NEWS

Revolutionary Green Light Laser Centre opens in Staffordshire

A new centre has opened in Staffordshire dedicated to providing revolutionary Green Light Laser Therapy for men with prostate problems.

One in three men aged over 50 develop an enlarged prostate, causing difficulties passing urine, with sufferers often having to get up several times at night. The condition can cause infections and more rarely, damage to the kidneys.

The traditional surgical treatment for an enlarged prostate involves cutting away the surplus prostate tissue which blocks the normal urine flow.

This operation, known as TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate), results in a stay of several nights in hospital, discomfort and a long period of recovery.
Widely used in America, Green Light Laser Therapy is transforming the treatment of the enlarged prostate.

The treatment is non-invasive – the laser therapy is delivered through a thin laser fibre which provides a high powered, safe and precise means of destroying surplus tissue.

It takes just 60 to 90 minutes and patients usually return home within 24 hours.

Selected areas are vaporised which means there is little blood loss and discomfort.

The Prostate Laser Centre, Staffordshire and Cheshire, has just opened at Nuffield Hospital North Staffordshire in Newcastle-under-Lyme to provide a dedicated Green Light Laser service.
Consultant Urologist Anurag Golash of The Prostate Laser Centre, Staffordshire and Cheshire, said: “Green Light Laser Therapy is a major step forward which is transforming the treatment of this very common prostate problem.

“It is a problem which affects a very large number of men and can have a major impact on the quality of their lives.”

Consultant Urologist Christopher Luscombe of The Prostate Laser Centre added: “Green Light Laser Therapy is a far better option for patients. The catheter is usually removed within several hours of the surgery and patients can go home with little or no discomfort.”

The Green Light Laser creates high energy pulses of 523 nanometer green light.

Consultant Urologist Sam Liu of The Prostate Laser Centre commented: “In my opinion, the short and medium term outcome of green light laser treatment looks extremely promising with less morbidity and certainly the most promising new development in prostate surgery in recent years and I hope the long term results will further support my observation." 

Notes to editors

An enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH, is caused by an overgrowth of prostate cells.

A normal prostate is approximately the size of a walnut. However, the prostate is the only organ in the body which continues to grow during the lifespan, frequently causing problems for men over the age of 50.

Traditionally, the recognised treatment for BPH is an operation known as Transurethral Resection of the Prostate or TURP.

During the operation the tissue causing the blockage is cut away using a heated wire. A section of the prostate, rather than the whole gland, is removed in order to clear the blockage and relieve urinary symptoms.

Following TURP, patients typically need to stay in hospital for around three days and face potential complications such as sexual dysfunction, discomfort and bleeding.

By comparison, the Green Laser uses such a concentrated wave of energy that tissue is vaporised rather than burnt, resulting in a far quicker and better recovery for the patient.