About this page. This is a plain English summary of Greenlight laser vaporisation for an enlarged prostate. It does not replace medical advice from your own doctor or specialist.
For full information and references, please read the detailed page.
What is Greenlight laser?
Greenlight is a green-coloured laser used to vaporise the obstructing part of the prostate. A side-firing laser fibre is passed through a telescope and the laser energy is aimed at the inside surface of the prostate. The tissue is vaporised away, opening up a clear channel for urine to flow.
The result is similar to TURP, but instead of cutting chips of tissue, the tissue is vaporised. There is very little bleeding because the laser also seals blood vessels as it works.
What it is good for
- Smaller prostates. Greenlight is well suited to prostates that are not too large.
- Men on blood thinners. Because of the very good bleeding control, many men on anti-coagulant medications can still have Greenlight when other operations would be riskier for them.
How the operation works
- You have a general or spinal anaesthetic.
- A telescope (resectoscope) is passed through the urethra.
- The Greenlight laser fibre vaporises the obstructing tissue.
- A catheter is left in for a short time afterwards.
- Hospital stay is usually shorter than after a TURP.
Important things to know
- Some studies have reported good outcomes, but the re-operation rate can be higher than with TURP, especially for larger prostates. Dr Kooner uses Greenlight selectively.
- Most men get retrograde ejaculation (semen passing back into the bladder). This is permanent.
- Burning when passing urine for a few weeks afterwards is normal as the inside of the prostate heals.
- Greenlight does not provide tissue for the pathologist - the tissue is vaporised, so it cannot be looked at under a microscope. If there is any suspicion of prostate cancer, a different operation may be advised.
- The right operation depends on the size of your prostate, your medications, and your overall health, not on the brand name of the laser.
What you can do next
- Read the full detailed page with references and patient brochures.
- Short version: laser prostate surgery overview.
- Short version: holmium laser.
- Short version: TURP.
- Short version: all BPH surgical options.
- Request a second opinion on a treatment plan.
- Call 02 8382 6980 to make an appointment.