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Laser Focal Therapy for BPH
We Treat BPH without Major Surgery
We use advanced imaging – 3T MRI – to precisely target enlarged areas of the prostate with a thin laser fiber. The heat ablates, or destroys, this excess tissue without a bloody surgery like a TURP. We monitor your prostate and its temperature during the procedure in real-time. In addition, we use an FDA-cleared system under MRI guidance to monitor the structures around the prostate to minimize the risk of injury or erectile dysfunction.
Laser Focal Therapy for BPH
To minimize the risks of BPH treatment, Prostate Laser Center uses an FDA-cleared laser system to insert a 1.85-mm laser fiber through your rectum into your prostate under MRI guidance. By monitoring the laser energy in two different planes in real time, the physician can see the neurovascular bundles responsible for erectile function and ejaculatory ducts to avoid harming them.
This laser system is so precise that it’s most commonly used in the brain. There are no guarantees in medicine, but this system minimizes the risks to your neurovascular bundles, internal urinary sphincter, and prostatic urethra. With this treatment option, retrograde ejaculation risk is about 15%, and the risk of erectile dysfunction is less than 5%.[1]
Due to swelling in the prostate from the procedure, urinary symptoms get worse before they improve. Most men get back to their baseline function approximately three weeks after the procedure and see noticeable improvement around three months after the procedure (plus or minus a month).
Advantages of Laser Focal Therapy
Minimally Invasive
An ambulatory outpatient procedure – usually 2-to-4 hours in length
No General Anesthesia
We utilize conscious sedation for the patient’s comfort
Improved Urination
Approximately 85% of men have improved urination after the procedure
Decreased Risk of Side Effects
Lower risk of side effects such as urinary incontinence and impotence compared to traditional procedures
No Limitations
Focal laser therapy does not limit the option to treat with other treatments if needed in the future
Frequently Asked Questions
For BPH treatment:
Private insurance will sometimes cover a significant portion of the procedure, minus copays and deductibles. You can call your insurance with these codes to ask about your coverage:
The CPT code is 52647 and the ICD code is N40.1.
Medicare generally does not cover the procedure.
We exclusively use the Visualase laser system.
When the prostate grows so much that it is under a lot of pressure, it tries to expand in a direction with relatively less pressure. Sometimes, this is the direction of the bladder, and a median lobe can grow into the bladder. These can be difficult to treat with certain procedures, but with MRI guidance, a laser can be placed directly into the median lobe for treatment.
What to Expect
Laser Focal Therapy for BPH
Wondering what to expect before, during, and after your Laser Focal Therapy for BPH procedure? Take a look here.
References
[1] Patella, G., Ranieri, A., Paganelli, A., et al. (2017). Transperineal laser ablation for percutaneous treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A feasibility study. Cardiovascular Interventional Radiology, 40(9), 1440-1446. doi: 10.1007/s00270-017-1662-9
[2] Pacella, C.M., Patelli, G., Iapicca, G., et al. (2020). Transperineal laser ablation for percutaneous treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A feasibility study. Results at 6 and 12 months from a retrospective multi-centric study. Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases, 23(2). doi: 10.1038/s41391-019-0196-4
[3] Frego, N., Saita, A., Casale, P., et al. (2021). Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of ultrasound-guided transperineal laser ablation for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A single institutional experience. World Journal of Urology, 39(10), 3867-3873. doi: 10.1007/s00345-021-03685-7
