spurt. The gland then begins to compress the urethra and may cause troublesome symptoms, which include a weak urine stream, difficulty starting urination, urine flow stopping and restarting during urination, frequent nighttime urination (nocturia) and the inability to completely empty the bladder.

Interstitial laser thermotherapy is one of several minimally invasive surgical therapies for BPH performed by Mayo urologists. It is an alternative for men with mild to moderate prostate enlargement who experience objectionable side effects from medications used to treat the condition. Surgery, which requires general anesthesia and sometimes hospitalization, is normally recommended when the gland is severely enlarged, especially if the patient is experiencing bleeding or cannot urinate.

Doctors say medical management of BPH is aggressively marketed by the pharmaceutical industry. Common side effects of various drugs used to treat BPH include headache, dizziness, nasal congestion, ejaculatory disorders, decreased libido and erectile dysfunction (ED). The drugs must be taken daily for life, and they may become ineffective over time.

"Most medications can't stop the natural changes to the prostate without significantly interfering with the sexual hormone, dihydrotestosterone," Broderick says. "We are hopeful that early treatment with interstitial laser will free patients not only from daily medications, but also prevent the bladder changes in men which are typical with aging: urgency, frequency, nocturia and incomplete emptying."

Broderick says choosing a treatment is a matter of patient preference. Some men experience satisfactory symptom relief from medication and aren't bothered by side effects. Symptom relief after interstitial laser thermotherapy occurs over three to six weeks. Patients typically require catheterization for three to five days afterwards. The procedure carries a much smaller risk of bleeding, impotence or incontinence than surgical procedures for BPH.

To request an appointment at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, call (904) 953-0853 or complete our online appointment request form: