Holmium Laser Prostate Surgery (HoLEP)

Overview

Mayo Clinic urologic surgeons perform holmium laser prostate surgery to remove enlarged prostate tissue caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and improve urine flow.

Mayo Clinic is one of the few medical facilities in the nation offering this treatment, technically know as holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). A number of Mayo Clinic urologic surgeons have the specialized skills and training necessary to perform holmium laser prostate surgery, and perform hundreds of HoLEP procedures annually.

Holmium laser prostate surgery is a safe and effective treatment to reduce the size of the prostate gland or increase the size of the channel through which urine flows. HoLEP has been shown to improve urination for five to seven years, without need of follow-up treatments. Complications, such as bleeding and urinary incontinence, are uncommon.

A major benefit of HoLEP is that the procedure preserves removed tissue for microscopic examination. Mayo Clinic pathologists can then examine the tissue for the presence of other conditions, including prostate cancer. Cancer is detected in about 7 to 10 percent of patients who undergo HoLEP, even if previous preoperative screenings did not detect cancer.

Read more about prostate laser surgery on MayoClinic.com.