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New treatment for men with enlarged prostate

Endoscopic procedure enables removal of prostate tissue without need for incisions

Men diagnosed with an enlarged prostate, or benign prostatic hyperplasia, may find relief in the form of a non-invasive laser surgery treatment offered by Aurora BayCare Urological Surgeons.

The treatment, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), uses a laser to remove obstructive prostate tissue responsible for urinary tract issues that include a weakened urine stream, incomplete bladder emptying, repeated urinary tract infections and more.

Piotrowski Joshua 002“It is one of only two surgeries approved by the American Urological Association guidelines for prostates greater than 80g and often times can be performed as a day surgery procedure with no abdominal incisions,” says Dr. Joshua T. Piotrowski, an Aurora BayCare urological surgeon in Green Bay. He offers the HoLEP procedure.

HoLEP is performed endoscopically, meaning there are no incisions.

“Approaching the procedure endoscopically also results in a reduced bleeding risk, which, in turn, minimizes a patient’s time of stay in the hospital,” Piotrowski says.

With the patient under general anesthesia, Piotrowski uses the laser to cut and remove obstructive prostate tissue while preserving surrounding healthy tissue.

The excised tissue is pushed into the bladder, where it can be removed via a special tool. The tissue can then be sent to a laboratory to test for cancer.

The procedure takes from 45 minutes to two hours, depending on the size of the prostate. It often results in faster recovery and symptom relief compared with traditional prostate surgery. It also offers less risk of retreatment.

Patients that aren’t considered candidates for HoLEP include those that:

  • Have had certain types of prior prostate treatments
  • Cannot lie on their back with their legs raised, a position necessary for the procedure

Enlarged prostate is one of the most common diseases in aging men. About 50 percent of men between ages 51 and 60 will have some signs of enlarged prostate. By age 80, up to 90 percent of men will have signs of this condition.

For more information, please call 888-437-9613.

 

About BayCare Clinic
BayCare Clinic, baycare.net, is the largest physician-owned specialty-care clinic in northeastern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. BayCare Clinic offers expertise in more than 20 specialties, with more than 100 physicians serving in 16 area communities. BayCare Clinic is a joint partner in Aurora BayCare Medical Center, a 167-bed, full-service hospital. Follow BayCare Clinic on Facebook and Twitter.

About Aurora BayCare
Aurora BayCare Medical Center is a 167-bed, full-service tertiary care hospital located at 2845 Greenbrier Road on Green Bay’s east side. It opened in September 2001 as a joint venture of Aurora Health Care and BayCare Clinic. Aurora BayCare is committed to creating a better way to provide high-quality tertiary health care, the latest in medical technology and superior service.

About Aurora Health Care
Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin-area health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora is Wisconsin’s most comprehensive health care provider and the state’s largest private employer. Aurora serves more than 1.2 million patients every year via a comprehensive network of facilities, services and providers, including 15 hospitals, 159 clinics, 70 pharmacies and 30,000 amazing caregivers. As evidenced by more than 400 active clinical trials, Aurora is dedicated to delivering innovations to provide the best possible care today, and to define the best care for tomorrow. Get helpful health and wellness information via the Aurora MyHealth blog, our Facebook page, our Twitter account and our Pinterest account.