Interstitial laser coagulation of the prostate: minimally invasive therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia

The morbidity and mortality associated with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), as therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is the impetus for the urological community's search for alternative medical and surgical treatments for BPH. Interstitial Laser Coagulation of the Prostate (ILC) is a minimally invasive procedure usually performed to relieve symptomatic BPH, that is accomplished by directing laser energy into the gland via an implanted optical fiber using standard cystoscopic techniques. Treatment of adenomatous tissue with ILC reduces the size of the prostate and disrupts alpha-adrenergic nerve fibers.