Transurethral neodymium:YAG laser surgery for bladder tumors

Forty-five patients with 63 bladder tumors were treated with transurethral neodymium: YAG laser irradiation. The operation was performed under lumbar or local anesthesia, the bladder being irrigated with a 10 per cent urigal solution. A five-second beam of 50 watt electric power was chosen as one unit of irradiation, and 5 to 50 units of irradiation were utilized for one operation. Forty-one tumors were completely resected with laser irradiation alone. In the other 22 tumors, electroresection or partial cystectomy was undertaken after the laser irradiation. Pronounced complications did not develop in any of the patients. Perforation was not experienced in our series. The bleeding at irradiation was minimal. Laser surgery through endoscopy thus represents a promising approach for the treatment of bladder tumors.